top coatings while pouring concrete?

[fflintstone]

I hope to pour my shop floor soon. Since my shop will be a working shop with lots of chemicals and weld spatter I will not put down an epoxy finish, but I would like to make the concrete as light as possible to reflect as much light as possible (if I could paint it white I would). I see them spraying something on new roadways right after they brush it, assuming for curing purposes but it also make the concrete almost white in color, is there anything readily available that will make concrete lighter in color? If so how expensive is it?

 

[thegarageguy]

I'm guessing it's a cure and seal product. You can get it at any mason supply. Not really meant to stand up to a workshop environment.

 

[fflintstone]

I'm guessing it's a cure and seal product. You can get it at any mason supply. Not really meant to stand up to a workshop environment.

I'm guessing that a product put on a roadway that could see up to a hundred thousand vehicles a day must not be durable?

Sarcasm provided for free.
Does anyone have more info on what I am looking for?

 

[thegarageguy]

Everyone is looking for that silver bullet....good luck finding it

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I'll bet Fred has the bullet. Sarcasm provided for free!

 

[Mel M]

The cure they spray on the concrete lasts just long enough to slow the water loss. Concrete that dries quickly is weaker.

 

[Nuccio]

There are some shake on materials that are used such on tipping floors that can be added on the concrete floor right after it is screeded. There are alos a lot of topings that can be used after the floor is poured. What you see on the highway is just a cure and seal it helps the concrete from losing it moisture as it dries. Most highways have a diffrent deisign mix for the concrete and is usally poured with a machincal screed so it can pour a low slupm mix and has a lot of additives mixed in.

 

[Mel M]

I went to your link and clicked on "stained glass" and saw some concrete treatment I hadn't seen. Anybody else familiar with it?

 

[Floorgal]

Welding areas are very difficult to deal with in terms of floor toppings for obvious reasons. The high heat/ sparks can cause a lot of damage -- to bare concrete, as well as to any epoxy coatings. There are other industrial flooring materials that are intended for very high temps, such as urethane mortars, that might be more appropriate for your application. Due to shorter potlife and unique application techniques, however, manufacturers generally require trained contractor installation. So, if you want more info, just let me know and I can hook you up with a local tech rep.

 

[bazzateer]

(if I could paint it white I would

So paint it white then!