So, the mrs wants the garage floor painted. Any suggestions on what to use? I just want a simple grease/oil resistant coating as my teener leaks a bit.

QUOTE (blitZ @ Mar 19 2006, 10:25 AM)

So, the mrs wants the garage floor painted.  Any suggestions on what to use?  I just want a simple grease/oil resistant coating as my teener leaks a bit.  :o

My 914 leaks a little also but I have the problem solved ....the surface of the floor in my barn garage is gravel,all I need to do to make things look like new again is rake it....works great....hope this helps.

Im' sorry couldn't resist.

Go here...

http://www.garagejunkies.net/forumdisplay.php?f=19

This site has an entire forum section on flooring.

Paul

I put down the Rustoleum Epoxy about 3 years ago. It's held up real well actually. I have had some flaking near the garage door entrance, but I believe that was due to my prep, and no the product.

I have rolled, pulled, thrown everything possible across it and no flaking.. I think it's about $50.00 per gallon come with the catalyst and fleck chips for the textured look. I know there are companies that will come out and do it, runs around $1,200.00Cleaned with muratic acid, and a scrapper for the paint drippings etc. let dry and apply... I have a small two car garage, and I used two gallons.I think three gallons would have been better for a little extra protection. Role one direction.

When we pulled the motor onthe car, car cleaner and brake fluid dripped on it. I cleaned it up almost right away, so I don't know how well it would hold up. I have a pan under the car now soI don't have to worry about oil, so I can't say how well it would stand up to that.

It makes the garage look real clean when it's done.. Worth it. Will see how long it stands up to the abuse.
My .02....
Good luck

Several ways to do this from cheap to $$$$$$$$ Depending on how long you plan to stay there I have a few suggestions.

1st up clean the floor and get some mats, they can be had relatively cheap, and when you move take them with you. If you need to replace a section do it. Hint here Livestock pads and walks, Farm supply place will have them or can order them.

2nd carpet, again cheap if you get the industrial stuff, you can pull up a tile and replace it. Can be found on remodel jobs, put an extra stack in the corner for future replacement.

3rd sealant - like you due for new concrete - I have this in my main garage works well, still have to clean the floor, but no dust etc.... Get the pro stuff and not Thompson's water seal, Building contractor supply will have it. Only down side to this stuff, is you can't paint over it once it is down, you will have to cover with something else if you want.

4th paint, I painted my new shop floor with the homedepot rust-o-ileum stuff. Yeah it looks nice, but an be a pain to clean and is slick if you get liquids on it. Go with beige, the light gray reflects light better, but you see every little piece of dirt, tire track etc... The Beige does not show it that well. It has held up pretty well, it does stain, but all in all it works. I did not have a lifting problem, but YMMV being on old concrete. If you need traction they also sell a mix there from Behr - use half the recommendation. My wife likes the color specs I used on the boat storage side, makes it look interesting, and helps hide stuff. I applied straight grey on the workshop side, so I could see the stuff I dropped, works well for that.

5th - have it done with professional stuff, the Price is expensive but it might be worth it if you are spending a long time there, and don't want to redo it several times. If you have a pealing problem.

6th racedeck etc..... $$$$$$$ but can be taken with, used at the track. etc.....

7th Truck bed liner - seen it done, costs an arm and a leg, but it is pretty strong stuff, and can be had in a tint-able color, so you can have a floor that matches your 914. Not sure my wife would like a signal Orange floor

Of course first things first, get your self a piece of clear plastic tape it down (you must seal all edges to the floor) leave it there 24-48 hours and see if you get any moister trapped under it. If it has anything, then a paint coating will not hold, the water vapor will actually break the bond and cause it to peel, bubble, and lift. thats the first step before you spend a dime on any floor product.

I'm gonna do the mat thing next time.....paint suxz....

Th only thing about the mat's is cracking when turning on them. WHo makes a good mat that's not to expensive.

The MAT that you want is for horse stalls.

I get mine at the local Agway,,,horse supply place.
They have a huge pile of them, they are 1/2 inch thick made from recycyled tires...

They are super durable...(A horse weighs 1200+++ lbs)

The one in our stall have no visible signs of damage.
They are relatively cheap (compared to garage mats)

An, if you buy them online, you can get a roll delivered.

The other stuff to look for (which really is the same thing) is Ice skating rink rubber floor tiles...

The Horse Mat is the cheapest, and for a garage floor, a great solution.

It is tough enough to jack up a car, but I woul use a small piece of plywood for the jack stands, they would eventually settle into the rubber...

Rich

What's your wife doing in the garage in the first place?

Epoxy coating!

Prep is everything.

