Garage floor

[ovrszd]

You will likely be fine Deezler. You protected it during the most critical time with the water. Especially if it was not in the direct sun on a clear 95 degree day. The mixture water content will likely be what dictates the ultimate strength. A super wet 7 sack mix will never be as strong as a 7 sack minimal water mix.

When i poured my shop floor I dug out two 24" square by 20" deep holes where my lift would g and then did a monopour of a 4" slab over the entire shop floor. I also used 12" bolts in the concrete for the lift. I figured an extra 1/3 yd of concrete was cheap insurance... I was not comfortable with the directions stating that the lift would be fine on a 4" (which is frequently more like 3.5" with 2x4 forms).

Yep. I'd be a bit concerned on 4". Although I know of several that have stood the test of time. I wouldn't have any concerns on a 6" floor.

I think the important thing is to properly load the lift. Failures come from too much weight forward/rearward of center and tipping the lift over one of those directions.

 

[repete]

Yep. I'd be a bit concerned on 4". Although I know of several that have stood the test of time. I wouldn't have any concerns on a 6" floor.

I think the important thing is to properly load the lift. Failures come from too much weight forward/rearward of center and tipping the lift over one of those directions.

My lift is asymmetrical so it recognizes it will potentially be an "unbalanced" load.

The concrete guys that said they would / could just drive a bolt through if it failed and put a new one in kind of miss the point of the bolt. If the bolt failed to hold the lift, the least of my concerns as the vehicle fell would be how to put a new bolt in... But hey, that is just me. I had my teenage boys working on cars. I wanted a little more of the safety margin.

 

[ovrszd]

My lift is asymmetrical so it recognizes it will potentially be an "unbalanced" load.

The concrete guys that said they would / could just drive a bolt through if it failed and put a new one in kind of miss the point of the bolt. If the bolt failed to hold the lift, the least of my concerns as the vehicle fell would be how to put a new bolt in... But hey, that is just me. I had my teenage boys working on cars. I wanted a little more of the safety margin.

Show me a pic your lift that recognizes being improperly loaded?

Sorry, but you missed the point regarding the bolt being driven thru. It's not unknown for a wedge bolt to fail to wedge. The more you tighten the nut, the more the bolt slides upward. Pretty soon the wedge is in the upper 2" of concrete and still won't wedge.

Now what do you do? If you drilled clear thru the concrete you simply drive it down and insert another on top of it.

Has nothing to do with the lift falling over.

 

[bigtiller]

Edit to add: I put sika flex in the control joints on day 3, and mopped the heck out of it and did my acrylic sealer on day 4, I think.

I've never heard of this stuff and I am also curious as to why put it, or anything in the control joints.

 

[deezler]

I've never heard of this stuff and I am also curious as to why put it, or anything in the control joints.

Just for long term convenience, basically. If you leave open saw cuts, they fill with whatever wants to fall into them. Dirt, sawdust, bugs, grime. But sometimes more importantly, water and other fluids. My garage is still unheated and freezes up in the depths of winter - I don't want any water freezing in those saw cuts. Plus rolling tool cabinets or dollies, anything that rolls over those gaps (About a 1/4" wide) - little less of a bump when you have the gap filled. The concrete can also crack and break up around the cuts if unsupported. So I guess - lots of good reasons!

To be more clear, first I shoved foam backer rod (basically round foam weatherstripping) into the ~1.5" deep saw cuts, then the sika flex. Without the backer rod, it takes a LOT of sika flex to fill the cuts. Then I laid my clear acrylic sealer over the whole slab, with the control joints already filled.

 

[FOP]

I would suggest that you speak with the professionals at Euclid Chemical and consider a penetrating hardener like their
SS57 Euco Diamond Hard before using a topical adhesive coating like epoxy.

It's only sold through contractor supply companies (they will sell to you too)

Euco Diamond Hard

EUCO DIAMOND HARD is a unique blend of silicate and siliconate polymers that penetrate concrete surfaces and chemically react to provide an increase in surface density, durability, and abrasion resistance. Concrete treated with EUCO DIAMOND HARD is dust-proofed, resists tire marks, and is easier...

www.euclidchemical.com

EUCO DIAMOND HARD - Euco Diamond Hard

eucodiamondhard.com

 

[ovrszd]

I've never heard of this stuff and I am also curious as to why put it, or anything in the control joints.

I used a caulk that my lumber yard recommended. I am not happy with it at all. It shrank too much as it dried.

The concept of putting something in the control joints is to make clean up easier. My joints don't fill up with small material that I can't sweep out. It would drive me crazy to have unfilled joints.

