Garage floor

[47p2]

This week I've been preparing the garage floor. The concrete has been down for about 7 months now and is unsealed so it's really dusty. My original plan was to polish it and clear coat it, but I think it will be too dark in colour so I have decided that I will use a 2 pack epoxy paint on it.

This however doesn't let me off with grinding it down to remove the latience (fine particles of cement floated to the surface during finishing) (the list of things I've learned with this project is getting longer by the day) which was causing most of the dust and was starting to break up and leave pitting and more dust. On Monday I hired an electric carborundum grinder and made a start, The top layer came off easily and as long as I swept up often there wasn't too much mess.
On Tuesday I hired a concrete planer to get into the edges, it looks like an angle grinder with a sole plate and has a cupped diamond tipped blade. This was the monster from hell, the dust was everywhere, thick to the point it choked my mask and I had to vacate the garage on several occasions just to breath, not a nice job.
On Wednesday I started on the floor again, using medium carborundum stones and I have to say that this will be as smooth as I will be going as the 2 pack epoxy paint will need something to adhere to. I am just at the stage where the aggregate is starting to polish up. The edges and corners still have to be finished off by hand and for this I will use the carborundum stones to tidy it up.



Here are a few pictures I took on Wednesday

I knew the ramp would come in handy

This is the aggregate showing through.

and outside on Wednesday

I called a few companied who do concrete floors and was quoted £1500-£3000 for the work, depending on what was involved and I will hazard a guess it would be nearer £3k.
Doing it myself for the cost of hiring the equipment and the 2 pack epoxy undercoat and top coats it will cost me less than £600, so quite a saving. I have to say though, it's a heck of a lot harder to do than I ever imagined.

On Thursday I finished grinding the floor. Edges and corners tidied up by hand using a medium stone and the floor has been hosed down to remove the dust. Now I need to wait on it drying out and also for some slightly warmer weather before applying the epoxy coating

 

[television]

What a beautiful garage you do not need a house with a garage like that

 

[Mic]

An excellent and meticulous job which I would not spoil with an epoxy paint.....they are not good enough and the finish will not last.....I have found out the hard way. We have since been using a different epoxy material applied using a ''wiper blade'' and which leaves a high gloss finish which is durable, easy to sweep and keep clean.

Had you considered porcelain tiles?

Mic

 

[television]

The coating used in all new warehouses seems to last even floors in B & Q

 

[BarryF]

The secret with flooring coating is take your time and apply with care. We used to do Daewoo garages all over the South. When you have applied the epoxy finish you can put down a couple of sealer coats to maintain it. When they wear a bit they are easy to either remove and reapply or just touch up. Barry

 

[47p2]

An excellent and meticulous job which I would not spoil with an epoxy paint.....they are not good enough and the finish will not last.....I have found out the hard way. We have since been using a different epoxy material applied using a ''wiper blade'' and which leaves a high gloss finish which is durable, easy to sweep and keep clean.

Had you considered porcelain tiles?

Mic

You raise the points that are going through my head at the moment Mic. I have looked at a few clear coat products and it gets more confusing the more I look. I have however singled out this product but if you can recommend another I would be happy to take your advice.

Tiles are way over my budget. I have a contact who recommended quarry tiles and just to buy the tiles was over £3k

 

[47p2]

The coating used in all new warehouses seems to last even floors in B & Q

What you don't see Malcolm is B&Q spend a lot of time and money maintaining their floors.

My original plan was to polish the floor to B&Q standards, but thinking about it, too much effort and time would be involved in maintaining it

 

[47p2]

I've just been out to the garage this morning and the floor is drying out nicely. I really do fancy the clear coat finish if anyone can recommend the 'right' product

Here is the floor today

 

[BarryF]

Hi Maintaining your floor to the same as B & Q standards is easy. All you need is a buffing machine with a red or white pad. You can spray buff your floor in around 10 mins every few days if necessary. Tyre marks etc come straight out. You can pick up 2nd hand machines on eBay for very little. Like everything else in life if you have the right tools the job is easy. I am sure whichever way you go you will end up with a nice finish. Good Luck Barry

 

[television]

I will not look at this post any more, as I am green with envy

 

[47p2]

I will not look at this post any more, as I am green with envy

Just how good would the Sl500 look sitting in there Malcolm ;-)

 

[television]

Just how good would the Sl500 look sitting in there Malcolm ;-)

Sorry I am not following this thread

 

[47p2]

Sorry I am not following this thread

I thought you weren't even going to look again

 

[television]

I thought you weren't even going to look again

I am not, my eeyss are clossseed so sorry four any speleling mstkses

 

[Chrishazle]

Malcolm, you're not the only one with green eyes looking at this project. At our old home I lived for 15 years with a carport before getting my 20ft wide 26ft deep garage built - 16ft single front opening with remote control roller shutter door, inspection pit across the back, painted floor, loads of light (natural and artificial), power, water - 7 years later we downsized, I now have just a single garage I can just get the Porsche into - but not enough space to work on it, and not enough space to enlarge the garage. Boy do I miss what I had! Trying to do anything on either car on the front driveway just isn't the same, hence my local garage getting work from me even though I have all the tools to do things myself.

 

[television]

Malcolm, you're not the only one with green eyes looking at this project. At our old home I lived for 15 years with a carport before getting my 20ft wide 26ft deep garage built - 16ft single front opening with remote control roller shutter door, inspection pit across the back, painted floor, loads of light (natural and artificial), power, water - 7 years later we downsized, I now have just a single garage I can just get the Porsche into - but not enough space to work on it, and not enough space to enlarge the garage. Boy do I miss what I had! Trying to do anything on either car on the front driveway just isn't the same, hence my local garage getting work from me even though I have all the tools to do things myself.

Thanks Chris, I had a barn and 5 garages back in the 80's and now I can do little work on the car in what I have now.

The only consolation is that would I have the energy now to maintain that place any more, it was the 1 acre of lawn that put me off, and my wives telling me that i loved the cars more than them

 

[BarryF]

Hey Malcolm Some women seem really touchy ! Barry

 

[Mic]

You raise the points that are going through my head at the moment Mic. I have looked at a few clear coat products and it gets more confusing the more I look. I have however singled out this product but if you can recommend another I would be happy to take your advice.

Tiles are way over my budget. I have a contact who recommended quarry tiles and just to buy the tiles was over £3k

We do not know the product on your link and are always reluctant to make recommendations but have a chat with Flowcrete UK Ltd. We have used their product to great effect....Flowfast....I think.

Mic

 

[47p2]

Thanks Mic, I've contacted Flowcrete and they are sending me some product details of what they recommend

 

[Dosco]

Tand my wives telling me that i loved the cars more than them

I would call that being sensible:-D:-D