Regretting my epoxy install

[christpuncher]

Went with epoxy over racedeck because I liked the finished look and the price...mostly the price. I don't think my issues are related to the particular brand of epoxy I used, but it is one of the ones regularly used here and not a water based one.

Severely regretting that decision now for the following reasons:

1. I underestimated the cost - Didn't do racedeck because I assumed it would be in the 1300 range to do a two-car (give or take). Here is what I spent on epoxy, your costs of course may vary, but I didn't see a cheaper way to do this:

- Epoxy kit - $300
- Pod mobile storage (to store my stuff while I worked on the project) - 250
- Diamond grinder rental - 200 (at HD)
- Angle grinder and wheel to get the edges - 130
- Crack filler - 20

Total cost: 900ish. Yes, that's less than racedeck, but for the amount of time/hassle/effort this took, I would gladly pay 300 to not have to do what I did and be assured a good final product. I guess I have an angle grinder now, but I don't know that I have a big use for it.

2. I didn't consider my surface - I think my surface would have been difficult to do right under any circumstance. Too old, too many cracks/dents/etc. Spent a lot of time preparing the surface, and it was miserable work. Further, the diamond grinder left swirl marks that are visible through the epoxy. I guess that tool requires more skill than I was able to acquire in the day I had it.

3. I did consider the install effort, but I didn't consider how much I'd be willing to pay not to have to go through what I did. I've been working on this on the weekends for nearly a month.

4. There is a skill/technique here that now, after having generally screwed it up, I have a better understanding of. I.e., the first time I did this was where I learned what worked and what didn't. Unfortunately, what didn't is semi-permanently on my garage floor.

I have a tacky portion on the floor 3 days after install and I'm growing concerned that it will not harden ever. It's about 2 ft and runs almost the width of the garage in the middle. Obviously I recall mixing it correctly, I'm in Florida where it is warm, so I'm really not sure what the issue is. I asked the vendor what I should do and they said give it a week. After a week, if its still tacky, the only way (according to them) would be to take this area up and reapply. There is no way that is happening. I will put down racedeck and call it done before I do that - after I get an earful from the wife.

For me personally: I should have gone racedeck, OR I should have paid a pro to do it...which would have cost a LOT more than racedeck.

Lesson learned.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I find this post very interesting. I'm sure many of us in the forum wish you would have come here first and posted some photos ahead of time and now I know all of us would love to see some photo's of the job as it stands. From what I can tell this is your first post here....

If you search on this forum and others, you can find failed product installations in every type of product. I have no idea where you purchased your product or what brand you purchased. I do not know if it was water based or 100% solids. We can't really give you good advice without some more information but I think your post speaks to a lot of things that go way beyond your specific job.

I think you would agree, that someone considering a new garage flooring project should talk to several industry experts about what they are looking to do. By 'industry expert' I don't mean the guy in the orange shirt behind the paint counter..... I think almost any vendor here would have asked you where you are, what your experience level is, what the condition of the floor is and prepped you for the work that is involved. Personally the first thing I think when I hear Florida is moisture test.

Second, as you point out, people need to consider the total cost of a project. Had you gone with a modular tile or roll out flooring you probably would not have needed many of the things you listed.... Along the same lines, if you were going to go through all of that work anyway, it would have been well worth the investment to take certain precautions and perhaps invest in a better epoxy product.

A month is a long time to be working on an epoxy project and I can only imagine your frustration right now. I think the general idea that we often underestimate the skill level it takes to complete a job. I know there have been times where I thought I could save money fixing my own car and just recently finishing our own cabinets, it usually costs me more.

I love the way you end your post 'for me personally' because that says it all! People are often to quick to say this product stinks or that product does not work.

So where do you go from here. Without knowing what you purchased and what the condition of your concrete is, it is difficult to say. If you called me on a product you purchased from me about a portion of the floor still being tacky I would immediately consider that the product was not mixed properly or there is a moisture issue in the floor. Like anyone who has been in this industry, I have had it happen to my customers. What we generally do is explain what I just said and then offer to send replacement material so at least the full burden is not on you. If you purchased a water-based product you might have to consider humidity levels.

In summary, for all those who will come along later and read your post and learn a lesson you literally paid for: (1) Consult someone who is actually in the industry about the project (2) Be willing to spend a little more for better product, regardless of whose product or the product type (3) Consider all the costs (4) consider your skill sets and (5) consider how you are actually going to use the garage and what condition it is in at present.

