Getting Started- Cracks

[blankedinmyblank]

Hello all, I'm about to begin the process of epoxy coating my garage floor. However, I have some hairline cracks, as well as some 1-2cm in width (at parts). How should I approach this? Should I fill them in? Some of the rustoleum stuff I've found says it'll take 28 days to properly cure, which completely throws my project off. Should I not fill the cracks and just go ahead and epoxy coat everything, and will that be fine? Or is there some solution in which the cracks are filled AND I can begin epoxy coating in a matter of a few days?

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Hello all, I'm about to begin the process of epoxy coating my garage floor. However, I have some hairline cracks, as well as some 1-2cm in width (at parts). How should I approach this? Should I fill them in? Some of the rustoleum stuff I've found says it'll take 28 days to properly cure, which completely throws my project off. Should I not fill the cracks and just go ahead and epoxy coat everything, and will that be fine? Or is there some solution in which the cracks are filled AND I can begin epoxy coating in a matter of a few days?

Any and all help is appreciated.

Prefill or they will telegraph through.
Wait the recommended days or risk a delamination.

 

[benwah]

I like to use a 100% solids surfacing epoxy to fill cracks. If they cracks are large (like expansion joints) I like to mix in some fumed-silica to thicken it up.

 

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

I just filled the cracks in my floor yesterday with Legacy's HD-821 gel filler.

Quick aside -- Legacy's customer support is fantastic.

If you buy the HD-821, it comes in gallon cans and isn't the easiest product to remove from the can as it is somewhat viscous (part B more so than part A). I was mixing 2 or 3 tablespoons of each part at one time, as that was about all I could apply in the ~10 minutes open time, but I'm also working by myself and I'm not the fastest

When mixed it will flow -- think table syrup or a bit thicker. I was mixing on a big piece of cardboard, which seemed to work pretty well.

I used a third tablespoon to apply the mix. I would fill about 5-10' of crack, then go back over it with a plastic spreader (like you'd use fo drywall mud or auto body filler). It spread really nicely and levels itself better than I expected.

It probably pays to weigh the stuff out as you use it, to get the mix right, or use good measuring tools to make sure you get the right amount.