Garage floor

   / Garage floor #21  
I was afraid to put anything on my floor beyond a clear acrylic sealer to enhance the concrete curing process. Dragging pieces of steel across the floor would make it ugly, fast...

When I first poured my 30 x 60 slab I built a "dam" at all of the openings so I could flood the slab with water post pour. Kept the water on it via a stock tank float system for a week or so. After that I drained it and once dry at the surface coated in in the acrylic sealer.

I always advise people to understand concrete mixtures and how concrete cures to get the most strength out of concrete. Just a warning, if you tell me the concrete was dry within a couple days of the pour you are in for a class.... :)
 
   / Garage floor #22  
I was afraid to put anything on my floor beyond a clear acrylic sealer to enhance the concrete curing process. Dragging pieces of steel across the floor would make it ugly, fast...

When I first poured my 30 x 60 slab I built a "dam" at all of the openings so I could flood the slab with water post pour. Kept the water on it via a stock tank float system for a week or so. After that I drained it and once dry at the surface coated in in the acrylic sealer.

I always advise people to understand concrete mixtures and how concrete cures to get the most strength out of concrete. Just a warning, if you tell me the concrete was dry within a couple days of the pour you are in for a class.... :)
(y)(y)

I saw a chart of concrete strength vs wet time once when I was a kid and it certainly made a lifelong impression on me. I truly don't understand why more concrete contractors don't actively wet their work, and cover it to help keep it wet.

For those who haven't ever seen it;
CS_January_2014_HR-38.jpg

I.e. unwetted concrete achieves less than half the strength of continuously wetted concrete, concrete kept wet for a week achieves twice the strength of air dried concrete, and continuously wetted concrete is still gaining strength six months later.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / Garage floor #23  
It would also be good to understand the strength of concrete has a everything to do with mixture. Some folks like to add water to make it easier to work. Water takes space in concrete, that eventually dries out and leaves voids within the concrete and that causes weakness.

I remember two things about concrete. First, if concrete flows down the shoot (which it must obviously) it has more than enough water to complete the chemical reaction that cures the mixture so adding more water means weaker concrete. Second, "If you want concrete easier to work, add sweat". :)
 
   / Garage floor #24  
Anything that is homeowner applied ain't gunna hold up worth a :poop: . Commercially applied expoxy floors done by professionals are the only thing that's gunna hold up to car traffic and garage abuse. They range from $5 to $15 dollars a sq.ft. depending on the thickness and base material used. Google "Stone Hard" epoxy floors they have a good website with lots of pictures. We have their floors in some of our buildings and they hold up rather well.🍻
I have to disagree - I used a commercial grade epoxy but did it myself, and it looks the same as new years later. There is nothing a professional can do that a homeowner can not; it is just a matter of getting the right tools and putting forth the effort.
 
   / Garage floor #25  
I have to disagree - I used a commercial grade epoxy but did it myself, and it looks the same as new years later. There is nothing a professional can do that a homeowner can not; it is just a matter of getting the right tools and putting forth the effort.
It also helps to know the "tricks of the trade". :cool:
 
   / Garage floor #26  
What are you calling commercial grade epoxy? A proper commercial grade epoxy floor has a thickness of 3/16 to 1/4" thick material layer. The concrete is shot peened to remove the cream layer that is the top 1/16" of the slab to get down to the hard layer below. There is no way for a homeowner to even buy these products or to afford the tools to install them properly.

If you are talking about an epoxy resin that just sits on top of the slap that is just a coating, we are talking about two different animals completely. If you Google Stonehard Stone clad coating it has videos of the process to install it and if you watch, you will see why there is no way for a homeowner to install it. 🍻
 
   / Garage floor #27  
It was straightforward to order my coating - it is a warehouse floor coating, and it landed at my door a few days after I placed the order. I simply went to the rental house, got a set of diamond bits, and rented a gas floor grinder. Cut the floor down with that, already had a respirator, and applied the coating over one very long day. It is a 3-coat urethane system (primer, color coat, clear coat) with an anti-skid additive and a flake. that had all kinds of "ratings" and is perfect after several years. It is overkill for a house garage, but I often drag some heavy steel items around and didn't want a floor that would get all scuffed/torn up.

A friend did his floor at the same time (figure we could both used the bits, etc.), and it is also perfect. It may not be the "Stonehard clad" you are specifically speaking of, but there are other commercial coatings that are also excellent products. Stonehard is simply a brand-name epoxy and urethane floor protection system. I also noticed some Stonehard listed on eBay currently if you really want to buy it and not have a "pro" install it.

