Concrete floor coating

[Brad Buchanan]

I roll my toolboxes around on this floor so it is not too far O/T.

I have a concrete floor in my shop that is smooth enough to dust mop. It has never been sealed so it absorbs spills like atf, oil etc.

I have been researching floor coatings and found products ranging from $17 a gal to $400.00 for S/W epoxy. Euclid Chemical sells a product called Duraltex 1705/1805 which is an epoxy primer and surface coat for $450.00 for a 3 gallon set of each.

My dilemma is that the epoxy is great for vehicle traffic but I use the same shop for welding and torch work frequently.

Would I be wasting my money with the epoxy or would it stand up to that kind of abuse? The local dealer had no answers. I have about 1500 sq. ft. to coat.

Info., comments are welcome positive and negative.

Thanks,

Brad
 

[David G]

I have seen the epoxy coatings come loose when rolled over by heavy equipment.
 

[Sean Feeney]

It will look good for a few months
( After Painting) and will chip and be a maintenance issue from then on leave it be.
 

[wisbaker]

Depends on the quality of product you buy and how well it's installed. When in the Air Force we had a white epoxy we used on hangar floors, we could drag a B-52 across the floor and not hurt the coating, after the Air Force I have seen floor coatings that stand up to forklift traffic so it must of been pretty tough stuff. With the torching you mentioned I think I would look at a sealer to stop oil & antifreeze from seeping in. Of course you'll have to periodically re-seal it. With any epoxy I suspect dropping hot slag on the floor will mess it up.
 

[Wile E]

If you want a "real" epoxy floor then it costs money. There is a product made by Rustoleum I think and it is more like heavy paint. If it costs less then $150 per gallon then it is cheap and it isnt epoxy. I rolled oil based paint on my old front porch, (finished concrete) and it looked okay, but it was only walked on. No heavy equipment or caster from a toolbox.
 

[dpendzic]

epoxy will not stand up to torches and welding. If it is not a low modulus epoxy it will tend to spall off the concrete due to expansion and contraction.
Also many epoxys are very slippery so they need to be broadcast with sand before they setup.
I would recommend an inexpensive sealer so that it could be re coated as needed.
 

[Dick2]

If you live in snow country, don't apply anything. Not good to have a floor that will be slippery if you walk in with snow on your boots.
 

[36 Coupe]

Sodium silicate or water glass has been used for years to seal concrete floors,Cost 15 bucks a gallon last time I bought some.
 

[George Marsh]

I Agree, I know a man who slipped on his slick garage floor, chipped a vertebrae. Needed surgery. A little oil on floor won't hurt a thing. If you want it to look all the same, mop oil all over your floor:)
 

[caterpillar guy]

News paper to soak up the worst of it, then floor dri. There are some products out there that if used as a mop type solution will pull the oil back out, so it will look like it did before the oil.
 

[Brad Buchanan]

That is an interesting substance. Found info on the sodium silicate itself and on commercial products made with same.

When you used it was it a commercial brand name or just the sodium silicate?

Brad
 

[36 Coupe]

It had the name Rutland on the can.It is used to glue cardboard boxes,glue wood stove gaskets in place.Also used as a sealer in cooling systems.It will seal masonary blocks and bricks.An old use is preserving eggs.
 

[JF in CT]

I also agree. I have a 3000 sq ft floor that is very smooth. If it gets wet, as is, it is very difficult to stand up on. If I were to use a coating with sand in it then I wouldn't be able to squeege it off when it gets wet. I don't seem to have too much trouble disolving spills when I get them. Someone I know has a coated floor and you risk your life walking over it with wet boots.

Jim
 

[Pops1532]

There are products that will stand up to welding and torch work. I'm not sure of the brands, but be prepared to spend some money.

If you're just looking to seal it, try Gym Sealer mixed 50/50 with paint thinner. Let it soak in then apply a second coat. You should be able to get it at any good paint store.
 

[Mike M]

I had some old commerical liquid floor wax and put that in part of my garage. Seemed to make it less slippery. Don't know if it helped for gas spills ? It was sealed with cure sealer after being poured and that stuff softens up when gas gets on it.