I am upgrading my garage for my GS have I gone crazy
03-08-12, 12:21 PM
#16
For you guys looking at doing floors I've done it few times in my previous garages, as have friends and neighbors, and the rustoleum or other similar box store brands of concrete paint and 2 part epoxy coatings will not last much more than a year or so, no matter what they claim.
As with any type of paint work prep can make or break the job, acid cleaning the floor multiple times a few days before the job will help alot, not the 10 minute quick job these products tell you to do.
Any oil or stains in your floor will prevent the coating from sticking for very long, or if you have any moisture migration through the ground below it will lift the paint. You should at least do the standard moisture test on your floor in a few spots by laying a garbage bag flat on the floor and tape it down completely with masking tape, then wait a couple days and pull it back and see if there is any moisture on the bag or if the concrete is damp or a different color, this tells you that moisture is migrating up and if this is the case it's probably not worth coating.
I can tell you also that a bare concrete floor looks better than one that was painted and then started to flake up. Hot tire pickup is a big problem with water based as well. If you do use the color chips, I can also say from experience that they look good but if you don't add an additional clear coat over it they will looks like crap a year later as well, because the hold dirt on the edges. They do help with traction, so when using a clear coat you can add aluminum oxide or other available non-slip additives.
If you are intent on a epoxy coating spend the extra for one that is 100% solids, not water based like the box stores cheap kits are. It the only type that will actually stay for quite a few years, but nothing will stay if you have moisture migration. There a few 100% solids brands out there, Wolverine is one of the popular ones and is what I used on friends floor (it was brand new concrete no oil or contaminates), it's a bit pricey but it looked way better and went on much thicker than the water based stuff and that was back in 2006, I've seen the floor since then and it still looks great..
When I built my current home and shop I did not coat the floors because my past experiences were not good with epoxies or paints, and no roll on floor system will hold up hot slag from welding, I will be polishing and acid staining this time when I get around to that project altough it can still be damaged but not nearly as dramatic as paint/epoxy does...
As with any type of paint work prep can make or break the job, acid cleaning the floor multiple times a few days before the job will help alot, not the 10 minute quick job these products tell you to do.
Any oil or stains in your floor will prevent the coating from sticking for very long, or if you have any moisture migration through the ground below it will lift the paint. You should at least do the standard moisture test on your floor in a few spots by laying a garbage bag flat on the floor and tape it down completely with masking tape, then wait a couple days and pull it back and see if there is any moisture on the bag or if the concrete is damp or a different color, this tells you that moisture is migrating up and if this is the case it's probably not worth coating.
I can tell you also that a bare concrete floor looks better than one that was painted and then started to flake up. Hot tire pickup is a big problem with water based as well. If you do use the color chips, I can also say from experience that they look good but if you don't add an additional clear coat over it they will looks like crap a year later as well, because the hold dirt on the edges. They do help with traction, so when using a clear coat you can add aluminum oxide or other available non-slip additives.
If you are intent on a epoxy coating spend the extra for one that is 100% solids, not water based like the box stores cheap kits are. It the only type that will actually stay for quite a few years, but nothing will stay if you have moisture migration. There a few 100% solids brands out there, Wolverine is one of the popular ones and is what I used on friends floor (it was brand new concrete no oil or contaminates), it's a bit pricey but it looked way better and went on much thicker than the water based stuff and that was back in 2006, I've seen the floor since then and it still looks great..
When I built my current home and shop I did not coat the floors because my past experiences were not good with epoxies or paints, and no roll on floor system will hold up hot slag from welding, I will be polishing and acid staining this time when I get around to that project altough it can still be damaged but not nearly as dramatic as paint/epoxy does...
Last edited by 99 GS3; 03-08-12 at 12:31 PM.
03-08-12, 12:35 PM
#17
For you guys looking at doing floors I've done it few times in my previous garages, as have friends and neighbors, and the rustoleum or other similar box store brands of concrete paint and 2 part epoxy coatings will not last much more than a year or so, no matter what they claim.
As with any type of paint work prep can make or break the job, acid cleaning the floor multiple times a few days before the job will help alot, not the 10 minute quick job these products tell you to do.
Any oil or stains in your floor will prevent the coating from sticking for very long, or if you have any moisture migration through the ground below it will lift the paint. You should at least do the standard moisture test on your floor in a few spots by laying a garbage bag flat on the floor and tape it down completely with masking tape, then wait a couple days and pull it back and see if there is any moisture on the bag or if the concrete is damp or a different color, this tells you that moisture is migrating up and if this is the case it's probably not worth coating.
