Garage floor coatings

Smtwnwygrl

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Since Jeep folks are generally the DIY types I figure someone here has done garage floor coatings before. When I was in the military we called it PRC, but I think its just called epoxy coating in the hardware stores.

Basically its that multi step stuff that you throw some base layer down, then paint it and add some paint flakes if you want to give it a speckle look, then finish it off with a thick layer of epoxy.

Has anyone done one (or several) of these and how hard are they to do? I have a 2 car garage but its kind of narrow (late 70s construction) and I really want to do this to mine. I am familiar with doing things myself and can typically handle just about anything but this seems like it may be easy to mess up. Thoughts? Hire a pro? Or is it really as simple as just "painting" your garage floor with multiple layers?

I want to do something like the photo below except I plan on putting a big Jeep vinyl sticker or paint a Jeep logo in the center prior to putting down the epoxy top coat....maybe do some Rubicon logo or Rubicon font inspired lettering type of thing.

Lastly, what about maintenance? I dont plan on waxing my garage often (or ever....)....is it going to look like **** if its not maintained every couple of months?
 
Since Jeep folks are generally the DIY types I figure someone here has done garage floor coatings before. When I was in the military we called it PRC, but I think its just called epoxy coating in the hardware stores.

Basically its that multi step stuff that you throw some base layer down, then paint it and add some paint flakes if you want to give it a speckle look, then finish it off with a thick layer of epoxy.

Has anyone done one (or several) of these and how hard are they to do? I have a 2 car garage but its kind of narrow (late 70s construction) and I really want to do this to mine. I am familiar with doing things myself and can typically handle just about anything but this seems like it may be easy to mess up. Thoughts? Hire a pro? Or is it really as simple as just "painting" your garage floor with multiple layers?

I want to do something like the photo below except I plan on putting a big Jeep vinyl sticker or paint a Jeep logo in the center prior to putting down the epoxy top coat epoxy flake flooring boston....maybe do some Rubicon logo or Rubicon font inspired lettering type of thing.

Lastly, what about maintenance? I dont plan on waxing my garage often (or ever....)....is it going to look like **** if its not maintained every couple of months?

thanks for any help
 
I haven't done it yet but I plan to do mine (24'x39') as soon as I get to it. I believe like any paint job, prep is key. I've gotten conflicting info as to whether an acid etch is sufficient or whether the surface actually needs to be sanded. Either way it would need degreased as well.

I did do a tinted concrete sealer on the floors inside my house...they don't get driven on by hot tires, but so far so good. With those I did a pressure wash, clean/degrease, then an acid etch, prior to spraying the sealer.
 
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I have installed these floors for over 15 yrs. Hopefully I can help you out. As mentioned earlier prep is key. I will list DIY best practices vs Pro best practices.

Prep:
DIY=
1.Floor Buffer with black scrub pad. Mix degreaser (Zep) according to instructions. Pour on floor and scrub with buffer.
2. Rinse. Do not skimp on this. Flood floor and push broom out or better squeegee out until all cleaner residue is gone. May take several attempts.
3. Dry with leaf blower.
4. Use diama brush attachment on buffer to grind the floor. Work in 10x10 spots until completely ground. Work slow and do not (just scratch the surface) This is the absolute MOST IMPORTANT step!
5. Blow out dust with blower several times.
Screenshot_20230319_101123_Chrome.jpg
6. Apply your DIY coating according to instructions. I highly recommend Google to find a diy kit that incorporates 100% solids epoxy and urethane or poly aspartic top coat along with 15-20 pounds flakes per 400 sqft. Big Box stores diy kits are nothing close to this although if prepped as above the diy kits should be ok.

Pro:
1. Spot decrease bad areas.
2. 400 pound concrete grinder with 30 grit diamonds.
3. Vacuum and blow clean.
4. Squeegee/back roll 100% epoxy at 100 sqft per gallon.
5. Wear spiked shoes to walk on epoxy and broadcast flakes heavy 90-100% coverage. These flakes also add a layer of protection and aid in non slip when broadcast heavy.
6. Next day scape loose flakes and blow clean. Top coat with 2k urethane or polyaspertic clear. Wait 24hrs for garage use.

Diy pros: save some money. Bragging rights in doing it yourself.
Professional pros: Warranty. Mostly better looking floor.

Good luck on your floor. If you need any tips or have a question let me know.
 
I have installed these floors for over 15 yrs. Hopefully I can help you out. As mentioned earlier prep is key. I will list DIY best practices vs Pro best practices.

Prep:
DIY=
1.Floor Buffer with black scrub pad. Mix degreaser (Zep) according to instructions. Pour on floor and scrub with buffer.
2. Rinse. Do not skimp on this. Flood floor and push broom out or better squeegee out until all cleaner residue is gone. May take several attempts.
3. Dry with leaf blower.
4. Use diama brush attachment on buffer to grind the floor. Work in 10x10 spots until completely ground. Work slow and do not (just scratch the surface) This is the absolute MOST IMPORTANT step!
5. Blow out dust with blower several times.
View attachment 408563
6. Apply your DIY coating according to instructions. I highly recommend Google to find a diy kit that incorporates 100% solids epoxy and urethane or poly aspartic top coat along with 15-20 pounds flakes per 400 sqft. Big Box stores diy kits are nothing close to this although if prepped as above the diy kits should be ok.