I have never painted concrete, but I've set miles of tile over it

You can rent a shot blaster to strip the smooth and stained surface off the concrete.
The machine shoots steel shot at the surface and an attached vacuum contains the dust.

Don't stand still while blasting, it will dig a hole.

The pros that do epoxy coatings use this method. It's the only way to guarantee the install.


KT

If you call Rustoleumtech line, they will tell you that they also have a commercial grade product that is a little tougher than the grade you can buy at Home Depot. I have also looked at "U-Coat-It" as an alternative. It is an epoxy coating as well.

I haven't used either one yet so I can't recommend one over another.

QUOTE

Of course first things first, get your self a piece of clear plastic tape it down (you must seal all edges to the floor) leave it there 24-48 hours and see if you get any moister trapped under it. If it has anything, then a paint coating will not hold, the water vapor will actually break the bond and cause it to peel, bubble, and lift. thats the first step before you spend a dime on any floor product.

If you pass that test then go ahaead and start surface prep, the shotblaster is by far the best method of surface prep, etching with muriatic acid next.

If you have got a good prepped surface any quality coating will last a long time.

sorry for the slight hijack, but i was going to ask a related question today, so i am going to borrow your thread

I have a 3 car garage and the 914 is parked in Bay #3. I was considering the epoxy coating, but how well do you guys think a commercial grade carpet would hold up? I was only going to use it in the 914's bay and the 914 never sees wet weather.

before you mess with any kind of acid read the material safety data info and prepare in avdance. i hate to sound like an alarmist, muratic and hydrocloric acids WILL burn and/or kill you if you're not careful. i've spent enough time on the business end of a brush washing down masonry. believe me on this one.

k

ps: too much(strong a mixture) and leaving it on too long can distroy the concrete's hard finish. once it's pourous, it soaks the up acid like a sponge. dissolving baking soda in water and going over the rinsed floor helps with neutralizing the acid. wear goggles too. one tiny drop of the acid solution in your eye, and you won't be able to get to a fresh water supply quick enough.

The carpet should hold up for a good length of time.

With the acid, I've done it, it needs to be diluted with water.
I mop it on with a rag mop.

Open the doors and have fans to keep fumes moving out.
Wear a respirator.

Let it dwell on the suface for a half an hour or so.
Use a stiff bristle brush on a long handle to agitate.

Neutralize acid with clean water several times.
Let the concrete dry for three days before coating.


KT

A company called Premier Garage came to one of our PCA meetings and brought some samples of the epoxy they use. They said something about some coatings getting marked or damaged by hot tires. Theirs is gauranteed for life and they claim that heat has not been a problem. They said it's been used in Phoenix with no issues. Their website is:

http://www.premiergarage.bz/httpdocs/index.html

If I remember correctly it was around $2000 Canadian for the standard 2 car garage. This included them doing everything from prep work to final finishing.

Painting was to much work for me I went with the Race deck, Nice thing is you have it all done in a matter of a few hours work it looks great and it has a life time guarantee. Plus you can pack it back up and always take it with you if you move.

Thanks for all the responses and links. I'm looking for something cheap I can do myself. The house is almost 20 years old and the garage floor is quite stained. Most of our guests enter through the garage so Sprucing it up a bit is the agenda.

I like the carpet idea, no chemicals/liquids to mess with, except I guess the glue to hold it down. Do the horse pads have to be glued or do they stay put on their own? How do these pads hold up to oil spills?

Thanks again.

Les,
there was a guy in my neighborhood who purchased a garage size rubber floor mat for his garage. It was ribbed for water drainage and he was able to connect two of them together to fit his garage. I do not remember the name of the company, but a google search may give you more info. "garage mat"?

QUOTE (TROJANMAN @ Mar 19 2006, 11:56 AM)

Les, there was a guy in my neighborhood who purchased a garage size rubber floor mat for his garage. It was ribbed for water drainage and he was able to connect two of them together to fit his garage. I do not remember the name of the company, but a google search may give you more info. "garage mat"?

Like this, Garage Mat?

Interesting stuff, might just be the solution, thanks.

yep!

my neighbor had the ribbed pattern. fairly inexpensive from what i remember. he cut it to size for himself.


Looking at those prices, I may do the same. Cheaper than carpet, and insulates better than paint.

The horse mats dont stain.
They get pissed/shit on alot, no problem, no smell.

They weigh 75+ lbs..so they dont move to easily..

They are 1/2 inch thick..
They come in interlocking tiles as well.

http://www.humanemfg.com/

Rich

Good idea...I sent a request for pricing and availability/shipping in my area. The red and black tile I put down looked great when new but looks terrible now.

Then I saw the link for "semen collection"....
Not gonna go there.....