best garage floor coating??

[ZRGator]

What do all y'all (as any southerner knows, the plural of y'all is: all y'all) think the best coating for a garage floor would be?

Home Depot & Lowes have an epoxy coating kit and a place called U Coat It on the net has a do-it-your-own-self package.

How about Race Deck? Anyone out there actually using any of these things? How do you like them? Pros & cons of using them?

Thanks a bunch, guys.

 

[Grizzly]

Gave Up

I too was looking at the various coating/coverings for my garage floor but finally gave up because there were too many minuses and not enough pluses. I understand from the writings here that to coat a floor you need one that was properly sealed from ground moisture when it was built. I think it was JohnZ that pointed this out and gave a simple test of laying a piece of plastic on the floor to see if it would draw moisture, and in my case it did. I also think unless you very carefully add some kind of traction enhancer, wet surfaces would be slick.

As far as the tiles go, I have a number of things on casters that are pretty heavy and a rough surface would make them even more difficult to move. I'm talking about "rollerskates" that I have to move my Impala around and the ones on my Backyard Buddy. Also how do hose these down with out taking them up??

Too many minuses

 

[Piet]

Do a search on this forum... you will get some answers.... and end up with more questions.
I am with Grizzly. I might look at a combination of products. Vinyl tile on the exterior. Rustoleum under the cars.

 

[Baldie88]

All I can say is that I got what I thought was the best stuff from Lowe's . Guaranteed to not pull off with hot or wet tires. Followed all the instructions to the letter and etched the surface with muratic (sp?) acid so it had something to stick too. Looked great but would peel off just looking at it. Worst thing I ever did. Even wrote to the company and they said "too bad". I'll definitely never use any coatings again.ad


Baldie88

 

[RodsnRides]

Try these guys

When I built my garage from the dirt up, I made sure there was a thermal barrier. The concrete pour was 6" thick with a 1/4" or 3/8" rebar web base. After it was built, and before I moved anything in, I called around various places and got my floor epoxied (2 coats, including sidewalls) for $1100, 24X36 floor area The quotes went from $600 to $3500, so shop around. The floor is still perfect, 4 years later. Although it is slippery when wet. I have since carpeted everything will large remnant chunks, and it is comfortable and I can still roll around engine stands, cherry picker, etc.

In your situation, I recommend checking these folks out. I have no personal experience, but I like what they have to offer. Since they are only a few blocks away from my work, (and their showroom complete with Ferrari's Cobra's, Lambo's, etc.) if you have any questions or specific interest, I would be happy to check it out for you. This site has some appealing garage gear. let me know if I can be of help. Good luck.

http://www.parkplace-usa.com/contact/

Rick

 

[korvettekarl]

In my garage I used a commercial carpet. The only problem is when a fluid of any type gets on it it will stay until I get a carpet shampooer onto it. It's nice in the winter to not crawl around on a cold floor. Had the epoxy and didn't last very long. The tiles will have the same problen as carpet when fluids drip onto them. But at least you can pull the tiles up and clean underneath.

 

[JohnZ]

The stuff from the home centers won't last (as posted above and many times before by others), especially with a muriatic acid prep. The formula for an indestructible floor that lasts is as follows (I have one):

1. 10-mil poly moisture barrier on the tamped soil.

2. 4' x 8' sheets of 1/2"-thick high-density closed-cell foam with heavy foil on both sides, laid on top of the poly moisture barrier ($10 per sheet).

3. Heavy steel mesh installed on wire stands.

4. Pour 4" slab (6"-8" in leg support areas if you plan a 2-post lift).

5. Let new slab cure for three months.

6. Steel shot-blast the floor to clean the surface and open up the pores in the concrete "skin" so the epoxy has something to grab onto.

7. Apply first coat of 2-part industrial epoxy, allow to cure for 24 hours.

8. Apply finish coat (tint to desired color) of 2-part industrial epoxy, lightly sprinkle fine silica sand (NOT "play sand") on it before it sets up, for anti-slip when wet. Allow to cure for 48 hours, then drive on it.

