Looking For Info On Garage Floor Coatings

[76BBSub]

Just started framing on my new garage project today, and I'm thinking I might want to coat the concrete floor before I start moving stuff in. I wanted to see if you guys had some recommendations:

 

Best brand/supplier

Best color

Tips for installation

Any other tips or ideas

 

I wasn't going to do this originally but I like the way the garage is turning out and want it to be top notch.

Here's a progress pic from this morning.

 

Thanks in advance,

Jeff

[C & A s Dad]

We service an Independently owned CARQUEST Store who coated his sales area floor with a coating from U Coat It (maybe called U Kote It) and it has held up amazingly well.

 

They have a good website offering all of their options and colors.

[VMax2007]

Here are a couple of posts I made to another member with the same question awhile back. I used Rust-Oleum brand, but their "standard" grade stuff is crap. So far, the "Professional" grade stuff is MUCH better. Anyway, here are those posts:

 

PREPARATION!!!!

 

It took me 2 days to prep it and about 2 hours to apply it. I skipped the paint chips. Make sure to clean it well, etch it and rinse it, then rinse it again, then rinse it again.....then when you think it's rinsed, rinse it 2 more times. Then rinse it. Got it? If it's dry and you can rub your fingers on it without picking up ANY residue, then rinse it 2 more times and you'll be good to go. Let it dry for at least 48 hours (more in high humidity) even if it "looks" dry. Use the higher grade (Professional) stuff. Then clear coat it afterward. Don't drive on it for at least a week, regardless of what the direction say. Don't skip ANY steps or it WILL flake off and you will be doing all over again in a year or less. Do it right and you will be VERY happy. Allow 2-3 weeks for this job from start (prep) to finish (driving on).

 

 

Oh, did I mention you should rinse it good after cleaning/etching?

 

Looks great!! And just to follow-up on the garage floor painting...I recoated mine with the gray epoxy, but this time I put a coat of the "Professional Grade Clearcoating" on top and I added the Anti-Slip additive and it came out GREAT!!! Floor is way tougher and it looks way nicer with the gloss clearcoat. A couple of weeks ago I was changing oil in my truck and one of the ramps slid while I was driving up it and I heard a "scratch" sound as it did. I thought for sure I had just dug a huge scratch in my nice newly coated floor and to my amazement, the clearcoat only got a light scratch in the surface, it did NOT even penetrate the clearcoat.

 

I HIGHLY recommend using the Professional Grade Rust-Oleum vs the standard grade stuff and I also HIGHLY recommend clearcoating it afterward. It will be worth the extra time, money and effort. Trust me, I learned it the hard way, don't make the same mistake I made.

 

Good Luck and remember...preparation is EVERYTHING!!!!

[RyanbabZ71]

I did the rustoleum floor coating. Heres a photo. Mine is tan. Went on easy. I have had some areas come up from hot tires. On a scale of 1-10 of how happy I am I would say an 8

 

Before and after pics

[VMax2007]

I did the rustoleum floor coating. Heres a photo. Mine is tan. Went on easy. I have had some areas come up from hot tires. On a scale of 1-10 of how happy I am I would say an 8

 

Before and after pics

 

 

Ryan,

 

Clearcoat with the "Professional Grade" stuff with the anti-slip additive and I guarantee you that the 8 will go to a 10.

 

Mine did the same thing, so I re-coated the gray, then clearcoated it. I could tell just by how it went on that the Pro-Grade stuff was MUCH better. It went on like Epoxy, not like paint. Clean-up is easier too, cuz you can't, you just throw everything away.

[geektoad]

I did the rustoleum floor coating. Heres a photo. Mine is tan. Went on easy. I have had some areas come up from hot tires. On a scale of 1-10 of how happy I am I would say an 8

 

Before and after pics

 

The floor looks great. Though, why didn't you go up the sill too? That looks weird with the bare concrete sandwiched between the coated floor and the finished wall.

[ajcain79]

If you want to spend the money have the professionals come out and apply an epoxy floor. It'll probably run about 2grand or so. But it will last a long time.

I've had a couple of friends use the do-it-yourself kit about 5 years ago. One still looks good, the other looks like shit. The key is proper floor prep.

[dietz4ibanez]

Here are a couple of posts I made to another member with the same question awhile back. I used Rust-Oleum brand, but their "standard" grade stuff is crap. So far, the "Professional" grade stuff is MUCH better. Anyway, here are those posts:

 

PREPARATION!!!!