 

[LD1]

Lol. I'm (so far) firmly in this category though, I knew I'd want radiant heat eventually, so I did all the work to put my PEX in. 5 years later and I still don't have insulation in my garage roof, so there is no reason to proceed with actually heating it yet.

The PEX and manifold kit only cost me $350 for my 30x36' slab. Probably took about an extra day of prep work for me to lay out the PEX at the same time as my rebar on chairs (I have the PEX tied to the bottom side of my rebar). I wasn't sure how soon I would get heating going, but it was a no brainer to do it while I had the chance.

Having PEX under the rebar didn't change the way the concrete was poured one bit. They brought the chute in through a man door in the back of the building, and were able to get concrete to all corners of the building easily. I was at work so I didn't see exactly how it went down, but they said no problem.

You didn't insulate under the slab?

 

[bigtiller]

I used a caulk that my lumber yard recommended. I am not happy with it at all. It shrank too much as it dried.

The concept of putting something in the control joints is to make clean up easier. My joints don't fill up with small material that I can't sweep out. It would drive me crazy to have unfilled joints.

I bought something from Home Depot years ago for the joints in my driveway and got the same results. I think it was a calk from a brand called Dap.

I never thought about putting it inside a building, but that is a clever idea.

My cut joints are 7.5 ft. apart and about 90% of them are still filled with the dust from the saw blade.

 

[Torvy]

Thanks for the heads-up. New garage/shop is about 95% complete. Just needs power hooked up and some door hardware. Filling joints is one of those things I would forget until after I messed them up.

I am closely watching this thread. I would like a good floor sealer/coating, but I don't have a fortune to spend. Moat of the problem is timing. We have so many purchases to make as we move back to rural life, that some have to be delayed.

Considering the idea of staining it a dark color, so any oil stains would be less noticeable. Doesn't really solve other problems with oils on the surface.

 

[LouNY]

I enjoy reading about all these pretty and fancy garage floors.
Then I think about most of the ones I've worked on or around,
shoveling mud off of them, oil and grease drips all over, weld splatter,
or cutting slag and then hammering something out with it laying on the floor.
Tire chains and studded tires maybe even cat tracks across it.
Solvents, oil, grease, dirt, dust and mud.

 

[deezler]

You didn't insulate under the slab?

You funny.

2" R10 foamular250. Not cheap! But I like to think I would have insulated the slab anyway even if not doing radiant, if the building is to be heated. We did 4" for R20 under the slab in our house, even without any PEX/radiant in it. Holds temperature crazy stable, it's awesome.

 

[deezler]

And while I have my old pics located, here is the slab after two coats of TIAH sealer. I was really pleased with how the slab turned out, not perfect, but for $3200 poured, pretty rad. Sad that I can never expect those prices again!

If anyone follows the Diesel Creek channel on youtube, that dude just had a gorgeous pad poured, nicely documented in multiple videos, of course.

 

[deezler]

I never thought about putting it inside a building, but that is a clever idea.

My cut joints are 7.5 ft. apart and about 90% of them are still filled with the dust from the saw blade.

Sounds like you have a new fun project to tackle! Lol.

Prior to foam backing-rod and sika-flex, I used a combo of compressed air and shop vac to clean out the joints.

 

[ponytug]

You funny.

2" R10 foamular250. Not cheap! But I like to think I would have insulated the slab anyway even if not doing radiant, if the building is to be heated. We did 4" for R20 under the slab in our house, even without any PEX/radiant in it. Holds temperature crazy stable, it's awesome.

View attachment 773865

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Your young one, looks so intent on the job at hand; that is so great!

Thanks for sharing the details and photos.

All the best,

Peter

 

[dieselade]

I would like a new floor for my one car garage. but,,,i worry about using jack hammers and the foundation of the house(an over 100year old house with block foundation). Are there issues doing this?

 

[copytmpmzl]

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 polished concrete Atlanta, 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)

thank you so much for your suggestion

 

[Code54]

You are welcome - good luck with your project.

 

[deezler]

I would like a new floor for my one car garage. but,,,i worry about using jack hammers and the foundation of the house(an over 100year old house with block foundation). Are there issues doing this?

Maybe just cut the slab out? You've got big tractors.... just cut through the slab (maybe leave the perimeter if under walls, etc) and drag out huge chunks with your tractor(s), then pour new. An alternative could be to pour a skimcoat / thinset over all of it (if adding a little height doesn't ruin your functionality) and then protect it with a robust epoxy coating.

 

[copytmpmzl]

@deezler also thank you for your suggestion