Trying to pick the right epoxy floor, cost vs thickness

[bfranklin]

I have been reading loads of threads here about Epoxy flooring and trying to decided what product I'm going to use.

Background.. I have a 3 car 750 square foot garage that is 18 years old, I never put any sort of sealer on it and I am ready to make it look great!

I am planning on doing all the right prep work and all the products seem the same basically, degrease, clean, and etch or grind.

I have boiled the epoxy's down by thickness vs. price and wanted to post what I found on here to see what the experts have to say about it?

I calculated thickness based on the manufactures coverage rate and solids percentage, it's just math. LOL

Epoxy-Coat 100% solids base coat and 100% solids epoxy clear coat, gives 19.4 mil at my cost from Lowes of $737

Norklad 200 100% solids epoxy base coat and 100% Norklad 100 epoxy clear coat, gives 19.2 mil at a cost from ebay (not a kit) $527

Roll on Rock 92% solids 4195 Epoxy base coat and 59% urethane clear coat, gives 12.3 mil at cost $771

Legacy HD 100% epoxy base coat and 65% urethane clear coat, give 8.8 mil at cost $874

Norklad WB 53% solids epoxy base coat and 42% urethane clear coat, gives 6.1 mil at cost $750.

U Coat It 41% solids epoxy base coat and 56% Epoxy Ucoatit - AF Clear coat, gives 4.5 mill at coast $690

I also looked at super-coat (pretty cheap at sam's club) but I can't find solids percentage anywhere.

all the prices include sales tax (if in Illinois) or shipping costs.

I can't seem to find the Norklad 200 on there site anymore, just in 15 gallons, I wonder if it's discontinued?

 

[kd3pc]

buying an epoxy based on cost vs thickness is a disaster in the making.

GO with one of the many excellent vendors here. They are a phone call away. There are dozens of posts about great floors, excellent floors, old floors, and pretty floors. They have experience and work well with DIY, or they will tell you why you should go pro and why.

This is not the place to skimp or weigh thickness....by the way the only way to get a "guaranteed thickness" is to spray it, and very few DIYers have the gear or skill to do it that way.

Rolling will give you a great surface, but skimping to make the ** gallons cover *** square feet is a mistake. It is better to have a gallon left over, than to be a quart short, or see thin spots before you finish.

Don't do it based only on the math.

 

[bdamico]

Yeah. Some of what he said. Ucoat it is not the same for instance; and in fact is ****.

 

[floorcoatingsguru]

There's no such animal as a 100% solids epoxy. Don't base it on that.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

buying an epoxy based on cost vs thickness is a disaster in the making.

GO with one of the many excellent vendors here. They are a phone call away. There are dozens of posts about great floors, excellent floors, old floors, and pretty floors. They have experience and work well with DIY, or they will tell you why you should go pro and why.

This is not the place to skimp or weigh thickness....by the way the only way to get a "guaranteed thickness" is to spray it, and very few DIYers have the gear or skill to do it that way.

Rolling will give you a great surface, but skimping to make the ** gallons cover *** square feet is a mistake. It is better to have a gallon left over, than to be a quart short, or see thin spots before you finish.

Don't do it based only on the math.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

bfranklin - are you saying that you're looking to get the thickest epoxy floor coating at the best price?

 

[bfranklin]

buying an epoxy based on cost vs thickness is a disaster in the making.

GO with one of the many excellent vendors here. They are a phone call away. There are dozens of posts about great floors, excellent floors, old floors, and pretty floors. They have experience and work well with DIY, or they will tell you why you should go pro and why.

This is not the place to skimp or weigh thickness....by the way the only way to get a "guaranteed thickness" is to spray it, and very few DIYers have the gear or skill to do it that way.

Rolling will give you a great surface, but skimping to make the ** gallons cover *** square feet is a mistake. It is better to have a gallon left over, than to be a quart short, or see thin spots before you finish.

Don't do it based only on the math.

I am only trying to figure out a way to compare different companies product, I am not basing my decision solely on cost vs thickness, but using it as a tool to determine which ones to possibly weed out.

I am not going to skimp on a product to save money, I am going by their coverage rate.

