Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the
dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me
off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much
ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for
rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's
any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously,
I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose
pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the
crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I
don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?

Thanks,
Harry

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Use thompsons water seal, quick and easy!

Sweep and apply liberally with broom or sprayer

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

I think etching becomes less of a requirement for older concrete. The
purpose of etching is to give the concrete a rough surface so the paint
will stick. If the floor has become rough over the years from wear,
for example, then I wouldn't etch it.

But it does need to be clean of all oil, grease, dirt, etc. and have a
rough sandpaper like finish, not a polished smooth look.

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

On 10 Mar 2006 13:16:45 -0800, "Harry Muscle"
wrote:

I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the
dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me
off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much
ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for
rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's
any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously,
I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose
pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the
crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I
don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?



If it's a crawlspace, and not a traffic area, then just dumping
masonry paint or tar all over it should do to keep the dust down.
You'll have a "bad" paint job, but why do you care?

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

"Harry Muscle" wrote:

I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the
dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me
off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much
ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for
rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's
any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously,
I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose
pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the
crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I
don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?

Etching has nothing to do with oil or water, it makes the concrete rough enough
for the paint to "bite".

To test for moisture, get a sheet of plastic8x8 or so and tape it all around the
edges to the floor. Let it sit for 24 hours, remove it, and see if there is a
color difference between the area covered and the adjoining area. If there is,
you have a moisture problem and the paint will likely lift. If not, paint away.

Its hard to see any benefit to "scrubbing" other than adding moisture to the
concrete. How did you get any oil or grease in a crawlsapce?

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

wrote in message
ps.com...
I think etching becomes less of a requirement for older concrete. The
purpose of etching is to give the concrete a rough surface so the paint
will stick. If the floor has become rough over the years from wear,
for example, then I wouldn't etch it.

Actually, sometimes concrete becomes "polished" and smooth over time, and is
in the most need of etching. Fresh concrete rarely needs it.

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

wrote in message
oups.com...

jeffc wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
I think etching becomes less of a requirement for older concrete. The
purpose of etching is to give the concrete a rough surface so the paint
will stick. If the floor has become rough over the years from wear,
for example, then I wouldn't etch it.

Actually, sometimes concrete becomes "polished" and smooth over time, and
is
in the most need of etching. Fresh concrete rarely needs it.


That's just totally false. Read any paint can or guidelines for
painting concrete and see what they say. Etching is always required
for new concrete.

No it's not. Really new concrete is going to be very alkaline which is a
problem. Obviously concrete can be poured and finished in a variety of
ways, some more smoothly, some less smoothly. Now this guy is talking about
a crawlspace which obviously doesn't get any traffic. But concrete that
gets traffic definitely gets smoothed over time. Not only that, but the
tiny nooks and crannies can get filled in with dirt and grime. In addition
to etching you should clean and power wash (clean first, etch second, power
wash third to get the concrete particles removed.) You think you need to
etch concrete that's "rough" like a sidewalk? No.

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

jeffc wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

jeffc wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
I think etching becomes less of a requirement for older concrete. The
purpose of etching is to give the concrete a rough surface so the paint
will stick. If the floor has become rough over the years from wear,
for example, then I wouldn't etch it.

Actually, sometimes concrete becomes "polished" and smooth over time, and
is
in the most need of etching. Fresh concrete rarely needs it.


That's just totally false. Read any paint can or guidelines for
painting concrete and see what they say. Etching is always required
for new concrete.

No it's not. Really new concrete is going to be very alkaline which is a
problem. Obviously concrete can be poured and finished in a variety of
ways, some more smoothly, some less smoothly. Now this guy is talking about
a crawlspace which obviously doesn't get any traffic. But concrete that
gets traffic definitely gets smoothed over time. Not only that, but the
tiny nooks and crannies can get filled in with dirt and grime. In addition
to etching you should clean and power wash (clean first, etch second, power
wash third to get the concrete particles removed.) You think you need to
etch concrete that's "rough" like a sidewalk? No.



