Primer or clear?

[Jeff d]

I'm about to pull the trigger on something for my 460 sq ft garage with 11 year old, relatively clean concrete. I'm tired of being paralyzed with indecision so I just need to pick something and go with it rather than trying to research every option and read everyone's gripes about different options (epoxy, interlocking tiles, peel and stick tiles, VCT, rolled G-Floor, etc. etc.).

Anyway, epoxy was what I was initially inclined to do so I'm probably going to do an acid etch, Legacy Industrial epoxy and be done with it. I could do primer or clear coat but not both. Both would extend the price per square foot too high for me to be ok with. I don't see many reporting using the primer but if it peels up I sure would be pissed at myself for skipping it. The clear seems more appealing if the underlying epoxy does indeed stick well to the etched concrete.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I'm about to pull the trigger on something for my 460 sq ft garage with 11 year old, relatively clean concrete. I'm tired of being paralyzed with indecision so I just need to pick something and go with it rather than trying to research every option and read everyone's gripes about different options (epoxy, interlocking tiles, peel and stick tiles, VCT, rolled G-Floor, etc. etc.).

Anyway, epoxy was what I was initially inclined to do so I'm probably going to do an acid etch, Legacy Industrial epoxy and be done with it. I could do primer or clear coat but not both. Both would extend the price per square foot too high for me to be ok with. I don't see many reporting using the primer but if it peels up I sure would be pissed at myself for skipping it. The clear seems more appealing if the underlying epoxy does indeed stick well to the etched concrete.

Epoxy systems in my humble opinion need both.

 

[Armorpoxy]

If using an epoxy we would strongly recommend the primer. It really helps to avoid problems, and makes the floor thicker since the epoxy won't then sink in to the porous floor.

if you want something clear and inexpensive that doesn't require grinding, use our SPGX, cost is about 35 cents/ sq ft and is super resistant to chemicals.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I'm about to pull the trigger on something for my 460 sq ft garage with 11 year old, relatively clean concrete. I'm tired of being paralyzed with indecision so I just need to pick something and go with it rather than trying to research every option and read everyone's gripes about different options (epoxy, interlocking tiles, peel and stick tiles, VCT, rolled G-Floor, etc. etc.).

Anyway, epoxy was what I was initially inclined to do so I'm probably going to do an acid etch, Legacy Industrial epoxy and be done with it. I could do primer or clear coat but not both. Both would extend the price per square foot too high for me to be ok with. I don't see many reporting using the primer but if it peels up I sure would be pissed at myself for skipping it. The clear seems more appealing if the underlying epoxy does indeed stick well to the etched concrete.

Good gravy man.
Give us a call. We may have a small amount of clear in the "scratch n dent" closet.

 

[bdamico]

I vote that you spend more time reading epoxy threads here before you do it. The etching thing, the primer thing, and the clear coat thing have all been hotly debated here. A little time slowing down on the front end may save you a ton of headache down the road

 

[Garage Flooring]

I vote that you spend more time reading epoxy threads here before you do it. The etching thing, the primer thing, and the clear coat thing have all been hotly debated here. A little time slowing down on the front end may save you a ton of headache down the road

 

[Jeff d]

I vote that you spend more time reading epoxy threads here before you do it. The etching thing, the primer thing, and the clear coat thing have all been hotly debated here. A little time slowing down on the front end may save you a ton of headache down the road

That's the problem. I've spent hundreds of hours over the past 2 years trying to find the optimal path forward with Internet research. Every single aspect of every solution is "hotly debated". Just when I think that what I'm doing is settled (epoxy, plastic tiles, porcelain tiles, etc) I start to find all of the decenting opinions and all tend to appeal to my logic.

Either I end up dismissing that option and right back where I started or the price to do it and account for every possible contingency drives the cost to $1k+ for a 460 sq ft space and diy labor.

I'm at the point where I'm like "F it"... I'll do the basic prep work and application with a 100% solids epoxy for $300 or so and if it peels then I'll race deck (or similar) over it in a few years. Realisically I can spend just about anything I want on this project but I just don't want something I have to be overly obsessed about once it's down and in use. It's a working garage and I don't have show piece cars or toys in it. It's an '03 Yukon XL, a few dirt bikes and a riding lawnmower in there.

