Rust-Oleum floor epoxy question

[Kent Parker]

Rust-oleum makes four epoxy floor coating systems that I am aware of and I am considering one for the shop floor.

Their "Garage floor coating" is a water based epoxy with their claim that it will not lift under a "hot" tire. I guess that means the weight of a car doing dounuts??
Prep work for the concrete is a combination of Simple Green to get out the grease (if it exsists) and then a mild citric acid that comes with the kit.

I'm liking this as it appears to be a hard floor coating that does not require Muriatic acid to prep the cement. Scared to death of that stuff. We use it a lot in the boat yards to clean propellers of growth. If you don't hose off the ground under the prop, there goes to asphalt.....

I unfortunately have to paint the floor with my tools in the shop :( Too much weight to move out, so I'll push it all over to one side, paint one half of the floor and repeat after the paint cures.

Anyone out there use Rust Oleum's "Garage Floor Coating"???

KP

[Jeff Sudmeier]

KP,

I can't help on the durability of the garage floor coating, but I can tell you that it really isn't that bad painting one half of a shop at a time. We did it in my dad's shop and it actually worked quite well. Being careful to keep paint off of the tools is important but not impossible.

[Tom Seaman]

Kent,

I put this on my new garage floor about 2 years ago. I did just as you are planning - moved all my stuff to one side, cleaned and painted, then let cure. When it was dry I moved all my stuff to the other side, put up a barrier of plastic sheeting to keep my tools and new floor dry when I cleaned the other side. I had an expansion slot down the center for an easy start/stop point. I chose not to use the paint chips included, and it does get slippery when wet or covered in sawdust.

As for durability, I don't put the cars in there (have to thank my wife for giving me full reign of the 'workshop' :) ). But, I've dropped and dragged many things on it and it has yet to show any signs of wear. It seems very strong, with a good bond to the concrete. I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.

Tom

[Terry Hatfield]

Kent,

I've had it in my shop for a couple of years. It has perfromed very well. I do ocassionally have vehicles, riding lawnmowers etc.. in there and there has been no problems at all. I highly recommend it.

I did move all my stuff out except for the bench and the monster wood stove. It was a ton of work but it sure looks nice.

Terry

[Cecil Arnold]

I've used it on two shop floors and found it to be about as good as you can find in a consumer applied finish. I have had it chip when some glues and epoxies get spilled, but the concrete comes up with the finish so it must be a concerte failure and not a finish failure. I did have some slight loss when I used it in a garage shop and the wife parked on it, but it was not much and that may be attributed to not cleaning the surface well before application.

[William Lai]

Tom: Are the "paint chips" the little specks that you see in the finished floor? I love the idea of the epoxy finish, but have always hated those little specks. If I can just leave them out and have a uniform gray floor, I'd definitely go for it in my garage/shop.


Kent,

I put this on my new garage floor about 2 years ago. I did just as you are planning - moved all my stuff to one side, cleaned and painted, then let cure. When it was dry I moved all my stuff to the other side, put up a barrier of plastic sheeting to keep my tools and new floor dry when I cleaned the other side. I had an expansion slot down the center for an easy start/stop point. I chose not to use the paint chips included, and it does get slippery when wet or covered in sawdust.

As for durability, I don't put the cars in there (have to thank my wife for giving me full reign of the 'workshop' :) ). But, I've dropped and dragged many things on it and it has yet to show any signs of wear. It seems very strong, with a good bond to the concrete. I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.

Tom

[Tom Seaman]

William,

Yes, the paint chips are the colored flecks in the picture on the box. They come in a separate bag, so you can leave them out. I'm not sure if they are supposed to be decorative or add traction. I don't care for that look either, and since the shop floor isn't usually wet, I left them out. I've attached a pic of what mine looks like. Pardon the mess - hooking up my dust collection is the next thing on my project list!

[Tom Seaman]

Second try on the photo....

[Bob Wilkerson]

Like Terry I used the EpoxiShield water based finish on my floor 4 years ago(before Rustoleum bought them). I'm quite happy with it and would use it again. I did throw the flakes into mine to make it less slippery and help hide dust....

Bob Wilkerson
Richmond, VA

http://www.rgwjr.com/woodworking/ww%20images/ShopFloor.jpg

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I like the flakes:) If I ever do this in my shop, I will probably throw them in...

[Terry Hatfield]

I liked the flakes as well. They help with the slickness as Bob said. They also help hide imperfections in the concrete. Only thing is that if you drop a little black screw you have to crawl on the floor and feel for it...well...at least I do. :D

t

[Bill Fellmy]

I have had this product on my garage floor for one and a half years and it still looks new. It is much easier to sweep than bare concrete. BTW, I used the light tan color and the paint chips which, I think, are decorative only. 2 kits at $50 apiece covered 520 sq ft.