Looking for floor finish recommendations for new shop

[atlm]

I’m looking for recommendations for finishing the concrete floor in my new shop.

Current planned uses, subject to change:

• Motorcycle parking, maintenance, projects. (If necessary, motorcycle parking can be on clear vinyl runner material to prevent tire stains.)
• Metal projects. Not sure what yet. Cat statues? Motorcycle frames? I have a MIG and am thinking of buying a plasma cutter and TIG.
• Some woodworking / carpentry. Maybe furniture refinishing. (I know almost any floor will need to be protected from chemical strippers and wood stains)
• And a bunch of small, cleaner stuff that has no impact to floor type.

For reference, 13 years ago I did a garage floor in epoxy coated VCT. Here’s the thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/epoxy-coated-vct-install-plus-extras.76086/
The floor part of that project took 6 weeks and 166 labor hours. And after all of that, we ended up moving to a different house 7 years later. I don’t want that big of a flooring project this time.

Requirements for this new floor:

• needs to look nice
• can’t be slippery when wet due to motorcycles
• easy chemical cleanup (oil, brake fluid, cleaners, etc.)
• color stable – no yellowing. This shop has big windows.

Nice to haves for this new floor:

• metalwork friendly. If I have to use a welding blanket to protect it, I will, but would prefer not to. I know this is a tough one, so it’s optional. (the VCT definitely was not)
• I plan to have a motorcycle lift table in the shop, and might want to cut the concrete in the future to drop it to be level with the floor, similar to what @ekraft84 did. Post with pics here, under the racing pics: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/motorcycle-roadracing-garage.203554/post-3163629. So it would be great if the floor finish is repairable after a project like that.

Other notes that might be relevant:

• The concrete was poured 9 months ago. I think it’s fully dry by now, but that’s a question for the experts here. It has vapor barrier plastic under all of it except the outer edges where there are footings. Picture below.
• Most of the concrete is ~4 inches thick, over ~4 inches of gravel. The edges/footings are between 18 inches and 42 inches deep. Picture below.
• The floor surface was hand-troweled 3 or 4 times when wet, and then machine-troweled the next morning when mostly set (long story). So it’s smooth, but not as perfectly smooth as normal machine troweled. Picture below.
• There are a few cracks. I’ll need to know what to do with them based on the finish I choose. Close-up picture of one below.
• The space will be insulated, finished, heated/air-conditioned (mini-split).

Actual square footage of exposed concrete floor is ~406 (for estimating material quantities).

Please share your thoughts!

 

[benwah]

Requirements for this new floor:

• needs to look nice
• can’t be slippery when wet due to motorcycles
• easy chemical cleanup (oil, brake fluid, cleaners, etc.)
• color stable – no yellowing. This shop has big windows.

Nice to haves for this new floor:

• metalwork friendly. If I have to use a welding blanket to protect it, I will, but would prefer not to. I know this is a tough one, so it’s optional. (the VCT definitely was not)
• I plan to have a motorcycle lift table in the shop, and might want to cut the concrete in the future to drop it to be level with the floor, similar to what @ekraft84 did. Post with pics here, under the racing pics: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/motorcycle-roadracing-garage.203554/post-3163629. So it would be great if the floor finish is repairable after a project like that.

Other notes that might be relevant:

Actual square footage of exposed concrete floor is ~406 (for estimating material quantities).

Please share your thoughts!

***** about the cracks, but whatever. Polish starting at Densify, 200 grit, 400 grit, densify again, 800 grit, 1500 grit (if necessary) 2 coats of penetrating sealer, burnish. Meets: needs to look nice, can't be slippery when wet, easy chemical cleanup, color stable. Polymer resin will melt under welding splatter. If you want an epoxy/race-deck area do that. But that is a pretty power-troweled finish. Preserve it!! Fill crack with Metzger-Mcguire polyurea if suited.

Or just apply one of these guys’s poly’s.

But if you could take 1/64 off, it would really accentuate the power troweled job.

 

[atlm]

@benwah - Thanks for the input and thank you for posting those pictures, especially the last one! I want a "finished" look to the room and was trying to visualize what it would look like and a color scheme for the walls. I love the contrast of the plain white walls against the busy and interesting gray patterns in the concrete. I think you've convinced me not to cover it with a solid color.

Polish starting at Densify, 200 grit, 400 grit, densify again, 800 grit, 1500 grit (if necessary) 2 coats of penetrating sealer, burnish. Meets: needs to look nice, can't be slippery when wet, easy chemical cleanup, color stable. ... But that is a pretty power-troweled finish. Preserve it!!

Approximately how many hours labor does the polishing and densifying process take for ~410 sq ft, and over how many days (for equipment rental)?

Or just apply one of these guys’s poly’s.

Which guys, which polys?

But if you could take 1/64 off, it would really accentuate the power troweled job.

Can you elaborate?

