Garage floor - epoxy or what?

I had epoxy-polyurethane put down in my garage in Irvine 3 years ago by these guys: http://www.thegaragepeople.com/home.htm

It was ~$800 installed, and worth every last penny. There's an old corvette leaking every fluid it can think of onto it and it just wipes right up.

There's a good thread discussing garage flooring at: http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2874&highlight=garage+flooring

EDIT- I have a 2 car garage; it was new construction. Surface prep is VERY important.

 

I will be useing the Rustoleum 2 1/2 garage kit pretty soon. Just have to decide if I will be expanding the space or not.

 

Anyone have experience with composite vinyl tiles? They cost $28 for a box with 48 1ft by 1 ft tiles, and, including the glue, trowel, kneepads and gloves, the cost to install would be $0.60 per sq. foot. So, for a typical 20X18 garage, it would be around 200 bucks. And it would take an afternoon. You spread the glue stuff, walk away for an hour, then come back when there's a nice and sticky covering on the floor, and lay the tiles down. They cut easily with a box-cutter, if you need to contour the edges.

I was in a Circuit City store and saw them putting these down. They looked great--you couldn't see the edges at all. And the workers there claimed that it would be fine in a garage. I haven't been able to find out anything on the web, but I was wondering if anyone here knew.

Thanks!

 

This is the way to go. That sounds like a good price too.

 

I've had several of my houses done in Epoxy by the Garage People. The mixed-in paint chips cover any imperfections in your floor and dont show small cracks like a straight base coat would. The Garagepeople.com have incredible customer service with excellent quality... The cabinets are incredible !!

One Note: If you have ANY effervescence in your concrete..dont do it !

A good friend needed to go with ** Racedeck.com *** for that very reason..

You can get more creative and design the patterns yourself with Racedeck. Regardless, it came out very nice...!

Good luck
Patrick

* Alse, Dont try the do-it-yourself Epoxy coatings !!! It's not worth it !!!

 

I concur with The Garage People recommendation. Excellent!
They did my garage about 6 or 7 years ago here in San Diego. No problems, even with a heavy Range Rover parked on one side. Fluids wipe right up. No stains left behind. And I went with a solid color floor (no paint chips).
For prep, be sure to do the acid etch process (they'll take care of it).

Dave

 

There is an inexpensive epoxy however, it is clear and requires a light grinding of the concrete for less than $300 which includes purchasing a small hand grinder. This is the do it youself price. It is a good water vapor barrier.
My neighbor used the same epoxy his company used in an aircraft hanger. Shiny and very durable. Is tile an option?
Home Depot installs and do it yourself epoxys of different qualiy. A buddy of mine had Home Depot apply a cheaper epoxy and he regretted not using the high end one.

Kirk

 

High end composite vinyl tiles will work well. Do not buy the soft tiles, they will not last. You must wax to prevent stains from occuring. This application is not a water vapor barrier.

Kirk

 

Do you mean efflorescence?

Efflorescence is a white powdery appearing deposit. It may appear from a "light haze " to a very heavy "blooming". Or Water soluble salts, depostied as moisture evaporates, on the exterior of brick or concrete.

Effervescence - An effect in the film caused by rapid solvent release. This "boiling" of solvent causes a pinholed or cratered appearance reducing gloss.