Garage Floor Finish

[67 GTX]

Hello all,

I am going to have the concrete poured in my garage next week. I want to coat the floor (once it's fully cured) and was wondering what others have done.

I've heard of:
1. Smooth finish and sealing the concrete
2. Epoxy sealers
3. Polyaspartic sealers

I've gotten some quotes for an epoxy finish and most places came in at $6 to $7 per square foot. My garage is 1000 sq ft.

What has everyone done/any feedback/specific products that everyone has used?
And if people did it themselves vs had someone do it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jimbosride]

Guess it's down to what your going to do in the garage. Mine is a working garage. I drag jack stands,engine and floor jacks around with gas and oil spills.

Straight concrete with a power surface cleaner 1 to 2 times a year.

If your just parking a finished car in it there are some really nice options.

Also you may want to put plastic sheeting down before the pour after steel mesh/ rebar placement to keep the floor from sweating.

 

[dadsbee]

I could NEVER have a "pretty" floor.

 

[WileE]

What will be the garage purpose ? Simply parking the cars, or doing work/adding a lift/etc. ?

 

[OKDart]

Polished Concrete

 

[jimbosride]

Polished Concrete

I notice allot of the retail like home Depot and Walmart are going with that.

 

[Dan64]

I used a sealer on mine and I have to say that I really screwed up by doing that. It looked great at first, all shiny over the burnished and light gray dyed concrete. The problem is that oil etc gets through the sealer and than you can't get the oil stain out. I should have used some sort of epoxy or nothing at all. The concrete floors at my company shop have had tons of oil , grease, fluids on them with no coating at all and would come up like new with a quick pressure wash every other year or so. Using only kitty litter kept them looking respectable between washings. If you're only parking and polishing it's one thing but if you're using jacks and stands, cutting torches, welding etc.makes the walls look good and try not to look down. There is a website called "The Garage Journal" that may have some good ideas on the subject.

 

[493 Mike]

I used a sealer on mine and I have to say that I really screwed up by doing that. It looked great at first, all shiny over the burnished and light gray dyed concrete. The problem is that oil etc gets through the sealer and than you can't get the oil stain out. I should have used some sort of epoxy or nothing at all. The concrete floors at my company shop have had tons of oil , grease, fluids on them with no coating at all and would come up like new with a quick pressure wash every other year or so. Using only kitty litter kept them looking respectable between washings. If you're only parking and polishing it's one thing but if you're using jacks and stands, cutting torches, welding etc. Makes the walls look good and try not to look down. There is a website called "The Garage Journal" that may have some good ideas on the subject.

I will second the GJ site. I have epoxy in my parking area and we use the room for parties too. It easily cleans up. My shop floor is clear sealed concrete but, spilled gasoline will soften and raise hell with the sealer. Sparks from cutting torches and welding will/can mar any floor. Even with bare concrete. Now a sheet of plywood can stop a lot of spark damage.
Mike

 

[QuebecRollin]

I agree with everyone asking what you are using it for. i just put an addition on my shop and had to make the same decision.
My current shop has the cheep Rustoleum epoxy system from Lowes. It held up reasonably well for 20 years but its not something I would choose again. I gave the concrete months to cure and did a deep scrub then an acid etch when I put that down. It lasted in my light traffic bay but in the bay that has had over 100 engines and transmissions pulled it has a big area with no epoxy left on the floor.

My new garage bay is going to be used hard. Mopar floor pan welding, rear ends, engines, trans, suspension parts, etc.
I looked at epoxy with a polyuria top coat which is an excellent option in a light to medium use environment. It would look beautiful but it just wont last in my situation.
Polishing and impregnating sealers look nice if you have a machine finished floor to begin with but they will dust and wear over time.

I ended up choosing Hellfire Coating for my application. It will not burn with grinding or weld splatter, gives an eggshell concrete color and is extremely resilient. It is also easier to apply and far less expensive then a multi-process epoxy system.

HellFire® Concrete Coating | Legacy Industrial

www.legacyindustrial.co

 

[BSB67]

I did polyaspartic coating two years ago. My biggest disappointment is the inconsistent sheen. From like a satin to semi-gloss. Don’t notice it with overhead lighting, but do with reflective light from doors and windows. I don’t know if it’s the nature of the product, skimping on the top coat, or in the application itself.

It seems durable. If I’m in the garage, I’m usually spilling something, and not just automotive fluids. Nothing seems to bother it. Everything wipes up without a trace.

It has some texture, and not slippery when wet. It’s light reflective and brightens up the garage. It’s hard to find small stuff when dropped.

I would do it again over doing nothing, or grinding/polishing, but would explore other coatings.