 

[Armorpoxy]

An easy solution would be to lightly grind the floor if you have to to smooth it out, and then coat it with the Ballistix System which is two coats of the sealer and the special Ballistix topcoat which is more resistant to chemicals and fluids than any urethane or polyaspartic (all of which we carry). The system sprays on with a garden sprayer so very easy to use too. Finish looks like polished concrete without most of the work. Nonskid can be added to the final coat.

Another alternative is a coat of our SPGX one part Polyurea with nonskid.

 

[atlm]

My current short list (subject to change) based on reading other threads here includes TS210, Ballistix, Polyurea, and the polish/sealer described by @benwah. I believe they all meet my requirements, but I'm not 100% positive, and I don't know if I'm completely missing a different, better alternative.

 

[dcg9381]

Which guys, which polys?

I think he's referring to one of the vendors. One has replied here. See below

Another alternative is a coat of our SPGX one part Polyurea with nonskid.

I've done 5 concrete floors, I'm sold on Polyurea. This floor is in my residence. It's water based stain with 2 coats of polyurea (with anti-skid) on top. I can tell you this stuff works great in the shop too. You CAN burn it (so don't weld on it). Grinding / wood work, no problem. It's handled all the auotmotive spills I can throw at it and costs a fraction of what epoxy does.

I do not know all the other products that vendors offer, so there may be something that checks all your boxes better.

 

[shade]

Why not tile it?
So many stories here of floor coatings turning out like ****.

 

[Sumboodie]

Floor paint is cheap, works well, and easily recoated in wear areas after several years.

6 WEEKS to put a floor in?! And I thought my projects always take longer than planned!

 

[atlm]

Why not tile it?
So many stories here of floor coatings turning out like ****.

For porcelain tile, mostly because of the amount of labor involved. See the link in my first post above about my previous (VCT) tile installation. I did love the look and feel (black & white checker pattern).

 

[atlm]

This is my understanding of the following products. Please let me know if anything is incorrect.

Concrete Sealers USA TS210
Preparation: none except water absorption test
Installation: mix 2 parts, apply with roller or garden sprayer, then spread out with microfiber pad
Number of coats: 2 to 3, with ~4 hours between coats
Finish: matte, high slip resistance
Materials for 410 sq ft: 1 gal kit of TS210 for 2 coats

one part Polyurea (Garage Flooring Polyurea, Armorpoxy SPGX, Legacy Industrial Nohr-S)
Preparation: etching or maybe grinding
Installation: spread out with roller
Number of coats: 2, with nonskid in the second coat
Finish: gloss, high slip resistance with nonskid additive
Materials for 410 sq ft: floor grinder rental or etching liquid, 4 gal polyurea for 2 coats, nonskid additive

full broadcast Polyurea
Preparation: floor grinding, then thorough dust cleanup
Installation: primer, basecoat, flakes, 2 clear topcoats
Materials for 410 sq ft: floor grinder rental, 2 gal primer, 2 gal basecoat, flakes, 4 gal clear

ArmorPoxy BallistiX NCO 2-layer
Preparation: water absorption test, then application of Ballistiseal Pro epoxy acrylic sealer with roller, then wait 24 hours
Installation: wipe floor with ISO solution, mix 3 parts per instructions, apply BallistiX NCO with garden sprayer, spreading immediately with microfiber pad
Number of coats: 1 or 2 sealer, then 1 finish
Finish: semi-gloss, high slip resistance
Materials for 410 sq ft: 2 gal Ballistiseal Pro sealer, 1 gal BallistiX NCO

ArmorPoxy BallistiX SC 2-layer
Preparation: water absorption test, then application of Ballistiseal Pro epoxy acrylic sealer with roller, then wait 24 hours
Installation: wipe floor with ISO solution, mix in non-skid additive, apply BallistiX SC with garden sprayer, spread immediately with microfiber pad
Number of coats: 1 or 2 sealer, then 1 finish
Finish: gloss, or satin with Grenade Satin pack, high slip resistance
Materials for 410 sq ft: 2 gal Ballistiseal Pro sealer, 1 gal BallistiX SC, 1 gal 99% ISO - or - kit? (don't see one for 410 sq ft)

Polished / sealed floor
Preparation: maybe grinding to get floor flat, densify, sand 200, sand 400, densify, sand 800, sand 1500, dust cleanup (multiple)
Installation: densifier - spread with roller; penetrating sealer - garden sprayer, then spread out with roller, then burnish
Number of coats: 2 (sealer)
Finish: gloss
Materials for 410 sq ft: floor grinder rental, floor sander rental, floor rinser/cleaner rental, concrete densifier, sanding pads, 2 gal penetrating sealer

 

[Garage Flooring]

If this were my floor I would do two coats of clear Polyurea at a spread rate of 200 SF per gallon or I would do a full broadcast system. Either way slag will damge a floor. https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/polyurea-garage-floor-coating/

We have to look at these for how we are going to use the floor every day and make adjustments for the exceptions. I would be more worried about punchthrough using just a sealer than I would taking the time to protect my floor.

