new concrete and have ???

[earthmover]

hey gals and guys...I am new here but been a reader for a while...now I have some questions for you guys...I just got my slab poured and looking to keep it clean. if possible...now I will be using this as my shop,work place,welding building motors stuff like that and to keep my race car in...I poured the first side last week 12x41 and the other side yester day...don't want oil stains and so on to be a eye sore...thinking of doing a epoxy but don't know if there is something I need to do to the concrete before I put epoxy down....also how long before I can really move my tools and car in..thanks for all the help..

 

[Rookie2]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2964105#post2964105

see post ##5 Bio Vee Seal

 

[earthmover]

thank you

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Earthmover, if you are going to do an epoxy fairly soon, I would put nothing down.
Penetrating sealers are designed to block stains and anything else trying to get a lock sans epoxy.

If you want to blOck stains while you consider your options I would apply a cure n seal or an acrylic sealer. Easily ground off in preparation for coatings later on.

 

[earthmover]

would like to epoxy it as soon as possible and be done with it... instead of spending money for nothing...so if I go epoxy I don't need to put anything down then right??????how long should I wait before doing epoxy?????here in north Carolina its about to get warm...

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

60 days has always been my rule of thumb.
30 would be the minimum.

A moisture test would be required anyway. Did your mason put down a vapor barrier?

 

[earthmover]

I poured the slab my self ..lol yes vapor barrier and wire was used as well...

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Great. Do the plastic test at 30 days in several places in the garage.
If no moisture shows, you should be ok.

Plastic Test: Tape all (4) sides of a piece of 2' x 2' clear visqueen plastic down to the floor, sealing all perimeter edges.

Wait 24 hours.

Look to see if any moisture accumulated on the plastic or if you have a dark spot on the concrete beneath it.

 

[earthmover]

thanks all for the help, and time

 

[dcs Inc]

Don't rely on the plastic test. It takes up to 30 days per inch of concrete to pull out enough moisture for epoxy depending on the original mix design and water content.
The 30 day number has been thrown out there for initial hydration of the concrete to have gained 80% of it's compressive strength.... and that's iffy also. That has nothing to do with moisture in concrete.
Go ahead and get a couple calcium chloride dome test kits and follow the directions in the kits.