ShotBlaster vs. Edco vs. HD Dimabrush

[navin]

So I finally got a project car out of the garage and want to finally address removing an old epoxy coating (its a 100% solids epoxy, so no lift)/paint spills on my garage floor.

What would be the best/fastest method on getting removing the epoxy and possibliy at the same time having the floor prepped for re-coating a few months later..?

It looks like I should be able to rent any of the following items above just want to get everyones opinions.

I've got some quotes for a company to come and grind the floor, so far the best one I've had is $600 for a 20*20 (400sqft) garage.

 

[benwah]

Generally a shot blaster will remove more material and leave a more aggressive profile. That is great if you're going to install a laminate floor (50-125 dry mils) or mortar floor (1/4"+). It may be too aggressive for a thin film system (<25 mils) depending on the size of shot used and how slow you decide to push the machine. The Edco or Diamabrush should be adequate to remove your previous system and leave a profile for your next one.

If you just want to get it done quickly and easily go ahead and shotblast, just keep in mind you may want to install a thicker system to cover the more aggressive profile.

 

[navin]

Thanks for the reply Ben -- at this point I'm still debating what I want to do with the finish. We do want to sell this house in the near future, and no one around here really gives a damn about how the garage floor looks.

If I had a buddy with a dust shroud for my Dewalt angle grinder I'd go ahead and pick up the Dimabrush from Home Depot and slowly but surely grind it that way.

 

[Shea]

I've got some quotes for a company to come and grind the floor, so far the best one I've had is $600 for a 20*20 (400sqft) garage.

That's a fair price for removing the existing coating as well.

 

[navin]

Yeah it wasn't a bad price... but one of those, we'll be in your area so it's that price because of it. And it was on a random weekday, which means I'd have to take a day off work.

Think I'll go ahead with the Dimabrush rental from HD and see how it goes. When people talk about the 'wet slurry' from wet grinding -- what are they referring about when they say to not let it sit?

Should i get a squeegee or something to keep it off the concrete that I've grinded?

 

[bdamico]

Here's a question -- do you really need to take it off? Is the old coating well adhered? If so, perhaps just sand and recoat

 

[navin]

I've thought about that too -- but I did have some areas in my garage where i think the epoxy reacted to a chemical that was in the concrete (people have said tire dressing.. had to be from previous owner)...

So that makes me want to remove it all and just start fresh... Might just go with a clear sealer from Legacy instead.

 

[404]

Why wouldn't the epoxy soften and clog the Dimabrush?

 

[NitroShark]

If I had a buddy with a dust shroud for my Dewalt angle grinder .

Why not buy one from Dewalt?


They work and fit great! I was able to do 1685sq/ft with it no problem. I used a hard cup diamond wheel though.


Shawn



Here's mine..

 

[navin]

Thought about doing that -- but I believe the Dimabrush attachments for angle grinders work better on a variable speed angle grinder.

Found a place that rents the Edco + edco vacuum for a decent rental rate. Gonna see what they have to say.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Diamabrush (large buffer style heads) is a slow-go for epoxy removal.
May want to rent an Edco with the appropriate head tooling.

But why would you remove an epoxy coating that is down tight?? Degrease, degloss, solvent wipe and recoat. Could be done in a day.

 

[navin]

Hey Scotty -- My thoughts on removing the epoxy vs. cleaning and recoating is because my floor is basically fucked! I also learned after I put the coating down from GJ that I might not have prepped the floor enough, because I found these impressions in the garage floor/epoxy after coating. See pictures below:

Supposedly from tire dressing in concrete -- This was right after I bought the house so must have been from previous owner

.
Basically how bad the floor looks, figured starting fresh would be the way to go

.
Spilt POR15 over the garage floor during a car resto

That being said -- which Edco insert would be best for removing the old epoxy?

 

[Garage Dog]

Thanks for the reply Ben -- at this point I'm still debating what I want to do with the finish. We do want to sell this house in the near future, and no one around here really gives a damn about how the garage floor looks.

