I need garage floor help.

[Chaplin]

Bill-
Do you recall what brand of epoxy paint you used? Is that the UCoat it?

Thanks,
Mike

[Bill Wells]

mike ;

no, i can't recall the epoxy brand. i had it commercially applied as floor had to be bead blasted to get old paint off and clean up/neutralize the concrete underneath. the prep is the key. its now been so long i can't recall the brand name. it just got thru anther winter of ice/salt/water/grit and grime and no lifting or chipping. i just hosed it, mopped it , hosed it again and let it dry. amazing stuff.

a friend just self applied the U-Coat It stuff but it is too soon for any feedback from him as to how it holds up as it has not been driven on yet. he said application was no big deal and he applied it to fresh concrete after a curing period, so prep was no big deal either. he just followed their directions. bill.

[casaleenie]

What's the drying time after a wet cleaning during prep?? I'm assuming that the bare concrete must be absolutely dry... Going to tackle the job as soon as the weather co-operates..

[Chaplin]

Casaleenie-
If you're having the same weather that we've been having, I'm not certain that there will ever be a dry time. Why am I crying, I'm just adding more water to an already wet situation

[xlr8or]

A friend of mine does concrete polishing and it looks great with the concrete stain. Here's a link to one of the sites:

http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/polishing/

[snake oil]

I used U coat it last year.
Live in Chicago.
There has been water, salt grease oil trans fluid, and all the muck that goes with winter in the Windy city.

The first nice day, I cleared out the garage,
wet it down, threw some car wash soap on the floor
and used a brush to scrub, hosed it off.
Used a clean mop to soak up the excess.
Then two high speed fans to dry it out.
Looks like new.

I will also add that my neighbor did his brand new
(my floor is 25 years old) garage floor at the same time,
but did not use U-coat it and used a (in his opinion)
very similar epoxy.
I DON"T THINK SO... 'cause his is lifting after only one winter!

I think that the main difference is that U Coat it uses a primer that (if done right) soaks in and BONDS to the concrete.
DO IT ONCE AND DO IT RIGHT
Above all take your time on the prep work.
That is my experience with this.
As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about redoing part of my
basement rec room with it too.

[Chaplin]

Snake Oil-
Did you use the clear coat on top of the Ucoat it or just the basic Ucoat it product?
If not, do you wish you had? What is the texture like?

Thanks for your help,
Mike

[snake oil]

Chaplin,
No I did not,
Came out very well.
Has a shiny look to it except where (my)
concrete is rough surface and more porous.
On the flat smooth parts it's very shiny and basically
looks like recently applied oil paint.
I did use the silica (rough surface) additive.
That has a good point and a bad,
It helps in the winter (traction, non-slip)
But when you mop it it tends to shred
small threads off the mop which are now on the floor.
Oh well ?
At least it it's clean!!!