There are loads of people on the net willing to take your money for an inferior product and the epoxy world seems very confusing.

 

[bfranklin]

Yeah. Some of what he said. Ucoat it is not the same for instance; and in fact is ****.

you agree the Ucoat is inferior to the rest? my math shows that it is and those two facts would definitely cause me to eliminate them.

What is your experience with ucoat?

 

[bfranklin]

There's no such animal as a 100% solids epoxy. Don't base it on that.

Can you educate me on your statement? From what I read there is 100% solids, I can provide links if you want.

 

[bfranklin]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have read several of your posts here and I really appreciate a company that has involvement like that. I am a business owner myself. I have took a hard look at your products. Can you comment on my decision process?

 

[bfranklin]

bfranklin - are you saying that you're looking to get the thickest epoxy floor coating at the best price?

Not only thickness, I am using that to try and compare other products, my favorite right now it not the thickest for the cost.

 

[bfranklin]

One thing in my original post no one has commented on is some of the products use epoxy as the clear coat and others use urethane. There is a difference I am sure, but which is better?

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

One thing in my original post no one has commented on is some of the products use epoxy as the clear coat and others use urethane. There is a difference I am sure, but which is better?

The epoxy will yellow. Some epoxy products have additives that inhibit yellowing, but from what I've read, they work during the first couple years but eventually it will yellow. From what I've read, urethane will not yellow.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

One thing in my original post no one has commented on is some of the products use epoxy as the clear coat and others use urethane. There is a difference I am sure, but which is better?

As some of the other posters added, worry less about mils and more about the prep, primer and customer service a company gives.

Urethane is a superior clear coat as it has a much tighter "molecular lock" than epoxy and therefore has higher chem and wear resistance.

 

[bdamico]

you agree the Ucoat is inferior to the rest? my math shows that it is and those two facts would definitely cause me to eliminate them.

What is your experience with ucoat?

Mils aside; qualitatively, it is not the same as an industrial epoxy. I had a dog piss on it and it stained. You truly are overthinking this but yet don't seem to yet have a grasp on some basic underlying principles (like why you would want a urethane topcoat). Go with epoxy coat or legacy; search up on how to best apply, and call it a day.

 

[Shea]

Legacy HD 100% epoxy base coat and 65% urethane clear coat, give 8.8 mil at cost $874

I think you may have a typo here. I believe the Legacy epoxy goes down at a recommend 10-12 mils plus the 2-3 mils for the urethane.

Other than that I think the exercise you are putting yourself through to make cost comparisons is on the right track and great post for the other DIYer's to read. Most importantly, as has been said by a few people, good product and great customer service go a long ways towards a successful project. Total floor thickness is not always the best indicator to the best coating.

We have always felt that in most cases, a polyurethane top coat on top of a good base coat gives the best durability for the dollar when comparing the type of epoxy system you want to install. A primer coat is a great investment as well and insures that you will get the coverage rates as advertised for the base coat. If you don't use a primer, the coverage for the base coat can be decreased and/or the mil thickness decreased due to porous concrete.

One other point - you didn't mention color flakes. If you are doing a full flake floor 1 coat of epoxy for a top coat will work. If using polyurethane, you will want to apply two coats. Since polyurethane is only 2-3 mils thick, most of the first coat tends to fill the nooks and crannies between the layers of flakes and leaves you with a thin coat.

 

[NitroShark]

Pick one manufacture and go with their complete system.

In my case I choose Tnemec. I used their products back in the 80's with great success is why I went that route. On the system I used it has "traction" with chips but the clear coat shines. 40mils total. Be sure to grind to floor. Take your time, do it right.


Here is the 100% solids system I used. You can just omit the flecks, this system has been out at least since 2007 that I know of.

The system I used as follows:
1) Concrete Floors (Shop and Machine Area) (Decorative Flake Floor)

Surface Preparation: ICRI-CSP3. This is the scarification of the concrete to remove all poorly adhered laitance on the surface of the concrete and to provide a surface profile (I used a 7inch hand diamond grinder).

The floor was clean and dry prior to coating. Filled all control joints with Series 215 Surfacing Epoxy.

