The company I work for(Spartan) offers a line of concrete finishing products. All are petrol based epoxy, two parts mixed, acid etch is necessary for good adhesion, finish is smooth and slick, not a paint, used by top end auto companies for their brochures, so not cheap, or maybe even available except through our distributer in your area. Colors are white,grey,off white,black, and also a clear, and it does last(will not peel) as long as surface is prepared correctly..Will send info on Diago distributors if interested..Ted.

 

I have now painted three concrete floors with good results. Preparation is key. Any loose material and contaminants are removed with MEK and scraping tools. Rough spots are then ground down. Next we scrub the floor with muriatic acid and rinse clean with water. After thorough drying we apply a sealer primer. Within 24 hours a 2-part catalyzed epoxy paint is applied over the primer. After initial cure (tack free)the final polyurethane clear coat is applied and allowed to dry at least 72 hours. The whole process must be accomplished above 50 degrees in order to cure. When applied properly the result is acid,chemical and abrasion resistant. Looks like glass and will show every heel and tire mark that you must then buff out. Very expensive. For the home I would just stain the floor.

 

Check out www.floorguard.com. My brother-in-law just had his new garage floor done. This stuff is unbelievable and expensive.

 

I have a place in the desert of So. California where I painted my garage floor with HD concrete floor paint. I washed and eched the floor with acid prior to painting.
Winters are fine but in the summer the floor comes up where the tires are sitting. Temperatures can reach 120 degrees. Wonder what temp the tires are? I have to repainted these spots on a regular basis.
I am looking for a long term solution.

Q. Is there a product out there where I do not have to take up the entire floor. Can I power wash the entire floor. Clean and reacid the spots that are coming up then paint the entire floor with a new product? Which one?
I can not imagine taking up the entire floor to repaint.

 

I found this...

I want to paint or stain my concrete garage floor. I use the garage for working on cars, so its not uncommon for oil, etc. to be spilled. I
also roll around heavy jacks and equipment. I need a paint or stain that will hold up to the oil and not be chipped off by the jacks,
etc... I would like a surface that can easily be wiped up, swept, cleaned etc.. and has a good shine so it looks professional. I also need
good traction when the floor gets wet. How can I address all of these issues?

Here are the steps to follow to make sure you have a sound floor that will last a while. Make sure that this floor is not experiencing moisture
problems and does not have any sealer left on the floor. Tape a plastic square to the floor (use duct tape and tape around the whole perimeter of
the plastic). Allow this to stay on the floor for one or two days. Check to see if moisture is present between the floor and the plastic. If moisture is
present painting should not be attempted. If the area is still dry then the surface can be painted after any sealer has been removed either chemically
or mechanically. Clean the surface to remove all contaminants. If the surface is smooth, use muriatic acid to etch the surface to create a profile of at
least the feel of 120 grit sandpaper. Since automobiles are involved, an epoxy is recommended to avoid the hot tire pick-up. Two coats of an
epoxy direct to the prepared concrete will stand up to the automobile and all liquids associated with it while avoiding the hot tire pick-up. Follow the
epoxy companies recommendation on how to apply their product. Most epoxies come in a gloss finish. The manufacturer's often have a sand
additive that can be added to help with the non-skid you are looking for. H & C Concrete stains has a product called Shark Grip that can be added
to epoxies that is not coarse as sand and will allow you to sweep up without leaving dirt and dust on the floor behind the sand.

 

I know a professional painter who recommended Seal Krete WPS to seal my concrete driveway (even though the product says it's not for driveyways). I have had good results with this product -- see http://www.sealkrete.com/sealkrete.htm . The product is very easy to apply and can be applied with a regular (hand) pump sprayer! I may try it in my garage this spring...

 

Tom,

All good advice above, I would like to add some points.

I have painted six (6) floors with varying degrees of success. I think I have it figured out now.

1) Hanley's TWO components Epoxy based paint ($80 per gallon, but worth it)
2) Acid wash as mentioned above
3) While the paint is still wet, I wear metal golf spikes, walk on the painted areas and sprinkle pumice from a sugar shaker on the paint. This has kept us from slipping when the floor gets wet.

I have used the non - epoxy based paints with little long-term success.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by benlavigne:
[B]I have been looking at doing this for my garage and it seems somewhat inexpensive for the interlocking tiles, plus they look great and not much manual labor is required. Check out http://www.motormat.com.

 

You should consider carpeting for the floor in your garage. I have previously sealed and painted garage floors and I like the carpet best.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sideways:
[B]You should consider carpeting for the floor in your garage.