Garage floor paint...

[64PI]

What's everyone using for a garage floor paint/epoxy? I'm looking to do something with my garage floor to help brighten up the space (40' x 40') and help cut down on the dust. Its an older floor from the 80's and it never stops creating dust. Just curious to see what you guys have had luck with in the past.

Fred

[Heo]

Floor tiles is cheaper than Epoxy, atleast in Sweden.
Only problem i found is ,if you spray directly on them with
the angle grinder  the sparks tend to stick on the surface

[Falcon67]

I used a now discontinued part-epoxy product from Kelly-Moore.  Your main thing will be floor prep.  That will make or break the install.  You'll need to clean it well, use something to extract any oil spots or stains, then etch the floor using about a 4:1 water to muratic acid mix, neutralize, rinse and dry.  Then apply your floor finish.  Whatever product you use may have more/different prep requirements.  I have only done it with new 30+ day cured floors - but I'll not have a shop with a bare floor anymore, ever. 

Lots of info on this forum along with vendors.  https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20

A lot of epoxy products are very $$$.  The one I used was $65/gallon mixed industrial floor coating - KM-15 (now discontinued) SO you might check with a local Kelly-Moore dealer, Sherwin-Williams, etc.  In the old shop I had (20x24) I used two gallon of epoxy floor paint mix from Lowes that worked well, but that was 20 eyars ago so I don't remember the brand name.

New shop Floor prepped:


Finish applied:


You can't pay me to install floor tiles like Racedeck. 

[FrozenMerc]

The only concrete floor coating system I have ever seen work well was professionally applied in a new chassis dyno cell at my previous employer.  It most definitely wasn't cheap (about $4.00 per sq. ft), and the guy spent many days cleaning and prepping the surface (mixture of new and old concrete), but it held up to all the shit that happens in a dyno cell (hot fluids, flying debris, dropped tools, etc.) for many years.  Other places in the shop (ATV / snowmobile R&D facility) they used the cheap floor "paint" from Menards / Lowe's / Home Depot and it would only last about a year before it would be peeling. 

[cobracammer]

I used Rustoleum "Rock Solid" 2 part epoxy system.  Great look, super durable so far, but SLIPPERY as all H@!! if you get any liquid on it.  Litterally like oiled glass when its wet!  I would suggest if you go this route to get the bags of sand/ grit they sell and sprinkle it on while its still wet.  This way, after it cures, you will have some traction without altering the look.

[Falcon67]

Haven't had any issues with my floors and fluids.  Even ceramic tile is slippery when wet, watch your step LOL.  Have water blow under the door during strong storms so I keep a squeegee in the shop.  Not a big deal.  Yes, if you spill oil or WD-40 on the floor then step in it you can bust your azz.  Mine is a working floor, and this is west Texas so there's plenty of grit around already.

[machoneman]

Relatively cheap but effective.

Get some Thompson's Water Seal, clean the floor, and roller it on in a thin coat. Will stop all dust, allow leaky oils to puddle up and is not slippery. Dries clear however. Can't ever lift like epoxies and paints when gas, brake fluid or solvents get spilled. Won't cover up mis-matched patches of concrete but it does have some advantages over expensive coatings.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/thompson-s-waterseal-clear-flat-waterproofer-actual-net-contents-128-fl-oz/1000183857?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-google-_-lia-_-220-_-exteriorstains-_-1000183857-_-0&kpid&store_code=2535&k_clickID=go_1793096639_69778060036_346785423057_pla-525155901087_c_9021663&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk97Kn5ir4wIVDcDICh2kIwYcEAYYAyABEgK31vD_BwE

[wowens]

Prep, prep again, prep some more, prep one last time,  then
www.armorgarage.com
If no plastic under slab, it may still peel.

[Thumperbird]

I did the flexible thick pvc tiles, not the rigid stuff, looks decent but would not do it again.
Terrible thermal expansion, if a door is open and sun comes in, that area buckles bad and does not return all the way to flat after.
My floor was older, lots of small cracks, full of stains and pits, did not want to spend the $'s on pro job and I knew DIY would not hold.

But as all said, if you do it, prep the you know what out of it and hope the underside is not prone to too much moisture. 
I would over etch it, might not be the smoothest to broom off but much better chance of at least keeping material in the pockets for an ok look.

[64PI]

Being that its an older floor I know its going to take a lot of prep work. I don't mind spending the money on a quality product if I know its going to last if the prep is right. I'd hate to have to try and remove paint or epoxy in 10 years and try and re-coat the floor. This isn't a display case garage either. I currently have 4 cars and two motorcycles in it getting work done. So there is a lot of traffic. My goal is to get one half (20'x40') done before fall and do the other half in the spring. 

[Falcon67]

With good prep and a decent product, should not have any lifting issues.  I park hot slicks on mine and no lifting.  Rubber sticks to the floor, not the other way around LOL.  We don't use vapor barriers under garage slabs here either.  I have to go my K-M sometime soon and I'll ask about what replaced the KM-15.  I used that because it was specially formulated for industrial applications and use over possibly not perfect surfaces.  I plan to add about 6' to the shop, so I'll need some floor paint for that new section.  It may be that they offer something from the Rustoleum brand rather than their own formulation. 

[Katz427]

IMO the only way to get a floor prepared is to let a pro shot blast the floor. The other way for a DIY, is grinding with a rented floor disc grinder. Everything else will eventually peel. I have never seen an acid wash floor last 10 years without some peeling. There may be a few but I would venture 90% of  DIY garage projects fail within 10 years. The old Kelly Moore paint worked well and was durable. Today, check the comments for various systems, you find a lot of unhappy folks after 3-5 years. The big box stores sell material, that really is not made for a "working" environment. My opinion, but I have seen a lot of garage floor paint failures. At work, they used a shot blast and industrial materials epoxy, that was very durable, but expensive.

[Falcon67]

This is likely the replacement for KM-15

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/high-performance/epoxy-coatings/9100-system-dtm-epoxy-mastic

The TDS - https://www.rustoleum.com/tds/9100%20System_RO-51_2032990.pdf

>I have never seen an acid wash floor last 10 years without some peeling.

Acid prepped, epoxy coat DIY - 1997, move away 2010.  Still in perfect shape, no lifting per new owners.


Still looking good here - applied 2011

[wowens]

Never seen a ceiling quite like that over a lift, looks cool !

[Falcon67]

Had to do some modifications to get full use of the lift for the mid size cars.     I built the shop, I can tear it up.  Framing, re-routing electrical, etc.  Last winter's major project. 

Start


Mod for picking up some of the load from removing rafter ties (joists)




Shop is fully insulated


Now we got it going on