1st Coat: Series 201 Epoxoprime applied at – 12.0 dry mils
2nd Coat: Series 237 Power-Tread in 33GR Gray applied at 12.0 dry mils. While the coating is wet, broadcast random decorative flakes into the wet coating. (20 lbs)
3rd Coat: Series 284 Deco-Clear applied at 12.0 dry mils
4th Coat: Series 248 Everthane clear applied at 2.0 – 3. Dry mils

The application guide can be found here > http://www.tnemec.com/product/stratashield/ You can get data sheets for coverage also.


Shawn

 

[bfranklin]

Mils aside; qualitatively, it is not the same as an industrial epoxy. I had a dog piss on it and it stained. You truly are overthinking this but yet don't seem to yet have a grasp on some basic underlying principles (like why you would want a urethane topcoat). Go with epoxy coat or legacy; search up on how to best apply, and call it a day.

Thanks for your input and after my research I agree, that's why I did it, to try and eliminate the bad ones!

I do have a grasp on the urethane, I tried to make a post that didn't sound biased at all to see what people had to say. I definitely will be using urethane over it.

 

[bfranklin]

I think you may have a typo here. I believe the Legacy epoxy goes down at a recommend 10-12 mils plus the 2-3 mils for the urethane.

Other than that I think the exercise you are putting yourself through to make cost comparisons is on the right track and great post for the other DIYer's to read. Most importantly, as has been said by a few people, good product and great customer service go a long ways towards a successful project. Total floor thickness is not always the best indicator to the best coating.

We have always felt that in most cases, a polyurethane top coat on top of a good base coat gives the best durability for the dollar when comparing the type of epoxy system you want to install. A primer coat is a great investment as well and insures that you will get the coverage rates as advertised for the base coat. If you don't use a primer, the coverage for the base coat can be decreased and/or the mil thickness decreased due to porous concrete.

One other point - you didn't mention color flakes. If you are doing a full flake floor 1 coat of epoxy for a top coat will work. If using polyurethane, you will want to apply two coats. Since polyurethane is only 2-3 mils thick, most of the first coat tends to fill the nooks and crannies between the layers of flakes and leaves you with a thin coat.

Thanks for seeing where I am coming from, LOL

I checked the math on Legacy, their 1.5 gallon base is supposed to cover 200 sq ft, that would be 8.02 mils, and the HD-356VOC Urethane Clear Coat, is 65% solids and 1 gallon is supposed to cover 400 sq ft, that would be 1.73 mils, so yes, it should be 9.8 mils (rounded), not the 8.8 in my original post.

I know total thickness is not the best indication and customer support is huge in my book, but I had to start somewhere and the math seemed to be the most scientific, if only to eliminate some.

I did consider a primer coat, but I plan on tearing the concrete up big time, so to speak, to get good epoxy bonding. But 17 years of salt from the cars has done a pretty good job tearing it up where the cars park.

I am planning on flakes, and I am very concerned about it being slippery with water on it, with the last winter we had in Illinois, it's impossible not to have water on it. It seems to me that the flakes, in large amount can help the slippery factor, as well as the anti-slip particles, I didn't consider the urethane may need to be double coated to fill in the gaps, so to speak. Thanks, I will definitely do that.

 

[bfranklin]

Pick one manufacture and go with their complete system.

In my case I choose Tnemec. I used their products back in the 80's with great success is why I went that route. On the system I used it has "traction" with chips but the clear coat shines. 40mils total. Be sure to grind to floor. Take your time, do it right.


Here is the 100% solids system I used. You can just omit the flecks, this system has been out at least since 2007 that I know of.

The system I used as follows:
1) Concrete Floors (Shop and Machine Area) (Decorative Flake Floor)

Surface Preparation: ICRI-CSP3. This is the scarification of the concrete to remove all poorly adhered laitance on the surface of the concrete and to provide a surface profile (I used a 7inch hand diamond grinder).

The floor was clean and dry prior to coating. Filled all control joints with Series 215 Surfacing Epoxy.

