Epoxy Floor Alternative: Boston Garage

[Don]

Has anyone had Boston Garage install their epoxy floor ?

Garage Floor Epoxy| Boston Garage

If so, would appreciate your comments.....thanks

[Cashburn]

Checkout: https://www.facebook.com/CT-Epoxy-Fl...0/?pnref=story

[Don]

Joe, owner of CT Epoxy Floor Systems, will be submitting a quote. Somehow I missed him in my initial search, his home/shop is 15 min from my house.

Cashburn......did you use Joe for your facility ?

Thanks

[RedHawk]

Gentlemen,

I may not know all the details for your application, but be very thorough in your selection of epoxy flooring. I used to own a company that specialized in high end garage systems that included lighting, cabinets, car lifts and more and of course a flooring system usually starting at 100k for the entire project.

I had over several hundred customers spanning 10 years before I sold the company. The reason I am mentioning this is after doing jet hangers, dealerships and many other's if the existing conditions aren't right (i.e. hydro static pressure etc.), the wrong product system is selected, along with realistic expectations than epoxy can become a nightmare. Trust me a Nightmare.

Now there are some incredible products out there and they are effective just make sure moisture tests are done first ( inexpensive kit that is left on a un-coated floor in various locations to determine moisture) go see some previous work done that is at least 2 years old as this will dictate what system to go with. Most systems will fail within several weeks (bubbling, craking etc..) if the above is ignored.

If it we're my money and it is quite a bit more, I would scrap the Epoxy and go with polished concrete using an appropriate sealer (depends on your requirements) and then call it a day. There is some maintenance with it but it will last.

Sorry to pi*s on CT's cornflakes. but it is what it is.

[Don]

Redhawk......thanks

Neither of the two vendors I spoke with mentioned a moisture test. The concrete garage floor is new construction and poured the beginning of May. Mentioned also was the standard curing/setup time of 28 days. Concrete poured over a vapor barrier.

Is this a typical moisture test kit:

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdf...4a67b5418a.pdf

Moisture/Alkali Test Kit - Home Depot

The Calcium Chloride Moisture Test Kit measures the quantity of moisture passing through the slab, on and below grade concrete floors (lbs. of moisture over a ...

Have seen reference to a home test of 2' X 2' plastic film duct taped to the floor and determine after a few days if there is moisture/water droplets within the taped film. Valid test or ?

[RedHawk]

That kit will work but only after the recommended 28 days. You need to get the cut sheet for the proposed products. These cut sheets should explain the limits for how many lbs per square inch of moisture it can handle. The applicator should have a warranty mentioning this but a warranty doesn't mean squat when your having to empty your garage and they're grinding the coating off to start again. Not worth it.

Since this is a new pour you should wait at least 28 days for standard cure although this has to do with getting as much moisture out as possible although moisture can take years to release. 28 days typically refers to strength being around 75% cure so at this point a home builder can start framing. But we all know builders start about two weeks after pour, ha!

What you should also do is evaluate the drainage around the slab or building. Is there good slope away from the foundation and cleared gutters with proper downspouts routing the water away at least 6 feet.

Then there Prep for grinding and opening the concrete to allow the coating or coatings to grip the concrete. If your going with Epoxy and I can't talk you out of it, hopefully you didn't have them do a tight trowel, use indensifiers or sealers. You must open the concrete and DO NOT LET THEM USE MURIATIC ACID!

Where are they stopping the product application , inside the garage door or outside or in the middle of the garage door cross section. Think about that one. The most susceptible spot for delamination is at the transition of product and concrete. It gets chipped and water can seep under it etc.. What I do is with a concrete saw is cut a troth across the door section about 3/16 deept, mask with duct tape on the outside of troth and run the epoxy into the troth so less chance of chipping and position just inside or centered in the cross section but you will have to leave the door open a coupled of inches so......make sure they seal with plastic on the outside to prevent rain or bugs or dust from getting in because it WILL!

Then there's what kind of system, MMA, solid epoxy, water based epoxy, primer, type of top coat for chemical resistance, uv protection from yellowing because when garage is left open the sun will hit part of your garage floor and it will yellow over time. What is the temperature when applying as this can greatly affect the product and its curing. Oh and place huge attention to how they plan on applying and working out of the garage and clean up. I have seen this a gazillion times where they do an awesome job, but they leave drops of product on your driveway which isn't easy to remove or worse yet they don't use booty's and track all over your driveway.

And how many mils(measure used in paper) are they applying or how many coats? This is the depth of the coating. Thicker floor more durable and less chance at hot tire pick up where the petroleum and hot tires of your vehicle can discolor or worse adhere to the coating and when you back out rip up a section of the coating. And what is the profile of the floor, does it have some kind of nonslip protection. In my early years I did a floor for a guy's 6 million dollar house where I did a super thick floor with a super glass 3 layer top coat. He told me how he pulled into his garage with his just delivered $150k Eleanor Mustang in a snow storm and when he tried stopping with wet tires he kept going another 20 feet albeit at a snails pace and thankfully he had a huge garage otherwise he would have drove right into the living room. Holy crap!

.....which is why I wouldn't do it, but you probably will, lol!

Polished concrete, but again its three times the cost.

Oh and by the way that flecked floor to simulate granite, good luck in finding that nut you dropped when turning a wrench, which is why jet hanger floors are white.

Good luck!

[Jaydee]

Great advice. Certainly makes me stick to my tight troweled black oxide finish.
It's water tight and easy to sweep. I used a coating on some aged concrete where I park my cars and the tyres somehow eat into the coating and leave tyre tread marks.
JD

[750hp]

Interesting information RedHawk - thanks!

[RedHawk]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Great advice. Certainly makes me stick to my tight troweled black oxide finish.
It's water tight and easy to sweep. I used a coating on some aged concrete where I park my cars and the tyres somehow eat into the coating and leave tyre tread marks.
JD

Yup thats a good durable system.
On your other floor its the petroleum in your tires reacting with the top coat along with the heat from your tires that is staining it.

[KDubU]

Went with porcelain tile here. Looks great.

[SFSDFGT]

I mention what I've used in his thread:

Garage floor coating. Best, most popular???

[Bernica]

Another option to look into is terrazzo. Impermeable and hard as a rock. You can also have it cove up the sides and have a floor that you could literally steam clean!

[Don]

Redhawk.....thanks

RE:Measuring the moisture with a Tramex Meter

https://www.tramexmeters.com/tramex

For a newly poured, approx 8 weeks old, garage floor, valid indicator with use of the meter if the moisture content is acceptable or too high ? What is the max point on moisture reading for a high confidence level not to have a moisture concern ?

Am leaning in the direction, since the prep time would be the same either now or later, to wait until next summer. Then measure the moisture.