Sealing Garage floor

[lovinganimals]

Anyone who has had their garage floor or lanai area sealed: who do you recommend and approximately how much did it cost? Also, has anyone here doen it themselves, and if so, how hard was it and what product do you recommend? I need it to be waterproof.
Thanks

[retiredguy123]

Epoxy, for the garage only. But, don't do it yourself. And, make sure it has some type of texture on the surface to prevent it from being slippery when wet.

Most people use concrete stain for the lanai.

Tim Miller is good, 352-217-0561.

[PoolBrews]

Check the solids content in any epoxy you are going to put down. Most of them are not 100% solids - far from it, most are less than 50% solids. This equates to far less life of the product. You want 100% epoxy with a clear poly coat on top - this provides the best surface and longevity. (Well, using poly all the way is even better but costs $$$).

I did my own - a 2 car extended garage. I took me about 4 days total as I did one side and then the other. Turned out fantastic! I did a lot of research on garage floor epoxy products, and epoxy-coat kept coming up with great reviews from trade journals as well as customers. Epoxy Flooring Kits | Epoxy Coatings & Paint for all Surfaces | Epoxy Coat (https://www.epoxy-coat.com/)

[FenneyGuy]

I used Millers. My garage is huge so you should simply call Millers and request an estimate.

[photo1902]

Anyone who has had their garage floor or lanai area sealed: who do you recommend and approximately how much did it cost? Also, has anyone here doen it themselves, and if so, how hard was it and what product do you recommend? I need it to be waterproof.
Thanks

I've seen many jobs that Tim Miller has done, and I highly recommend him. Not only is the application important, but the prep work. You don't just roll on the coating. There is grinding and proper cleaning involved.

[villagetinker]

I did my own, I made a mistake and used HCT Xylene based sealer with shark grip. Took 1 day as the 2 1/2 car garage was completely empty. The only problem, is this product is NOT good for a garage as it does not stand up well to chemical spills (gasoline, paint thinners, etc.) Mine is a working garage, and now a "sealed" floor with stains. I am considering recoating, but I have a lot of research to do, as the garage is now full and it will not be practical to have the existing coating ground off.

[TommyT]

TIM MILLER ...... Nuff said, now let's move on :a040:

[jacksonbrown]

Check out DIY Garage Tiles (https://www.garageflooringinc.com/), which can also be purchased on Amazon.

I costed both, then had Black Dog Garage Floors (http://blackdogfloors.com/) do mine. The cost was almost identical to a DIY installation but they did all the work including moving all the junk in and out of my garage. And, since I own a vintage British sports car ( most all leak a drop or two of oil) I can say that the tiles are impervious to minor oil spills and clean-up quickly.

I chose a checkerboard pattern with dark and light gray tiles. Really attractive.

[PoolBrews]

My issue with having someone do the job (and Tim was highly recommended) was that my garage had lots of stuff in it - including a washer, dryer, and refrigerator. I had nowhere to move everything while the job was being done. You have to move everything out - it takes a couple of days for them to the prep and install, then you have drying time - at least 24 hours, 48 is better - then move everything back in. And I can't leave a washer, dryer, and refrigerator outside for this length of time.

I needed to have it done 1/2 at a time - that way I could move everything to one side of the garage and time no longer became an issue (as well as where to put everything). This really means 2 jobs for any installer as there is time in between each half, they have to return twice, prep twice, etc. The cost in this instance becomes really high for an installer - and I understand why.

Doing it myself saved me about $1,000 based on the estimates I received, and the product I used was better than what any of them were using - plus I added a poly coat on top. 10x the wear of epoxy.

Yeah, it was a lot of work... but I'm retired!

[photo1902]

My issue with having someone do the job (and Tim was highly recommended) was that my garage had lots of stuff in it - including a washer, dryer, and refrigerator. I had nowhere to move everything while the job was being done. You have to move everything out - it takes a couple of days for them to the prep and install, then you have drying time - at least 24 hours, 48 is better - then move everything back in. And I can't leave a washer, dryer, and refrigerator outside for this length of time.

I needed to have it done 1/2 at a time - that way I could move everything to one side of the garage and time no longer became an issue (as well as where to put everything). This really means 2 jobs for any installer as there is time in between each half, they have to return twice, prep twice, etc. The cost in this instance becomes really high for an installer - and I understand why.

