What's the latest on garage floors?? - Page 2

**92646** · #11 07-21-2005, 08:47 PM

I have been involved in putting car dealerships together for years. We used to epoxy floors and every time there was a problem with the floor covering lifting off the concrete. The manufacturer would say it was because the installer did not prep the floor properly. Moisture would get between the two surfaces and cause bubbles. You may want to consider using tile on the floor. It costs more but we expect to get 25 years out of the floor versus the 5 years we experienced with epoxy. If you do go with epoxy please do not skip any preparation steps because you will have problems later on.

**SamLBInj** · #12 07-21-2005, 09:18 PM

Ceramic tile on a showroom would be fine, but for a garage where you work on cars it would be a nightmare, you would recite every bad word you knew while trying to use a creeper,its slippery when wet, and oil will get in the grout(even if you seal it it still stains), and God Forbid if you ever dropped something somewhat heavy on it.
A working garage floor needs to be stain proof, bullet proof, blood proof, ect. and made easy to wash down and clean up. I have water lines and air lines set up all over for symplicity. The only thing that im regretting not doing was installing hot water baseboard heat in the slab...

**92646** · #13 07-21-2005, 09:59 PM

The picture I attached is a 40 stall Toyota dealership shop with in ground lifts, not a car showroom. We have granite floors in there. We have learned over the years to go with dark grout and let the oil seal it instead of epoxy grout. The tile has a texture to it that makes it less slippery than epoxy floors. The only down side that we have experienced so far is broken tiles because of a tool being dropped or someone using a lift with steel wheels but we replace those tile as they break.

**SamLBInj** · #14 07-21-2005, 10:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The picture I attached is a 40 stall Toyota dealership shop with in ground lifts, not a car showroom. We have granite floors in there. We have learned over the years to go with dark grout and let the oil seal it instead of epoxy grout. The tile has a texture to it that makes it less slippery than epoxy floors. The only down side that we have experienced so far is broken tiles because of a tool being dropped or someone using a lift with steel wheels but we replace those tile as they break.

[/ QUOTE ]
They call that job security

GRB · #15 07-22-2005, 03:48 AM

Now I'm thinking slate may be the way to go. If not, the Lowe's rustoleum has a step where you can seal the floor against moisture. Not sure how that would work or how the epoxy would stick to it.

On a good note, my builder has done the rest of the terrace level in dark slate and he gets a great deal on the stuff. I wonder if there is a non-slippery when wet slate??

Ngtflyr · #16 07-22-2005, 09:27 PM

When I build my garage in a couple years one thing I am going to look into is lights built into the floor so I can see what the #@$% I'm doing without dragging lights around. I know they exist, haven't done the research yet though on whats the best out there.

DarrenX33 · #17 07-25-2005, 07:43 AM

Ok, here is some POR-15 info. You can either scuff/sand the floor or acid etch (muratic acid) it. Make sure your rinse it real well and it is completely dry. POR-15 even makes a marine prep cleaner (apparently recommended for concrete surfaces) that should produce the same or better results. Now for doing an average 3 car garage my brother-in-law used 2 one gallon cans with some to spare. Good for 2 coats. He used 2 throw away paint rollers. Obviously the better quality roller the better it will turn out. Then paint brush the corners. POR-15 is UV sensitive on its own. I was told after a day or two with the garage open the finish sitting in the sun lightened up. If this bothers you they make a clear that the UV won't bother.

GRB · #18 07-25-2005, 06:10 PM

This is good info but confusing. I know POR-15 is some of the toughest stuff in the world. Maybe clear would be the way to go. Wonder if it yellow? Could you use it as a top coat sealer? Or would it provide a great waterproof base?

**SamLBInj** · #19 07-25-2005, 07:15 PM

Make sure you dress properly, cant get POR-15 off your skin very easy, Im looking at stains with a clear coat. I coated my floors with a sealer when I built the garage 10 years ago so Im going to acid wash them 1st. If you use stain you have a huge color choice, Hugger Orange with white stripes?..I have my sales reps checking into all of this.

**SamLBInj** · #20 07-25-2005, 07:17 PM

There is some interesting stuff here also..
http://www.amesresearch.com/

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