You need to watch spread rates on epoxy and poly products. Its easy to inflate numbers to get the price down and then say you will need more later

 

[atlm]

If this were my floor I would do two coats of clear Polyurea at a spread rate of 200 SF per gallon or I would do a full broadcast system. Either way slag will damge a floor. https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/polyurea-garage-floor-coating/

We have to look at these for how we are going to use the floor every day and make adjustments for the exceptions. I would be more worried about punchthrough using just a sealer than I would taking the time to protect my floor.

You need to watch spread rates on epoxy and poly products. Its easy to inflate numbers to get the price down and then say you will need more later

Thanks Justin @Garage Flooring. What is the floor prep for Polyurea? And is that 200 SF per gallon per coat (4 gallons for 400 SF), or 200 SF per gallon total (2 gallons)?

Agree completely about focusing on the majority; the every day activities. However, in this case I've never had a dedicated shop before and I'm not sure where this is going to lead. Welding could be rare, or it could become a primary interest. So if there's a flooring solution that covers all use cases, I'd like to install it. It sounds like maybe there isn't (specifically slag from welding & cutting). If that's true, then I need to understand the pros & cons of each solution.

From a labor standpoint, I would love for something that could be done in a week or less, mostly by one person (me). From a cost standpoint, I have no problem paying more for something that will provide greater functionality and, secondly, better aesthetics.

 

[atlm]

More info, in case it's relevant: in my first post, I mentioned that the floor is "smooth, but not as perfectly smooth as normal machine troweled". Here are a couple of pictures that show what I was trying to describe. It's more a lack of surface flatness than smoothness due to uneven concrete shrinkage from the hand troweling.

The pictures are zoomed in. It’s not really noticeable when standing in the shop. So, I don't need it to be fixed unless it will muck up the floor coatings as-is. It also probably won't look great in a high gloss finish, so I'm leaning towards matte or satin unless I end up grinding it flat. Since I have zero experience grinding concrete, I would love to hear if that would fix this and if I should bother or leave it alone.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thanks Justin @Garage Flooring. What is the floor prep for Polyurea? And is that 200 SF per gallon per coat (4 gallons for 400 SF), or 200 SF per gallon total (2 gallons)?

Agree completely about focusing on the majority; the every day activities. However, in this case I've never had a dedicated shop before and I'm not sure where this is going to lead. Welding could be rare, or it could become a primary interest. So if there's a flooring solution that covers all use cases, I'd like to install it. It sounds like maybe there isn't (specifically slag from welding & cutting). If that's true, then I need to understand the pros & cons of each solution.

From a labor standpoint, I would love for something that could be done in a week or less, mostly by one person (me). From a cost standpoint, I have no problem paying more for something that will provide greater functionality and/or better aesthetics.

What is the floor prep for Polyurea? For polyurea coatings etching is sufficent for floors that have not been coated or sealed, otherwise grinding is required.

And is that 200 SF per gallon per coat (4 gallons for 400 SF), or 200 SF per gallon total (2 gallons)? Yes, Per coat. So for 1000 Sq. Ft I would use 5 gallons on the first coat and again on the second coat.

Agree completely about focusing on the majority; the every day activities. However, in this case I've never had a dedicated shop before and I'm not sure where this is going to lead. Welding could be rare, or it could become a primary interest. So if there's a flooring solution that covers all use cases, I'd like to install it. It sounds like maybe there isn't (specifically slag from welding & cutting). If that's true, then I need to understand the pros & cons of each solution.

There is a guy who does all sorts of things on our polypropelene tiles https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/my-garage-floor-tile.216804/ But I would never stand up here and tell you any coating or any tile will withstand weld slag. There are a lot of variables.

Clear coatings don't hold up better than colors they just look better as they wear for this application.

Another option is a penetrating sealer, but that leaves no finish on the floor at all

 

[atlm]

There is a guy who does all sorts of things on our polypropelene tiles https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/my-garage-floor-tile.216804/ But I would never stand up here and tell you any coating or any tile will withstand weld slag. There are a lot of variables.

Thanks Justin @Garage Flooring . I'm familiar with those polypropylene tiles as I actually have them in my gym under the weight equipment. While economical and easy to install, I don't think they look great and liquid spills would go into the spaces where they meet.

I think at this point I've narrowed it down to TS210, or Polyurea with non-skid, or the BallistiX 2-layer system.

 

[atlm]

What is the floor prep for Polyurea? For polyurea coatings etching is sufficent for floors that have not been coated or sealed, otherwise grinding is required.

Thanks Justin @Garage Flooring . Is this the recommended etch solution for polyurea?: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/acid-etch/ (GhostShield 1001 Eco-Etch)

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thanks Justin @Garage Flooring . Is this the recommended etch solution for polyurea?: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/acid-etch/ (GhostShield 1001 Eco-Etch)

That would work grat as would a normal muriatic acid etch

 

[Armorpoxy]

The nice thing about the Ballistix is that no etch prep is needed.