 

It took me 2 days to prep it and about 2 hours to apply it. I skipped the paint chips. Make sure to clean it well, etch it and rinse it, then rinse it again, then rinse it again.....then when you think it's rinsed, rinse it 2 more times. Then rinse it. Got it? If it's dry and you can rub your fingers on it without picking up ANY residue, then rinse it 2 more times and you'll be good to go. Let it dry for at least 48 hours (more in high humidity) even if it "looks" dry. Use the higher grade (Professional) stuff. Then clear coat it afterward. Don't drive on it for at least a week, regardless of what the direction say. Don't skip ANY steps or it WILL flake off and you will be doing all over again in a year or less. Do it right and you will be VERY happy. Allow 2-3 weeks for this job from start (prep) to finish (driving on).

 

 

Oh, did I mention you should rinse it good after cleaning/etching?

 

Looks great!! And just to follow-up on the garage floor painting...I recoated mine with the gray epoxy, but this time I put a coat of the "Professional Grade Clearcoating" on top and I added the Anti-Slip additive and it came out GREAT!!! Floor is way tougher and it looks way nicer with the gloss clearcoat. A couple of weeks ago I was changing oil in my truck and one of the ramps slid while I was driving up it and I heard a "scratch" sound as it did. I thought for sure I had just dug a huge scratch in my nice newly coated floor and to my amazement, the clearcoat only got a light scratch in the surface, it did NOT even penetrate the clearcoat.

 

I HIGHLY recommend using the Professional Grade Rust-Oleum vs the standard grade stuff and I also HIGHLY recommend clearcoating it afterward. It will be worth the extra time, money and effort. Trust me, I learned it the hard way, don't make the same mistake I made.

 

Good Luck and remember...preparation is EVERYTHING!!!!

 

 

I didnt know that Jeff used this kit too... But if you do it yourself this is the way to do it! I did the same process on my floor except the preparation took about a week because for some reason the previous owner had some tar that spilled all over the garage... It was a lot of work for me at least but it was well worth it... The kit that I bought was at Lowes and I bought the extra 1/2 gallon to coat it really well.. I didnt put the gay traction chips in the floor just put the limited slip additive in the clear coat..

 

I experienced the same thing with the ramps but my ramps had the rubber cleats and the rubber marks that were left behind cleaned up nice!

[RyanbabZ71]

Geek - I rubber black base trim over the sills so it looks much better. Thats why I didnt paint it

 

anti-slip additive

 

I used it, what clear coat did you use? Does rustoleum have one? Can you paint over an already painted floor?

[dietz4ibanez]

Geek - I rubber black base trim over the sills so it looks much better. Thats why I didnt paint it

 

anti-slip additive

 

I used it, what clear coat did you use? Does rustoleum have one? Can you paint over an already painted floor?

 

 

 

If I can remember correctly rustoleum has a clear coat and I think its with all the garage floor coating stuff.. I have seen it at Sherwin-Williams too. I will try to check in the next week or so.. I might still have the can it came in....

[VMax2007]

Geek - I rubber black base trim over the sills so it looks much better. Thats why I didnt paint it

 

anti-slip additive

 

I used it, what clear coat did you use? Does rustoleum have one? Can you paint over an already painted floor?

 

 

Yes!!! I used the standard Gray Epoxy Shield and after 2 years, I was starting to get some flaking and thinning in spots. So, I called the RustOleum people and I was told I could re-coat it and clearcoat it. So, I cleaned it again (much easier with it already painted once) and recoated with the same Gray. The "Professional" gray was a different shade, so I decided to stick with the std grade for the Gray, so it would match and I wouldn't have to worry about getting every single square inch, top course of block, etc. Then I coated it with their "Premium" grade Clearcoating. And like I said, it is a completely different product. It mixed and went on like a sticky Epoxy, not even close to the same consistency of the "paint". It was harder to roll and forget about cleaning any of the tools. But holy shit is it harder when it cures.

 

Here is a link:

 

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=13

[tonygxp]

I used the home depot 2 part epoxy in tan (Behr) and it went on thick and looks nice, but it was only about 4 months ago... time wil tell I guess..

[Mikeee]

I've never been crazy about doin' da floor.

Once you start, you will be doin' it for years to come.

 

So, if the hot tires causes the paint to come up, what happens with hot tires and clearcoat?

clearcoat comes up ? ? ?

 

Kinda like giving jewelry to the wife, once you start you can NOT give again, but only more expensive than the previous.

[dietz4ibanez]

I dont know I have pealed the tires out with the cavy and that clear coat was still there! Its pretty durable!

[VMax2007]

I've never been crazy about doin' da floor.

Once you start, you will be doin' it for years to come.

 

So, if the hot tires causes the paint to come up, what happens with hot tires and clearcoat?

clearcoat comes up ? ? ?

 

Kinda like giving jewelry to the wife, once you start you can NOT give again, but only more expensive than the previous.

 

 

Maybe you missed the part about the clearcoat being MUCH higher quality than the std Epoxy-Shield?

 

But yeah, this will be the last time I coat the floor. If this doesn't hold up, I'm done.