GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Looks like it'll be too cold this week to even think about applying epoxy, so I'm going to make the most of it and pick up some semi-gloss unmolested white paint and paint the walls and ceiling of the garage. At least I can make some progress while I wait and hope for warmer temps.

T

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

This is just FYI for everyone (including myself), but I just finished speaking with an epoxy rep at Rustoleum. She said that the professional grade really only needs 4 days to be ready for vehicle traffic. HOWEVER, you need the temperature to be 60F or more (55F is the bare minimum) during application and for at least the next 24-48 hours. That's air AND surface temperature. Also, she said humidity is a bad thing during this time so don't apply it if it's damp outside or raining. I got the impression that ideally you'd want the temp. to remain at least at 60F for the 4 day duration, but she said the first 24-48 are the most critical.

Tommy

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Dangit! I've got at least a week to wait 'til the weather warms up enough (maybe longer). I wonder if I could just put some space heaters in there?

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Forecast is still looking cold for some time, but I've got an idea to get the floor done without waiting too much longer....

Temps this Sunday look to be reasonable. High of 73 degrees with some scattered showers (which hopefully will stay away). So it looks like the day of application looks pretty good.

The lows over the next couple days get into the mid to low 40s, but I was thinking of putting some small space heaters in the garage down low near the surface (hanging from the ceiling) in hopes of keeping the air AND surface temp at 60 or more. I think it's feasible and will only need to be done for 2 days after application.

The reason I don't want to wait another several weeks is that I need to fabricate my Jeep's suspension soon (before a March event) and I also don't want to move in all my garage tools and such until the floor is done. Let's face it. If I don't do the floor now, it likely will never happen. And I don't want that!

Anyway, y'all see any flaws in my plan?

Tommy

[McCall]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Do Et!!! :d

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

I forgot to ask. How long after the epoxy is applied can the clearcoat go on top of it?

[Fair!]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

I forgot to ask. How long after the epoxy is applied can the clearcoat go on top of it?

should say on the package/instructions? I think it was 16-24 hours.

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Yeah, I was just curious. I haven't opened up anything yet. Been busy all night cleaning the garage and such.

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Work has commenced!!

Last night my friend Scott came by and we cleared out what little clutter was in the garage. Then we took a shovel and scraped up little bits of spackle that have likely been on the floor for over 30 years (house was built in '76, baby). Then I took my new leaf blower and blew out all the junk.

Scott did some more scrubbing on the oil stains with degreaser while I did a final once-over inspection for spackle and other "imperfections". Then I took the hose to the floor and flushed out the floor except for the tire stop which I haven't cleaned yet (more on that in a minute). The stains look much better and I didn't see any water beading up anywhere, which I believe is a good sign.

Then on a whim we decided to test out a 1 sq. ft. area of 100% Muriatic acid. So I busted out the respirator (Lowes: $30) and poured it out over an average area with no really particularly bad stains. I let it sit for maybe a minute while lightly brushing it with a heavy bristled broom. Then I hosed it out when the bubbling was ceasing. That little area is really clean now and etched nicely! Daddy like. Daddy like.....

What that tells me is that I likely don't have to take the degreaser and scrub the whole floor prior to applying the acid. I just need to scrub the oil stained spots. But I plan to test another small, stained area this evening to see how it does on that. So I may still scrub the whole floor. I don't know. We'll see.

I think I'm going to pull the baseboards tonight in preparation of doing this after the epoxy goes down. Damn, you sexy, Jason!



I may go so far as to have the whole garage etched tonight, but I'll likely wait 'til tomorrow. Nonetheless, progress is being made!

Tommy

[duck]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Tip for keeping the garage temp up. Leave the door to the inside open!

I have an indoor/outdoor thermometer in mine with separate pickups at the 4 foot and 7 foot levels. When an outside temp of 29, it's 47F.

I don't see much variance between the sensors (1-2 degrees) unless I park a hot car in there but the floor is probably going to be colder regardless.

Get a $10 indoor/outdoor thermometer from Harbor Freight and stick the outdoor pickup to the concrete by the front of the garage to see how cold it gets with your outside door seal/ insulation/ inside door seal combo.

The one I got and this one below at Target have Min/Max records so you don't have to monitor it. This one also tracks humidity levels. $10.
http://www.target.com/Holmes-Digital...id=1201108775/

[Fair!]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Then on a whim we decided to test out a 1 sq. ft. area of 100% Muriatic acid. So I busted out the respirator (Lowes: $30) and poured it out over an average area with no really particularly bad stains. I let it sit for maybe a minute while lightly brushing it with a heavy bristled broom. Then I hosed it out when the bubbling was ceasing. That little area is really clean now and etched nicely! Daddy like. Daddy like.....

Using muriatic acid straight will change the surface texture of the concrete. Be careful, as it stays "rough" even with the epoxy on thick. Use it diluted or straight only on heavy oil stains.

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Thanks, Duck! Part of the concern, though, is the suface temp. That must also be 60F (or at least 55F at a min.). So I picked up an infrared pyrometer from HF and will use it to help gauge how much heat I'll need. The plan is to hang a pair of space heaters from the ceiling about a foot off the ground in the two coldest parts of the garage in hopes of keeping it warm enough. I'll also leave the door to the inside open. Nonetheless, I like the idea of that temp. with the probes on it and will pick one up ASAP.

Thanks, Terry. Yeah, it definitely looked pretty chewed up so I think I might go with a 1:1 mix of acid:water. Hopefully that'll provide a nice even texture with plenty of surface for the epoxy to bite into.

T

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Oh yeah, Rustoleum told me the clear coat can be laid down within 16 hours of the expoxy going down. And it should be applied within 5 days. So that means Saturday morning I'm applying epoxy and on Sunday mid-day I'll be clearcoating.

I've got some garage lighting questions, but will start a new thread on that.

T

[Tommy R]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

Home Depot had the floor trim I was looking for. A 120' roll of it (50' more than I needed) and all the glue I need and a trowel cost me about $87. Not bad. Oh, and it's 4" tall. It may not quite be tall enough as the garage floor tapers down from the drywall at the garage entrance, but it'll be okay.

Tommy

[John in Houston]

Re: GARAGE TECH: Epoxy Flooring

I seem to remember that Lowes had the taller (6"?) molding that I was going to use in Houston before I figured out I was moving.