Rust Bullet & Moisture Question

[lolcaks]

Hey guys,

I have been lurking around this forum for a while researching and "learning" from your experience. Thank you all for taking the time to post as it makes this an excellent online community.

I had decided a week or two ago to go with Rust Bullet in my garage for a couple of main reasons:

1. I'm not looking for a perfect, blemish-free garage floor

2. I'm looking for something that will last but isn't difficult to install as I've never done this before.

I ordered more than enough product from GarageFlooring LLC so I thought I was good to go for this upcoming weekend. I spent this whole week after work and last weekend prepping the concrete as follows:

The old concrete had what looked to be paint with a sealer over the top of it. Water would pool up if I poured it on top. I rented a diamabrush from HD and ran it wet until the floor looked clean. Took it back to HD and the next day I realized there were some patches of paint left over in random spots, not very big, as well as the edge by the wall. Tried using paint stripper but it wasn't doing much even after 24 hours under plastic. Currently am grinding with an angle grinder and concrete grinding disc. I don't mind the work but am worried that the larger grind spots will show through? I am planning to flake so maybe that will hide it...

Anyways, after all that it rained yesterday and when I got home from work I noticed the garage floor was damp. Some spots looked dry but some spots looked damp. I have NEVER noticed it before with the old coating. I called GarageFlooring LLC and talked to a nice woman who told me I should do a Moisture test after it had rained and when it is completely dry with the plastic squares. I am planning on taping one down tonight to see.

My question is, based on my non-existent knowledge of this process, will RB work or will I need an epoxy? I realize that answer depends on the results of the moisture test but I'm just wondering if anybody has had a similar situation and what they decided to do. I was going for minimal prep but I want to make sure I do it right. Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?

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[Garage Flooring]

Hey guys,

I have been lurking around this forum for a while researching and "learning" from your experience. Thank you all for taking the time to post as it makes this an excellent online community.

I had decided a week or two ago to go with Rust Bullet in my garage for a couple of main reasons:

1. I'm not looking for a perfect, blemish-free garage floor

2. I'm looking for something that will last but isn't difficult to install as I've never done this before.

I ordered more than enough product from GarageFlooring LLC so I thought I was good to go for this upcoming weekend. I spent this whole week after work and last weekend prepping the concrete as follows:

The old concrete had what looked to be paint with a sealer over the top of it. Water would pool up if I poured it on top. I rented a diamabrush from HD and ran it wet until the floor looked clean. Took it back to HD and the next day I realized there were some patches of paint left over in random spots, not very big, as well as the edge by the wall. Tried using paint stripper but it wasn't doing much even after 24 hours under plastic. Currently am grinding with an angle grinder and concrete grinding disc. I don't mind the work but am worried that the larger grind spots will show through? I am planning to flake so maybe that will hide it...

Anyways, after all that it rained yesterday and when I got home from work I noticed the garage floor was damp. Some spots looked dry but some spots looked damp. I have NEVER noticed it before with the old coating. I called GarageFlooring LLC and talked to a nice woman who told me I should do a Moisture test after it had rained and when it is completely dry with the plastic squares. I am planning on taping one down tonight to see.

My question is, based on my non-existent knowledge of this process, will RB work or will I need an epoxy? I realize that answer depends on the results of the moisture test but I'm just wondering if anybody has had a similar situation and what they decided to do. I was going for minimal prep but I want to make sure I do it right. Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?

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If you ever have questions about Rust Bullet, please feel free to call me directly.

Good for you for taking the time to prep the floor, remove the sealer and notice the moisture on the floor. The advice you received on the phone regarding a moisture test is absolutely correct.

IF you have a moisture issue both Rust Bullet and Epoxy would fail unless proper mitigation is done. In many cases that can be done with a liquid vapor barrier and in other cases it can't.

Where was the floor damp and was their any possible sources other than coming up through the floor? Did someone pull in with wet tires... Is their a leak.... etc

 

[lolcaks]

Wow, thank you for the quick response! I did not think to call you directly, I apologize if this post is cluttering the forum - I'm new here .