So how much of "Return On Investment" do you think you will get prepping and re-coating your garage floor when you sell?

If you plan on selling in the "near future" and as you put it no one really gives a damn about the garage floor, why spend the time and money?

Why not put the effort and money into the floor of next place you buy if a nice floor is of value to you?

Just playing the devil's advocate here...

Good Luck

GD

 

[navin]

My opinion is that any potential buyer of the house will be turned off by seeing such a messy garage floor, i dunno.. That's just me.

So why not strip off the old epoxy/mess and have it in a somewhat presentable fashion. Maybe I'll clear seal it down the road, but right now I just want to take advantage of having a car out of the garage and get that old **** off.

 

[PT Doc]

If you plan on selling in the "near future" and as you put it no one really gives a damn about the garage floor, why spend the time and money?



GD

My thoughts exactly.

 

[retfr8flyr]

If you are going to sell it in the near future. I would just scuff it up, clean it up and do a cheap epoxy coat with some chips. It will look fairly good and will last until you sell the place. That would be a much better return on your cost then completely redoing the floor.

 

[James-W]

Or, just put down some plastic tiles and be done with it. No prep involved except for sweeping the floor, the finished look would be sensational and the job would be done in just a few hours.

 

[navin]

Not a fan of tiles...

I'm hoping Scotty revisits this thread -- would it be plausible to rent the Dimabrush + floor maintainer to instead scuff up the existing epoxy + remove the paint and then reapply another epoxy over that?

 

[retfr8flyr]

HD has 2 different Diamana brushes. One for taking off the old finish and one for actually grinding the floor. If you really want to do a good job, then take the old epoxy off with the one style brush and then grind the floor with the other one. You do them both with the same machine.

Then get a good primer, main coat, flakes and clear top coat from Scotty and apply it. You will have a great looking floor but it won't be cheap.

 

[James-W]

Not a fan of tiles...

Sorry, I didn't know you were doing it to please yourself. I had thought you wanted to do the floor because you plan on selling the house shortly and you felt potential buyers would be "turned off" by a crappy looking floor. That's why I thought the plastic tiles would be a quick and easy way to make the floor look really good to a potential buyer.

 

[navin]

HD has 2 different Diamana brushes. One for taking off the old finish and one for actually grinding the floor. If you really want to do a good job, then take the old epoxy off with the one style brush and then grind the floor with the other one. You do them both with the same machine.

Then get a good primer, main coat, flakes and clear top coat from Scotty and apply it. You will have a great looking floor but it won't be cheap.

This seems like the way its gonna have to go down... Although on DimaBrush's site it says the Concrete Prep tool should remove thin layers of epoxy. I just imagine that means this might be an all day kind of project.

 

[bdamico]

This seems like the way its gonna have to go down... Although on DimaBrush's site it says the Concrete Prep tool should remove thin layers of epoxy. I just imagine that means this might be an all day kind of project.

Of course if Scotty is telling you not to bother removing the old coating...

 

[keating]

My opinion is that any potential buyer of the house will be turned off by seeing such a messy garage floor, i dunno.. That's just me.

Definitely just you.
If anyone even cares about the floor enough for it to matter to them, they'd probably rather pick their own floor covering when the time comes.
No one is going to be any more turned off by a "messy" floor than by a floor covering product they don't like.
I'd be more turned off by the bumper stickers on the door.
Getting all the glue off will be a major pain.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

The expletive took me by surprise.
Sand that floor, pre-prep any area with issues and do a full flake broadcast.

It will hide a ton of issues and will be much better than taking that epoxy off with a stick of dynamite.

 

[navin]

Definitely just you.
If anyone even cares about the floor enough for it to matter to them, they'd probably rather pick their own floor covering when the time comes.
No one is going to be any more turned off by a "messy" floor than by a floor covering product they don't like.
I'd be more turned off by the bumper stickers on the door.
Getting all the glue off will be a major pain.

hah, goo gone works wonders. I think there are like 10 stickers left.

Welp guess I'll just sand the floor...