New Slab in Pole Barn

[UnionMan]

I recently just build a 40x60x12 Pole Barn with a Concrete slab. I ended up with a 6-7" 4,000psi Concrete slab with a trowel finish. I plan on having some offices and a full bath to one end of the building and on the other side nearest the bay door a lift and wood working equipment. I have spoke to some people who suggest to grind/polish the concrete then ad a hardener or sealer? Not exactly sure what they are talking about. Concrete isn't my strong suite. I think I want to stay away from epoxy's sine my experience with them at work. Seems like most firehouses I work at have floors that the epoxy is pealing and cracking up. My goal is to have a durable floor that I can easily sweep up saw dust and have as little concrete dust as possible. Also would like something that is durable to liquids penetrating and also to handle some oil spills/splatter if any mishaps while working on cars or equipment indoors. I have tried to locate companies near by with out much luck. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

UnionMan

 

[Garage Flooring]

The epoxy products that you see failing are either because of improper prep or poor product selection. You can absolutely coat that floor and expect it to last. I would go with 4 coats of Rust Bullet and add our wear additive/antiskid to the final coat.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

UnionMan, hello to you, I am a former Manassasanite myself. You can skip the coatings all together and go with our HD40 Concrete StainGuard. Excellent results for floors like yours.
Also....I have a friend who does floors in VA if you want to farm this out to a pro. He is about the best the Mid-Atlantic area has to offer.

 

[Armorpoxy]

A single coat of our SPGX should solve your problems. Thus is the same fitting used for the 9-11 Museum floors in NYC.

Cost around 30 cents per sq foot and almost no prep such as etching or grinding required.

 

[Schmidty26]

Nice barn keep us updated on what product and coating you get.

 

[12ozd]

I am a former Manassasanite myself.

The correct term is "Manasshole".

 

[Armorpoxy]

SPGX Info is below, thanks!

https://store.armorpoxy.com/mm5/mer...=A&Product_Code=SPGX-GAL&Category_Code=AULTRA

 

[rsanter]

Grinding is to give a smooth surface.
If it was me I would do no more than a basic grind to knock any roughage off and nothing more than that. Kind of a satin finish.

The sealer or densifier is to seal the pores to reduce or eliminate the concrete from adsorbing spills

Bob

 

[UnionMan]

Well I am going back and forth with what I want to do. I think I might end up using a densifier/sealer product but I am not sure if I am going to grind the concrete prior to the desifier/sealer. My slab is very smooth as it is right now after they motor troweled/floated the floor very smooth. I assume the grinding prior to the products is to have a uniform smooth surface but not sure if I need to also waste money to have it done when I am already starting with a very smooth floor.

UnionMan

 

[creativecars]

Well I am going back and forth with what I want to do. I think I might end up using a densifier/sealer product but I am not sure if I am going to grind the concrete prior to the desifier/sealer. My slab is very smooth as it is right now after they motor troweled/floated the floor very smooth. I assume the grinding prior to the products is to have a uniform smooth surface but not sure if I need to also waste money to have it done when I am already starting with a very smooth floor.

UnionMan

Man I wish I had your problem... The dirt floor in my barn is neither flat or smooth.

Looks great.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Well I am going back and forth with what I want to do. I think I might end up using a densifier/sealer product but I am not sure if I am going to grind the concrete prior to the desifier/sealer. My slab is very smooth as it is right now after they motor troweled/floated the floor very smooth. I assume the grinding prior to the products is to have a uniform smooth surface but not sure if I need to also waste money to have it done when I am already starting with a very smooth floor.

UnionMan

If you decide to go with a densifier and sealer, grinding would likely be counter productive unless you are going to use multiple grits in a grind and polish. There are some great clear products too

 

[UnionMan]

Right now I am strongly considering the HD40 Concrete StainGuard product that Legacy offers. It seems to fit the bill of what I want and need from a product. Any board members use this product and have and feedback?

UnionMan

 

[KDXSR5]

Right now I am strongly considering the HD40 Concrete StainGuard product that Legacy offers. It seems to fit the bill of what I want and need from a product. Any board members use this product and have and feedback?

UnionMan

http://allgaragefloors.com/densifier-sealer-garage-build-project/

 

[UnionMan]

Thank you

http://allgaragefloors.com/densifier-sealer-garage-build-project/

 

[KDXSR5]

Thank you

Here is the same guy and what he posted on here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294146

Not sure if there was a link to the garage journal thread in my other reply or not.

 

[Jkendall-KY]

Did you put a heated floor in it?

 

[UnionMan]

KDXSR5 - thanks for the other link. I think it is what I am going to end up buying to use in the shop and also might even buy more to put on my Attached 3 car garage at my home.

Jkendall-KY - no heated floor. I toyed around with the idea and even talked to a geothermal guy to use the near by pond as a ground loop but decided not to do the in floor heat. I might regret it down the road but I hope not. I plan to have two 16x16 rooms at one end of the shop with a 8x10 bathroom. I plan to heat the bathroom with a small forced air electric heater since all the plumbing and water heater are in this room. I plan to heat and cool the 16x16 rooms by a mini split with 2 zones, one for each 16x16 room. The main shop area will be heated by a pellet stove that I previously used on a home I lived in. It is rated to heat a 2,500 sqft home. Since I am not looking at having tropical temps in the shop during the winter I think the stove will do. I plan on insulating all the walls with R-19 and will put in blown in R-38 in the attic which already has double bubble wrap under the roof sheeting.