Mine was done this way five years ago and still looks like it was poured yesterday, and is warm and dry all year round; the poly barrier and foil/foam/foil insulation makes all the difference. The floor is impervious to all automotive fluids and chemicals, tires won't stain it or lift it, Michigan winter ice/salt doesn't affect it, dropped tools don't chip it, and it's super-easy to keep clean with a soft-bristle push broom. It's a "forever" floor if there ever was one, and the light color and high reflectivity doubles the lighting effectiveness in the garage.

These folks did mine: http://www.homeprofloors.com with their standard "Classic Floor" system - was $1.90/sq. ft. five years ago, turnkey, for the shot-blasting and epoxy coating; best garage money I ever spent.

 

[maxrevs85]

Sherwinn - williams ......Floor-Plex 7100....2 part primer and then a 2 part topcoat......apoxy.....2000sqft.....$700 All colors of tint

 

[sewanhaka62]

hi just went to sherman/williams to find out about floor paint...was told that here in PA. the enviromental agent just passed new laws and most of the good concrete paints can't be sold any more // check out what your state
lets you use.....bob

 

[RonJ]

It's not pretty or fancy, but a roller used to apply a mixture, 50% linseed oil and 50% varsol, does a good job of protecting a floor from water etc.

If you Google "linseed oil", you might come up with something.

Ron ...

 

[3TT3V]

A few years ago I built a garage in Indiana and had the concrete sealed by a friend of mine who worked on State bridges. He had brought some bridge sealer from a job before it set up and we rolled it on about 1/8" thick. It never cracked, chipped, or stained, but was slippery when wet/oily. When cleaning the floor I always used water and a squeegie. Unfortunately I imagine this stuff is not for sale.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Maybe a dumb question...
...but couldn't a floor be done in the same stuff they use to coat truckbeds?
I think that would be durable and non-slip, but I don't know how well things would roll on it (toolboxes, hoists, stands) and the dark color would be, well, dark.
Heidi

 

[Renes86]

I used "U Coat It". Love it. Works Great.

 

[bluecoupe]

Maybe a dumb question...
...but couldn't a floor be done in the same stuff they use to coat truckbeds?
I think that would be durable and non-slip, but I don't know how well things would roll on it (toolboxes, hoists, stands) and the dark color would be, well, dark.
Heidi

Yes. You are correct.
http://www.portaliner.com/html/applications.html

 

[CQRT]

After interviewing several different firms, we chose Garage Floor Coatings at just over a $1.25/ft including prep - - national firm with regional operators: http://www.floorcoatingcontractors.com/garage_floors.htm

To some degree, it's different here in Arizona because of the absence of rain and snow-- but the common complaint on the do-it-yourself paint is that it peels off in the summer with the hot engines and tires.

After five years and a couple of restoration projects in 1300 sq ft, it still looks good.

Regards-

 

[slapshot]

dang...glad I read this. I'm getting ready to overhaul the entire garage and I was going to use the expoy stuff from Lowe's.....guess I need to find some alternatives.

 

[2X4's 60]

I used RaceDeck and it's great. Underneath it is a peeling/lifting coat of epoxy coating. The nice thing about RaceDeck is that it acts as a vapor barrier and insulator so when you have to lay down on it, it's not cold like concrete would be. Everyone who has seen my garage went out and bought some for themselves. I've never seen a paint/coating that didn't eventually peel.

 

[Rex Ruby]

I used UCOATIT and it has lifted. I called them on their satisfaction guarantee, basically they were satisfied to have my money and that is all they helped me with. From what I have learned if I were to do it agian I would use the industrial epoxy from Rustoleum. Available at MAB.

 

[ON 7TH]

i used a layer of roofing shingles,on top of that about 100 used tractor/trailor mud flaps.but my garage is a carport on top of 3/4 crushed stone.
im a Polish redneck!!!

 

[Lucy64]

I used Armstrong 12x12 classic black and white tiles. I had bought the epoxy, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted the black and white tile look. I returned the epoxy to Lowes and got the tile and I have been very satisifed. It has been down for over 3 years and have not had any problems with it. My wife bought me the old fashion bucket on wheels and mop that makes cleanups a snap. I just love the look.