Garage flooring

[eesquared]

Has anyone ever installed (or had installed) garage flooring? I am talking about that stuff that coats the garage floor and has a shiny topcoat. Hubby bought the kit at the hardware store. One tip we got was to get a light color and to leave the speckles out of it because if you drop a screw on the dark colors, you will never be able to see it. Ditto for the speckles.

Any tips/advice/suggestions would be helpful.

[chiph]

I've never installed it, but I've thought about it over the years several times.

My understanding is that you need to get the floor cleaned down to bare concrete. So no oil drips, no tire marks, and ideally no divots where the construction crew nailed in supports when they were building your house.

The one thing you might want to consider is adding some sand to the paint for traction (which will require a 2nd kit to have enough paint). The paint by itself will be very slippery when wet or oily.

Chip H.

[grouch]

Has anyone ever installed (or had installed) garage flooring? I am talking about that stuff that coats the garage floor and has a shiny topcoat. Hubby bought the kit at the hardware store. One tip we got was to get a light color and to leave the speckles out of it because if you drop a screw on the dark colors, you will never be able to see it. Ditto for the speckles.

Any tips/advice/suggestions would be helpful.

When I built my garage several years ago, I had the epoxy paint put on. One warning, be sure to add the grit in the package to the paint. The paint is slicker than snot when it cures. If it gets wet, it's worse. I get these humpback cave crickets in my garage it will kill them. I've seen them trying to jump and they will keep at it until they die from exhaustion.

The concrete has to be clean. You might even want to etch it with muriatic acid. I used a couple of Sherwin Williams kits and it's worn pretty well. There are a few scratches when I do most of my work from jack stands slipping if a car shifts. Otherwise it looks like the day it cured after7 years. I went with tan so dropped bolts and tools show up easy. It also makes the shop lights more effective. Sort of like painting a dark blue room white.

[dBrong]

Has anyone ever installed (or had installed) garage flooring? I am talking about that stuff that coats the garage floor and has a shiny topcoat

I coated my garage floor with Rustoleum expoy - two coats - sand color. I purchased it at Grainger - there are several types - depending upon the amount of traffic, etc. You need to use the anti-slip pummice you mix it in. Used a wide roller. I gave the floor two coats - that was back in 1998 - it still looks good today.

[eesquared]

I've never installed it, but I've thought about it over the years several times.

My understanding is that you need to get the floor cleaned down to bare concrete. So no oil drips, no tire marks, and ideally no divots where the construction crew nailed in supports when they were building your house.

The one thing you might want to consider is adding some sand to the paint for traction (which will require a 2nd kit to have enough paint). The paint by itself will be very slippery when wet or oily.

Chip H.

Thanks! He did buy the grit to mix in with it, but I will reiterate that point. I sure don't want any jacks slipping when working on the cars...

[eesquared]

When I built my garage several years ago, I had the epoxy paint put on. One warning, be sure to add the grit in the package to the paint. The paint is slicker than snot when it cures. If it gets wet, it's worse. I get these humpback cave crickets in my garage it will kill them. I've seen them trying to jump and they will keep at it until they die from exhaustion.

The concrete has to be clean. You might even want to etch it with muriatic acid. I used a couple of Sherwin Williams kits and it's worn pretty well. There are a few scratches when I do most of my work from jack stands slipping if a car shifts. Otherwise it looks like the day it cured after7 years. I went with tan so dropped bolts and tools show up easy. It also makes the shop lights more effective. Sort of like painting a dark blue room white.

Ok thanks! We have muriatic acid, so that is do-able. He bought the light color, so we are good there.

[eesquared]

I coated my garage floor with Rustoleum expoy - two coats - sand color. I purchased it at Grainger - there are several types - depending upon the amount of traffic, etc. You need to use the anti-slip pummice you mix it in. Used a wide roller. I gave the floor two coats - that was back in 1998 - it still looks good today.

Thank you! On using a roller...is it feasible to use a mop instead? It seems like a mop would be easier than a roller. If we used a new, unused mop, couldn't we just spread it on with that? It just seems like it would spread more and take less time than a roller.

[Ken]

Thank you! On using a roller...is it feasible to use a mop instead? It seems like a mop would be easier than a roller. If we used a new, unused mop, couldn't we just spread it on with that? It just seems like it would spread more and take less time than a roller.

A roller does a far better job than a mop. A mop will not give the smooth even coating that a roller will. My bro's garage is about 30' by 30' using a big roller it only took a couple of hours. I would suggest, to make the job easier, get one of the extendable ceiling rollers and fit a 16 to 18 inch roller, much easier and no back strain.

FWIW.

Ken.

[dBrong]

Thank you! On using a roller...is it feasible to use a mop instead? It seems like a mop would be easier than a roller. If we used a new, unused mop, couldn't we just spread it on with that? It just seems like it would spread more and take less time than a roller.

It's real sticky - use a roller with an extension handle. Also the floor has to be perfectly dry.

[grouch]

Thanks! He did buy the grit to mix in with it, but I will reiterate that point. I sure don't want any jacks slipping when working on the cars...

Some of the stuff I've dragged home needs persuasion at times. I have an old driveshaft to use as a cheater pipe. Let's just say I've salvaged stuff that would normally be crushed.

[grouch]

Thank you! On using a roller...is it feasible to use a mop instead? It seems like a mop would be easier than a roller. If we used a new, unused mop, couldn't we just spread it on with that? It just seems like it would spread more and take less time than a roller.

Roller only. A mop will waste a lot of the covering. The roller will cover it like you know what you're doing.