concrete floor/paint/stain/or polish

[SPIKER]

Anyone used a concrete stain with a clear epoxy top coat. One of the concrete guys thought it may be better as the stain would absorb into the concrete. Then he says to coat with a clear epoxy. Anyone tried this method?

this was my plan, the stain didnt penetrate at all and the sealer & stain peels up under steel casters when weight is on or a jack on it...

mark

 

[dlauffenburger]

I used Epoxy and the can and dealer said the floor has to be absolutely clean and prep in order to get the epoxy to bond to the floor. I would check with whoever you are going to get the epoxy from and see if they have an epoxy stain that you can apply that won't inhibit the top coat from adhering.

 

[Danno1]

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As some others said, you have to wait at least 30 days. Also, even with new concrete, I believe you have to acid etch it. I used Ben Moore 2 part industrial epoxy. It holds up to floor jacks and tire chains just fine!!!

Stay far away fr the big box stores for garage floor paint.


.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you want to acid etch it, dont worry about ground water contamination. You have to neutralize it before washing it off. It is a very weak acid to begin with. When properly done it is nearly neutral when complete. The concrete is alkaline so it tends to neutralize it as it etches also. That is the only way to get a stain that stays as it chemically changes the concrete rather than stains that just lay on top. You can do it yourself but a professional can do so much more for it if you want. You can make it look like floor tile with grout lines if you want.

 

[crbr]

Good info.....

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I believe it was the rustoleum I used on my garage floor in 2004, which is a 2 part, and it has held up well, even under floor jacks. They warn you if your floor gets moisture under it (like with no vapor barrier under the concrete), it will peel. I cleaned the floor very very well before applying it. For the barn I used a sealer. I'm happy with both.

 

[varmint]

Gary Fowler's observations are what I would offer: you should wait long enough for the slab to harden and dry, 30+ days, and you have to etch the surface with muriatic acid, which isn't that acidic, and will indeed be mostly neutralized by the conc. I can't recall which brand I used 11 years ago on my new shop floor, but it has held up perfectly- oil spills clean up with almost no sign of ever having happened, though some really dirty hot diesel oil left a faint spot which I can find if I look for it. Jack stands and metal saw horses don't scratch the finish- you can chip it if you try, but then, it's concrete, not steel.
Use a good epoxy, and you'll be glad you did it as the years go by.

 

[BrianinMichigan]

Here is my story... Garage is 18 years old, oil stains on it, some spalling going on and one long crack in it. I did a LOT of researching. One thing I learned acid washing is a feel good process only, it does nothing towards a good prep job. The only way to properly prep a floor is to bead blast it. I cleaned the oil as best I could with a electric motor cleaner. I filled the crack with a commercial sidewalk crack filler ( the type that self levels ) The paint I used was a industrial/commercial 2 part epoxy (Tenemec brand) I had the floor sandblasted Cost $350 Next day painted the floor and put paint flecks on it. The following day was loose paint fleck removal and a clear polyurethane coat. Well 90% of the paint flecks did not stick so I had to remove the other 10% so I could put another coat on the floor. 2nd coat and flecks again. this time all went well. I vacuumed the loose flecks and applied the polyurethane. The reason it was used instead of clear epoxy it that it is more chemically resistant. I guess new tires can yellow clear epoxy pretty easy. I has been a year and a half and no wear. Considering how bad the concrete was I am happy the way it turned out. The paint was not cheap. It was $140 for part A & B ( That's $140 for 2 gallons of paint )

 

[crbr]

good info... thanks

 

[murphy1244]

I coat mine with what ever paint or oil that spills on it that day.