Partial flake on stem walls?
- Thread starter nreed
- Start date
racecougar
Well-known member
Are you asking for less flakes per sq ft or a cut-off line somewhere on your stem wall?
I’m interested in doing a partial flake floor and matching the stem walls with the same partial flake.
racecougar
Well-known member
So less flakes per sq ft than "normal"?
racecougar
Well-known member
Trying to understand what you mean by "partial flake".
Shea
Well-known member
Yes, it's possible to do a partial flake coverage on a stem wall, but it is more difficult and takes more time.
When doing a partial flake coverage on the floor (horizontal surface), it is accomplished by tossing them high in the air to let them come down and naturally disperse and separate equally as they fall. You can't do that on a stem wall since it's a vertical surface. It requires placing very small amounts in the palm of your hand and tossing them at the wall from a distance. Some will go high and some will hit the floor. The remaining few hit the wall. It's a slower process but can be done. If you toss too many at once, you end up with streaks of flakes. Start with very little and increase the amount in the palm of your hand until you find the sweet spot.
Agreed, and by "very little" I would say starting with a teaspoon at most until you get the feel for it. The challenge will be to avoid creating an excessive flake distribution band on the floor where it meets the curb, so do the curb 1st and when you go to broadcast the floor, work your way from the middle of the field out to the edges. You can always apply more flake but you can never take 'em back...
All that being said.....
Typically I encourage our customers to avoid applying epoxies and flake to stem walls (especially when you start getting above 6-8"vertical) and, instead, advise them to #1 coat the floor, #2 go back and paint vertical surfaces with a color matched (or complimentary colored) quality masonry paint after the floor has fully cured. Of course sometimes coating vertical surfaces can't be avoided such as steps and step-downs but these are also typically fairly short runs that are easy to manage. Your vertical surfaces will likely never see the abuse that your floor will and at 12" will also increase the qty of epoxy materials that you need to purchase. Don't get me wrong, I'd be more than happy to sell you more
but, coating stem walls increases complexity, materials, time for very little gain (especially on larger floors). If you can avoid coating vertical surfaces do so and instead, concentrate on doing a killer job on the floor, go back and paint the stem walls, at a leisurely pace, with a nice color coordinated coat of paint and you'll end up with a very sharp looking, functional floor.We have had clients have someone hold a fan aimed at the area which has the wet epoxy, and a helper carefully sprinke some in front of the fan...seemed to work, but as stated above, start of slowly till you get the hang of it.
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
It can be done. Most of my customers will skip the flake on the wall portion and just coat it. Especially since it tends to be very rough
Another hint we tell our clients for stem walls is to do the floor first, and while doing the floor, paint some epoxy on a piece of cardboard or srap wood to use later (see below).
Stem walls are often very irregular, rough, or made from cinder block, all surfaces which really **** up a coating, can require more than a single coat, and can have dramatically lower coverage rates vs a floor, so by doing the floor first you will assure you won't run out by wasting too much of expensive epoxy on the stem walls.
IF you have enough epoxy, then of course don't waste it and apply, but if you don't have enough, instead of buying more expensive epoxy for a surface that is just decorative and wont see any traffic, take the sample you made previously to a local paint store and have them tint you up a gallon of enamel or similar and use that to paint the stem walls and such. The color will match just fine, your garage will look amazing, and no one but you will know that it's not epoxy on the verticals!
As we also tell our clients, "don't get overly hung up on the minute details, it's a garage, not the dining room table! "
Stem walls are often very irregular, rough, or made from cinder block, all surfaces which really **** up a coating, can require more than a single coat, and can have dramatically lower coverage rates vs a floor, so by doing the floor first you will assure you won't run out by wasting too much of expensive epoxy on the stem walls.
IF you have enough epoxy, then of course don't waste it and apply, but if you don't have enough, instead of buying more expensive epoxy for a surface that is just decorative and wont see any traffic, take the sample you made previously to a local paint store and have them tint you up a gallon of enamel or similar and use that to paint the stem walls and such. The color will match just fine, your garage will look amazing, and no one but you will know that it's not epoxy on the verticals!
As we also tell our clients, "don't get overly hung up on the minute details, it's a garage, not the dining room table! "
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
We take a similar approach but have modified it this last year, especially on Poly. Since we know exactly how much square footage we have shipped, and Poly there is no pot life. We have them do the walls first, they can vac up the flake and walk on dry concrete the whole time. Then if they have extra clear left when done they can add some extra coats.Another hint we tell our clients for stem walls is to do the floor first, and while doing the floor, paint some epoxy on a piece of cardboard or srap wood to use later (see below).
Stem walls are often very irregular, rough, or made from cinder block, all surfaces which really **** up a coating, can require more than a single coat, and can have dramatically lower coverage rates vs a floor, so by doing the floor first you will assure you won't run out by wasting too much of expensive epoxy on the stem walls.
IF you have enough epoxy, then of course don't waste it and apply, but if you don't have enough, instead of buying more expensive epoxy for a surface that is just decorative and wont see any traffic, take the sample you made previously to a local paint store and have them tint you up a gallon of enamel or similar and use that to paint the stem walls and such. The color will match just fine, your garage will look amazing, and no one but you will know that it's not epoxy on the verticals!
As we also tell our clients, "don't get overly hung up on the minute details, it's a garage, not the dining room table! "