What about WAX?

[Adriatic Machine]

Hello people,

I would like to know if anyone out there uses some type of wax on bare concrete. The reason being; I never met a painted/epoxied floor that I couldn't scratch or chip. Also, my shop is basically in the woods and under the main doorway is prone to moisture from time to time. Because of this, epoxy may have a tendency to lift.

My thoughts are that wax can be layered on and shined to the owner's liking, it can also be easily touched up when it gets damaged. (I do man stuff that is not always done in a gingerly fashion) I realize welding and torch work could be an issue but that holds true for most coatings and especially rubber tiles.

When I was in the service, the Aerospace Ground Equipment shop used wax and a buffing machine on the whole floor which also sealed in some painted lines they had laid out. That floor was poured during the postwar era and may or may not have had a moisture barrier laid down before pouring. My slab is just a few years old and definitely has a thick layer of plastic lining the underneath.

Any views either for or against wax are welcomed.

Thanks

 

[m.breen]

I dont think it would hold up. Not really for heavy use.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Wax can be used to help protect a floor. It’s not the end-all be-all but it can renew a shine.


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[James-W]

Wax looks really good on a tile floor, not so sure it would work very well for bare concrete.

 

[kat06]

we used wax in the hanger i worked in, it was semi liquid, we heated it to apply it. then let it dry and then bluffed it to a shine. once a year, the floor was scrubbed and a coat of wax was applied and buffed. Midwest winters, with aircraft being drug in with snow and rain on them. Mopped up the run off water and the floor was durable.
I'd like to help with the wax brand but I'm not sure who made it.

 

[Norcal]

The one drawback to wax is having to strip & wax the floor periodically. When done right they look great.

 

[Chaz]

Wax is a great idea..... !!!

 

[Adriatic Machine]

@ kat06 So you've actually witnessed/used wax and it sounds to me like a viable option. Having to heat it before application makes perfect sense, but also something I didn't consider. I am mostly concerned with the ability to touch it up when the need arises.

Funny that it was in a hangar, I saw it used on an Air Force base - albeit in the ground equipment shop.

Thanks for the responses, I'll do a search on floor wax.
Jimmy V

 

[Adriatic Machine]

@ Norcal That's a good point, having to strip wax means less wrench time.

 

[ambenz]

Hmmm...wax huh.
My floors is 15+year old bare concrete in very good condition, I might try that!
Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, Sams Club, prisons all have polished concrete floors that are not slippery!
Yes, the question now becomes what type of floor wax?
Like this????...

https://www.cleanitsupply.com/p-12902/simoniz-mega-shine-5-gallon-pail-sim-cs0657005.aspx

That is a lot of money to spend when you might want to consider the price of garage tile. The tile might be feasible in the long run...no muss and fuss with garage tile.

Maybe clean and wax in the fall and spring, in 3 years of waxing, you can pay for tiles in the garage instead...thinking waxing might a cheaper alternative, makes me think again.
Like the OP mentioned, not to much worry about tourching, grinding and welding...in that case, it might be the only alternative.

 

[Lelandwelds]

The acrylic is not a wax. Wax is a forever job and expense. I use to buff and apply wax years and years ago. It wasn't hard but I would not call it fun. Back then they had a few choices. The hard one was difficult to use but lasted longer.

 

[ambenz]

The acrylic is not a wax....

Do you think it would be a better alternative and longer lasting than wax?

 

[joes169]

I used to put 3-4 coats of wax on every acid-stained concrete floor I did, after the sealer had cured. It added additional depth and some protection for the sealer. Not sure how well it would fare in a shop scenario, but it was easy none-the-less. Most of the time, I simply used "Zep" gloss wax applied with a micro fiber mop. Allow 30-40 minutes between coats. I still have some other stuff I picked up at a cleaning supply place that was matte finish, same application. Most of the newer floor waxes don't require buffing either.

I don't acid-stain too often anymore, but when I do, I've been using this over the WB sealer to protect it. It's not cheap, but it is extremely hard:

https://www.trinic.us/product/nanoseal/