Ideas to protect a new cement floor

[dean from bozeman]

I'm just about ready to move from my two car garage into my new shop. It is important that I protect the new concrete from oil, gas and other liquids. What products have you folks used successfully (and unsuccessfully) to protect your concrete.

I did a search on Fordbarn and found a thread from the V-8 site that was from 2010. The best suggestion in that thread seemed to be a vapor barrier under the concrete and a relatively inexpensive paint product from Rustoleum on top.

This floor needs to be protected because the future use of the building will be to hold meetings, events, etc. similar to our barn (1915barn.com).

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Dean

[Ed Saniewski]

Benjamin Moore makes a floor paint that I used and it has held up fairly well these past 8 years. The trick is to prep the floor before with an acid wash. The other route is to have a Quartz epoxy floor installed professionally, but this can get a little pricey. Beside the easy clean up of spills, the paint keeps the concrete dust down to zero.

[1929]

Don't use any cheap floor paint from Lowes or Home Depot. I have a friend who had to order good epoxy paint online, but I was told the good stuff is expensive. I know they also say that you have to let the new concrete cure before you do anything, some sealers say 60 days, or depending how thick the floor is. I have to rent a floor sander and remove all the paint, and do mine over, but this time I will pay more for better paint.

[Joe K]

You may want to think about an impermeable oil/grease barrier on top of the concrete.

I used a commercial "sealant" on my concrete floor surface to prevent oil staining. I think it a sodium silicate (water glass) solution - but the effect would be the same no matter the sealant.

Here in Cow Hampshire we're plagued with a relatively cold winter and spring, and then a sudden change to summer heat & humidity around May 15th.

Typically I have issues with the cold cement floor in my garage "condensing" moisture from the air - and its worst for a month at the end of May, and finally, by August 15 or so, eases off.

Beads/droplets of water are condensed on the cold concrete. And kept on the surface by the sealant. Solutions I've explored include either a.) close the garage doors entirely on humid days and try to keep the moisture laden air out or b.) open the doors at the earliest opportunity and keep them open the entire summer.

There is no good solution.

And here's the REAL problem: condensation on the floor makes it "slippery." Like goose-grease underfoot. I've had some near accidents slipping on the floor.

Not to mention the standing moisture tends to rust any metal kept or stored within the garage. I've mentioned the 26K original miles AA truck rolling chassis which after a couple of years storage in the garage had peeled all the original paint and left black linear "piles" of paint peelings and rust on the floor. I sold the chassis rather than pursue the project due to lack of time.

I've often thought given what I know of these floor sealants would I use it again?

I think not - I'd rather have damp concrete floors. At least they're not THAT slippery.

Look to what others have done in your neighborhood and ask about floor condensation particularly.

Joe K

[Growley bear]

I use what I refer to as a Model A blotter/a large sheet of cardboard under the car. Highly absorbent, very effective, usually free, and it fits all Model A's.

[Jim Mason]

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On the shop up north, I used a two part paint. two coats with a ground glass 'sand' in the top coat. Still a little slippery but looks good.
The shop I'm in now has a sealer, is slippery and already stained. also the cement took the sealer at different rates and is blotchy.
Ymmv jim

[JohnLaVoy]

We have used the epoxy floor sealer and it has worked great. You can easily clean up any oil spills, it won't soak into the concrete.

[goodoldvic]

Epoxy floor paint, I used the Sherwin-Williams products epoxy floor coatings when I lived in Ga and now back in NJ, Ive had no hot tire lift, oil grease wipe right off the floor. Prep it right and your floor will perform Good stuff Good luck

[johnneilson]

One thing to think about, most epoxy floor kits contain texture or speckled chips to make the floor more appealing. It may look nice, but don't drop any small parts or fasteners, it is a bear to find them.
John

[Y-Blockhead]

Dean, you may want to consult the fellas over on the Garage Journal http://www.garagejournal.com, one of the sister publications of The Ford Barn.

[katy]

Just "paint" the floor w/used oil and then it all looks the same and future oil spills will just blend right in.

[P.S.]

Dean,

I used the epoxy floor paint (minus the sprinkles) on mine. Nothing auto related stains it. Only stains I have are from centipedes that crawled in and died and their internal juices leave a stain, but you can sand it out and repaint.

You can drag a floor jack across it, no damage. since the epoxy is so smooth and pore-free, I use a commercial grade dry mop, like the grocery stores use, for routine dust pickup. Works great! in the summer, I can work in the shop in bare feet and stay cool.

Don't be afraid to put it on thick. Since it is a 2-part epoxy, it will still set up just fine. Places where I put it down thick have held up perfectly, while some of the thin spots don't allow me to sand out damage from dropped sharp tools without reapplying some paint.

If your Model A drips on the floor, it wipes right off with a rag or paper towel and leaves no stain. In the photo, you can see where I dry mopped before parking the car and where I didn't.

[100IH]

Never saw a painted floor last for ever, regardless of how high-tec the product. Repairs must be done before oil hits the damaged spot before it is compromised. I almost can"t fault the method of coating with something that is oil based and absorbed into the slab. The consideration might really be; is the area going to be a display area or a heavy duty work area?

[redmodelt]

After you do the floor, use drip pans under the cars, front and rear (so any oil traveling along the drive shaft tube will have a place to drip to)

[RawhideKid]

...

[Marvin/TN]

I have used my shop for more than 40 years and it is still pretty much oil stain free. What I do when oil gets spilled or leaks is to use something like mineral spirits, pour a small amount on the oil spots, scrub the spots with a straw broom, and put an abundance or oil dry on the spot. Leave it for awhile and sweep it up and put it back in a can with a lid on it for future use. It will pull the oil out of the concrete. floor jacks with metal wheels are hard on painted floors what ever kind of coating it used. Another option is to dye the concrete when it is being poured and finished.

[Mark in MT]

If you have enough tools, parts, and cars in the shop, you can't see the floor.

[Hicktick]

Go over to the Garage Journal .com , They have a whole section on floors .
I go over there just to see some of the garages being built , you cant hide money .



,,,

[Mike V. Florida]

I used the epoxy paint and now I add to that these,

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...80176/10002/-1

[TerryH]

I had my garage epoxy coated about 14 years ago, and it was professionally done. I do remember they tested the moisture content of the cement, and commented they wouldn't apply the product above a certain level.
The coating still looks great and has not deteriorated to any extent. Besides being very easy to wipe up on, it also sweeps very easily. I will never have another garage floor without it.