More Confused than ever...... What to do.

[Ty Webb]

Damn my neurotic tendencies...... I want to get it right........... but not break my bank.

I have read hundreds of threads and I hear all kinds of good points about different item products and systems. I see the advantages and disadvantages of one kit over another. I have reviewed my real needs and what I want in my garage floor. So now I just am not sure what I should do.

Do I want epoxy?

Do I want polyurea?

Do I need a top coat?

How do I keep a gloss finish look but that doesn't get slick with a little water on it??

I have come down to this:

• I want a metallic look and not the flake/fleck look.
• I want a glossy finish.
• I want a slip resistant surface.
• I want a product that will stand up to basic garage use with parking and hanging out as the main activities. Not gonna bang hard on this floor.
• I something I can easily do myself on a clean surface that is not damaged and has no coatings on it.
• I will if I have to but I don't want to rent a big grinder to prep the surface.
• I am happy to acid etch the concrete.
• My surface is solid and I am willing to prep and clean if that has to be done but I think my surface is solid and etching will open it up nicely.
• I am happy to add clear protective coats to the colored surface if needed to provide the glossy, slip-resistant, TOUGH surface I desire.
• I want to keep my total project cost between $1 and $1.50 per square foot and I have approximately 455 square feet of surface to cover.

IS THIS ALL POSSIBLE or am I out of my mind.

There are many companies that seem to have a tremendous product.

Help me keep from jumping off this ledge! What is THE product/system for me?? What should I avoid? What mistakes have others made so I can learn and avoid them?

I gotta get this project going and get it done????



I started making a list of companies I have seen on this or other forums and it got overwhelming: (I know there are twice this many)
PPG
Rustoleum – Industrial products
Epoxy Master
Legacy Coatings
Colored Epoxies
Epoxy Tech
Legacy Coatings
U-Coat-It
Performance Epoxy Coat
Armor Poxy
Rust Bullet
Foundation Armor
Wolverine Coatings
Garage Flooring LLC


HELP ME HELP MEEEEEeeeeeee......

 

[gunguy]

You've basically put together your performance specifications. Now let the vendors who participate on this forum supply their recommendations.

They may have a few more questions to help refine your requirements but it sounds like you pretty much know what you want.

Jim

 

[Ty Webb]

You've basically put together your performance specifications. Now let the vendors who participate on this forum supply their recommendations.

They may have a few more questions to help refine your requirements but it sounds like you pretty much know what you want.

Jim

I just hope what I want/need is even possible!!!!

 

[Garage Flooring]

Damn my neurotic tendencies...... I want to get it right........... but not break my bank.

I have read hundreds of threads and I hear all kinds of good points about different item products and systems. I see the advantages and disadvantages of one kit over another. I have reviewed my real needs and what I want in my garage floor. So now I just am not sure what I should do.

Do I want epoxy?

Do I want polyurea?

Do I need a top coat?

How do I keep a gloss finish look but that doesn't get slick with a little water on it??

I have come down to this:

• I want a metallic look and not the flake/fleck look.
• I want a glossy finish.
• I want a slip resistant surface.
• I want a product that will stand up to basic garage use with parking and hanging out as the main activities. Not gonna bang hard on this floor.
• I something I can easily do myself on a clean surface that is not damaged and has no coatings on it.
• I will if I have to but I don't want to rent a big grinder to prep the surface.
• I am happy to acid etch the concrete.
• My surface is solid and I am willing to prep and clean if that has to be done but I think my surface is solid and etching will open it up nicely.
• I am happy to add clear protective coats to the colored surface if needed to provide the glossy, slip-resistant, TOUGH surface I desire.
• I want to keep my total project cost between $1 and $1.50 per square foot and I have approximately 455 square feet of surface to cover.

IS THIS ALL POSSIBLE or am I out of my mind.

There are many companies that seem to have a tremendous product.

Help me keep from jumping off this ledge! What is THE product/system for me?? What should I avoid? What mistakes have others made so I can learn and avoid them?

I gotta get this project going and get it done????



I started making a list of companies I have seen on this or other forums and it got overwhelming: (I know there are twice this many)
PPG
Rustoleum – Industrial products
Epoxy Master
Legacy Coatings
Colored Epoxies
Epoxy Tech
Legacy Coatings
U-Coat-It
Performance Epoxy Coat
Armor Poxy
Rust Bullet
Foundation Armor
Wolverine Coatings
Garage Flooring LLC


HELP ME HELP MEEEEEeeeeeee......

Metallic epoxy is not going to be in that range. At least a good one. Products like Rust Bullet sort of have a metallic look at a lower price. We are no longer offering that product.

I would look at the Polyurea products from Legacy, Armorpoxy or myself. I would make sure you use a good anti-skid -- included in our kits. But that does not solve the metallic issue for you.

 

[Black300zx]

How glossy are you looking for? Your want list is similar to mine (floor size included), although I'm perfectly happy with a satin/semi-gloss finish. I'm pretty much settled on Hellfire from Legacy Industrial as long as I can confirm that I can add some light non-skid to it.

 

[SolarColumbia]

From what I've read metallic will be expensive. It looks great, though. Consider sunlight exposure in the equation. Epoxy can discolor in light even if you put clear poly over it. That factor made it not usable for my application. I mulled over multiple possibilities just as you are doing, and finally chose Garage Flooring LLC grey AW Polyurea over oil block primer due to old, not-so-removable oil stains. I won't be able to get the grind done for a while, however due to slashing my thumb, so no feedback on it as of yet.