Doing it myself saved me about $1,000 based on the estimates I received, and the product I used was better than what any of them were using - plus I added a poly coat on top. 10x the wear of epoxy.

Yeah, it was a lot of work... but I'm retired!

What product did you use that was better?

[PoolBrews]

What product did you use that was better?

The product is called epoxy coat. I used the "good" garage version product and added the polyurethane clear coat top. (Good Kit Archives | Epoxy Flooring Kits | Epoxy Coat (https://www.epoxy-coat.com/product-category/good-kit/)).

The better and best versions include an epoxy clear coat, but a poly clear coat is 10x stronger and lasts 10x longer than the epoxy clear coat, so I ordered the good version and added poly as an option.

Mine has been done for 2 years now, and zero wear on the floor.

[villagetinker]

The product is called epoxy coat. I used the "good" garage version product and added the polyurethane clear coat top. (Good Kit Archives | Epoxy Flooring Kits | Epoxy Coat (https://www.epoxy-coat.com/product-category/good-kit/)).

The better and best versions include an epoxy clear coat, but a poly clear coat is 10x stronger and lasts 10x longer than the epoxy clear coat, so I ordered the good version and added poly as an option.

Mine has been done for 2 years now, and zero wear on the floor.

What brand of poly clear coat did you use, and does this resist automotive fluids? Thank you.

[PoolBrews]

What brand of poly clear coat did you use, and does this resist automotive fluids? Thank you.

The poly clear coat is from the epoxy coat company (same link as before). It's a 2 part poly (this is fairly new), and you mix and apply just like epoxy.

So far it is completely resistant to every fluid that has hit it. I've spilled oil, paint, and stain, and no issues to date. It just wipes up.

[villagetinker]

Thank you, I have sent the manufacturer a note to see what they recommend for my situation.

[Gmb727]

I would highly recommend calling Amy at Liquid Floors. 352-518-0855

[Travelhunter]

I used Millers. My garage is huge so you should simply call Millers and request an estimate.
I used millers as well. Great job great price. I wouldn’t use anyone else

[MIskra]

We used Tru Grit Coatings. They were fabulous. A manager from T&D came to inspect some cracks in our driveway while our house was under warranty and noticed the garage floor. After checking it out, he said it was the best product he had ever seen. It's been 2 1/2 years and the garage floor is still in perfect conditoin. Thier website: Floor, Pool & Countertop Coatings | Lakeland, Orlando & Tampa, FL | Tru-Grit Coatings LLC (https://trugritcoatings.com/)

[stadry]

this is our work & has been for 35yrs,,, the best response i saw was call tim miller - sorry, guys.............................

lrvalley, check your label,,, i believe you meant many are not 100% solids. they're all epoxies - some are wtr-based & some are solvent-based,,, its the SOLIDS content that will generally determine performance

i can't define a ' clear poly coat on top ',,, i know how to recognize, install, & define polyaspartics, polyurethanes, & urethanes - for top coats too but am ignorant regarding 'using poly all the way. '

curious if you recall which ' trade journals ',,, my suspicions are epoxy-coat.com was well positioned re internet postings w/whatever algorithms & budget were employed

tink, send me a note & i'll try to help - shouldn't be much of an issue if you're willing to repair it correctly

[Waterfront]

CARMEN 352 399 1851 WENT THE EXTRA MILE very affordable.

[PoolBrews]

this is our work & has been for 35yrs,,, the best response i saw was call tim miller - sorry, guys.............................

lrvalley, check your label,,, i believe you meant many are not 100% solids. they're all epoxies - some are wtr-based & some are solvent-based,,, its the SOLIDS content that will generally determine performance

i can't define a ' clear poly coat on top ',,, i know how to recognize, install, & define polyaspartics, polyurethanes, & urethanes - for top coats too but am ignorant regarding 'using poly all the way. '

curious if you recall which ' trade journals ',,, my suspicions are epoxy-coat.com was well positioned re internet postings w/whatever algorithms & budget were employed

tink, send me a note & i'll try to help - shouldn't be much of an issue if you're willing to repair it correctly

Good catch - you are correct, I meant to say solids! My poly coat is a 2 part polyurethane coating. Polyurethane is stronger and more impervious than epoxy. In the past, they didn't have the 2 part poly for home use - you could only get a pro with the right equipment to install it. Now they have 2 part poly, similar to epoxy.

