[Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names]

We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.

[[email protected]]

On Jun 8, 7:22�am, "Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names"
wrote:
We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. �We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. �On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.

you way better of just sealing the concrete, than painting anything on
it.

sooner or later paint always wears or fails......

it will be a forever maintence issue.

made worse by hot tires on garage floor.

better off just sealing with thompsons water seal heavily so oil
stains cant get absorbed into concrete, and forget about the colorful
floor.

with the lip at the door can water that comes off vehicles or spills
still drain out of the garage?

[ransley]

On Jun 8, 6:22*am, "Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names"
wrote:
We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. *We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. *On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.

Im sure product label states acid etching. 15 or so years ago I used
H.C. concrete stain, the oil base from Sherwin Williams, Stain doesnt
peel, its worn away in heavy areas but I can just reclean and acid
clean and recoat someday. Paints do peel.

[Phisherman]

On Sun, 8 Jun 2008 04:22:16 -0700 (PDT), "Kickin' Ass and Takin'
Names" wrote:

We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.


I don't know any painted garage floor that did not eventually peel, so
I recommend against it. I used a clear epoxy on my concrete basement
and garage in 1993 and it has held up well. The surface is much
easier to sweep and keep clean. It stunk up the house for a couple
days, so it's better to plan for a day when you can have the windows
open for full ventilation. Cover your fish tanks for awhile.

[Ray K]

Be aware that the concrete will no longer absorb puddles, like when you
drive a wet (or snowy) car into the garage. So the puddles will remain
for a long time.

[Robert Neville]

Phisherman wrote:

I don't know any painted garage floor that did not eventually peel, so
I recommend against it. I used a clear epoxy on my concrete basement
and garage in 1993 and it has held up well. The surface is much
easier to sweep and keep clean. It stunk up the house for a couple
days, so it's better to plan for a day when you can have the windows
open for full ventilation. Cover your fish tanks for awhile.

I've done this twice now and both times it's turned out very well with the
surface looking almost new for over 10 years. A few comments:

- As with most paint jobs, prep is 90% of the work. Cut corners on any of the
required steps and you'll regret it almost immediately.
- You need to make sure the concrete has cured for at least 30 days - 60 is
better.
- Avoid the big box consumer products and get a good industrial, non-water based
two part epoxy. I like Benjamin Moore M36/M37, but there are others.
- Shot blasting the surface is recommenced for max adhesion, but I've had good
success with acid etching. Muratic acid is nasty stuff, so make sure you vent
and rinse appropriately.
- If you live in a wet area, you should put down a primer coat before using the
epoxy. Water rising up through concrete will lift the epoxy over time.
- If you live in a wet or snowy climate, grit is recommended. It's not sand, use
the right stuff and don't overdo it or you'll have a hard time keeping the floor
clean. All the grit needs to do is raise the shoes off the floor enough to
prevent hydroplaning. You don't need or want a sandpaper surface.
- Commercial painters use a squeegee and back roll with a roller to get the
stuff down before it sets up, but I just use a roller, work in sections defined
by the concrete sections and work quickly.

[Rick-Meister]

Before you even consider a top coating, you MUST perform a water vapor
transmission test. Do a google search for calcium chloride test kits.
You will need 3 of them placed around the garage. They come with a
canister of calcium chloride and sealing plastic domes. After surface
prep, you put the canister on the concrete and apply the dome. You
remove it after 72 hours, seal the canister and mail it into the
testing lab. That will tell you how much water vapor your concrete is
transmitting. If it's more than 3lbs per day, epoxy is out of the
question.

The plastic film test that most epoxy companies recommend is a
worthless test.

Bottom line is: the majority of users say their epoxy comes off the
floor, expecially where the tires rest. This happens even when it's
professionall applied and the concrete is acid etched. Epoxy is NOT
the cure-all the manufacturers would have you believe.



On Sun, 8 Jun 2008 04:22:16 -0700 (PDT), "Kickin' Ass and Takin'
Names" wrote:

We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.

[Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names]

On Jun 8, 7:22*am, "Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names"
wrote:
We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. *We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. *On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.



Well, thanks everyone.

After reading the responses, I have decided:

-- Paint with epoxy;
-- Don't paint with epoxy;
-- Paint with Thompson's Water Sealer;
-- Or not;
-- Stain with concrete stain;
-- Or not;
-- Run a water vapor test before painting.

Think I'll leave the concrete bare and let whatever happens happen.

[[email protected]]

On Jun 8, 9:37�pm, "Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names"
wrote:
On Jun 8, 7:22�am, "Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names"





wrote:
We are building a new house -- should start moving in at the end of
June.

We built a 26X30 detached garage and a 20X16 shed/workshop, each of
which has a concrete slab floor. �We have been using the shed and
garage to store materials, prime and paint shutters, screen doors,
etc. all the while protecting the new concrete slabs with drop cloths
and plastic, so, the slabs are clean, new concrete.

Before we start parking in the garage and moving into the shed/
workshop, we want to paint the concrete slabs using the epoxy garage
floor paints that we see in Home Depot, Lowe's, and elsewhere. �On the
'net I found several products -- Muscle Gloss, Epoxy-Coat, and others.

We want to:
-- paint the floors
-- put some kind of non-slip grit in the paint
-- paint a line on the floor at the front of the garage where the
concrete forms a lip to let the garage doors seal; this line will be
safety yellow to warn people not to trip over the concrete lip.

Because this is new concrete, I'm planning to pressure wash it, let it
dry, then apply the epoxy coat per instructions.

Has anyone else done this and what do you recommend??

-- Do I need to etch the new concrete?
-- What product did you use?
-- How is the product you used standing up to wear?
-- How do/did you apply the non-slip granules into the paint?

Thanks.

Well, thanks everyone.

After reading the responses, I have decided:

-- Paint with epoxy;
-- Don't paint with epoxy;
-- Paint with Thompson's Water Sealer;
-- Or not;
-- Stain with concrete stain;
-- Or not;
-- Run a water vapor test before painting.

Think I'll leave the concrete bare and let whatever happens happen.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ultimately thats the least costly approach, BUT sealing with thompsons
still leaves the bare concrete look, will darken the appearance a
little, but prevent oil and grease absorbing into the concrete..