Just posted this on a thread I started for my garage makeover project. Thought I would re-post the floor project part in the floor forum.
Link to my garage project:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104251
Hardest part about the epoxy floor was cleaning up the darn garage
After I cleaned it out, I removed all the cabinets. Next was to have a local guy come in and professionally diamond grind the floor. This was nice because it removed an concerns I had about oil on the ground and he took a little extra time to even out some high spots.
Here is the floor after it was ground.
Then I power washed the heck out of it. No soap, just water. Seemed like everytime I thought I had it cleaned, I would go back to the beginning and end up with grey water being washed out again At some point I finally stopped. Got to the point I wasn't sure that the power washer itself wasn't kicking up some of the concrete
After that I ground out all the cracks with my new 4.5" grinder. Add that to the cost column. I used all cheap blades. couple of the really thin ones and two of the thicker ones. No diamond steel type. Blades were all like 2-3 dollars and worked great.
Here are the cracks to be filled, had some pics of them post grinding but can't find them now.
Wife and I applied Integraflex to fill all cracks. Used the poor from a small cup method. Worked real well. Can certainly say I was better at the end of this than when I started. Think I could have done this more efficiently if I had more skill at it, but the end result was nice.
Here is a pic of the bondtite all down. Nice and shiny already. This part was real easy. Just premixed a and b and then mixed the stuff together real well. Poored it out, squeegeed and then rolled out. I used a flat, no grooves, 24" squeegee and the 1/4" 18" epoxy glide roller for this step and the Liquitile.
Here is the floor with the liquitile and flak all done. Below is a video which really shows off the shine. This is dried! I am amazed at the shine on this thing. When I show the video alot of people are actually disoriented at first because of the reflection.
Here are some close ups of the flake pattern or disbursement I ended up with after the Endura-Shield was down. Used very little flake. Probably 2 lbs total of the moody granite for the 750sq ft at most. I should mention I had some extra black flake laying around and mixed a little in to punch it up a bit. Had much more, but kinda decided I wanted it light. Ended up just doing it on the fly and throwing down what looked right. I think the flake "evenness" and look is one of the things I am most happy with and surprised about. I expected this to be much tougher.
Link to Small video of floor.http://www.flickr.com/photos/93949774@N00/5786934749/
Next up... Waiting to put the cabinets and counter tops back in. Should be this weekend. Can't say enough how happy I am with the way the floor turned out. After I finished the final night at 12 I actually couldn't sleep. I woke up several times with a recurring nightmare where my wife pointed out something on the floor, then I walked onto the floor and ruined it leaving foot prints because it was wet. Weird dream!
I think it just shows how much I stressed about doing the floor right. But, with reading the heck out of this forum and by using the great support from Fred over at Alpha Garage it came out alright.
Couple of things I would do differently/ more efficiently next time, but I am very happy over all. Most of all I feel a sense of relief that it is done.
Key learnings:
Link to my garage project:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104251
Hardest part about the epoxy floor was cleaning up the darn garage
After I cleaned it out, I removed all the cabinets. Next was to have a local guy come in and professionally diamond grind the floor. This was nice because it removed an concerns I had about oil on the ground and he took a little extra time to even out some high spots. Here is the floor after it was ground.
Then I power washed the heck out of it. No soap, just water. Seemed like everytime I thought I had it cleaned, I would go back to the beginning and end up with grey water being washed out again
At some point I finally stopped. Got to the point I wasn't sure that the power washer itself wasn't kicking up some of the concrete After that I ground out all the cracks with my new 4.5" grinder. Add that to the cost column. I used all cheap blades. couple of the really thin ones and two of the thicker ones. No diamond steel type. Blades were all like 2-3 dollars and worked great.
Here are the cracks to be filled, had some pics of them post grinding but can't find them now.
Wife and I applied Integraflex to fill all cracks. Used the poor from a small cup method. Worked real well. Can certainly say I was better at the end of this than when I started. Think I could have done this more efficiently if I had more skill at it, but the end result was nice.
Here is a pic of the bondtite all down. Nice and shiny already. This part was real easy. Just premixed a and b and then mixed the stuff together real well. Poored it out, squeegeed and then rolled out. I used a flat, no grooves, 24" squeegee and the 1/4" 18" epoxy glide roller for this step and the Liquitile.
Here is the floor with the liquitile and flak all done. Below is a video which really shows off the shine. This is dried! I am amazed at the shine on this thing. When I show the video alot of people are actually disoriented at first because of the reflection.
Here are some close ups of the flake pattern or disbursement I ended up with after the Endura-Shield was down. Used very little flake. Probably 2 lbs total of the moody granite for the 750sq ft at most. I should mention I had some extra black flake laying around and mixed a little in to punch it up a bit. Had much more, but kinda decided I wanted it light. Ended up just doing it on the fly and throwing down what looked right. I think the flake "evenness" and look is one of the things I am most happy with and surprised about. I expected this to be much tougher.
Link to Small video of floor.http://www.flickr.com/photos/93949774@N00/5786934749/
Next up... Waiting to put the cabinets and counter tops back in. Should be this weekend. Can't say enough how happy I am with the way the floor turned out. After I finished the final night at 12
I actually couldn't sleep. I woke up several times with a recurring nightmare where my wife pointed out something on the floor, then I walked onto the floor and ruined it leaving foot prints because it was wet. Weird dream! I think it just shows how much I stressed about doing the floor right. But, with reading the heck out of this forum and by using the great support from Fred over at Alpha Garage it came out alright.
Couple of things I would do differently/ more efficiently next time, but I am very happy over all. Most of all I feel a sense of relief that it is done.
Key learnings:
Buy lots of buckets of all sizes. Clear with markings for measuring. Lowes carries a nice selection.
An 18 inch roller really made the job go quickly. Can't compare it because it is the only job I have done, but I get the sense it is a nice thing to have.
Have help. At least one person, actually two is nice.
Get extra spikes if you intend on anyone helping you with the flake or some of the rolling. Otherwise the other folks end up watching the spike wearer do all the work.
If you are doing endurashield or a similar product make sure you have someone else with a powerful directional light checking your work. Man it is tough to tell what you have done and what you have not done!!!
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