Generally, a polyurethane floor coating is highly flexible and elastic, while epoxy flooring is harder and more brittle. This makes polyurethane coatings more resistant to scratches and similar damage. It's also more resistant to chemicals than epoxy.

Doing a base coat and and a clear coat in all poly is extremely expensive when compared to epoxy. However, doing the base coat in epoxy, then a good clear coat in poly offers many of the advantages of using poly without a huge increase in price.

[E Cascade]

I don't understand why people want to seal their garage floors. I've owned alot of houses and have never painted, sealed,......... any of them. What's the problem or what do I not know about FL? Thx

[Dust Bunny]

Recommend Concrete Creations 352- 455-9614

[Shish]

Edison Concreations sealed my 2 car garage for $998 and did a great job.
edison concreations inc - Home (http://www.edisonconcreations.com/)

1st day - cleaned and power washed
2nd day - applied epoxy base coat in color of house
3rd day - applied 2nd coat with speckles house trim colors
4th application was a clear epoxy and kept off of it for a couple days.
(included sand particles, so the surface isn't too slippery)

A friend also used them and they had to first remove a latex garage paint that was peeling. The job turned out just as good, but I do not know the cost.

[retiredguy123]

I don't understand why people want to seal their garage floors. I've owned alot of houses and have never painted, sealed,......... any of them. What's the problem or what do I not know about FL? Thx
It has nothing to do with Florida. It is mostly the appearance and stain resistance. It is easier to clean up an oil leak from your car before it soaks in and makes a stain.

[villagetinker]

Manufacturer stated the old floor coating needed to be removed, so this is not going to happen. I will go to Sherwin Williams to see if they have a possible solution. If all else fails, I will live with what I have.....

[retiredguy123]

Manufacturer stated the old floor coating needed to be removed, so this is not going to happen. I will go to Sherwin Williams to see if they have a possible solution. If all else fails, I will live with what I have.....
I once purchased plastic floor tiles from Costco and covered my garage floor with them in a few hours. They snapped together using a rubber hammer. It made a nice appearance, and you could wipe up an oil spill with a paper towel. I did it because the concrete floor had years of oil and rust stains, and chips on it.

[MEbner2805]

I just added a clear coat to my garage floor and it was so easy. Why not do it yourself? Just buy clear coat at home depot or Lowes and a roller and roll brush and pan and a small roller for the edges and GET TO WORK! Simply roll it on the edges with the small paint roller and roll the rest with the large paint roller. Use pads for smooth floors. Someone will charge you 450.00 to do it and its too easy not to do yourself. I did it myself and its beautiful. The clear coat paint is already waterproof. spills wipe up easily.

[villagetinker]

I just added a clear coat to my garage floor and it was so easy. Why not do it yourself? Just buy clear coat at home depot or Lowes and a roller and roll brush and pan and a small roller for the edges and GET TO WORK! Simply roll it on the edges with the small paint roller and roll the rest with the large paint roller. Use pads for smooth floors. Someone will charge you 450.00 to do it and its too easy not to do yourself. I did it myself and its beautiful. The clear coat paint is already waterproof. spills wipe up easily.

This is what I did, however the Xylene based clear coat (aka sealer) is not a good choice for a working garage. It does not stand up to gasoline, brake cleaner, and several other automotive fluids.

I am going to look into the tile for garages as this may be the best solution.

[photo1902]

Exactly. Have a professional do the job.

[retiredguy123]

This is what I did, however the Xylene based clear coat (aka sealer) is not a good choice for a working garage. It does not stand up to gasoline, brake cleaner, and several other automotive fluids.

I am going to look into the tile for garages as this may be the best solution.
Costco garage tiles.

[photo1902]

Costco garage tiles.