UnionMan

 

[UnionMan]

Just placed my order for HD40. I ordered enough to also do my attached garage as well as my fathers attached garage on his home. Ill keep everyone posted with progress.

UnionMan

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Thank you sir! Much obliged.

 

[razrbak94]

Put in an order (HD40) a few days ago myself.

 

[97tj-neil]

You guys convinced me. I ordered 5 gal of HD40 this morning for my new pole barn. I will try to get some pics up once finished. Thanks for the help, Scotty.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UnionMan]

Wife called me earlier today and told me the 2-5gallons of HD40 came in, just waiting on the microfiber pads. I'm at work all day today but hopefully tomorrow morning I can start power washing and mopping the floor to get it ready for the install. Looks like my next three days off will be busy.

UnionMan

 

[bmwjerry]

Sooner or later most all concrete develops cracks- would it be correct to assume these products can't prevent cracks indefinitely?
If so what treatment do you recommend? (or for an existing untreated floor that has already developed hairline cracks

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Wife called me earlier today and told me the 2-5gallons of HD40 came in, just waiting on the microfiber pads. I'm at work all day today but hopefully tomorrow morning I can start power washing and mopping the floor to get it ready for the install. Looks like my next three days off will be busy.

UnionMan

On the way. A tracker will hit your order today.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Sooner or later most all concrete develops cracks- would it be correct to assume these products can't prevent cracks indefinitely?
If so what treatment do you recommend? (or for an existing untreated floor that has already developed hairline cracks

There is NOTHING on the market that prevents cracks. The treatment depends on what you are trying to achieve.

 

[UnionMan]

Well spent some time yesterday cleaning the slab with simple green and power washing it clean. It has been raining all night and rain is in the forecast all morning so looks like I am going to be on the safe side and wait it out for some dryer weather to make sure the pad inside has time to dry out properly. Per the tracking number I should be receiving the microfiber pads today but might not get time to apply till this weekend.

UnionMan

 

[97tj-neil]

My 5 gal bucket of HD40 and microfiber pads both arrived today. I scrubbed the floor with simple green and hosed it off tonight thinking I will put down the HD40 on Friday.

 

[bmwjerry]

Well the floor has some hairline cracks through which some moisture gets through. I have a furnance and keep the temp at about 55 or 65 depending on what I am doing out there, and I'd like to seal the cracks enough to keep the moisture from coming up, and then use a product that will seal the concrete, so it looks decent, and I can do some minor mechanical work out there.
Jerry

 

[UnionMan]

97tj-neil - looks good. I have no electric to my building right now so I am relying on good weather days. Its suppose to be beautiful the next 2 days but I will be at work both days. I'm hoping to get my HD-40 down next week if everything goes well. By the way, you have a Morton building? just guessing because of the concrete piers.

UnionMan

 

[97tj-neil]

Union, I have an Amish built pole barn. I had them use Perma-columns, which is the concrete you see.

Let us know how you make out with the HD40.

sent from my kindle fire HD using tapatalk

 

[UnionMan]

Well I just applied the first coat. Its drying as I type. Took a couple of hours for me to apply. I have 2,400 sqft. To my surprise it too almost 5 gallons to apply the first coat. I ended up buying 10 gallon since I plan on using what was left on other concrete slabs I have around my property. I'm thinking that the next coats wont require near the amount of product to cover the 2,400 sq footage.

UnionMan

 

[97tj-neil]

Union, I did mine last Friday. 1920 sq ft and it took a little over 3 gallons for the first coat. I came up about a quart short of being able to apply a second coat on the entire floor.

The second coat definitely took less and it went quicker as it was much easier to wipe with the pad. My floor sucked up that first coat like a sponge.

I had my boy help me out. He sprayed and I followed right behind with the pad, which made quick work of it. I tried doing it all myself, but the HD40 was drying too quickly if I sprayed on more than one square foot before picking up the pad to back wipe.

 

[UnionMan]

97tj-neil - Yeah I think I might have been applying pretty liberal amounts since I checked it a little bit later and it still was pretty wet. I've seen where it says to burnish between coats but also see that some apply 2-3 coats then burnish? Not sure which way is the best to go. I think Ill wait for it to dry overnight before applying a second coat or maybe even burnish between coats.

UnionMan

 

[97tj-neil]

I burnished after the last coat. One hour between coats and 14 hours until burnish.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

97tj-neil - Yeah I think I might have been applying pretty liberal amounts since I checked it a little bit later and it still was pretty wet. I've seen where it says to burnish between coats but also see that some apply 2-3 coats then burnish? Not sure which way is the best to go. I think Ill wait for it to dry overnight before applying a second coat or maybe even burnish between coats.



UnionMan

Do not burnish between treatments. It will repel itself.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UnionMan]

Do not burnish between treatments. It will repel itself.

Copy. I will wait till after all coats are applied. Is it safe to put numerous coats on over a time period of a couple days or do you have to put numerous coats within a certain time frame?

UnionMan

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Typically, as they dry. A few hours in between each.

 

[UnionMan]

Scott,

One more quick questions. I was going to sent it via PM but figured I would ask on here so if anyone searched for answers my thread would be of help to them. But in regards to what type of floor buffer and pad to be used, what do you recommend. I didn't realize there were so many choices until I looked at my local rental company, sunbelt rentals.

UnionMan

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

1st choice is a burnisher 1000 rpm or greater with a natural fiber or "Hogs Hair" Pad.
If not fiber than a white pad by 3m will work.

2nd choice a buffer 175- 300 rpm will work for this application, again a white pad if a fiber pad is not available.

Both will work, the burnisher is preferred as it generates more heat.