what paint/epoxy you guys use

[earthmover]

going to do the shop floor soon and want to put down a good paint or epoxy that's not going to break the back..lol what have you guys use that works and last....(hey bob what you use on the shop floor??)rayer:rayer:rayer:

 

[bighammer]

If you want to add color, you will need to use an epoxy, not paint - not even "floor paint" as it will not hold up well.

What I used is called "Cure & Harden" or something like that. It is not a film forming product, it soaks down into your concrete and literally hardens the surface by many times over. It is a clear liquid, comes in a 5 gallon bucket, easy to apply. I did my showroom floor with it. We literally drag wood stoves across it with no damage at all. In the warehouse I did not use it, when we drag or slide a stove, the legs literally plow across the top of the concrete, creating a dusty scrape.

I think the product also blocks stains, but not sure, worth checking into. I will definitely be using it on every slab I do in the future.

 

[bighammer]

BTW, if you didn't use a vapor barrier under the slab, not even epoxy will work. Be sure to use a vapor permeable product, whatever you decide. Otherwise you will have unsightly de-laminating and bubbles peeling up constantly.

 

[Fast01]

I used Rock Solid Floors to do my garage. Despite the slab being 56 years old and looking like it was trowled with a garden rake, I think it looks pretty nice. It's only been down a few months, but I've been dragging a 900lb. mill and a 1200lb lathe around without any obvious damage. I'll get some pics up as soon as I can.

Also, proper surface prep really is the key. Given the age of my slab and all of the God knows what that got all over the concrete over the years, I rented a grinding machine and mechanically prepped the surface. This caused me to need 1 whole extra kit more that I would have otherwise, but I really didn't want to go through the time and expense only to have the stuff lift and peel! All in all, I'm happy with the product and the results. I had Menard's drop ship it to me because they had the best price ($99) and the closest location to me is 13 hours away! They were great to deal with!

 

[limelite70]

www.ucoatit.com

 

[Fast01]

It's been a while, but here's some pics of the shop and the floor that is 57 years old and in horrendous shape. Despite the prep work it required and the fact that it looks like it was troweled with a garden rake, I think it looks pretty good!