Nobody pulled into the garage with a car or was even in there. There are no leaks that i know of, this is the first time this has ever happened (probably because the old paint/sealer was there). I had pressure washed it the night before but it seemed to have dried before I got done for the night.

After it rained it was damp in small spots throughout the garage. No sitting water but darker concrete in the spots. I really wish I had taken a picture...

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[Garage Flooring]

Wow, thank you for the quick response! I did not think to call you directly, I apologize if this post is cluttering the forum - I'm new here .

Nobody pulled into the garage with a car or was even in there. There are no leaks that i know of, this is the first time this has ever happened (probably because the old paint/sealer was there). I had pressure washed it the night before but it seemed to have dried before I got done for the night.

After it rained it was damp in small spots throughout the garage. No sitting water but darker concrete in the spots. I really wish I had taken a picture...

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You never have to apologize (as far as I am concerned) for posting something here. If you have the question, chances are someone else does too!

So in some sense of the word, you have moisture. This is important because no result on the moisture test tells you nothing. You need to have moisture either on top of the plastic or under it.

No moisture just means we did not catch the issue while it is happening. Based on everything you have said you either have condensation forming on the floor and soaking in (good) or moisture coming up through the floor -- bad.

 

[lolcaks]

So let me see if I understand you correctly.

I need to tape the plastic down and let it sit 1-2 days. If moisture is on top of the plastic that is good and if moisture is under the plastic that is bad?

If the test yields moisture underneath (bad), is that when I would try the liquid vapor barrier you mentioned?

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[Garage Flooring]

So let me see if I understand you correctly.

I need to tape the plastic down and let it sit 1-2 days. If moisture is on top of the plastic that is good and if moisture is under the plastic that is bad?

If the test yields moisture underneath (bad), is that when I would try the liquid vapor barrier you mentioned?

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If you have moisture under it, you get a professional moisture test to figure out how much moisture is coming through... Then.... We go from there. We might have to do a different (breathable) coating, or a liquid vapor barrier,

 

[DC73]

I had pressure washed it the night before but it seemed to have dried before I got done for the night.

I'd give it a week or so to dry out after pressure washing before doing a moisture test.

DC

 

[lolcaks]

Thanks for all of the input. I taped the plastic down about 20 hours ago. I haven't pulled it up yet but there's definitely no moisture on top. Garage floor top seems dry.

I can certainly do another test like this in a week or a professional one if that is the next step I should take.

Just out of curiosity should the test be done when the slab is under normal conditions or do I need to wait until it is raining again to test it when the "problem" is occurring?

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[LegacyIndustrial]

Lo: Take the test while raining. Check all your downspouts to make sure they are pointed away. If no gutters, make sure water runs away from your building all the time.

Many times some slight adjustment of run-off can solve issues.

If not consider a good breathable sealer or perhaps a polish.

 

[lolcaks]

Very interesting you mention that, I just now realize that I do have a downspout that is pretty close to the front of my garage. It was one of the most annoying things about my house for me when I bought it, but I haven't done anything about it yet. Wow, talk about hiding in plain sight.

I'm planning on moving it this week. It's supposed to rain on Thursday, so if it is fixed by then I'll be able to perform a more realistic test. Thank you so much for that thought, I probably never would have connected those two things.



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[Garage Flooring]

Very interesting you mention that, I just now realize that I do have a downspout that is pretty close to the front of my garage. It was one of the most annoying things about my house for me when I bought it, but I haven't done anything about it yet. Wow, talk about hiding in plain sight.

I'm planning on moving it this week. It's supposed to rain on Thursday, so if it is fixed by then I'll be able to perform a more realistic test. Thank you so much for that thought, I probably never would have connected those two things.



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OK. The key here is we know it was wet last time, so as Legacy said wait for it to rain

 

[lolcaks]

Okay my plan is to put a proper gutter spout away from the house tonight or tomorrow and I will run a test after it rains hopefully on Thursday. I am assuming by test you mean calcium chloride test? They no longer seem to offer them at Lowe's so I'm trying to get my hands on one before Thursday, unless there is a better way to do it that I'm unaware of.

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