Rustoleum Epoxy Shield Professional solvent-based post-mortem

[jmarkwolf]

We completed the floor in my newly built detached garage and it turned out quite poorly.

The floor is 27ft by 29ft with nine 9ft-by-9ft "squares" with expansion joints seperating them. We did three squares at a time.

The floor is a year old, quite clean and dry, etched, temperature maintained at 70degF, good lighting, with a week of drying time after rinsing off the etchant.

Great care was taken to follow the directions, and mix the parts adeqately with proper "stand times" before application, etc.

The main problem we had is non-uniform appearance after curing.

One roller stroke would cure with a dull grey appearance, while the roller stroke right next to it would cure with a glossy appearance. But while rolling the epoxy out the application seemed quite uniform with an equal glossy or wet appearance. As it cured however, the distinction in appearance popped out.

Will have to grind it off and start over with a different technique (or professional crew) or forever more explain to all who enter, why my floor looks like such dog $hitt.

What is the trick?

 

[shaun oriold1]

Lets see some pictures....

I tell my customers, if it was easy they wouldn't be hiring me to do their floor. Though we make it look easy... We've screwed up a few over the years to learn from our mistakes!

You might be able to salvage your floor by going a thin top coat. At the end of the day, its still a less-than-stellar epoxy, but you took the steps to prep it well, so its worth trying to salvage it before starting from scratch.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Primer used?

 

[jmarkwolf]

Primer used?

Primer not used. Not indicated in the instructions.

 

[jaye944]

Hey man,
please take a look at my links,

The most part of what you explained is fine.
what you say below doesnt make sense.

Explain: On my floor, when I was first rolling it out, I was scared to use the squeegee and had a dodgy appearance.

What happens is the concrete in places absorbs MORE of the material, which is WHAT it will do. TRYING to overwork or over roll does NOT help.

The trick is this,

1> Pour out the epoxy, and use a squeegee to move it around, like icing a cake
2> VERY GENTLY with no preassure, use a roller to "backfill"
3> let it dry (NOT CURE)
4> Then a second coat will cover thoes places and make it look more uniform.

once cured, your shagged

HTH

The main problem we had is non-uniform appearance after curing.

One roller stroke would cure with a dull grey appearance, while the roller stroke right next to it would cure with a glossy appearance. But while rolling the epoxy out the application seemed quite uniform with an equal glossy or wet appearance. As it cured however, the distinction in appearance popped out.

 

[jaye944]

you can either use 1 coat primer then base OR 2 coats of base

 

[drinkmoresake]

Hi,

I applied the Rustoleum Professional on my floor about 2 1/2 years ago and love it. Did you apply one or two coats? Reason I ask is that after the first coat mine looked like you describe, but the second coat made all the difference in the world. Here is a link to what I did:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204436

Just my $.02 but if you know your first coat is "well-bonded" to the concrete I don't think I would grind it off and start over. Just sand and recoat, either with one or two more coats of the Rustoleum or a different product if you prefer.

best of luck.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Hi,

I applied the Rustoleum Professional on my floor about 2 1/2 years ago and love it. Did you apply one or two coats? Reason I ask is that after the first coat mine looked like you describe, but the second coat made all the difference in the world. Here is a link to what I did:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204436

Just my $.02 but if you know your first coat is "well-bonded" to the concrete I don't think I would grind it off and start over. Just sand and recoat, either with one or two more coats of the Rustoleum or a different product if you prefer.

best of luck.

Scotty is better equipped to discuss this than I am.... BUT.... Primer and a good top coat is going to give same or better results for less money.

My concern with going directly over the initial product. When you first apply an epoxy you have a window where you get really good 'inter coat adhesion' AKA the product sticks to itself well. Once your outside that window, not so much, unless you prep it correctly.

The second part of this is 'putting new wine into old wine skins' I have seen on more than one occasion where when you do a second coat of a solvent based product the solvents soften the initial coat and in areas where it had not adhered as well as you thought you start getting problems you never had before....

Definitely doable... Takes some additional prep and risk IMHO

 

[Shelby_sho]

My floor looked as described after one coat, but looked great after two. Same product. This is a solvent based epoxy. It is similar to what other systems use for a primer so no special primer is required.

If your still in the recoat time window, putting down another coat is a no brainer. If not, some additional prep is required.

 

[A_Pmech]

Reason I ask is that after the first coat mine looked like you describe, but the second coat made all the difference in the world.

Agreed. I had the same problem. A second coat solved the problem. I also applied it very heavily. As in, I poured it out of a 5-gallon bucket onto the floor and glopped it around with a roller.