I can tell you also that a bare concrete floor looks better than one that was painted and then started to flake up. Hot tire pickup is a big problem with water based as well. If you do use the color chips, I can also say from experience that they look good but if you don't add an additional clear coat over it they will looks like crap a year later as well, because the hold dirt on the edges. They do help with traction, so when using a clear coat you can add aluminum oxide or other available non-slip additives.
If you are intent on a epoxy coating spend the extra for one that is 100% solids, not water based like the box stores cheap kits are. It the only type that will actually stay for quite a few years, but nothing will stay if you have moisture migration. There a few 100% solids brands out there, Wolverine is one of the popular ones and is what I used on friends floor (it was brand new concrete no oil or contaminates), it's a bit pricey but it looked way better and went on much thicker than the water based stuff and that was back in 2006, I've seen the floor since then and it still looks great..
When I built my current home and shop I did not coat the floors because my past experiences were not good with epoxies or paints, and no roll on floor system will hold up hot slag from welding, I will be polishing and acid staining this time when I get around to that project altough it can still be damaged but not nearly as dramatic as paint/epoxy does...
As with any type of paint work prep can make or break the job, acid cleaning the floor multiple times a few days before the job will help alot, not the 10 minute quick job these products tell you to do.
Any oil or stains in your floor will prevent the coating from sticking for very long, or if you have any moisture migration through the ground below it will lift the paint. You should at least do the standard moisture test on your floor in a few spots by laying a garbage bag flat on the floor and tape it down completely with masking tape, then wait a couple days and pull it back and see if there is any moisture on the bag or if the concrete is damp or a different color, this tells you that moisture is migrating up and if this is the case it's probably not worth coating.
I can tell you also that a bare concrete floor looks better than one that was painted and then started to flake up. Hot tire pickup is a big problem with water based as well. If you do use the color chips, I can also say from experience that they look good but if you don't add an additional clear coat over it they will looks like crap a year later as well, because the hold dirt on the edges. They do help with traction, so when using a clear coat you can add aluminum oxide or other available non-slip additives.
If you are intent on a epoxy coating spend the extra for one that is 100% solids, not water based like the box stores cheap kits are. It the only type that will actually stay for quite a few years, but nothing will stay if you have moisture migration. There a few 100% solids brands out there, Wolverine is one of the popular ones and is what I used on friends floor (it was brand new concrete no oil or contaminates), it's a bit pricey but it looked way better and went on much thicker than the water based stuff and that was back in 2006, I've seen the floor since then and it still looks great..
When I built my current home and shop I did not coat the floors because my past experiences were not good with epoxies or paints, and no roll on floor system will hold up hot slag from welding, I will be polishing and acid staining this time when I get around to that project altough it can still be damaged but not nearly as dramatic as paint/epoxy does...
glad you wrote this..
03-08-12, 06:40 PM
#18
I saw an episode of 'my strange addiction' where there some guy that did just that, literally. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3_Lq...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3_Lq...eature=related
LMFAOOOOOOOO
.... WHAT A SHMUCK !!!!! lolololol....I can't breath , from laughing so hard....lololol
03-08-12, 06:56 PM
#20
Ive been wanting to make my garage my man cave area for a few years now, you may have just inspired me all over again.
My buddy has a Viper GTS, he hooked his garage up a few years ago, looks pretty nice. He used the checkered floor tiles. They look good and work well if your not doing any real hard core stuff in there. You would have to be carefull with the bike on thsoe though, IM sure they would get slippery if wet at all.
My buddy has a Viper GTS, he hooked his garage up a few years ago, looks pretty nice. He used the checkered floor tiles. They look good and work well if your not doing any real hard core stuff in there. You would have to be carefull with the bike on thsoe though, IM sure they would get slippery if wet at all.
03-08-12, 11:45 PM
#21
I think thats a great idea for your garage. I have a 3 car myself, before my girl and I moved in we sealed the floor, texturized and painted the walls to match the inside of our house. Good luck, keep us updated.
03-09-12, 01:00 PM
#27
This will be a nice garage...
Use a two part epoxy flooring, you just paint in the sides with a 4inch brush and apply to the floor with a roller. It goes off really quick once you've mixed it so take some time to read up on applying it first.
Can be had in lots of different colours, it will be dry in 24hrs and you can drive on it after a week.
Whatever you do, don't leave unused mixed coating laying about. It tends to heat up, boil over like a volcano and makes a bigger mess than u can imagine.
Use a two part epoxy flooring, you just paint in the sides with a 4inch brush and apply to the floor with a roller. It goes off really quick once you've mixed it so take some time to read up on applying it first.
Can be had in lots of different colours, it will be dry in 24hrs and you can drive on it after a week.
Whatever you do, don't leave unused mixed coating laying about. It tends to heat up, boil over like a volcano and makes a bigger mess than u can imagine.