If I recall correctly, I had about $1000 in doing my garage floor; the "pros" wanted $6,000. I agree they have some tips and tricks that are helpful, but for 5K I figured I could do my own research and figure it out. Honestly, it is some work, not really a fun job by any stretch, but also not exactly rocket science, just mainly a little research and labor.

Both Epoxy and Urethane coating can be great for a garage type of floor - neither is bad, and neither is perfect. Both are a slight compromise, but if you stick with the industrial/commercial coatings, you will do fine. The stuff at the big box stores is really what you need to avoid; it is made for a price point and a quick install. Also, without the proper prep, it doesn't matter what you put down; it won't last.

Floor coating rating info if you are interested.

(Abrasion Resistance Method: ASTM D4060, CS 17 wheel, 1000 cycles, 1 KG Load Result: 18 mg Loss Adhesion: Cross Cut Method: ASTM 3359 Result: Passes 5 Adhesion: Elcometer 106 Method: D4541 Result: Exceeds 500 PSI Dry Heat Resistance Method: ASTM D2485 Result: 400ºF Flexibility: Conical Bend Mandrel, 180º Bend Method: ASTM D522 Result: Passes 1/4” Impact Resistance Method: ASTM D2794 Result: Direct – 160 in. lb. Pencil Hardness Method: ASTM D3363 Result: 4H Salt Fog Resistance Method: ASTM B117 Result: Passes 1200 hrs Accelerated Weathering Method: ASTM D-4587, QUV Result: Passed: 1500 hours, Abrasion results are greatly improved with the addition of our anti-skid. Abrasion Resistance Method: ASTM D4060, CS 17 wheel, 1000 cycles, 1 kg load Result: 23 mg Loss Bond Strength Method: ACI 403 Result: 325 PSI (Concrete Fails) Dry Heat Resistance Method: ASTM D2485 Result: 350ºF Flexibility: Conical Bend Mandrel Method: ASTM D 522, 180º Bend Result: Passes 1/8” Impact Resistance Method: ASTM D 2794 Result: Direct – 160 in. lb. Result: Reverse – 160 in. lb. Pencil Hardness Method: ASTM D3363 Result: H Sward Hardness Method: D2134 Result: 44aa)
 
   / Garage floor #28  
YA know, I often here people say this but in reality......I dont know a single person that has put pex in the floor because they "might" do radiant heat at some point in the future.

Its really not just as simple as "throw some pex in there and cover it with concrete".

It takes planning. Planning out zones.....and paying attention to hot out cold return. And tighter pex spacing around the perimeter. Not to mention 2" thick foam insulation under the slab that you then staple the pex to.

Then, if the garage is much larger than 20x20....moving concrete becomes an issue....because no buggies or wheel barrows. So tack on $500 more to the job for a pumper truck.

I helped a friend do a 40x64 with radiant heat. $3000 in insulation foam board, $1200 in pex, $100 in staples and tape, and $500 for the pump truck.

So for a 33 yard pour....darn near $5000 more just for stuff gonna be burried in concrete for radiant.

So unless people have money to burn....I dont know anyone that actually preps for radiant because of a "maybe". They are either doing it or they arent. ITs just too easy to tell others "you should put in pex....." Without actually thinking about the cost
Two neighbors insulated and pexed their floors but have not hooked up the heat yet. One has been in his 4 years. One two years.

In North country, I'd never pour a floor in an all weather building without insulating under it. I'd also never pour without pex. Pex for my 1900 sq ft shop was $470.

In regards to a pumper. It's the cheapest laborer on the pour site. Wouldn't think of doing anything bigger than 1000 sq ft without one.
 
   / Garage floor #29  
I might be late to the party but...
New concrete will require dry/cure time...
Would not bother DIY...well worth a pro for this task...
Consult a few companies...
Not going to be cheap...
These guys will have the answers, prep the floor as it needs to be, and warrantee the work...
WELL worth the money.
My humble $0.02
 
   / Garage floor #30  
I was afraid to put anything on my floor beyond a clear acrylic sealer to enhance the concrete curing process. Dragging pieces of steel across the floor would make it ugly, fast...

When I first poured my 30 x 60 slab I built a "dam" at all of the openings so I could flood the slab with water post pour. Kept the water on it via a stock tank float system for a week or so. After that I drained it and once dry at the surface coated in in the acrylic sealer.

I always advise people to understand concrete mixtures and how concrete cures to get the most strength out of concrete. Just a warning, if you tell me the concrete was dry within a couple days of the pour you are in for a class.... :)
Back in the day, concrete here was covered with burlap and kept wet for at least two weeks.

When the Interstate hiway system came thru I started seeing concrete not covered or wet.
 
 
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