Budget Garage Floor Painting

[70tangerine]

the bare concrete floor looks in solid shape.....it looks like a good canvas to cover...
did u say what you will be using?

[sebastianroher]

Rick,

I had to use a similar floor stripper at work when the table I was standing on (what's OSHA???) to paint the ceiling collapsed (my Sgt. "forgot" to tell me it was broke) and paint went all over the floor. Stuff works pretty well, just let it sit for a few and comes off easily with a scrub brush.

Seb.

[LongRanger]

. . . on the stuff that I used

Muriatic acid is for etching the concrete, otherwise pretty-regular-type stuff getting used, here. Ended-up using 2 cans o' paint stripper (not shown). Had to buy the broom to thread into an all-wood-cum-natural-fiber scrub brush that's acid-proof (for scrubbing the now-mostly-paint-free floor . . . next step, coming up). Plus a little bag o' anti-skid . . . 'cause I like to keep my coccyx un-cracked. All this --- minus the watering can + the fan (already bought those) . . . =~$180

Didn't need/use the scrubby-brushes, one o' the metal pails, or the mixer-thingy, so let's call it ~$150




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[LongRanger]

This part is simple, nasty, + very important


No matter how clean the concrete may look, it's real critical that the surface be treated in such a way that any coating going on the floor 'sticks' properly. For me, that means using muriatic acid to bite into the floor

I diluted the stuff ~4-to-1 in an acid-proof pail, then dipped-in my wood + natural fiber scrub broom . . . + went to town. Scrubbed the same as when I pull all that Nasty Dog drool off my tile floor = firm-not-crazy. Wore some beat-up old running shews, + ran a fan to keep from getting gassed. Water can 's to keep the acid from drying on the floor. Even @4:1, the solution reacts quickly/vigorously as it hits the floor --- hissing/bubbling/gassing on contact . . . before abating. Don't even ask about fumes --- I just made d@mn-sure to keep the air circulating = fan a-runnin'. Gas-action stays close to the ground --- but watching this stuff at work always gives me pause . . .

. . . + absolutely no splashing. Acid 'bite' = molten hot nail burrowing into flesh

Maybe 30 mins?, then let dry


Won't look that different . . . but it'll smell like the concrete was just laid down


(Be a cool smell for a cologne, I think)



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[sebastianroher]

Ok Rick, surely you've finished that floor by now!

[LongRanger]

. . . Ok Rick, surely you've finished that floor by now! . . .

. . . spoiler! . . .


What d' they say? . . . it's not so-much about 'the destination' --- it's more about the 'getting there'









I know-I know --- bull-sh!t . . . but I don't have a lotta time these days, so . . .



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[sebastianroher]

I know all about projects......20171020_143156.jpg

[LongRanger]

For anyone wondering about the money . . . here's where it goes

One gallon = one garage space, and it takes two coats per, so four gallons of tan paint w/an appropriate hardener (+ a free mixer, thank-you-very-much), taxes, shipping, Dealer prep + options = $499.95 . . . which 'll do my Little 2-Car, just fine

This is the 4th garage floor that I've done --- and the 3rd time using Griot's. Sure-sure --- kinda 'spendy' . . . but this isn't something that I'll have to do here, again. Ever. Not to mention what it takes to clear any garage out to do all this = why most 'car holes' never-ever-EVER get this treatment

And? --- results are always worth it

What hasn't changed . . . = method of application. Mix the paint + hardener = gettyup! Stuff takes ~two hours to cure, which is usually more that enough time. It was ~100F on the days that I did all this, so I usually started early. Nothing fancy going on here. This garage floor is a 'working surface' --- not a showroom . . . so my M.O. was to lay the stuff out, quick + smooth . . . ie no masking, no 'sprinklies', no disco balls, etc, etc, etc

The 1st coat never looks good --- kinda scary to see some o' the un-eveness and 'show-thru' of the finish . . . not-to-mention the way some of the concrete seems to absorb the paint less-than-enthusiastically. 'Was my prep good-enough?' comes to mind

Still --- even with the 1st coat? . . .


. . . the transformation is pretty amazing




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[NZVW]

Looking good Rick.
2nd coat will flatten out and resolve any absorption variations Im sure, (not that I can see any after the 1st)
Mark

[sebastianroher]

Nice Job Rick, come paint mine?