Frustrated - what to do with garage floor?

I decided to epoxy my garage floor and have read countless threads concerning the topic. My frustration lies in the fact there is no clear cut winner as far as what works and what doesn't, not even a trend.

Fill sawcut joints or not to fill them?
What to use if you do fill the joints?
Diamond grind the floor or just acid etch?

And that is even before you get to the application. I planned to use Epoxy Coat since they are locale but it seems like they get a 50% approval rate. Some people say it worked great, others complain the kit isn't even complete and they get bubbling etc during application or peeling shortly after.

I hope I am not the only one who feels like this. I like doing jobs right the first time and certainly am trying to rely on the experience of others who have done this before me. If anyone has some suggestions for what really works, even if it is a majority of the time, I am all ears.

Thanks in advance.

--Joe

Hire a professional, get it done right, ask them all the questions you have. Good luck.

CHILACO said:

Hire a professional, get it done right, ask them all the questions you have. Good luck.

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It is right suggestion for you.

Preparation is key. You can take the best coating in the world and install it on a surface filled with contaminants and have little if any success or you can take that same coating and install it on a surface that has been mechanically prepared and sleep well at night. The success rate of these products comes down to prep, you either do it right or don't do it all. If you want to save some coin and do it yourself, you can hire a grinder for the day or if you are really keen, you can grind it out with a hand grinder and diamond tooling... or leave it to a professional and let him worry about it.

If budget constraints are the main factor in doing it yourself, keep it simple and go with what is known to work. Elite Crete is correct, the preparation is the most important step.

Do not fill your saw cut joints - Unless you've done it before, chances are you will develop problems. Most contractors will not fill these unless you sign a waiver stating you release them from future responsibility with surface failure.

Grind if you can - It's simply the best way to profile your concrete. It's difficult to find a reputable contractor that does not grind. If you acid etch, there are some good gel products out there that are easy to work with. Muriatic acid is nasty stuff and provides too many worries anymore environmentally and health wise.

Moisture test - This is one of the leading causes of epoxy failure.

Temperature - Being in the Fall season, we are getting low night time temps and concrete can get cold soaked over a few nights and garage floors don't see the sun. Make sure the floor, as well as the air, is above 50 degrees and humidity is below 75%.

If you prep right and keep it simple, just about any epoxy system is going to adhere properly and will not peel. How long it holds up to abuse is dependent on many other things and is another story.

That said, if you can afford a good quality contractor and don't want the worries and hassle, then I recommend it.

Good luck!

I was pretty frustrated with the differences in opinions also. I say just read all the installs and what pertains to you. Do it yourself if you can live with a less then perfect outcome, hell there's no guarantee the pro will do it perfect.

for tips.... I would say make sure you have enough chips and that you throw SMALL amounts at a time. The only time I had a hard time with the chips was when I threw too much at once. That and don't ever throw it straight at the floor always up in the air to disperse it. Even better would probably be to devise a shaker of some sort....

Another tip would be to make sure you don't roll it out too much....make sure the product isn't rolled out like a flat paint there should be a bit more so the product is able to self level and allow the chips to sink in.

Be **** about the floor cleaning and patching.

Legacy industrial seems to have all the products you would need. I used them and it worked for me. I just did a first time install and it's really not that hard. Just plan out what you need and how it's going to go down step by step.

My install didn't come out perfect but it still looks great....everyone that sees it is impressed....only I can see the flaws. The tips I gave we're the few areas that I could have improved on.

I too am in a similar situation.
I have used water based rustoleum product 2 times in the past with good results. New house now and trying to decide between rustoleum pro - solvent based vs. epoxy coat. I think now I am just entering 'analysis paralysis' as I have spent hours here and on the web researching.
Prep seems key, and I am not afraid or worried about that- have had success in the past with acid, but going to grind this time around.

Seems good results can be had with rustoleum solvent based. My thoughts were to use 2 coats and then a clear.
But... the epoxy coat is 100% vs the 50% solid with rustoleum product. Better thickness etc. Then again, rustoleum seems a bit easier to work with.
And finally, the dry time is much shorter with epoxy-shield and with much lower VOC's- less smell etc.

Good luck with your project, I hope we can both come to the right conclusions and any help from others would be greatly appreciated.
Going to call Christine tomorrow to discuss options etc.

I used Epoxy Coat on my new garage floor. All I did was follow the included instructions and used only the included prep. After 3 months later, its still in perfect condition. My garage is only used to park 2 cars and storage. Both cars are in/out several times every day. No clear coat (still very shiny). Zero wear even under the car tires. The kids ride bikes, scooters, and drop all kinds of stuff on it. So far, so good.

Just to let you know:

I do not have a degree in Chemical and/or Materials Engineering.
I am not a Meteorologist.
I am not a concrete expert.

I'm just Joe Average that likes a nice, clean garage. Sometimes, reading too much on forums can complicate a job. Not saying applying epoxy is a breeze, but it can certainly be done by a non-professional with great results like me.

Thanks for the input

Fill sawcut joints or not to fill them?

Primarily a aesthetic decision. If they're saw cut it's a fairly straight forward process, formed ones take a bit more work.

What to use if you do fill the joints?

We offer Integraflex 1921, a 100% solids epoxy that retains some elongation properties after it's fully cured.

Diamond grind the floor or just acid etch?

Our commercial coatings contractors grind almost all the time, however probably 85% of our DIY jobs are acid etched, and it works great.

Maybe epoxy is not the answer for you.

iP2 said:

I used Epoxy Coat on my new garage floor. All I did was follow the included instructions and used only the included prep. After 3 months later, its still in perfect condition. My garage is only used to park 2 cars and storage. Both cars are in/out several times every day. No clear coat (still very shiny). Zero wear even under the car tires. The kids ride bikes, scooters, and drop all kinds of stuff on it. So far, so good.

Just to let you know:

I do not have a degree in Chemical and/or Materials Engineering.
I am not a Meteorologist.
I am not a concrete expert.

I'm just Joe Average that likes a nice, clean garage. Sometimes, reading too much on forums can complicate a job. Not saying applying epoxy is a breeze, but it can certainly be done by a non-professional with great results like me.

Click to expand...

This sums it up perfectly for me, love my floor!

Did an EPOXY COAT floor, by myself, using only the advice found on this site and the instructions with the kit.

Finished over a month ago and couldn't be happier.
It isn't as smooth as the walls in my house, but it is a garage floor!
For all the junk that has gone through my garage, stuffed dropped and spilled, there isn't a chip to be found. I didn't fill the joints and am OK with that. I personally like the look

I am not a pro, just a weekend DIY guy. Anybody can do this and if you take the time to look up all the tips, you can do it really well.

Moisture and contamination seems to be the biggest issue with failed floors. But nothing will save those ones other than a floor on a floor and either issue can be easily identified prior to application. The floor tiles (VCT, ceramic or porcelain)have there own problems and you can find opinions on those here too.

Grinding will likely give a smoother result!?
I etched. Mine has a few broom impressions, which were fine before my application and just as fine now.. only easier to clean.

Price wise, the Epoxy seems to be a no brainer to me. It's easy, it's quick and it's tough.
The only thing I've done to 'damage' it so far? I left an acetylene bottle sitting in a pool of red differential oil on the floor only a few days after application. Complete oversight, hadn't notice the oil spill and just put the bottle on the floor and left it there for a week. It's left a shadow of a ring where it was. And I'd still have to point it out to you if you came to see my shop. Nothing else has been able to stain it yet (gas, oils.. not even welding slag?!).

You asked for advice.. that's my 2 cents.