1st Coat: Series 201 Epoxoprime applied at – 12.0 dry mils
2nd Coat: Series 237 Power-Tread in 33GR Gray applied at 12.0 dry mils. While the coating is wet, broadcast random decorative flakes into the wet coating. (20 lbs)
3rd Coat: Series 284 Deco-Clear applied at 12.0 dry mils
4th Coat: Series 248 Everthane clear applied at 2.0 – 3. Dry mils

The application guide can be found here > http://www.tnemec.com/product/stratashield/ You can get data sheets for coverage also.


Shawn

I like the look of your floor, how long ago did you do it and how has it held up?

I will definitely look into their products, it is a manufacturer I haven't heard of.

That is very thick, do you know a cost per square foot? Do you think that thickness is needed? I was looking at the 15 mil range.

Was it a squeegee application? most of the thicker ones seem to be.

 

[bfranklin]

As some of the other posters added, worry less about mils and more about the prep, primer and customer service a company gives.

Urethane is a superior clear coat as it has a much tighter "molecular lock" than epoxy and therefore has higher chem and wear resistance.

It seems to me that you would want more urethane to protect the floor, and this is the wear part of the floor? After several years apply another coat of urethane? That's what I do to my hardwood floor inside the house, ruff it up and put down more urethane down, makes sense for this too.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

A second coat could be applied if desired.
However, for most one coat is sufficient.

 

[NitroShark]

bfranklin

On that part of the shop the floor has been down about 6 months and I’ve dragged all my shop equipment over it, still waiting on my “first scratch” to appear.

Call the local Rep and have him come out and recommend a coating system to you. That’s what I did. I did all the work and material was a little over $2 sq/ft.,

With this system the thicker the Mills the more protection (and sacrificial surface) you have. You can do quartz instead of flake but my Rep told me for my application it would be overkill.

If you go the route I did, Read the application guide I posted for this system.


Shawn

 

[bfranklin]

I think I have decided on a epoxy floor.

From the site http://www.epoxysuperstore.com

which has no kits, you have to price each product separately

Using their
2 gallons of Devoe Preprime 167 (100% solids epoxy primer) will yield 3.2 mils
6 gallons of Norklad 200 (100% solids epoxy) will yield 12.8 mils
2 1/4 gallons of High Performance Urethane 747 (53% solids) 2.5 mils
12 lbs of black marble blend color chips

the total mils will be 18.5 and the cost was $755 for 750 sq ft, or just over a dollar a square foot

this includes shipping

What does everyone think? it will be a fairly think coating and the cost is where I wanted to end up.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

I think I have decided on a epoxy floor.

From the site http://www.epoxysuperstore.com

which has no kits, you have to price each product separately

Using their
2 gallons of Devoe Preprime 167 (100% solids epoxy primer) will yield 3.2 mils
6 gallons of Norklad 200 (100% solids epoxy) will yield 12.8 mils
2 1/4 gallons of High Performance Urethane 747 (53% solids) 2.5 mils
12 lbs of black marble blend color chips

the total mils will be 18.5 and the cost was $755 for 750 sq ft, or just over a dollar a square foot

this includes shipping

What does everyone think? it will be a fairly think coating and the cost is where I wanted to end up.

Like you, I've been trying to figure out my epoxy floor. I can't really say whether the products you've chosen are worth it or not. Comparing products/brands is difficult because of many factors. Just assuming that a product is not water based, and assuming a product is 100% solids epoxy, you still don't really know the quality of the resins/formulations being used. To really understand the products requires reading all the MSDS sheets and digging into some chemistry. Most people simply don't have the knowledge base to do that.

From my perspective, the difference between someone who knows and the DIY'er is they have applied many, many thousands of square feet of products and therefore have real world experience (data) to say what products are good and what products are not so good, under x, y, or z conditions.

One huge advantage to this forum for DIY persons such as us, is that the experiences/commentary of many DIY'ers and PRO commentary, helps to provide a knowledge base for making good decisions about product. The downside is that this forum also talks about a small circle of product brands.

I had read a few posts about Norklad being used on DIY projects but not anywhere near the same amount of information as other products such as Legacy, Epoxy-Coat, and Wolverine. I think the reason is that Norklad doesn't appear to be professionally represented in the forum. I may be wrong about that.

I was curious about Norklad, so I emailed the EpoxySuperstore. No one ever responded. So, I will not use their products based on that.