Or I'll give it up for now and watch craigslist/big box store close outs for a porcelain tile deal.

Or polish and seal... Damnit! Here I go again.

 

[bdamico]

That's the problem. I've spent hundreds of hours over the past 2 years trying to find the optimal path forward with Internet research. Every single aspect of every solution is "hotly debated". Just when I think that what I'm doing is settled (epoxy, plastic tiles, porcelain tiles, etc) I start to find all of the decenting opinions and all tend to appeal to my logic.

Either I end up dismissing that option and right back where I started or the price to do it and account for every possible contingency drives the cost to $1k+ for a 460 sq ft space and diy labor.

I'm at the point where I'm like "F it"... I'll do the basic prep work and application with a 100% solids epoxy for $300 or so and if it peels then I'll race deck (or similar) over it in a few years. Realisically I can spend just about anything I want on this project but I just don't want something I have to be overly obsessed about once it's down and in use. It's a working garage and I don't have show piece cars or toys in it. It's an '03 Yukon XL, a few dirt bikes and a riding lawnmower in there.

Or I'll give it up for now and watch craigslist/big box store close outs for a porcelain tile deal.

Or polish and seal... Damnit! Here I go again.

As long as you've educated yourself. I think most people that ask the questions you asked either haven't researched or know what they should be doing but are looking for someone to tell them it will be ok to do less than they know they should.

If you don't want to go to the effort of grinding, putting down a primer and urethane clear, and you want ultimate durability, porcelain tile is the way to go (or polish and seal) or rust bullet

 

[Jeff d]

...rust bullet

Rust bullet! I had run across this on my last bout with garage floor treatment research. I couldn't remember what it was called but was pretty sure I remembered one that advertised minimal prep. I was gooling all kinds of related terms but couldn't find it. I'll revisit it.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

That's the problem. I've spent hundreds of hours over the past 2 years trying to find the optimal path forward with Internet research. Every single aspect of every solution is "hotly debated". Just when I think that what I'm doing is settled (epoxy, plastic tiles, porcelain tiles, etc) I start to find all of the decenting opinions and all tend to appeal to my logic.

Either I end up dismissing that option and right back where I started or the price to do it and account for every possible contingency drives the cost to $1k+ for a 460 sq ft space and diy labor.

I'm at the point where I'm like "F it"... I'll do the basic prep work and application with a 100% solids epoxy for $300 or so and if it peels then I'll race deck (or similar) over it in a few years. Realisically I can spend just about anything I want on this project but I just don't want something I have to be overly obsessed about once it's down and in use. It's a working garage and I don't have show piece cars or toys in it. It's an '03 Yukon XL, a few dirt bikes and a riding lawnmower in there.

Or I'll give it up for now and watch craigslist/big box store close outs for a porcelain tile deal.

Or polish and seal... Damnit! Here I go again.

If you spent that much time researching you'd have a solid plan...

Seriously.

Step 1: Clean the floor.
Step 2: Make it porous: Grind or Acid etch
Step 3: Make sure floor is clean again by inspecting from step 2.
Step 4: Put Primer down.
Step 5: Put top coat down (flakes/no flakes)
Step 6: Put down poly (1/2 coats)

That's it....time to enjoy the floor.

What do you want your floor to look like? Really start there. Do you know how to title? If so do you like that look? If you do title. MANY people have it here and it's awesome.

Do you like how Epoxy looks...again same as above.

RaceDeck...same as above.

It just seems like you personally don't know what you want, so work on that first. I have epoxy and did it right and went with a good vendor on here. My results are great. I have toys in the garage along with working on my cars in it. Stuff gets dropped, and dragged and there is no damage to the floor other than where the lift arms have scratched the poly coating...

Racedeck looks good but looks grungy to me after a couple years of use because the plastic tiles get scratched...

Tile might be the way to go if you really want durability and don't want it fading/turning a shade of amber....

**** or get off the pot as they say.

-Nigel

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Nigel's posts , on his epoxy projects , are excellent tutorials for the beginner!!


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[Garage Flooring]

rust bullet! I had run across this on my last bout with garage floor treatment research. I couldn't remember what it was called but was pretty sure i remembered one that advertised minimal prep. I was gooling all kinds of related terms but couldn't find it. I'll revisit it.

good idea