cdail28590

iTrader: (2)

My new shop is being built this week and I am going to epoxy coat the floors. Everything says I need to etch the concrete prior to painting the floor. The problem I have is that I don't have water yet at the shop and it will be a while before I get water there. The etching process has be kept watered and then thoroughly rinsed afterwards. If I had water at the location I wouldn't be asking but do you really think I need to etch the concrete? It is new concrete and has no oils or stains on it and I want to paint before I put anything in the shop because once you start putting stuff in you don't want to take it out.

low_psi

Yes you MUSt etch. You don't have to chemically etch, you can rent a machine that will shot peen the floor, but just like painting a car or boat, you need a prepped surface in order for the paint, or in this case epoxy to grab on to. Also make sure your concrete has completly cured and is dry. Test by taping some clear plastic to a few spots on the floor. If you see any moisture under the plastic, your not dry...

Also just a suggestion, go with a high solids epoxy. Stay away from the low solids kits available at home improvement stores and skip the water based ones as well. I used Devoe Floor coatings High Solids and couldn't be happier.

For a ton of information visit this forum, http://garagejournal.com/forum/ All of your question will be answered.

here is a shot of my floor (25x25):


A list of what I used:
Here is a list of what I used:

(3) 2 gallon kits Devran 224HS (can be tinted to any color) $40/gallon
(1) 1 gallon kit Devthane 379UVA Clear Urethane $75
(1) Gallon of Xylol (for thinning of 1st coat and clean up) $10
(3) 5 gallon buckets (for mixing of epoxy)
(1) Paint/plaster Drill Mixer (you can not mix this stuff by hand)
(3) 1/4 nap shed resistant rollers
(1) 4" Chip Brush (for small areas and cut in)
(1) 5 lb Color Flakes
(3) Gallon Muratic Acid

cdail28590

iTrader: (2)

My brother in law has a 1,000 gallon water tank he is going to let me use, so I am going to chemically etch it this week and hopefully paint it this weekend.

tcelano

+1 on the prep. I finally finished mine. (5000 ft^2)

I used the Devran 224hs (2 coats) and Devthane 379uv as well. Pretty happy with the products, and I was able to get wholesale on them. I got 60 gal epoxy color mixed and 27 gal urethane all for just over $3000. Definitely use the T10 thinner on at least the first coat, as it seems to make it easier to work and penetrate into the concrete a little.

Totally agree on the power mixer. The part A is pretty liquid, but the part B starts off like peanut butter. I run the drill in all the part B buckets I am going to use first before mixing to get it moving.

I used the spike shoes for both coats of epoxy so you can walk wherever you want. You can't use them for the urethane though as they will hack up the not yet totally hardened epoxy, so you just have to be smarter with that stuff.

Use breathing protection for both products. The urethane especially reeks. These are not your toy home depot chemicals...

paintman

agree with the shot peen or another method is grinding wheel, basically a larger orbital buffer with diamond sanding wheel attcached- both of theses methods will leave a profile for epoxy coating to adhere to. one concern with the chemical etching is if you dont remove it all it ewill raise the ph level in concrete and ultimately cause probs down the road.

and +1on using a 100% solid epoxy, most of the big guys carry an industrial line of coatings ppg, sherwin etc

lightning jet

We rented a grinder for this job and used a lot of water......http://www.youtube.com/user/lightnin...29/hfr-OW5yMsM