You would probably be better served, in my opinion, by going with products used by a lot of DIY'ers in the forum so you can take advantage of the collective experience of the forum members.

My 2 cents. Worth price charged.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

bfranklin - I do think you are on the right track by making the kinds of comparisons that you did. Knowing how much (thick) coating you will get for your dollar is of value.

 

[bfranklin]

bfranklin

On that part of the shop the floor has been down about 6 months and I’ve dragged all my shop equipment over it, still waiting on my “first scratch” to appear.

Call the local Rep and have him come out and recommend a coating system to you. That’s what I did. I did all the work and material was a little over $2 sq/ft.,

With this system the thicker the Mills the more protection (and sacrificial surface) you have. You can do quartz instead of flake but my Rep told me for my application it would be overkill.

If you go the route I did, Read the application guide I posted for this system.


Shawn

Wow, I wish i had a lift like that!

I looked around for your application guide and I guess I'm stupid because I can't find it!

Your floor looks great though. what company's product?

 

[bfranklin]

Like you, I've been trying to figure out my epoxy floor. I can't really say whether the products you've chosen are worth it or not. Comparing products/brands is difficult because of many factors. Just assuming that a product is not water based, and assuming a product is 100% solids epoxy, you still don't really know the quality of the resins/formulations being used. To really understand the products requires reading all the MSDS sheets and digging into some chemistry. Most people simply don't have the knowledge base to do that.

From my perspective, the difference between someone who knows and the DIY'er is they have applied many, many thousands of square feet of products and therefore have real world experience (data) to say what products are good and what products are not so good, under x, y, or z conditions.

One huge advantage to this forum for DIY persons such as us, is that the experiences/commentary of many DIY'ers and PRO commentary, helps to provide a knowledge base for making good decisions about product. The downside is that this forum also talks about a small circle of product brands.

I had read a few posts about Norklad being used on DIY projects but not anywhere near the same amount of information as other products such as Legacy, Epoxy-Coat, and Wolverine. I think the reason is that Norklad doesn't appear to be professionally represented in the forum. I may be wrong about that.

I was curious about Norklad, so I emailed the EpoxySuperstore. No one ever responded. So, I will not use their products based on that.

You would probably be better served, in my opinion, by going with products used by a lot of DIY'ers in the forum so you can take advantage of the collective experience of the forum members.

My 2 cents. Worth price charged.

I agree that a company responding is a good thing, but I take a quick response with a grain of salt so to speak, I do like the companies on here and that is smart business for them. But are they in my best interest or their own?

I did order the Norklad product on Tuesday and was surprised to see that it will all be here tomorrow, maybe you are right that if I want to talk to someone there I am sh*t out of luck, but right now I'm not sure why I would need to talk to them.

I'm not sure why I need to talk to others here that used some other product? If I follow the directions (of which are all basically the same) I should end up with and nice floor!

I guess I have never done an epoxy floor before and maybe I will need help but if I don't I saved a lot of money.

Stay Tuned!

 

[bfranklin]

bfranklin - I do think you are on the right track by making the kinds of comparisons that you did. Knowing how much (thick) coating you will get for your dollar is of value.

Thanks, others here thought I should go with the best customer service,

I'm sorry but I was born on a Tuesday, but it wasn't yesterday!!!!

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

I agree that a company responding is a good thing, but I take a quick response with a grain of salt so to speak, I do like the companies on here and that is smart business for them. But are they in my best interest or their own?

I did order the Norklad product on Tuesday and was surprised to see that it will all be here tomorrow, maybe you are right that if I want to talk to someone there I am sh*t out of luck, but right now I'm not sure why I would need to talk to them.

I'm not sure why I need to talk to others here that used some other product? If I follow the directions (of which are all basically the same) I should end up with and nice floor!

I guess I have never done an epoxy floor before and maybe I will need help but if I don't I saved a lot of money.

Stay Tuned!

Very glad that you narrowed down your selection far enough to be able to purchase your product. Very cool!