Seems some folks who should know disagree with you about not needing to
etch new concrete:

From Behr Porch and Floor Paint product instructions:

Preparation **
All surfaces must be clean, sound, dry and free of any dirt, oil and
grease. Eliminate mildew stains with BEHR No. 62 Multi-Surface
Deck-Prep Cleaner & Mildew Stain Remover.
New or weathered wood; use BEHR No. 63 Wood Cleaner Brightener
Conditioner.
Uncoated Concrete or masonry surfaces; allow new surfaces to cure 30
days. Use BEHR 990 Concrete Cleaner & Degreaser and follow with BEHR
No. 991 Concrete Etcher & Rust Remover.


Or how about this from another manufacturer:

Why is it necessary to etch my concrete surface before I apply Mason's
Select Concrete Stain or Mason's Select Clear Finishes.

It is necessary to etch hard-troweled or very dense concrete surfaces,
such as garage floors, in order to open up the surface and allow the
Mason's Select Product to penetrate. If you are not sure whether to
etch or not, it is always best to etch the surface. Sometimes, very
dense surfaces require etching twice to make the surface porous enough
to stain. The surface should feel like 120 grit sandpaper

Is etching recommended on new concrete surfaces?

Yes. All concrete with a smooth surface or that does not allow water
to penetrate should be etched prior to applying Mason's Select Concrete
Stain or Mason's Select Clear Finishes


Or how about this from DIY on how to paint concrete:

Step 2: Acid Etching: New interior walls should be acid etched before
painting (see instructions below.) Existing coatings can be repainted
where the coating is sound. Any bare spots (including areas revealed
when scraping loose and peeling paint) should be acid etched before
painting.

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Harry Muscle wrote:
I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the
dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me
off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much
ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for
rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's
any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously,
I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose
pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the
crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I
don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?

Thanks,
Harry

Why go to all that trouble? Just put down a coat or two of concrete
sealer.

Harry K

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Harry K wrote:
Harry Muscle wrote:
I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the
dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me
off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much
ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for
rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's
any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously,
I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose
pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the
crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I
don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?

Thanks,
Harry

Why go to all that trouble? Just put down a coat or two of concrete
sealer.



That sounds like the best idea yet! He doesn't have to worry about it
peeling either.

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

From the replies so far I think that's what I'm going to do. Can
anyone recommend a good concrete sealer?

Thanks,
Harry

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Thank you so much for this info ... the concrete in my crawlspace is
definately as rough or rougher than 120 grit sand paper. I'll also
check to see if it absorbs water, but I'm pretty sure it does a little.

Thanks,
Harry

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

thompsons water seal just dump on heavy and spread with a broom or
squeege.

it has a minor odor so do on a warm day

one heavy dump coat will take more material than spraying it on but you
will never have to do it again

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

One more quick question. The crawlspace is very close to my laundry
room (it's a weird layout of a house ... hard to explain without
pictures). Would a sealer be a good idea in the laundry room too? I
know I've seen laundry room floors painted before so I'm assuming
that's fine, but what about the sealer? What exactly is the difference
between sealer vs paint? Is sealer just clear paint?

Thanks,
Harry

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Harry Muscle wrote:
Thank you so much for this info ... the concrete in my crawlspace is
definately as rough or rougher than 120 grit sand paper. I'll also
check to see if it absorbs water, but I'm pretty sure it does a little.

Thanks,
Harry

Consider using the Behr brand clear epoxy for garage floors
(Home Depot). If the surface has been washed down and is
dry, that should be fine. I'd also recommend this instead
of Thompson Water Sealer for the utility room floor.

Mark

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

This is what I would use:
http://www.conspecmkt.com/products/p...ve_sealers.htm
scroll down to Con o lith
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Harry Muscle" wrote in message
oups.com...
From the replies so far I think that's what I'm going to do.
Can
anyone recommend a good concrete sealer?

Thanks,
Harry

Painting concrete crawlspace floor without etching first?
 

Thanks for that suggestion.

I was also wondering if anyone has every heard of or used Stone Mason
products made by U.S.E. Hickson (found them at my local Home Depot in
Canada). Their Premium Concrete Sealer sounds like it would be perfect
cause it's water based, fast drying, and just all around doesn't sound
like a pain to use
(http://www.usehickson.com/StoneMason...lerMatte.shtml).
But I'm not sure if it's too good to be true or if this product
actually works.

Thanks,
Harry