Opinion on Second Coat for Garage Floor

[lespaul64]

Hey again. I'm trying to decide if going in with a second/third coat of epoxy is worth the trouble, or may cause more trouble.

In summary, I'm 4 gallons down for a 450 sq ft floor using a light/powder blue color. For whatever reason, one small strip (2' x 20') is darker then the rest, and I ran out of paint for a 4 foot strip near the garage door. It looks OK and to most, they wouldn't even notice it. But since I've installed it, its driving me a little crazy knowing its there.

I'm thinking of getting a 5th gallon to hit the dark area and single coat area near the garage door. If it worked out correctly, it would definitely look better. However, I fear that if they screw up the shade/mix at all, it will look worse. I'd rather not do another coat for the entire garage...

Opinions?

 

[pauloman]

was it an epoxy with an induction time? I've had folks report to me about differences in shade using the cheap rustoleum water based stuff and using different induction times between batches. -- I've had high end customers paint an epoxy floor in 'wife's exact color' using the epoxy as a base coat primer and enamel on top. You could also do a faux finish floor with your blue as a base background color. Best advise is not to look down at the floor when you're in the garage.

 

[lespaul64]

It is the cheap Valspar product. I don't know too much about it, other than it get's better reviews then Rustoleum but to me it seems to be the same thing

 

[Zmw]

I used Valspar as my primer, and after the coat was down the color looked pretty uniform accross the floor. Did you check the lot numbers on top of the box and ensure they are the same?

Mine was a primer, so some spots were a little thin with concrete showing through, but the color was uniform on the 2 light gray kits I used.

 

[Edger]

Epoxy can look like different shades according the time of curing of the batch. At first you can match the color, but after going back later over an adjacent section you find it is a shade different.

It always cures finally to the same color.

 

[AlphaGarage]

Agree w Edgar - wait a few days and then re-evaluate.

A. It may all cure to the same color.

B. There still may be a color difference, but you may come to the conclusion that it's not that big a deal and you can live with it.