You're right, some of the responses are very quick. Sometimes they seem like product plugs. But to be fair, the pros are posting helpful information in all kinds threads and helping people with their problems when they use other products. So when a newb asks the question, "Do I need a primer?" And Scotty from Legacy chimes in explaining the benefits of a primer and offering a product he sells as a possible solution, I don't have a problem. I have read many, many posts where Scotty from Legacy or Christine from Epoxy-Coat or Fred from Wolverine have chimed in to help each other's customers. Scotty helping an Epoxy-Coat customer for example.

As for being "sh*t out of luck", I really don't know. All I know is that I sent the email through their website asking for the difference between their Norklad 100 and Norklad 200. I was seriously looking at their product and just wanted to get a professional synopsis of when to use A or B; or the value of A or B. They never responded. I figure if I'm using their method to reach them and they don't reply, they don't want my business. To be fair, they could have had a Webpage problem. I perhaps should call them and ask the question directly to see what they say. In fact, I'm going to do that and report back how it went.

You're right when saying that following the directions should get you a nice floor. The question is what happens when you think you've done everything to the letter and still have a problem? That's something that I've been thinking about with my own project coming up soon. It is particularly important considering that I am thinking about using Versatile Building Products coatings. I find older posts from a representative from their company, though I am not seeing anything in while. I could be wrong. Now, whenever I call and ask questions about using their products, which I've done several times, I get the answers that I need. The downside is that since there are very few DIY posts about the use of Versatile's products, I do not get the DIY perspective.

Whatever product line I end up choosing, I am definitely going to do a full product write up, with photos of before, during and after. And if possible, I'ld like to get some video footage as well. We'll see. It may just depend on timing and how much help I have that day.

I do hope you put together a nice write-up with pictures, etc. and post it here. I know that I would be personally very grateful to read it. And it would help others who are considering using Norklad by giving them your personal experience.

 

[Notgrownup]

Looking at doing a coating myself after the concrete is done and the garage is built... How long should i wait before adding a coating to new concrete..

 

[Shea]

Wait 30 days before applying an epoxy coating.

 

[Notgrownup]

Wait 30 days before applying an epoxy coating.

Thank you... I have a 5 gallon of Johncrete by SC Johnson wax, i was gonna seal it with that but i think i will wait and do it with a better product./

 

[bfranklin]

Very glad that you narrowed down your selection far enough to be able to purchase your product. Very cool!

You're right, some of the responses are very quick. Sometimes they seem like product plugs. But to be fair, the pros are posting helpful information in all kinds threads and helping people with their problems when they use other products. So when a newb asks the question, "Do I need a primer?" And Scotty from Legacy chimes in explaining the benefits of a primer and offering a product he sells as a possible solution, I don't have a problem. I have read many, many posts where Scotty from Legacy or Christine from Epoxy-Coat or Fred from Wolverine have chimed in to help each other's customers. Scotty helping an Epoxy-Coat customer for example.

As for being "sh*t out of luck", I really don't know. All I know is that I sent the email through their website asking for the difference between their Norklad 100 and Norklad 200. I was seriously looking at their product and just wanted to get a professional synopsis of when to use A or B; or the value of A or B. They never responded. I figure if I'm using their method to reach them and they don't reply, they don't want my business. To be fair, they could have had a Webpage problem. I perhaps should call them and ask the question directly to see what they say. In fact, I'm going to do that and report back how it went.

You're right when saying that following the directions should get you a nice floor. The question is what happens when you think you've done everything to the letter and still have a problem? That's something that I've been thinking about with my own project coming up soon. It is particularly important considering that I am thinking about using Versatile Building Products coatings. I find older posts from a representative from their company, though I am not seeing anything in while. I could be wrong. Now, whenever I call and ask questions about using their products, which I've done several times, I get the answers that I need. The downside is that since there are very few DIY posts about the use of Versatile's products, I do not get the DIY perspective.

Whatever product line I end up choosing, I am definitely going to do a full product write up, with photos of before, during and after. And if possible, I'ld like to get some video footage as well. We'll see. It may just depend on timing and how much help I have that day.

I do hope you put together a nice write-up with pictures, etc. and post it here. I know that I would be personally very grateful to read it. And it would help others who are considering using Norklad by giving them your personal experience.

I believe the only difference between the Norklad 100 and 200 is that 100 is clear and 200 is colored.

I have been taking photos and plan on doing a writeup.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

bfranklin - excellent. Looking forward to your posts. Really? That's the difference?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kapthook]

Please post a status update when completed.. would love to see pictures and an eval of the product.

 

[HerestheBeef]

From what I've read, 100% solids epoxy will be the same thickness dry and when you put it down. No evaporation and loss of thickness occurs. Most problems I have read with epoxy is really just a poor mixing job. Because it has a certain working time people tend to rush, not really necessary. Give it a good mix, making sure to go slow with the paddle as not to create air bubbles. I know there are many other factors that can go wrong but it seems pretty easy. Sorry this is again what I've read, no real experience just passing info. I just ordered a small sample kit from Car Guys Flooring just to try out some new ideas I have, just to see if it works.

 

[benwah]

Pick one manufacture and go with their complete system.

In my case I choose Tnemec. I used their products back in the 80's with great success is why I went that route. On the system I used it has "traction" with chips but the clear coat shines. 40mils total. Be sure to grind to floor. Take your time, do it right.


Here is the 100% solids system I used. You can just omit the flecks, this system has been out at least since 2007 that I know of.

The system I used as follows:
1) Concrete Floors (Shop and Machine Area) (Decorative Flake Floor)

Surface Preparation: ICRI-CSP3. This is the scarification of the concrete to remove all poorly adhered laitance on the surface of the concrete and to provide a surface profile (I used a 7inch hand diamond grinder).

The floor was clean and dry prior to coating. Filled all control joints with Series 215 Surfacing Epoxy.

1st Coat: Series 201 Epoxoprime applied at – 12.0 dry mils
2nd Coat: Series 237 Power-Tread in 33GR Gray applied at 12.0 dry mils. While the coating is wet, broadcast random decorative flakes into the wet coating. (20 lbs)
3rd Coat: Series 284 Deco-Clear applied at 12.0 dry mils
4th Coat: Series 248 Everthane clear applied at 2.0 – 3. Dry mils

The application guide can be found here > http://www.tnemec.com/product/stratashield/ You can get data sheets for coverage also.


Shawn

This is awesome to see! This is a really great system. 201 is a fantastic "primer", 237 is one hell of a workhorse epoxy, 284 is clear as day, and the 248 is super clear, extremely hard and at 92% solids you just cannot beat it. One of the best aliphatic moisture cured urethane's on the market, no joke... It isn't cheap but I guarantee you will not have to redo this floor for at least 20+ years, unless something catastrophic happens. Most I see happening is abrading and re applying 248.

How are you liking it so far?

 

[NitroShark]

..sounds like you have some experience with Tnemec coatings....

So far, it seems bullet proof. Still waiting for my "first scratch" if you will..


Installed a 2 post lift and a 4 post lift, Plus my machines for my DIY shop without any major issues.

I'm doing the other 765sf/ft of the shop now and hopefully will be the same good results as the other side.


Shawn

 

[benwah]

..sounds like you have some experience with Tnemec coatings....

So far, it seems bullet proof. Still waiting for my "first scratch" if you will..


Installed a 2 post lift and a 4 post lift, Plus my machines for my DIY shop without any major issues.

I'm doing the other 765sf/ft of the shop now and hopefully will be the same good results as the other side.


Shawn

If the machinery you moved in didn't scratch it that just shows the durability of the system you used. I'm not sure who helped you over there, whether it was Dan or Heather or someone else, but over in SC they know what they're doing for sure.

I work for the Arizona office of Tnemec and stand by our coatings 100%, there is a reason we are an industry standard in many categories. You're lucky you got to use the 248, here in AZ it is too dry for that, so we opt for Series 290 CRU (opaque gloss) 291 (opaque semi-gloss), 294 (clear semi-gloss) 295 (clear gloss) or the water-based clear varient 296 when low VOC's are wanted.

I am sure your SC office offers plenty of assistance but if there is anything I can help you with feel free to drop a line! I've been lurking this forum for a good year and finally decided to join, hopefully to advise people as there is a lot of misinformation out there.

EDIT: Not to say there is a lot of misinformation here, just in general. Most of you guys leading others seem to know what you're doing.