Scattering and scraping Flakes/Chips?

[dogshmog]

I am about to do a 100% solids epoxy coat on my garage floor. I have about 7 pounds of flakes, including glow-n-the-dark chips and I would like to ensure a nice even distribution of said flakes, what is a good method of putting them down that will help me achieve this? I was thinking about getting a fertilizer spreader, but I thought I would ask here first.

Also, I have heard that scraping them once everything is set, and before the clear epoxy layer, will create a very smooth finished product. I can not find any scrapers at the home depot/lowes that doesn't look like it will scrape the epoxy off the floor. Basically, I was thinking something that looks like a metal squeegee would work well. But then again, maybe there is a better/easier way to do this, or something that works almost as well with less effort.

Also, this is my first post. So hello!

I will post pics of the finished product, but basically I am using the premium kit from epoxy-coat.com with 7-8 pounds of flakes (5lbs of even mix of black/grey/teal, with 2lbs of 1/4 glow flakes) on a 400sq/ft newly poured garage floor.

Thanks!

 

[munkey]

You definitely want to scrape the flakes aggressively - the quality of your floor will be MUCH higher. You'll be able to tell immediately with your hand and eyes which parts have been scraped. I posted before/after pics of the scraping about a year ago (maybe a little more.)

I used the heavy duty metal floor scraper that you've probably seen at Lowes (about $20-$25). It works extremely well, you just have to get the angle right. You are seriously underestimating the strength and hardness of the epoxy if you are worried about a scraper taking it off; mine wasn't even 100% solids epoxy and I would have had no prayer of removing it even if I wanted to. (You might slightly dull the surface in some spots, but it doesn't matter because you'll be topcoating with clear anyways. Those spots will disappear once the topcoat hits.)

P.S. I also used glow in the dark flakes! Good luck, keep us posted...

 

[theoldwizard1]

I am about to do a 100% solids epoxy coat on my garage floor. I have about 7 pounds of flakes, including glow-n-the-dark chips and I would like to ensure a nice even distribution of said flakes, what is a good method of putting them down that will help me achieve this?

I had a MUCH smaller job (probably less than 200 sq ft). The trick was to hire an "expert". Expert cookie sprinkler that is !

My wife applied the sprinkles and did an amazing job ! What helped her was doing small sections at a time where she could easily reach over and sprinkle.

 

[CreteCoater]

The best way to apply them is simply by hand. Toss them high as you can and they will fall evenly.

 

[kywildcat]

The best way to apply them is simply by hand. Toss them high as you can and they will fall evenly.

Yep......I did it this way, and it worked fine! 10x10 section at a time, and throw them up high.

 

[csp]

I used the heavy duty metal floor scraper that you've probably seen at Lowes (about $20-$25). It works extremely well, you just have to get the angle right. You are seriously underestimating the strength and hardness of the epoxy if you are worried about a scraper taking it off; mine wasn't even 100% solids epoxy and I would have had no prayer of removing it even if I wanted to.

I used the same type of scraper and pulled up a small area of 100% solids epoxy on one chip that was sticking out pretty high. You do have to be careful when scraping. Don't hammer away at stubborn chips.

 

[munkey]

Yeah, I shouldn't have made it sound like it was impossible to damage the surface, but once you get the feeling for gliding across the surface to cut the chips (instead of digging into the epoxy), you can go pretty fast. It won't be fragile like fresh paint would be, and if your adhesion is good, a nick or cut here and there isn't going to matter once you topcoat it. If you are able to peel or flake the coating off, you've got bigger problems than making sure your flakes evened out...

If I remember correctly, the key is to keep a shallow angle and to hold the scrape blade "upside down" (you probably know what I mean.)

 

[AlphaGarage]

There are some tasks that are easier to actually do then they are to explain, and chip scraping is one of them. You can, and should, put some muscle behind the scraping, because you do want the floor to be as smooth as possible before applying the clear coat. But, at this point the epoxy isn't fully cured, so it can't be fully punished yet. Use enough uumph to get the job done, but don't over do it.

 

[JamieK]

If I'm not planning on a clear coat, doI still scrape the chips the same way? How rough will the chips leave the surface? Do they act as a anti-slip?

 

[csp]

Mine has a medium coverage on chips and they do not act as an anti-slip to any great degree. After being too aggressive trying to get loose chips up and pulling up a chunk of the epoxy, I quit scraping. I decided that any loose pieces sticking up will eventually break free on their own (no clear coat on mine either), and they did relatively quickly.