Logo inserts into Ucoat flooring

[schulmann]

I just order my Ucoat paint kit for my new garage.
It is already on delivery for tomorrow.

I want to insert a couple of car logos between the epoxy and the clear coat layers.

What is the best technic to use ?

Can I use vinyl cuts or the urethane will dissolve it ?
We have a machine that can cut out regular race car decalcs for our cars.
I want to use the same technic on the floor as on the race cars.
Is this the good way to go ?

If somebody has pictures of a similar garage floor please post it into this thread ...

 

[thegarageguy]

You really need to ask the manufacturer from whom you purchased your materials. They should be the authority on compatibility for their products.

 

[Hammerdown]

Always check the manufacturers recommendations, as they know best. I tried using a decal I got from a car show before and the color ran when I put down the clear coat. I was pi$$ed! Messy clean up. I went to my local sign shop, told them what type of product I was using and they used "cast" or "laminated" vinyl for the Chevy Bow Tie they made me. I tested it first this time to be sure and it worked. I probably have a picture but its on film- I still use a camera with 35mm film, I just don't think digital has any "depth" to it. I guess I'm old school, and I digress! Call ucoat it and see what they tell you.

 

[schulmann]

I just got the following mail from UCoatIt. I was on the right path ...


The decals will need to be a sign quality cast vinyl. The vinyl needs to be cast so it will protect against the urethane while it cures and the colors won’t run. The cast vinyl is typical like you would use for vehicle lettering. Conduct a compatability test between the vinyl and a very small amount of the urethane to make sure it won’t ruin it.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.

Please call 800-826-2848 or 248-549-7777 for any further assistance. Thanks for your interest in UCoat It and we look forward to serving your floor coating needs.

 

[accord driver]

If you are going witha large logo you may want to consider perforated vinyl, it willa llow the bas color and clear toprcoat to adhere better than having a vinyl logo floating between the layers and eventually lifting.

 

[chevelle67]

I am planning on doing the same thing, can anybody post any pics?

 

[FlameOut]

I am planning on doing the same thing, can anybody post any pics?

I'd like to do something like that myself. A nice Chevy bowtie or something like that.

BTW, chevelle67, I assume you have a 67 Chevelle? How 'bout some pics

 

[AlphaGarage]

accord driver brings up a good point. If you have a large decal, your protective clear coat is not adhering to the underlying epoxy, but rather to nothing else but that decal. People will go through quite a few meticulous steps in order to achieve a good bond between the substrate and the primer coat of epoxy, but then the coating that will see the most punishment, the top coat, only sticks to a decal? With a small decal it's not as large a risk, the clear coat only needs to bridge that small area.

The perforated decals will allow epoxy to epoxy contact, a better method.

One tick fpr positioning the decal is to spary a small amount of detergent and water on its backside, that will allow it to be moved around until it's properly oriented. Then squeeggee out the soapy water before over coating. As always, double check with your supplier and make certain this works with your product.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

accord driver brings up a good point. If you have a large decal, your protective clear coat is not adhering to the underlying epoxy, but rather to nothing else but that decal.

Can the decal be set in the under lying epoxy before it dries eleminating the problem of lifting?

I still think this is asking for problems but is it a option?

Glen
________
Lamborghini Diablo history

 

[BrandonB]

accord driver brings up a good point. If you have a large decal, your protective clear coat is not adhering to the underlying epoxy, but rather to nothing else but that decal. People will go through quite a few meticulous steps in order to achieve a good bond between the substrate and the primer coat of epoxy, but then the coating that will see the most punishment, the top coat, only sticks to a decal? With a small decal it's not as large a risk, the clear coat only needs to bridge that small area.

The perforated decals will allow epoxy to epoxy contact, a better method.

One tick fpr positioning the decal is to spary a small amount of detergent and water on its backside, that will allow it to be moved around until it's properly oriented. Then squeeggee out the soapy water before over coating. As always, double check with your supplier and make certain this works with your product.

The sign shop or print shop could use a textured laminate on top of the decal (be it digitally printed or layers of colored vinyl) to help with adhesion possibly. Some laminates look like canvas, or small pebbles or a variety of things. One of those might be "rough" enough to help adhesion.

On the flip side of things, you could apply the decal/graphic over the top of the flooring. Floor graphics are becoming a big selling point of many sign shops and media suppliers right now. I've used several products on rough to smooth flooring surfaces that get a ton of traffic, wear and tear; they still look good after a year or so of testing. Going this route would allow you to change out the graphic easier if you so choose, and you wouldn't have any issues with your rather expensive flooring peeling.

Many of these floor graphic laminates also have UL ratings for being slip resistant (recommended).

AlphaGarage's point about detergent is valid too. A drop or two of liquid detergent (dish washing soap) in 12 or so ounces of water will suffice, much more can get problematic.

 

[rickairmedic]

I agree with Brandon on this one for one other important reason ( what if the guy you sell the house to isnt a Ford ,Mopar, Chevy guy ) . They are stuck with that logo but if its ontop of the epoxy it could be removed and a differant one applied if they wish. I guess if you plan to never sell like me then it would be fine but if theres a chance of ever selling it might make a differance.

Rick

 

[AlphaGarage]

The decal on top sounds like a good way to go. I suppose you could put it on the clear coat, and then apply another layer of clear coat. It would give it quite a bit more protection, but still leave a solid, complete system underneath. If it ever needed to be removed or swapped out it'd be easy to make it all look new again by a bit of sanding and a quick coat of clear over the area.

I heard one of our commercial guys is doing quite a few of these, I'll track him down and try get some tips.

 

[BrandonB]

The decal on top sounds like a good way to go. I suppose you could put it on the clear coat, and then apply another layer of clear coat. It would give it quite a bit more protection, but still leave a solid, complete system underneath. If it ever needed to be removed or swapped out it'd be easy to make it all look new again by a bit of sanding and a quick coat of clear over the area.

I heard one of our commercial guys is doing quite a few of these, I'll track him down and try get some tips.

If you need some information and such let me know, I'll post the article about my work in a recent LexJet newsletter and some other publications.

 

[Wardrum]

The decal on top sounds like a good way to go. I suppose you could put it on the clear coat, and then apply another layer of clear coat. It would give it quite a bit more protection, but still leave a solid, complete system underneath. If it ever needed to be removed or swapped out it'd be easy to make it all look new again by a bit of sanding and a quick coat of clear over the area.

That is basically the method I used when putting the graphics on my floor. Decals on top of first clear coat, then 2 more coats of clear over everything. It has been down a little more than 3 years now with no signs of wear or separation.

 

[StangRacing]

man love to see more pictures like your wardrum

so if I bought the ucoatit kit solid with clear and later put a decal on top of the clear and cover that with clear I could havve the look I am looking for??

 

[akdiesel]

Wardrum,
You did a great job.
Is that just dirt under the chevy? When you park for a long period do you use any pads of carpet to protect from the tires peeling it up?