I used UCoatIt(ucoatit.com) epoxy paint to do my 4 car garage. I used the same prep as posted by Beast except I washed the floor with Dawn dish wash soap before etching with muriatic acid. I also spot treated areas of grease and oil spots with grease cleanser which I purchased from UCoatIt. I am very happy with the results so far.
Spasso, if you were watching Two Guys Garage or My Classic Car on the speed channel, you saw the U Coat It product being demonstrated. On My Classic Car they used a three coat system with an epoxy base and finish coat, and a clear chemical resistant urethane top coat to display the U Flek they broadcasted in to simulate a terrazzo floor. As for the product Peters bought from Home Depot, that was more than likely Rustoleum Epoxy Shield, or it could have been a Behr product as well. The U Coat It epoxy is well suited for hydronic heating systems as the product is elastomeric so it will expand and contract with the concrete. All of these systems should improve the ease of cleanability as they create a "seamless" flooring. Just mop and squeege with normal household cleaners. As with all paint jobs, the surface preparation is the most important part! Clean and degrease the floor, do the acid wash and apply the product. Find out and compare the differences between the coatings and choose the one that best suits your needs.
I ran a Terrazo grinder over my floor last Saturday to take off any high spots. The floor is now a consistant, open pore texture. The concrete is new and has never had a car on it. Do I still need the acid wash? DJ
If you are going with UCOATIT or thinking of going with them, give them a call. They are very helpful and knowledgeable and will answer your questions about prep.
Okay, thanks for all of the info guys. It looks like it's going to run 1.00 to 1.30 a sq. ft. depending on who I go with. Muscle Gloss looks like the hot ticket too, much like Ucoatit. Muscle Gloss will run about 1300.00 for 950 sq ft and Ucoatit is about 900.00 WOW, I think I'm in the wrong business! DJ
If you are going to use U Coat you must do the acid wash. This application of 10/1 water/acid solution is used to neutralize the alkalinity of the concrete and lower its PH level just prior to coating the floor. U Coat actually penetrates the concrete and forms its bond inside the pours of the concrete not just on the surface, producing a strong mechanical bond so the concrete must be in the neutral zone. For the 950 sq/ft your costs would range from $480 for the two coat epoxy system to $935 for the three coat system of epoxies and a chemical resistant urethane top coat. This product is a high gloss coat and has excellent chemical resistance. Check out the MSDS on U Gloss A/F at www.ucoatit.com and compare, I'm sure you'll see a difference.
I applied the U-Coat-It brand paint and sealer last summer. It is the product I have used a couple of times before. This time I added the color flek and used the clear sealer. I am very happy with the results. My garage is 22 X 20 and the cost was approx. $500.00. Image Unavailable, Please Login
