New concrete floor design help?

[skipnsb]

I hope to be pouring my (Florida, 3 bay, block wall, new construction) concrete garage floor soon.

Uses: parking cars, general diy stuff, welding, woodshop, working on cars, maybe some diy painting (cars and furniture).

1. How much slant can I build in and not be noticeable? I would like to "hose it down" and have the water naturally run down the drain.

2. Where/what should I look for the embedded zone heating/ac? I will probably run solar heated water in the winter, lake bottom cool water in the summer. What tubing/size/amount, how deep under the concrete, etc.

3. What is the best basic concrete material to use? I had no idea that there are so many variations on concrete floor, psi, mix material, chemistry. Ideally, I would like a smooth floor for rolling toolboxes/engine lifts and water runoff, but still with grip.

4. Is it a good idea to mix "color" and "sealer" into the mix as poured? If so, what do you use?

5. I would like to avoid having to paint or seal the floor.

Thank you. Skip

 

[z28toz06]

I hope to be pouring my (Florida, 3 bay, block wall, new construction) concrete garage floor soon.

Uses: parking cars, general diy stuff, welding, woodshop, working on cars, maybe some diy painting (cars and furniture).

1. How much slant can I build in and not be noticeable? I would like to "hose it down" and have the water naturally run down the drain.
I did about 1" per ten feet in mine. water runs and I can push right out the door no problem2.

Where/what should I look for the embedded zone heating/ac? I will probably run solar heated water in the winter, lake bottom cool water in the summer. What tubing/size/amount, how deep under the concrete, etc.
Lake bottom water? like actually pumping water from the lake in to the system? not a good idea. youll get a biofilm all over everything and it will cause trouble later on.

3. What is the best basic concrete material to use? I had no idea that there are so many variations on concrete floor, psi, mix material, chemistry. Ideally, I would like a smooth floor for rolling toolboxes/engine lifts and water runoff, but still with grip.

I did a broom finish on mine and rolling things around is not an issue. Another plus was it took the epoxy nice. Mine was 4000#lb mix, slow cure. I let it cure for a full 54 days before epoxy.
4. Is it a good idea to mix "color" and "sealer" into the mix as poured? If so, what do you use?
color is possible, but Ive seen shows where they etch and then dye the concrete afterwards.

5. I would like to avoid having to paint or seal the floor.

Thank you. Skip

use epoxy, paint doesn't hold up as well.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

I'm no expert, but I _think_ that even with the staining, they seal the floor. Either way, though, I'd definitely either epoxy coat it, or seal it. It makes clean up so much easier, dry or wet.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas