Welding & epoxy floor ???

[duggie]

I have been reading most of the threads about the expoxy floors and occasionally welding gets mentioned.

I am about to embark on the "epoxy floor experience" of my garage at my new house and want to know what effect welding will have on it. I plan on using the Rustoleum epoxy (either waterbased or Professional .. if I can find it!!).

So ... please tell me the pros/cons of using the epoxy and welding. I don't want to go throught the exercise if I am going to damage the floor.

p.s. - I don't have a dedicated welding / grinding area of the garage as I am working on a truck and a drag racing van.

 

[PAToyota]

I would not use epoxy again due to the fact that I do weld. Leaves little brown burn marks everywhere. You could lay down welding blankets and such to protect it, but for a "working" floor I would never use epoxy again...

 

[5wndwcpe]

Not to hijack, but PAToyota, what would you do ? Leave it bare or apply some other sealer ?

 

[PAToyota]

Having gone the epoxy route and seen the mess it turns into (at least for the use I have), I'd likely seal it with a penetrating oil finish and leave it at that - tung oil, boiled linseed oil, or such. Basically, what I need is something that seals the concrete dust, allows basic cleanup, and looks passably decent. A number of the garages in here look great with the tiles or epoxy. But for the work that I do out there none of those are going to hold up.

For now, I'm living with it as removing it would be a helluva PITA...

 

[Steve in Mi]

Yes to brown burn marks on the epoxy.

From a posting I made elsewhere;
Quote:
If what you are looking for is a sealer to keep dust to a minimum, easier to sweep and being able to wipe up spills (ie;prevent them from soaking into the concrete) then, I'll suggest this product that I have had under test for about 6 years now and am pleased with it. It was available in colors (red, white, gray and maybe others - these are the ones I remember) but I decided to go with the clear.
Quote:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/ceethese/Posted%20photos/ConcreteSealer.jpg

A fellow responded;
Quote:
I'd like to hear your views on the Thompson product. My previous shop had a three coats of epoxy paint on the floor. I really liked it, but I wasn't happy with the brown burned spots from welding. The nice light silver/gray color would turn brown.


My reply;
Quote:
Well one view is;

Quote:am pleased with it
The whys include these factors;

Easy to apply I applied it with rag so I could avoid any puddles a roller might leave. Goes on a milky white and dries clear.

No odor I applied it in a 12 X 14 room with no added ventilation and experienced only a slight hint of odor from the acrylic latex. Label says ventilate.

Good coverage The first application does leach into the concrete (400 sq. ft. coverage per gallon) but a second application doesn't take nearly as much material. I think the second application is necessary to seal completely. You will see some gloss on the floor after the second coat. I put a third coat down and I think most of it is laying on top and did result in some real gloss. I'm not sure any further seal was accomplished by this third application. I was interested to see what the third coat would do but as I use this product again - two coats will be enough. I have much more to put down in my shop when I can see the floor again, I'm sure it will have to be done a section at a time. My saw cuts in the floor are on a 12' X 14' grid so I will be trying to clear that size spot as I do the rest piecemeal. ~ 2/3 gallon per square. I sealed the floor in the lathe and mill room (another 12 X 14 area) in 99' prior to moving the machines in with Thompson Masonry Sealer (a petroleum based product). It was a slightly darker finish, okay but no real gloss to it.

Fast drying I was walking on it within an hour or two and it was dry. I waited the 24 hours it recommends between coats.

Prep I didn't follow the directions on the preparation. My shop floor was poured in 1981 but as I've said elsewhere the shop was used as a storage building until 1999. I have kept it clean putting down poly, cardboard or heavy pattern paper whenever I expected a mess. I did vacuum, washed it (bucket and rag) and buffed up some tire marks with Scotch-Brite® pads prior to sealing.

Price I have no idea what regular price is for this stuff. I got such a deal on it I bought 35 gallons thinking I might also use it on my plywood second floor too. I wish I knew how it would hold up on the softer substrate. I did a test piece and it looks okay and definitely does seal the wood but I'm not sure how it will do with heavy lumber racks rolled over it - will it fracture as the wood gives and become a NEW dust problem?

BTW, the label says it won't hold up to brake fluid or antifreeze on prolonged exposure.

As for hot slag from welding I don't know about the Garage Floor Protector I'm still doing most welding outside or in my other garage (no floor sealer there) I did do some stick welding in the lathe and mill room with the Thompson Masonry Sealer (petroleum base) and saw no problem.

 

[duggie]

Thanks for the responses folks ... greatly appreciated !!!

After some deep intense thought (yes ... it did hurt to think !!) I have decided to just paint the floor instead of using the expoxy finish.

I use the floor alot for rolling cabinets, welding, grinding, lawnmower storage, working on vehicles, etc. and do not park any vehicles in the garage (*shudders at the thought of parking a vehicle in the garage*). So I plan on painting the floor and adding a new coat of paint every year or two to freshen up the exposed areas (Another item added to the "spring cleaning" list).

Maybe I will look at something more permanent down the road ....

Thanks again for the comments.