 

[benwah]

This has been covered 100 times, BUT I'll go over it quickly again, on mobile so it wont be super detailed. If you have specific questions I'm happy to help.

It is HIGHLY recommended to grind your floor if applying anything other than a "thin film" coating system. A thin film system is just a couple coats of whichever product you choose, rolled on. A very thin coating mil thickness.

Thicker coating systems like a metallic system where you are priming, applying epoxy at 15-20 mils (or thicker in some cases), then top coating with a polyurethane or polyurea most definitely benefit from a grind.

If you choose a metallic floor you system will be:

1 coat of penetrating primer
1 coat of metallic epoxy at 15-20mils
1-2 coats of polyurethane or polyurea.

For 450 sq ft you should need approx:
1-1.5 gallons of primer

5 gallons of 100% solids epoxy. That will get you about 18 mils thickness. Also, your metallic pigment colors.

2 gallons of polyurethane or polyurea for your topcoat, depending on which products you choose.

1 can of anti skid, I prefer 320 grit, but you may want something different.

You definitely need to topcoat the epoxy, it should never be left as the final coat.

Sorry if this seems jumbled, let me know if you have any questions.

 

[frank001]

Damn my neurotic tendencies...... I want to get it right........... but not break my bank.

I have read hundreds of threads and I hear all kinds of good points about different item products and systems. I see the advantages and disadvantages of one kit over another. I have reviewed my real needs and what I want in my garage floor. So now I just am not sure what I should do.

Do I want epoxy?

Do I want polyurea?

Do I need a top coat?

How do I keep a gloss finish look but that doesn't get slick with a little water on it??

I have come down to this:

• I want a metallic look and not the flake/fleck look.
• I want a glossy finish.
• I want a slip resistant surface.
• I want a product that will stand up to basic garage use with parking and hanging out as the main activities. Not gonna bang hard on this floor.
• I something I can easily do myself on a clean surface that is not damaged and has no coatings on it.
• I will if I have to but I don't want to rent a big grinder to prep the surface.
• I am happy to acid etch the concrete.
• My surface is solid and I am willing to prep and clean if that has to be done but I think my surface is solid and etching will open it up nicely.
• I am happy to add clear protective coats to the colored surface if needed to provide the glossy, slip-resistant, TOUGH surface I desire.
• I want to keep my total project cost between $1 and $1.50 per square foot and I have approximately 455 square feet of surface to cover.

IS THIS ALL POSSIBLE or am I out of my mind.

There are many companies that seem to have a tremendous product.

Help me keep from jumping off this ledge! What is THE product/system for me?? What should I avoid? What mistakes have others made so I can learn and avoid them?

I gotta get this project going and get it done????



I started making a list of companies I have seen on this or other forums and it got overwhelming: (I know there are twice this many)
PPG
Rustoleum – Industrial products
Epoxy Master
Legacy Coatings
Colored Epoxies
Epoxy Tech
Legacy Coatings
U-Coat-It
Performance Epoxy Coat
Armor Poxy
Rust Bullet
Foundation Armor
Wolverine Coatings
Garage Flooring LLC


HELP ME HELP MEEEEEeeeeeee......

This:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284998&highlight=frank001

 

[FJ4FUN]

What Benwah said....

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Go 6 gallons on the epoxy Benwah, it's a 2:1 product, so packaged in 1.5 and 3.0 gal units.
You always want more when it comes to metallic-epoxy.

Glad you took the mantle!!!

 

[benwah]

Go 6 gallons on the epoxy Benwah, it's a 2:1 product, so packaged in 1.5 and 3.0 gal units.
You always want more when it comes to metallic-epoxy.

Glad you took the mantle!!! [emoji481]

Hah yeah, I did the math and posted 5. Then realized he'll need 6 because of kit sizes. Great catch!!

 

[Blwnwlys]

I have 8 gallons of the original formula Rust Bullet metallic gray. Plans changed a bit so I won't be using all of it. PM me if you are interested.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi
Metallic epoxy and high gloss and non skid don’t equate. When you add a non skid to a coating by design it adds texture and will de gloss, so it’s a fine line as to which nonskid to use. A high gloss without a nonskid is very slippery when wet, and we have seen some unhappy customers using metallics with nonskids.

Our Armorgrip is a very small particle size that disappears in topcoat.

We can set up any system you want, but a metallic will be somewhat higher than your budget. A three layer 100% solids system will run in the $1.50 range.

 

[Badbob1919]

No way. I don’t even have to see any of the responses above. Maybe go to church and pray for the $1.50 a foot miracle. Just a cheeseco squeegee will cost you 50 bucks. Muratic acids cheap....hummmm. What does SW 646 macropoxy run? 80-$90 a kit. Ok. Maybe. HD purple sodium hydroxide, muratic etch, rototip powerwash, maybe 4 kits of PPG DTR. $50 for glass beads. Jay Leno would laugh. Did a little 550 footer last week. Material cost me 3 grand. A catalyze gallon of good epoxy patch runs $250.

 

[Chicagodiy]

Your price range is too low. I did mine for $2/sq ft and hit a bunch of sales. Maybe in epoxy you can get to $1.50 but you have associated costs in prep and application.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422302

Been parking and using my floor for a few months and still looks brand new. People ask if I started using it yet because it looks so nice. Go big on prep and stick with one manufacturer for product.