ebinmaine 67,519 #1 Posted October 7, 2022 It's time to order paint for the new concrete workshop floor. Please note the color in the heading. We want a very light tan or beige color. Not traditional gray. Size to be done is 24x40. 960 square feet. We don't mind spending a little to do a good job but expensive epoxies are out. Anyone have experiences with a particular product one way or the other? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,253 #2 Posted October 7, 2022 4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: expensive epoxies are out. I used the two part epoxy garage floor paint when we built out house and it has held up very well. The cost was about twice as much as garage floor paint but as well as it held up for a dozen years I am glad I spent the little bit extra up front. The little plastic chips that are sprinkled on before it cures make it a slip resistant finish. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,577 #3 Posted October 7, 2022 14 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Anyone have experiences with a particular product one way or the other? Yes, they all wear away or peal. If you plan to use your shop, I say leave it natural. It will look better longer. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,572 #4 Posted October 7, 2022 But as @953 nut says, paint won’t last. If you are gonna do it, this stuff is Pricey but it’s one and done… https://simiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SIM_1100SL_Sellsheet_8.5x11_121516.pdf 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,253 #5 Posted October 7, 2022 One thing to keep in mind, do not put a sealer on the fresh concrete if you ever plan to paint it. Most contractors like to spray sealer on raw concrete and nothing will adhere to that. Dan @Achto made a good point, if your shop area is used as hard as most then don't bother painting it. Just paint the parking area. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,577 #6 Posted October 7, 2022 Just want to share some pics of the very expensive epoxy floor in our "new" test cell at work. This floor is about 18months old. Looks purty, right? The above pic is near the wall. Let's take a look at what sees traffic and is the work area. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeM 7,874 #7 Posted October 7, 2022 Seal for natural or paint, have to do either one or the concrete makes dust for ever. No paint if your ever going to weld or burn. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,519 #8 Posted October 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Achto said: Yes, they all wear away or peal. If you plan to use your shop, I say leave it natural. It will look better longer. 57 minutes ago, 953 nut said: don't bother painting it I can see the logic in this. So here's what I'm looking for... I'd like to be able to brighten the area as much as possible because my eyes aren't that great in the dark. I know light bulbs will do that so that's all fine... Our biggest concern is oil or gas spills. The concrete floor in the basement is sealed with a product because it was part of the remediation from the oil spill a few years ago. It does wear out. It does need recoating. But it does keep the oil from engines on the top so we can wipe it up with rags or whatever... On a bare concrete floor, what do you do to get the oil or gasoline spills up so it doesn't leave stains? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,577 #9 Posted October 7, 2022 Brake cleaner or Super Clean does a good job cleaning it up. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,120 #10 Posted October 7, 2022 My concrete floor is bare. If someone sneaks an old Harley in the shop and it leaves a spot, I put speedie dri on it and let it sit a couple days. Sweep it up and add more dri for another couple of days. Stains disappear. As far as paint goes. My mother learned the hard way. Cheap paint jobs don't last and lasting paint jobs aint' cheap! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,120 #11 Posted October 7, 2022 I just had my truck sprayed with KROWN rust inhibitor. It drips off the truck for about a week. My floor looked like Waldo @elcamino/wheelhorse left the oil fill plug out of the Waldomobile and started the engine. Being retired I could go out every day and work the speedi dri back and forth. Floor is almost stain free now. (could be the concrete dust helping too!) 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,232 #12 Posted October 7, 2022 I used a good grade of floor paint for my shop and storage area for the reasons you mention: price, dust, and light. Followed the prep directions carefully. Unexpected was how much easier it is to sweep up sawdust from my woodworking. Storage area is tan; shop is gray. Definitely gets stained and dinged but overall it's worked out well. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,120 #13 Posted October 7, 2022 Having a nice shiny floor is nice for cleaning and light reflection but they are slippery when wet! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,519 #14 Posted October 7, 2022 5 minutes ago, squonk said: Having a nice shiny floor is nice for cleaning and light reflection but they are slippery when wet! I reminded Trina about that this morning and after a minute she replied that the downstairs floor has been good to us overall although it is well overdue for recoating... But... ... we VERY rarely see water on that because of carefully placed area rugs so we've never experienced the slipperyosity as you would all winter from melting snow and ice off a vehicle... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,120 #15 Posted October 7, 2022 If you want slippery, A white rubber roof when wet. I don't know why the color matters but you can play hockey on a wet white rubber roof! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #16 Posted October 7, 2022 Wow guys, not trying to start WW44.1 here... but... I have used Rustoleum epoxy concrete garage paint on 2 garages and never had it peel... I clean the 'crete very well before I use it, (the cleaning, etching liquid comes with the paint kit)... then I go with primer, then paint, then flakes. The only reason that I have ever had issues with epoxy concrete paint is due to the golf cart leaking battery acid all over the floor, which you can see in this picture... (you can see that the rest of the floor in this picture is just fine)... and I plan to primer and repaint the bare area in this photo very soon since the cart now has sealed batteries in it... The floor is a little dirty in this shot... but here is a better shot of my floor.... Don 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob J. 1,942 #17 Posted October 7, 2022 If like said before it’s going to get used like a shop does then you’re wasting your time and money painting it. Epoxy wears really well but doesn’t like sparks, flames, red hot pieces of metal falling on it. I’d seal it and forget it personally. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 17,000 #18 Posted October 7, 2022 Just throwing this out there. One of my customers had their entire basement floor acid stained. Each room was different and they all looked really good. https://directcolors.com/acid-stain/?campaign=366486030&adgroup=1240249266663630&feeditem=&keyword=concrete acid stain&matchtype=e&device=c&network=o&creative=https://ad.atdmt.com/s/go;adv=11027242822695;ec=11027242823046;c.a=366486030;s.a=google;p.a=366486030;as.a=1240249266663630;qpb=1;?bidkw=concrete acid stain&dvc=c&h=https%3A%2F%2Fdirectcolors.com%2Facid-stain%2F&msclkid=73aa80a67ddc17dae7b8e3e6f4869d99&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[BROI] Search - Desk%2FTablet&utm_term=concrete acid stain&utm_content=[BROI] Acid Stain 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeM 7,874 #19 Posted October 8, 2022 (edited) The best concrete sealers are applied while the concrete is still wet. The after the are dry ones do need reapplied. This floor was sealed wet and in time it all turned light gray color and no dust. LED 5000 Sam's club lighting Edited October 8, 2022 by JoeM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