 

[guy gadbois]

I used a two staged epoxy ( from Anchor Paint ) and it has held up well. The original coating went 20 years w/o looking sad or getting thin, and I was working out there a bit and trying to support a race car, so floor jacks and jack stands were a regular stressor. Wiped up easily and petrochemicals didnt seem to faze it. (I might add that the 're-do' isnt holding up as well and Im not out there much any more; just like everything else, it ain't near as good as it usta be...)
You're miles ahead starting with clean concrete. Even with that, clean the dickens out of it first - this is imperative from what I know of it. Start early of a morning as it will take longer than you think; brush it your edges and then start the open expanse. Be careful what material you use in the roller [if you use one - it does make it easier] so the roller doesnt come apart and leave chunks... don't ask me how I know. Let the finished product sit/dry for at least 3 days. The longer the better.
I've done the epoxy paint 3 times and recommend it; looks nice and makes clean ups very easy. Doesn't stain. Mine has never looked as nice as 493Mike's above, but still looks a lot better than oil stained concrete. I have no experience with some of the newer stuff personally, but some shows some real promise I think. An acquaintance just put down - actually had put down - some of the new 'polyspartic' I think its called stuff and it is gorgeous. Has a unique 'feel' to it also, but I would guess it won't hold up under a lot of use; of course, what do i know? It's supposed to be long-lived and tough. His garage is basically a 'showroom'. Will look into it further myself for 'the next time'.
Just be sure to use the 'Industrial/Commercial' stuff as opposed to the 'homeowner' grade which is designed to paint your back porch. I would recommend considering throwing in a bunch of those 'chips' - little flakes' - tho to give the surface some irregularity. If you live in an area of high humidity, the floor can get pretty slick sometimes and I think those will help.
Have fun!

 

[SlingLow]

I could NEVER have a "pretty" floor.
View attachment 1832481

Don't need one. Plenty to look at there...

 

[SGTPaul]

I work in the building industry. Polished concrete is super durable and low maintenance. But with only 1,000 sf you might be too small of a job to get a contractor to come out and polish. Concrete for polishing needs to be placed really flat to get it to come out correct or they will be grinding forever. Sealed concrete doesn't offer much protection, just seals the concrete and helps keep the dust from coming out of the concrete and some mild stain protection. Easier to sweep. Most can be reapplied over time as it wears off. Epoxy looks nice but can be gouged or scraped off / damaged in an active garage. Epoxy should be applied by a pro IMO. Good products require a certain level of grinding and or acid wash to get the stuff to stick to the concrete. Can't just apply over a trowel finish if you want it to last. As others have said it all comes down to how you are using the space. Drop me a PM if you want to discuss more specifics.

 

[Coronet_Arch]

Decide on the product before the concrete is poured. The manufacturer of the coating will have some recommendations on surface finishes and mixes for correct adhesion of the product to the concrete. A good vapor barrier, usually 6 mil plastic, is probably needed because moisture from below the slab can cause the finish to fail if it is not a breathable finish.

 

[zyzzyx]

Just a note. If you come flying into your garage on your Motorcycle with a "Slick" floor, you'll fall on your Kiester!
Polished and sealed would be my cost effective way to deal with one thousand square feet!

 

[MarPar]

Just a note. If you come flying into your garage on your Motorcycle with a "Slick" floor, you'll fall on your Kiester!
Polished and sealed would be my cost effective way to deal with one thousand square feet!

Speaking from experience, Paulie??

 

[zyzzyx]

YES!

 

[MarPar]

YES!

 

[67 GTX]

Thanks guys!
To answer what the space will be used for, mainly parking but I will be doing maintenance and things like that in the space. Won't be doing dozens of engines, but basic maintenance with jacks and jack stands will occur. Probably just a few engine builds at most.

I do plan on putting a 4 post lift in there as well at some point.

I am having a vapor barrier installed as well.

When I talked to the people who prepped my site for concrete, I was told that day of the pour, to let them know what kind of finish I want. Smooth or slightly rough, as epoxy wants the rough.

Interesting on the acid etching. My plan is to have nothing but minimal foot traffic in the garage until it's coated. No cars at all to minimize the chance of any oil hitting the concrete.

 

[QuebecRollin]

Regardless of what type of finish you put on the floor I would not suggest laying it down without prepping the concrete.
Keeping it clean until you coat it is the right thing to do but it doesn’t mean there will be no prep.
Either an Acid etch or machine abrasion is going to be needed for most coating systems.
Also, be very sure the moisture level in the concrete and the relative humidity is in range for the specified coating.
Good prep makes all the difference, much like painting a car.