Re-Epoxying Garage Floor - anyone done it?

[scottm]

I need to pick up paint tonight. I went a little thin on the first coat about three years ago, but it's held up perfectly. There are a few spots where the concrete is beginning to crumble, and the epoxy went with it. The previous epoxy came with a clear-coat, which I applied over the epoxy, but I doubt much clear is left. The clear-coat wasn't a two-part, not sure what it was, but obviously it was compatible with epoxy. I didn't use sand in the mix, and it's never been especially slick when wet. I'm not sure if it was the slight texture in the cement, or the clear coat, that seems to give some wet traction.

The first time, I cleaned and rinsed like crazy. I used muratic acid and detergent. I plan on the same this time, and assume the acid won't hurt the epoxy. I don't know what paint I'll buy, I suspect they're not that much different, the key is the prep.

Any repaint experience?

Any thoughts on stabilizing the crumbly spots? Hopefully going thick there will do the trick.

 

[scottm]

21 views, 0 replies. I guess we've gotten too big to talk about this in chat, but it was nice to at least get some opinions.

I'm done, with no problems. I went with Rustoleum Professional. Rustoleum Garage Floor Paint was water-based epoxy, and not as durable. Professional is solvent-based, higher solids, more durable and resistant to heat and such. It also takes longer to dry, but it hasn't rained. Professional costs twice as much, but there's two gallon cans in it, while the Garage Floor epoxy has one gallon and a smaller can of hardener. So, nearly the same price. I mixed two boxes (4 gallons) in a 5-gallon bucket, and it easily covered my 25x25' garage, with nearly a gallon to spare. That included a 6" wall most of the way around. I don't know if one coat would've done a good job, since I had epoxy on the floor already. I did one coat last time, and it looked thin. It was another brand, maybe not as thick. Some epoxys recommended a 3/8" nap roller, some 1/2", this one said 3/8". I might've gotten it thicker with a thicker nap. I didn't prep much, the pros and Rustoleum's website didn't suggest any sanding or stripping, just scrape and prep any areas that have come loose. I put down (well, my wife did) the paint specs, they seem to add some texture for traffic, and hide oil and dirt well. And small parts you might drop. My floor is not smooth, although it looked smooth before painting, so there's plenty of texture. Nobody has complained about it being slick in the three years since I first painted it.

 

[Pin_Head]

If the concrete is crumbling, it isn't the epoxy doing it; it is the concrete. One possibility is that you didn't get rid of all of the muriatic acid. Not too much will bother concrete, but muriatic acid is one of them.

 

[scottm]

I guess that could be happening. I washed the concrete, then scrubbed it with the acid, then rinsed and scrubbed with water, then scrubbed with the powdered soap that came with the kit. I scrubbed it again with dishwasher soap, then rinsed a loooong time and scrubbed with water. It dried a day and overnight, and was bone dry before painting. The crumblings spots are in strips next to one of the seams, kind of high points, but in the flat areas next to the seam. That's where we walk between the cars, but there shouldn't be that much wear and tear there. I didn't have a powerwasher when I painted the first time, this time I powerwashed it several times. Maybe the concrete absorbed some acid the first time and I didn't get it out, hopefully the powerwasher helped this time.

 

[webelk6]

21 views, 0 replies. I guess we've gotten too big to talk about this in chat, but it was nice to at least get some opinions.

I'm done, with no problems. I went with Rustoleum Professional. Rustoleum Garage Floor Paint was water-based epoxy, and not as durable. Professional is solvent-based, higher solids, more durable and resistant to heat and such. It also takes longer to dry, but it hasn't rained. Professional costs twice as much, but there's two gallon cans in it, while the Garage Floor epoxy has one gallon and a smaller can of hardener. So, nearly the same price. I mixed two boxes (4 gallons) in a 5-gallon bucket, and it easily covered my 25x25' garage, with nearly a gallon to spare. That included a 6" wall most of the way around. I don't know if one coat would've done a good job, since I had epoxy on the floor already. I did one coat last time, and it looked thin. It was another brand, maybe not as thick. Some epoxys recommended a 3/8" nap roller, some 1/2", this one said 3/8". I might've gotten it thicker with a thicker nap. I didn't prep much, the pros and Rustoleum's website didn't suggest any sanding or stripping, just scrape and prep any areas that have come loose. I put down (well, my wife did) the paint specs, they seem to add some texture for traffic, and hide oil and dirt well. And small parts you might drop. My floor is not smooth, although it looked smooth before painting, so there's plenty of texture. Nobody has complained about it being slick in the three years since I first painted it.

sorry , I usually don't check this, but decided to, and walla! something in my realm of expertise.
If you do any more garage floor , pm me.

 

[NaterGator]

I just did some rustoleum kit (bought two) a few years back and it has help up through alot. I spill stuff on it all the time, the concrete is usually moist (this is Florida) but it still looks pretty much the same as the day we laid it.

I considered applying another layer so that the thickness would hide the highly imperfect concrete, but I never got around to it.

My prep was a pre-wash, acid etch with alot of scrubbing from tough brushes, rinse like 3-4 times, alot of squeegeeing, a 2 day dry period, and then I applied it at night.

There is no sign at all that it is coming up, not even in the corner of the garage where the concrete ALWAYS seems to be moist (even when I applied the epoxy)

 

[Jeremiaheaster]

For the last 10 years I have been applying exclusively floor coatings with three different companies. I would be glad to offer technical advice just drop me a PM.