New guy with new garage

[BearFan]

Hey Guys.Been lurking here for some time never posted though.

Just building new home with a 36x27 garage.Just had it poured and I installed drains beforehand.I know some of you do not like them but I had one in previous home for 15 years with no problems.

I have a floor question.Even though GC told me they would not put down sealer they did.I caught kid at end and told him to stop.It looks like a thin coat(spraycan) but it is in concrete.Is thier an easier way to get this off before epoxy is put down?Can chemicals be used or not?Can it be done with a sander?If so what kind.

Thanks for responses guys.

 

[supercharged]

is that the kid you caught in the first pic? looks like you have her in "time out". lol

 

[BearFan]

No thats mine eating lunch.LOL

 

[BearFan]

Wow,no one has removed epoxy?Amyone?

 

[snorvet]

I havent removed epoxy, but I used a shotblaster before I epoxied, and it gound done the surface real well. I would think that a shotblaster would work better than chemicals to remove the sealer.

 

[BearFan]

I havent removed epoxy, but I used a shotblaster before I epoxied, and it gound done the surface real well. I would think that a shotblaster would work better than chemicals to remove the sealer.

Is that something you can rent locally?

 

[snorvet]

Is that something you can rent locally?

I rented one at Sunbelt rentals in Joliet, Il. It shouldnt be tough for you to find one in NW ind. But I paid over $500 for one day. Hopefully you can find something cheaper. I also used a hand grinder along the edges because the shotblaster only gets about 4-6" from the walls.

 

[paoutdoorsman]

Bearfan, what did you end up using to remove the sealer? I'm in a similar situation and need to strip sealer so I can apply epoxy. Thanks!

 

[REFLEXX]

Use a floor sander from Home Depot, it takes 14 x 18" sheets. probably some 40 or 60 grit. I did this BEFORE the epoxy and it took everything off! The concrete was like a babies bottom.

I wouldn't put more chemicals on top of chemicals. IMHO

 

[Winmon]

I removed the sealer off my floor with a rented Edco Surfacer/Grinder. I used the diamond blades, not the stone. As per recommendations here, I also added weight to it (paving bricks) to get it to bite more. My 40 x 40 took me almost 30hrs to get mine off. It is VERY slow going. The blades also need to be cleaned off at the beginning of getting into the sealer. This is what mine gummed up with!

Here is a shot of the Edco Surfacer...

If I had it to do over again, I would HIRE a shotblasting company to do it. I spent $500 and all those hours with the Edco machine. A local shotblasting guy here would have done it for about $900. Also, shotblasting is what the profesional epoxy installers will use to prep it.

Since you told your GC not to seal it and he did anyway, you should tell him he needs to hire and pay for a shotblaster company to come out.

 

[BearFan]

Thanks guys.Well GC thought they would not seal it.He did not tell them too.

You know its one of those things that you have to think about everything because they might do something different then you want.Tuff situation.

I will not do this until spring because house is still in construction.I might try the sander as it appears the sealer is very thin.The sand from driveway is wearing it away in front already.