My new shop

[Stielow]

OK guys I usually don't ask for help but I'm at a loss on my new car shop on what to do with the floor. My last shop had U-Coat it floor paint and it lasted about a year then started to pull up.

My shop is 45 by 45 and I'm finishing half of it so 45 X 23 approx. It is 10 year of concrete in great shape 6 inches thick.

So do I:

• Epoxy coat myself
  Hire a guy to do the Epoxy coat
  Tile
  Stain
  Seal coat
  Leave it raw

I want it nice but I don't want to kill my budget.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

My .02 is that I'd love to have some sort of tile. It's a pain always having to worry about fluid spills and soaking them up so they don't stain the floor. Tiles just clean up so easily and they look great. I'm sure epoxy is similar in respect to clean up but the nice thing about tiles is that if you break one you can just replace it instead of having to fill that chip in your floor caused by a large falling metal object.

So, my vote is for some sort of tile and to get enough extras that you can replace anything that get's damaged in the future.

[SSLance]

My two choices would be to leave it raw or have a reputable commercial company epoxy coat it. You'll just be disappointed in any of the other choices, especially if you use the shop for anything other than just parking in.

[Ketzer]

My opinion, only a clean assembly area or parking only area would be epoxied. Done by a pro with a warranty. I've tried several DIY products and unless you really baby them, they don't last. Once they get a gouge or two, they are shot and you are disgusted.

An area for actually building, grinding, welding, moving jacks and stands around a lot, would be bare concrete or maybe just a clear sealer like I did in my shop. (works great, touches up easy)



Jeff-

[Sieg]

Mark - After 36+ years in the flooring business and knowing how you USE a shop I'd leave it natural.

If you want to keep it looking nice with all the money you'll save on applying a formal finish go out and buy a 17" commercial polisher/buffer, scotchbrite pads, floor squeegee, and a ph neutral cleaner. Deep clean it once or twice a year and in between you can damp mop and spray buff it with a low build sealer/polish.

Find a good janitorial supply house in your area and go talk with them about equipment and products.

Just damp mopping and spray buffing with the buffer will result in a clean looking floor with a nice natural patina.

With any formal finish I've seen (residential & commercial) you'll have staining, chipping, scratching, lifting due to contamination or moisture, and burning from welding. In your case you have an existing slab and contamination, likely no company with experience will warranty the coating......maybe if the acid wash and bead-blast it first. They look nice but for how long and how much effort.

Besides I've never paid attention to the floors in your pictures and I was in the business.

Here's a site for quick online reference (No experience with them) http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/ja...lFloorMachines

[Revved]

I left mine bare because I've worked in enough shops were it was painted and it never lasts and would drive my OCD crazy! My wife has tried to talk me into it so many times. When I had the foundation poured I had them smooth it but not polish it so it doesn't get slick when wet. Yes, you will see stains....I'm good about cleaning things up as soon as they happen but it is a working shop.

Going back to the working shop theory I would also not do tile. It will become an issue rolling anything on a jack. Jack wheels will mar it and leave marks. Anything will small wheels (Engine dolly, roller stool, creeper) will catch in the grooves and if not bend wheels it will just be an annoyance.

Does anyone know how flooring like Racedeck holds up to the pressure of floor jacks or tranny jacks with weight on them?

[Motime]

I stained mine. It's inexpensive and easy to install. Most fluid spills clean right up. It does not stand up to brake fluid and other caustic chemicals though.

[gray776]

Well I did my garage with the rustoleum 2 part epoxy. It looks very nice and holds up well to most things, except for welding, etc. It certainly hasn't had a problem with adhesion. I like the look and certainly fits the budget as well as easily can be recoated.

I had a friend do a commercial epoxy floor, and while it was maybe slightly stronger, they had to redo it a few times because it never matched(gloss/color/etc) and still doesn't. It wasn't cheap.

I don't have any experience with anything else other than raw, which I certainly wouldn't do.

BTW, I introduced myself at B-J over the weekend, but you were busy with the Z28. Enjoy watching your builds.

Jason

[Solid LT1]

Originally Posted by gray776

Well I did my garage with the rustoleum 2 part epoxy. It looks very nice and holds up well to most things, except for welding, etc. It certainly hasn't had a problem with adhesion. I like the look and certainly fits the budget as well as easily can be recoated.

I had a friend do a commercial epoxy floor, and while it was maybe slightly stronger, they had to redo it a few times because it never matched(gloss/color/etc) and still doesn't. It wasn't cheap.

I don't have any experience with anything else other than raw, which I certainly wouldn't do.

BTW, I introduced myself at B-J over the weekend, but you were busy with the Z28. Enjoy watching your builds.

Jason

I agree I did self applied grey Rustoleum 2part epoxy from WW Graingers supply and it's pretty bulletproof if the concrete is properly prepped. I even had a brake master cylinder leak brake fluid on it which was undetected for about 2 weeks and it didn't hurt the coating on the floor.