solvent base epoxy over water based and over spray

[mikejk]

I have a workshop floor I'd like to re do. The previous owner put down what I think is just a kit from one of the big box stores. There is also some over spray on top of that (used to be a sign shop) I called a couple of the real epoxy places and they said I'd have to grind off what is there. I really wanted to keep this more simple, there isnt going to be any vehicle traffic or chemicals, just light shop use (mostly sitting around drinking beer) My concern with the grinding is that it will be a nightmare because the concrete wasn't finished nice and smooth. Any good options besides epoxy? Or would it be safe to scuff what's there and just epoxy over it?

 

[Garage Flooring]

I have a workshop floor I'd like to re do. The previous owner put down what I think is just a kit from one of the big box stores. There is also some over spray on top of that (used to be a sign shop) I called a couple of the real epoxy places and they said I'd have to grind off what is there. I really wanted to keep this more simple, there isnt going to be any vehicle traffic or chemicals, just light shop use (mostly sitting around drinking beer) My concern with the grinding is that it will be a nightmare because the concrete wasn't finished nice and smooth. Any good options besides epoxy? Or would it be safe to scuff what's there and just epoxy over it?

Short of grinding your floor, doing some repairs, a primer, base coat and top coat, whatever you do is just a band-aid and no one is going to stand behind it. Given the lack of abuse, there are a couple of things you could try, but it would be completely at your own risk.

Even if you used a chemical stripper, the surface still needs to be profiled for adhesion for an epoxy and a product like Rust Bullet would show every flaw. If it was my floor, I would bite the bullet and grind it or go with an alternative like a PVC garage floor tile.

I have one other idea I will PM you

 

[benwah]

Grinding would actually make that floor much more aesthetically pleasing.

-BUT-

If you really don't want to grind, at minimum, you have to mechanically abrade the entire surface. Me thinks the rough troweled surface may rip up sanding screens. An orbital floor sander with 60 grit paper would probably do better. Remember you don't want to totally remove the coating, just give it a nice profile. I can't tell in the third pic if that is 100% coating, or if concrete is exposed.. If the chips are still present, they may telescope through the new coating you roll on.

Someone may have a better idea.

 

[mikejk]

How bad will grinding be? it's about 400 Sq ft

 

[benwah]

400 sq ft. is easy peasy my friend! There are quite a few write up's on here about people's experience with grinding, and usually it is around double the size your area, or more.

 

[Garage Flooring]

How bad will grinding be? it's about 400 Sq ft

 

[packpride85]

I had never used a floor polisher before and was able to do my 400 sq ft garage. Here's my tip thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289247

 

[mikejk]

the guys at hd didn't seem to put much faith into the diamabrush and the buffer a few months back when I was there renting a sander for the wood floors in my house... but they also said the random orbit and about a dozen sanding pads would be good for the 1600 sq ft of floors. Needless to say I hope this workshop project doesn't turn out to be anything like that. it was an absolute NIGHTMARE...

 

[benwah]

Relevant -

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Diamabrush makes it a piece of cake. My team ground off two coats of Big-Box garbage coating, 600 sq ft, in 4 hours, yesterday. Ready for coating.

 

[Shea]

We have an article here that will help you out as well. It covers using the Diamabrush from Home Depot as well as few other tips and options.

 

[mikejk]

Benwah, that video is effin perfect! I was just at lowes picking up led recessed light trims for the workshop. They had them in three different locations with three different prices. I get to the register and they ring up at the middle price. I say "oh, I think those are supposed to be about $5 less than that" very politely. The eyes roll, she calls the elecrical dept., say the guy will be there in a minute. I am the only customer at any of the four open registers. I can see the spot with the correct price about thirty feet away so I point to it and tell her it's right there if she'd like to check. She insists the guy will be there in a minute. So five minutes later after she "can't believe he would say he'd be right there, he ain't" we walk over and she tries to tell me any yellow "new lower price!" sticker is contractor pack pricing. So I just flat out say "no!" and have to point out a contractor pricing sticker to show her it's different. "Oh whateva I just ring you up for that."

I couldn't freaking believe it.

 

[mikejk]

But anyways I also made a trip to depot to check out the diamabrush and I'm debating if I should just slap some porch and floor paint down for now and wait to do this for when I do the rest of the garage. By the time i rent the brush, the buffer and the smaller tool for the edges its going to cost a small fortune! I'm thinking it would make more sense to do it all at once. The other catch to all of this is my wife is sheduled to have our baby a week from tomorrow and I was hoping to wrap up this project before she gets here.

 

[packpride85]

Yeah I'd definitely say wait until a while especially with a baby coming. The floor polisher rental with diamabrush will be around $140. For the edges I picked up an angle grinder from HF and their diamond turbo cup wheel (needed an angle grinder anyway).

The angle grinder is pretty difficult to stay flat and resulted in some nasty marks in my floor. The floor polisher got so close to the walls I really didn't have much coating left (maybe a few spots about an inch from the wall) so I ended up just sanding what was left around the edges and throwing the coating down over.