As for your specific job, get us some more specific information and there are a whole bunch of us here who will do all we can to help, even if your specific vendor will not.

 

[christpuncher]

Thanks for your comment. More than anything I consider my post a personal perspective on what I should have done and a list of things to consider for anyone out there that has been lurking for a long time here like I have.

The epoxy I used is 100% solids, and honestly I highly doubt my negative experience with this overall project is related to the quality of the product. It was the quality of the surface slightly and the lack of skill of the installer (me). Most of the issue attributed to the latter.

That month timeframe is mostly because I'm working on this on weekends and didn't want to rush the prep. So a weekend to move everything out of the garage into the pod, a weekend to grind the floor, another weekend to clean everything a few times and make sure it is free of dust, etc.

I'm a little frustrated, but mostly just disappointed. Spent a lot of time and money and I'm not pleased with the outcome. Just wish I could call a "mulligan" and install racedeck (or similar product, they seem the best reviewed) in a weekend and be done and pleased with the install.

 

[christpuncher]

Oh, and the "where do we go from here":

I wait and see if the tacky portion hardens (I doubt it will), and then I get yelled at by the wife for buying tiles to cover the crappy job I did.

 

[48RON54]

i myself have never tried epoxy flooring, but some years ago the wife wanted me to try this cement staining stuff she saw at home depot on the bathrooms and kitchen... well, it didn't work....never adhered to the floor and stayed wet... In hindsight I think I botched somewhere in prep, but not sure exactly where... anyway what I was getting at was even though it was all her idea, I got yelled at and then paid some guys $1000 to come in and tile all 3 rooms lol

 

[garagemahalpharoh]

You always still have the option of covering it with a product like race deck. I too am just in the process of applying a water based envioronmentally friendly stain called Eco Stain. I really like the looks of all the pictures I have researched on it, just haven't completed the project yet as I didn't order enough in. My point is, if it is an epic fail I will go to a floor covering product and will likely be Race Deck.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Oh, and the "where do we go from here":

I wait and see if the tacky portion hardens (I doubt it will), and then I get yelled at by the wife for buying tiles to cover the crappy job I did.

Would you PM me the brand and manufacturer and any specifics. Let me check a few things for you.

 

[Shea]

This is a great post for people to learn from, but unfortunately it's at the expense of the OP. Yes, a good epoxy application is going to take some work, and yes, there is a learning curve. Some people pick it up faster than others for what ever reason.

Many times when reviewing how to install epoxy, you find simple 8 step application guides online, or rather vague application instructions with the product that make it sound easy. Applying it isn't hard, but learning the finer details about floor prep and how to apply epoxy does take a bit more research. It can make a huge difference on how your floor turns out. We put together a rather long article on how to apply an epoxy garage floor coating. It contains a lot more information than the standard how to articles, but it still could have been twice as long.

As Justin said, for those contemplating installing epoxy, take advantage of the customer service from the vendor you are purchasing it from. If you have any questions ask - don't fill in the blanks yourself. Learn from them, do your research and come up with a good game plan.

 

[workhurts]

There's always a sure way to avoid failure. Don't try.

It was an expensive lesson but not life changing and you've learned something. Hopefully money isn't super tight and it's just a minor regret instead of not being able to put food on the table.

As for your wife complaining, what can I say ... seriously ... you tried something and it didn't work out .. big deal. She want a couch potato or someone that takes a calculated risk?

Anyway, thanks for posting as it is a good idea for people to do some research and evaluate whether or not it's the best solution for them.

 

[hemibee69]

I'm sorry for the problems you had with your floor coating project but I'm more sorry that you have a wife that "yells" at you...file it under chit happens and tell her to chill!

 

[retfr8flyr]

I'm sorry to hear you have problems with your install. I did my garage last summer and I was in the same boat you were. I liked the tile's, like RaceDeck and Tuff Seal from Justin but the cost was outside my budget.

I spent a lot of time here on the forum gathering information and learning everything I could about installing epoxy. One thing I knew was that I wasn't going to go to all that trouble and then put down a cheap epoxy. I ended up going with Wolverine Coating from Alpha Garage. The install went well and I am extremely happy with my choice. My floor came out great and it should last for a long time.

I hope you get you problems corrected, without having to put down another floor.