Pro:
1. Spot decrease bad areas.
2. 400 pound concrete grinder with 30 grit diamonds.
3. Vacuum and blow clean.
4. Squeegee/back roll 100% epoxy at 100 sqft per gallon.
5. Wear spiked shoes to walk on epoxy and broadcast flakes heavy 90-100% coverage. These flakes also add a layer of protection and aid in non slip when broadcast heavy.
6. Next day scape loose flakes and blow clean. Top coat with 2k urethane or polyaspertic clear. Wait 24hrs for garage use.

Diy pros: save some money. Bragging rights in doing it yourself.
Professional pros: Warranty. Mostly better looking floor.

Good luck on your floor. If you need any tips or have a question let me know.

Thanks for posting. Curious about the order of steps on the DIY. Would it work just as well to grind first, blow out the dust and then do the degrease and wash out? I would have thought washing out the dust would get it cleaner than painting after just blowing it out but my mind is open to there being a reason not to do it that way.
 
Thanks for posting. Curious about the order of steps on the DIY. Would it work just as well to grind first, blow out the dust and then do the degrease and wash out? I would have thought washing out the dust would get it cleaner than painting after just blowing it out but my mind is open to there being a reason not to do it that way.

Good question.
Washing out the dust can turn it to paste that can actually clog the pours of the concrete. When I do inside work I use an autoscubber since you can't blow inside. Blowing out of your garage after a good sweep will blow all dust out of pours. This is how I do it
, but if you did it the way you suggested would work as well. The main thing is to get clean, ground and dried using the proper cleaner and grinder.
 
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Also should go without saying if you haven't run a swing machine (buffer) before don't start near a wall🤣 put the machine in middle of floor when you pull the trigger. We run 800 pound grinders and it's funny to watch someone run a buffer for the 1st time.
 
I have installed these floors for over 15 yrs. Hopefully I can help you out. As mentioned earlier prep is key. I will list DIY best practices vs Pro best practices.

Prep:
DIY=
1.Floor Buffer with black scrub pad. Mix degreaser (Zep) according to instructions. Pour on floor and scrub with buffer.
2. Rinse. Do not skimp on this. Flood floor and push broom out or better squeegee out until all cleaner residue is gone. May take several attempts.
3. Dry with leaf blower.
4. Use diama brush attachment on buffer to grind the floor. Work in 10x10 spots until completely ground. Work slow and do not (just scratch the surface) This is the absolute MOST IMPORTANT step!
5. Blow out dust with blower several times.
View attachment 408563
6. Apply your DIY coating according to instructions. I highly recommend Google to find a diy kit that incorporates 100% solids epoxy and urethane or poly aspartic top coat along with 15-20 pounds flakes per 400 sqft. Big Box stores diy kits are nothing close to this although if prepped as above the diy kits should be ok.

Pro:
1. Spot decrease bad areas.
2. 400 pound concrete grinder with 30 grit diamonds.
3. Vacuum and blow clean.
4. Squeegee/back roll 100% epoxy at 100 sqft per gallon.
5. Wear spiked shoes to walk on epoxy and broadcast flakes heavy 90-100% coverage. These flakes also add a layer of protection and aid in non slip when broadcast heavy.
6. Next day scape loose flakes and blow clean. Top coat with 2k urethane or polyaspertic clear. Wait 24hrs for garage use.

Diy pros: save some money. Bragging rights in doing it yourself.
Professional pros: Warranty. Mostly better looking floor.
epoxy flake floor Brisbane
Good luck on your floor. If you need any tips or have a question let me know.

thank you so much for your suggestion
 
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I have installed these floors for over 15 yrs. Hopefully I can help you out. As mentioned earlier prep is key. I will list DIY best practices vs Pro best practices.

Prep:
DIY=
1.Floor Buffer with black scrub pad. Mix degreaser (Zep) according to instructions. Pour on floor and scrub with buffer.
2. Rinse. Do not skimp on this. Flood floor and push broom out or better squeegee out until all cleaner residue is gone. May take several attempts.
3. Dry with leaf blower.
4. Use diama brush attachment on buffer to grind the floor. Work in 10x10 spots until completely ground. Work slow and do not (just scratch the surface) This is the absolute MOST IMPORTANT step!
5. Blow out dust with blower several times.
View attachment 408563
6. Apply your DIY coating according to instructions. I highly recommend Google to find a diy kit that incorporates 100% solids epoxy and urethane or poly aspartic top coat along with 15-20 pounds flakes per 400 sqft. Big Box stores diy kits are nothing close to this although if prepped as above the diy kits should be ok.

Pro:
1. Spot decrease bad areas.
2. 400 pound concrete grinder with 30 grit diamonds.
3. Vacuum and blow clean.
4. Squeegee/back roll 100% epoxy at 100 sqft per gallon.
5. Wear spiked shoes to walk on epoxy and broadcast flakes heavy 90-100% coverage. These flakes also add a layer of protection and aid in non slip when broadcast heavy.
6. Next day scape loose flakes and blow clean. Top coat with 2k urethane or polyaspertic clear. Wait 24hrs for garage use.

Diy pros: save some money. Bragging rights in doing it yourself.
Professional pros: Warranty. Mostly better looking floor.

Good luck on your floor. If you need any tips or have a question let me know.

So I see a road trip in @Hopper future, I know you really want to come up and help me do this to my shop floor!!!!! :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
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