Hello - new member here from Austin, TX. We just closed on a new house, and would appreciate some advice on what to do with the 20’x30’ garage. Our budget is $2/sqft.
Our goal:
- My wife wants a glossy surface, and perhaps a less common look, as she’s googled metallic epoxy. She doesn’t mind going a little over budget for it.
- I’m worried about the condition of the garage (prep requirements) and the weather (forecast for the week before Christmas is high-30 nighttime and some 60’s daytime)
- Intended use: just regular suburban garage use (2 car parking), no car works (I only do oil change/tire rotations and gas OPE’s carb cleans), and a hangout place for two boys and their friends as the garage opens to a sizable side driveway with basketball hoop.
Skill/limitations:
- We don’t do many DIY (I'm not handy), but in our current 20-yr old starter home, we put down Sherwin Williams Shield Crete epoxy about 12 years ago. Obviously the garage’s concrete was in much better shape (no soaked-in oil stains, always had cardboard/carpet over the tires, etc.). We only did acid etc prep. I’ve been happy with it (no failure so far), but I know that my sister in-law’s garage with the same kit already had hot tire pickup failures.
- We have electric pressure washer (looking to get some gas one), and will rent the concrete grinder (we have a Sunbelt within 10 mile) - will appreciate any tips on the specific grinder (7" vs 11" disc pro and cons, etc.)
- We don’t have angle grinder nor big shop vac
So on to the garage, I would appreciate some help on 1) surface condition, 2) surface prep, and 3) coating option.
Surface condition - please chime in anything that I could be doing wrong:
- from the pics, the 3rd bay has obvious oil stains (ordered Pour n Restore, arriving this Friday).
- The middle bay is what’s confusing to me (never seen something like it). What is that surface condition? How do I mitigate it before we prep with the grinder?
- The steps area (door leading to the house): it looks to have some smoothness from traffic wear (?). Since the grinder doesn’t seem workable on it, what’s our option? Localized acid etch?
- The “lip” area (what’s the correct term?) on the same side as the steps, and right next to the water heater space: it looks to have oil or rust stain. What should I do here?
Surface prep:
- Pour n Restore on the obvious oil stains; Purple Power degreaser on other spots; and whatever the recommendation(s) is for the middle bay’s condition.
- Pressure wash
- Local acid etch on the steps
- Concrete grinder; and leaf blower the dust afterward
- Silly question: I put the grinder last, but should I pressure wash after the grinder? I would appreciate any recommendation on the order of things.
Coating options:
- Reading the datasheets, I know that anything epoxy is out (my wife’s wish of metallic epoxy) because of the weather/temps.
- We did get a professional quote ($5.5/sqft): he’d use a grinder and use a one-day kit. I looked it up from epoxy-2-u. Their datasheets suggest that their materials are for trained pros only - the base coat is super-short working time epoxy, and the top coat is also super-short working time polyaspartic.
- So far, I’m leaning toward a single-part polyurea kit (I did consider Hellfire/Rust Bullet, but didn’t pass wife’s OK).
- Whatever our choice will be, I’m thinking of working with the garage doors closed, and starting at the wall with the window, and ending on the lip with the steps. Can we tackle this lip and steps separately afterwards (either with leftovers without flake, or Hellfire/RB with gloss coat)?
- Our working window is the week before Christmas up to New Year’s.
Whew, didn’t mean to write a letter. Thanks in advance for any tips.
Our goal:
- My wife wants a glossy surface, and perhaps a less common look, as she’s googled metallic epoxy. She doesn’t mind going a little over budget for it.
- I’m worried about the condition of the garage (prep requirements) and the weather (forecast for the week before Christmas is high-30 nighttime and some 60’s daytime)
- Intended use: just regular suburban garage use (2 car parking), no car works (I only do oil change/tire rotations and gas OPE’s carb cleans), and a hangout place for two boys and their friends as the garage opens to a sizable side driveway with basketball hoop.
Skill/limitations:
- We don’t do many DIY (I'm not handy), but in our current 20-yr old starter home, we put down Sherwin Williams Shield Crete epoxy about 12 years ago. Obviously the garage’s concrete was in much better shape (no soaked-in oil stains, always had cardboard/carpet over the tires, etc.). We only did acid etc prep. I’ve been happy with it (no failure so far), but I know that my sister in-law’s garage with the same kit already had hot tire pickup failures.
- We have electric pressure washer (looking to get some gas one), and will rent the concrete grinder (we have a Sunbelt within 10 mile) - will appreciate any tips on the specific grinder (7" vs 11" disc pro and cons, etc.)
- We don’t have angle grinder nor big shop vac
So on to the garage, I would appreciate some help on 1) surface condition, 2) surface prep, and 3) coating option.
Surface condition - please chime in anything that I could be doing wrong:
- from the pics, the 3rd bay has obvious oil stains (ordered Pour n Restore, arriving this Friday).
- The middle bay is what’s confusing to me (never seen something like it). What is that surface condition? How do I mitigate it before we prep with the grinder?
- The steps area (door leading to the house): it looks to have some smoothness from traffic wear (?). Since the grinder doesn’t seem workable on it, what’s our option? Localized acid etch?
- The “lip” area (what’s the correct term?) on the same side as the steps, and right next to the water heater space: it looks to have oil or rust stain. What should I do here?
Surface prep:
- Pour n Restore on the obvious oil stains; Purple Power degreaser on other spots; and whatever the recommendation(s) is for the middle bay’s condition.
- Pressure wash
- Local acid etch on the steps
- Concrete grinder; and leaf blower the dust afterward
- Silly question: I put the grinder last, but should I pressure wash after the grinder? I would appreciate any recommendation on the order of things.
Coating options:
- Reading the datasheets, I know that anything epoxy is out (my wife’s wish of metallic epoxy) because of the weather/temps.
- We did get a professional quote ($5.5/sqft): he’d use a grinder and use a one-day kit. I looked it up from epoxy-2-u. Their datasheets suggest that their materials are for trained pros only - the base coat is super-short working time epoxy, and the top coat is also super-short working time polyaspartic.
- So far, I’m leaning toward a single-part polyurea kit (I did consider Hellfire/Rust Bullet, but didn’t pass wife’s OK).
- Whatever our choice will be, I’m thinking of working with the garage doors closed, and starting at the wall with the window, and ending on the lip with the steps. Can we tackle this lip and steps separately afterwards (either with leftovers without flake, or Hellfire/RB with gloss coat)?
- Our working window is the week before Christmas up to New Year’s.
Whew, didn’t mean to write a letter. Thanks in advance for any tips.
