New garage floor question

[tmangarage]

Hi all, having an addition done on the house with a new 30x42 garage. the floor was poured about a month ago. the electricians are starting they're thing now. my question is, should I have some type of clear coat placed on it before I start to use it? I don't want to mess it too badly this winter with all the salt and stuff. down the road I would like to maybe get a nice race deck flooring of some type. thanks

 

[Acuratechva]

I would think some sort of sealant would be good until you decide on coating or tile. It will be more work to clean dirt and grime off it unsealed. Salt is harmless but oily substance will soak in to it

 

[Shea]

Salt is harmless

Actually winter road salts are one of the leading contributors to pitting and spalling for garage floors and driveways.

Putting a sealer down really is dependent on what type of flooring you want in your garage. If you are thinking about a coating like epoxy or some other type of film forming protection, then you don't want to put a sealer down as you will have to remove it first before coating.

If you are planning on a free floating tile floor like RaceDeck then a sealer is fine. Penetrating sealers work well, are easy to apply, and not that expensive. They will protect the floor from winter and make cleaning up spills much easier, though spills can stain if left unattended. They won't change the look of the floor and will retain the same non slip surface as it has now.

 

[tmangarage]

thanks for quick response. as for epoxy, kinda uncertain. I know to do it right can be pricey- but its the longevity I am concerned about. which is why I was leaning towards a clear coat sealant of some type. Are there any type or brand of sealant that is recommended over others? Also the weather is starting to get cold here in October ( I'm in MA) so time is not on my side for sure. thanks again, great forum.

 

[Acuratechva]

Actually winter road salts are one of the leading contributors to pitting and spalling for garage floors and driveways.

Good to know! But how does salt eat away at the concrete? It is corrosive of-course but from what i thought only to metals..

 

[gregtwojeeps]

Good to know! But how does salt eat away at the concrete? It is corrosive of-course but from what i thought only to metals..

http://cretedefender.com/how-salt-damages-concrete/

 

[tmangarage]

great info. I will do whatever it takes to avoid any problems with salt. even if I can't get to the clear coat until spring maybe I can lay some thick poly on the floor with some race deck flooring of some type over it for now. hell I'll get plywood if I have to. again any recommendations on a quality brand of clear coat for the floor? thanks

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Actually winter road salts are one of the leading contributors to pitting and spalling for garage floors and driveways.

Putting a sealer down really is dependent on what type of flooring you want in your garage. If you are thinking about a coating like epoxy or some other type of film forming protection, then you don't want to put a sealer down as you will have to remove it first before coating.

If you are planning on a free floating tile floor like RaceDeck then a sealer is fine. Penetrating sealers work well, are easy to apply, and not that expensive. They will protect the floor from winter and make cleaning up spills much easier, though spills can stain if left unattended. They won't change the look of the floor and will retain the same non slip surface as it has now.

 

[tmangarage]

thanks for the link and info- I will definietly be looking into this.

 

[tmangarage]

Talking with contractor about floor- he said he has had good luck with this stuff, wondering if anyone has heard of it. A.H Harris stores carry it. From Vexcon- called Certi-Vex. I guess its a clear gloss coating, no color.
http://www.vexcon.com/support_docs/Cs114AC1315-DS.pdf
http://www.vexcon.com/support_docs/CS125Certi-VexGlossDs3-07.pdf

 

[NitroShark]

35% solids...... I would pass on that stuff.

 

[tmangarage]

I am no expert by far on this stuff. But eager to learn more, so not sure what 35% solids means. why does that make it bad?

 

[Garage Flooring]

Actually winter road salts are one of the leading contributors to pitting and spalling for garage floors and driveways.

Putting a sealer down really is dependent on what type of flooring you want in your garage. If you are thinking about a coating like epoxy or some other type of film forming protection, then you don't want to put a sealer down as you will have to remove it first before coating.

If you are planning on a free floating tile floor like RaceDeck then a sealer is fine. Penetrating sealers work well, are easy to apply, and not that expensive. They will protect the floor from winter and make cleaning up spills much easier, though spills can stain if left unattended. They won't change the look of the floor and will retain the same non slip surface as it has now.

Well said! Also if you are doing an interlocking tile and you have a brand new floor like that, the sealer is really not a bad idea. Most hard plastic tiles do not offer a great deal of protection to the floor below.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Hi all, having an addition done on the house with a new 30x42 garage. the floor was poured about a month ago. the electricians are starting they're thing now. my question is, should I have some type of clear coat placed on it before I start to use it? I don't want to mess it too badly this winter with all the salt and stuff. down the road I would like to maybe get a nice race deck flooring of some type. thanks

Hi tmangarage - A basic good quality sealer is always a good idea with new concrete floor and Legacy is a great source for information and products.

Thanks for your interest in genuine RaceDeck garage flooring , if you would like more information or free samples

 

[tmangarage]

thanks everyone. yes that is my plan- some type of protection underneath then most likely race deck to really dress it up. this garage stuff is addicting.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Think about polished concrete

http://concretefloorslv.com/garage-floors/

These are great. However, winter road salt will destroy the finish and they can be slippery when wet.

 

[dubber]

Wow, that is some attached garage. Agreed with the statements above about the strength of Salt, nasty stuff for most surfaces.

 

[tmangarage]

very nice looking- but as stated unfortunatley I live in the northeast where winter & salt are a fact of life. But would love to have my floor looking like that all the time for sure.