Repaint garage floor prior to interlocking tiles

[David 13]

Hi, new member here in south Florida. I am in the process of designing a Swisstrax Ribtrax (or RaceDeck) floor for my 2 car attached garage. However, the floor currently has a coat of mostly good condition red paint, but with some hot tire pickup and a few scrapes, chips etc.

I just got my Swisstrax samples and the red easily shows through, so I am looking for the simplest way to cover up the red.

I know landscape fabric is an option, but can I just use a gray primer, acrylic latex or one-part epoxy to cover, and then lay the tiles over that after ample dry/cure time? The floor will not be directly driven on once the tiles are in place. I really do not want to do any etching or other chemical prep.

Thanks

 

[Shea]

Hi, new member here in south Florida. I am in the process of designing a Swisstrax Ribtrax (or RaceDeck) floor for my 2 car attached garage. However, the floor currently has a coat of mostly good condition red paint, but with some hot tire pickup and a few scrapes, chips etc.

I just got my Swisstrax samples and the red easily shows through, so I am looking for the simplest way to cover of the red.

I know landscape fabric is an option, but can I just use a gray primer, acrylic latex or one-part epoxy to cover, and then lay the tiles over that after ample dry/cure time? The floor will not be driven on with the tiles are in place. I really do not want to do any etching or other chemical prep.

Thanks

A 1-part epoxy paint would work fine for that. Typically, you would just rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first. If you don't want to do that, Rust-Oleum makes a special primer for their products that just requires cleaning the surface. Paint on the primer and then apply a Rust-Oleum concrete paint or 1-part epoxy paint.

Rust-Oleum Concrete & Garage Primer makes Recoating Epoxy Easy

Rust-Oleum makes recoating older epoxy and applying garage floor coatings to sealed concrete easy. Learn how their new garage floor primer works.

allgaragefloors.com

 

[RaceDeck1]

Take a look at our FreeFlow XLC, the largest and beefiest modular garage flooring style > RACEDECK FreeFlowXLC

 

[David 13]

A 1-part epoxy paint would work fine for that. Typically, you would just rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first. If you don't want to do that, Rust-Oleum makes a special primer for their products that just requires cleaning the surface. Paint on the primer and then apply a Rust-Oleum concrete paint or 1-part epoxy paint.

Rust-Oleum Concrete & Garage Primer makes Recoating Epoxy Easy

Rust-Oleum makes recoating older epoxy and applying garage floor coatings to sealed concrete easy. Learn how their new garage floor primer works.

allgaragefloors.com

Shea, thank you for this recommendation, and your thread https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...floor-epoxy-and-coatings.493286/#post-9578381. I learned a lot there and also saw your article recommending Drylok or Kilz 1 part epoxy paints, so I am thinking to go forward with these products.

I understand with most any garage floor paint, it is recommended to wait ~5 days before putting cars back in the garage. But now I am wondering if the backbone of the tiles is still going to tear into fresh paint, either as it is installed or as it shifts minutely with the car driving over.

Is this a valid concern or am I overthinking? I am also wondering if I can get adequate coverage with several coats of primer and skip the paint - again I am just trying to cover the red from showing through the tiles, which will be my "topcoat".

Thanks again

 

[Shea]

Shea, thank you for this recommendation, and your thread https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...floor-epoxy-and-coatings.493286/#post-9578381. I learned a lot there and also saw your article recommending Drylok or Kilz 1 part epoxy paints, so I am thinking to go forward with these products.

I understand with most any garage floor paint, it is recommended to wait ~5 days before putting cars back in the garage. But now I am wondering if the backbone of the tiles is still going to tear into fresh paint, either as it is installed or as it shifts minutely with the car driving over.

Is this a valid concern or am I overthinking? I am also wondering if I can get adequate coverage with several coats of primer and skip the paint - again I am just trying to cover the red from showing through the tiles, which will be my "topcoat".

Thanks again

Hey David. You are just overthinking. Your goal is to hide the red paint and not preserve the finish of it. Yes, the tile is going to create some cosmetic damage, but it's not anything that is going to show through.

 

[David 13]

Take a look at our FreeFlow XLC, the largest and beefiest modular garage flooring style > RACEDECK FreeFlowXLC

Thanks, I think those are going to be a bit large for my space. I ordered samples of the FreeFlow almost 2 weeks ago, but still have not received them.

 

[Armorpoxy]

We carry ventilated tiles and they really hide visually the floor and you don't see much. Agree with Shea not to overthink the project. Most people just lay them down over whatever the surface is with minimal, if any prep.

 

[David 13]

OK so I got the Freeflow samples and color chips. I don't see any major functional differences between them and Ribtrax, but the price difference is significant. I am also now looking at Truelock HD as another alternative.

And I think I am "over" the idea of painting the subfloor before laying tiles. With a few sample tiles down, I don't find it to really take away from the new floor.

At this point, I will make my decision in the next few days but wait to order until Memorial Day for any possible sales.

 

[Sumboodie]

Take a look at our FreeFlow XLC, the largest and beefiest modular garage flooring style > RACEDECK FreeFlowXLC

Wouldn't those just get packed full of dirt, grinding dust, etc and become a solid floor?

 

[CSRPenFab]

OK so I got the Freeflow samples and color chips. I don't see any major functional differences between them and Ribtrax, but the price difference is significant. I am also now looking at Truelock HD as another alternative.

And I think I am "over" the idea of painting the subfloor before laying tiles. With a few sample tiles down, I don't find it to really take away from the new floor.

At this point, I will make my decision in the next few days but wait to order until Memorial Day for any possible sales.

Are you comparing the GJ "discount" price for the RaceDeck, or the full retail from the website? Make sure you get a quote with your GJ price and you might be surprised.

 

[David 13]

Are you comparing the GJ "discount" price for the RaceDeck, or the full retail from the website? Make sure you get a quote with your GJ price and you might be surprised.

I am saying the price quoted by a RD rep is far better than price quoted by ST rep.