But you don't get to experience the Xylene fume experience :)

[aviator]

And reply to your question, let me tell you my qualifications first. I started as a laborer in concrete construction as a summer job at the age of 15. When I retired,I owned a small group of ready mix concrete companies, a concrete block,& paver manufacturing plant, Rock and Sand, gravel pits, Rock crushers, excavating equipment, small cranes, concrete pumps, and related construction equipment. In the end I was still cement finisher, on all our jobs. We built everything From large industrial, manufacturing, commercial, municipal, schools, drives and parking lots, residential foundations, steps ,sidewalks ,driveways. If it was made out of concrete or masonry we did it.
The first piece of advice I would give you is never, never, never, ever paint flatwork concrete. I understand you do not have the best possible situation. The best possible color solution, is to have your concrete supplier put the color of your choice in at the batch plant. The color will be mixed in, it's organic, and goes entirely through the mix. Even if you chip there's still color there. Ready mix plants have the availability of almost unlimited colors to mix in your loads. That's how they get the colors in all the different colors of pavers.
Example a large manufacturing plant had an internationally known floor maintenance company come in and paint some kind of their best most expensive epoxy on their entire new plant floors. They prep the surface. And did it in sections as it was a very large job. It did not stand up well to forklift, material pallets, foot traffic, and drop tools. They had that scraped off there, faster than scraping scum off of Louisiana swamp. That all ended in a fairly large lawsuit.
The best solution to your question is staining. Not painting. Staining soaks in just like the oil stains on a driveway it's soaks in way deep. There is very little preparation to apply a stain. You can pour it on, squeegee it on, mop it on, roll it on. The texture of your driveway does not change and become slippery, it stays the same as it is now. Stains come in acid-based, water base, and solvent-based. Stais penetrate the concrete, and don't just try and adhere to the surface like paint, or epoxies.Some smell quite a bit more than others. As far as sealing, we used linseed oil, which is cheap, and protected the concrete from road salts, motor oil, and other penetrates, the pores and capillaries in the concrete fill up with the linseed oil, and protects it from other contaminants. If you wish to add color at a later date just stain it again.
I have seen some pretty artistic looking work done with acid base stains.I was not artist enough to have done any of that kind of work, I am just a cement finisher. But I have seen some very beautiful work done by somebody who is way more artist than me.
I am not very knowledgeable on the new Poly applications that were mentioned in this post. My guess is they would get slippery when wet, and require reapplying from time to time.
Understand this is my experiences, and my opinion. I'm sure there are some engineers that will not agree with me. I am not, and never was an engineer.I only have my many years of experience as a manufacturer of concrete products, concrete and construction, and this is what worked for us.
I am neither an orator, or writer, so I'm sure you will find plenty of errors in this. But I am a very experienced concrete producer and constructor, concrete finisher.

[aviator]

Me again, I forgot to add when you look at all the new big box stores, Walmart, Sam's club, Dollar general, they no longer, and haven't for many years ,epoxy coated their floors. At very least they stain them, and have somebody in to polish them. Just saying, they found out what works and what doesn't.
In addition terrazzo floors, are cement-based color added in the mix, and highly polished. You can spill almost anything you want on a terrazzo floor and it always comes out shiny. Terrazzo is cement-based.Stands up to foot traffic and color stays put. Custodial staff will often times wax them, but not necessary. They are highly polished and will stay shiny without wax. But they are highly polished and makes them somewhat slippery when wet.

[OhioBuckeye]

I did my own, I made a mistake and used HCT Xylene based sealer with shark grip. Took 1 day as the 2 1/2 car garage was completely empty. The only problem, is this product is NOT good for a garage as it does not stand up well to chemical spills (gasoline, paint thinners, etc.) Mine is a working garage, and now a "sealed" floor with stains. I am considering recoating, but I have a lot of research to do, as the garage is now full and it will not be practical to have the existing coating ground off.
Yea, I’ve done mine too myself. Really looked good but I guess I didn’t etched mine well enough. It peeled in a couple small spots, but the epoxy paint stuck better the 2nd time. It said on the can that hot tires wouldn’t peel it but I did it again & again. If you do it yourself get Industrial grade epoxy paint. (sealer) You’ll need a jack hammer to remove it, & it’s quite expensive, but it permanent!

[PoolBrews]

The poly may have to be reapplied in 20-25 years - this is based on the manufacturer. I broadcast shark grip over the surface when I applied the clear poly coat, and have not had any issues so far.