Questions/recommendations on painting my garage floor

[fknhippie]

My garage used to be the machine shop on the farm, I need to replace the entire floor.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

How does it do with drainage? Think it would lay flat on a pitched floor so a drain hole could be cut?

Well, if it has grooves you install them pointed at the door. If there's a lot of water you could sweep it out but just blowing it out the door with a leaf blower is easiest. I only had to do that a couple times when both cars were parked out of the pouring rain. But I have 2 ceiling fans in the garage and everything dries really quickly.

The vinyl sheet gets glued right to the floor. So, no water gets underneath and it just becomes the floor.

If you're slaughtering cattle or something in the garage, you might wanna install a drain in the middle.

 

[Peter Gozintite]

I was a union painter for a number of years, and i have painted concrete floors more times than i would like to have. If it has already had a sealant applied, you are kind of screwed. Especially if it was done shitty and wasnt prepped properly. It may be worth it to rent a floor sander and just grind a layer off.

In my experience, etching a floor means nothing if there are any oils on the concrete. Acid/water will bead up and roll off of these oily surfaces. I like to ensure that there is no oil by either using a heavy degreasing detergent, or a solvent (Paint thinner/Laquer thinner) before acid etching.

After acid etching, you should neutralize the acid with a TSP substitute, since they no longer sell TSP.

Allow the concrete to dry thoroughly, at least 48 hours. You will have a perfect sponge for the paint to soak into, and the surface will never peel. Plan on doing two coats. The fist coat will soak into the top layer and you will not get the desired results with one coat.

Clear coat with something that is not only durable, but UV rated.

 

[Gooch1034]

Well, if it has grooves you install them pointed at the door. If there's a lot of water you could sweep it out but just blowing it out the door with a leaf blower is easiest. I only had to do that a couple times when both cars were parked out of the pouring rain. But I have 2 ceiling fans in the garage and everything dries really quickly.

The vinyl sheet gets glued right to the floor. So, no water gets underneath and it just becomes the floor.

If you're slaughtering cattle or something in the garage, you might wanna install a drain in the middle.

lol I actually do butcher cattle/fish/chicken, etc in my garage during the winter months. They are dead before I get them though and having a floor like that would be way more sanitary.

Good stuff! Talked with the wife about it last night and she pretended to care so that means I am going to do this however I feel like doing it now.

Thanks for the help/suggestions guys!

 

[JuiceTheGator]

^ Cool. The stuff I glued-down a few years ago has little grooves in it and I ran them toward the big door. I really like it because when something spills, it follows the groove instead of spreading all over. The '73 mustang had a steering leak for awhile and instead of it making a big, slippery mess, it just followed that groove for easy clean-up.

Just make sure to glue the hell outta' the floor so you don't have any high spots and get the edges really good so no skank can get under the edge.

 

[Gooch1034]

^ Cool. The stuff I glued-down a few years ago has little grooves in it and I ran them toward the big door. I really like it because when something spills, it follows the groove instead of spreading all over. The '73 mustang had a steering leak for awhile and instead of it making a big, slippery mess, it just followed that groove for easy clean-up.

Just make sure to glue the hell outta' the floor so you don't have any high spots and get the edges really good so no skank can get under the edge.

Yes the grooves sound way better than smooth. Cant remember if you said it already or not but whats your opinion on how the glue would do on the sealed concrete? Think an etching would still be necessary?

 

[JohnRandle]

Don't go cheap, don't cut corners, and read everything before you even start. Yes you need to etch it. if you think it is slick now, wait until you have a good coat. You can get a textured material to help, though. You might think about that. Mine is still sealed from the builder, and that thing is slick as snot any time it rains. Not sure you can avoid the slick, but if you put flakes in there it will help the look and the slipperyness.

You can mix silica sand in the sealer or epoxy, it's invisible to the eye, but you can definitely tell it's there.
I use it on all my decorative concrete jobs.

 

[JohnRandle]

This is the product I use.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Yes the grooves sound way better than smooth. Cant remember if you said it already or not but whats your opinion on how the glue would do on the sealed concrete? Think an etching would still be necessary?

Nah...it'll stick. I probably had about 5 coats of stain on my floor in various levels of peeling off. I just swept it, hosed it, let it dry during the week and then glued it all the next Saturday. That shit is down good.
Even when my goofy wife turns the wheel while parked in the garage, it doesn't even budge under the tire. If that won't fuck it up, nothing will.

After I troweled down the glue and rolled the vinyl out over it, I rolled a dry paint roller over to apply even pressure. If you step on it before it's dry, it'll be all fucked-up as the glue smooshes out of that spot.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

My neighbor is a lawyer from RI and he's not very smart. He just put down this black channeled stuff like mine from the big pumpkin. But he had someone glue it down for him and he put it in sideways instead of the channels pointing toward the door. I'd like to know how he plans on ever sweeping anything out the damned door with the grooves running the other way?! I had to laugh...looks nice though.

HDX 10 ft. Wide Channel Black Vinyl Universal Flooring Your Choice Length-HX55RB10X1MB at The Home Depot