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Anyone paint a concrete shop floor?

3K views 35 replies 21 participants last post by  furnman487 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
A smooth 900sqft concrete slab has been poured and is awaiting the construction of my woodworking shop.
There are always better, more expensive ways to approach each step of the new shop building process, but the floor is not one on which I plan to spend a lot of money.
I never plan to drive a car into the shop (though technically I could), or riding mower or anything like that.
Most of my heavy equipment is on casters.
As I see it, the options for floor finish are expoxy, paint, or some other kind of sealer.
I'm currently thinking white paint, making it easy to find tiny parts that are dropped.
Does anyone have specific product recommendations, or other guidance, to help me make good choices here?
Thank you!
 
#2 ·
I've used various products and i would still suggest the 2 part floor epoxy, followed by a sealer and polish. Especially before you start putting anything in there its easy breezy. You will spill stuff and drop things and it will hold up better than the floor paints if done right. You can pop glue off easy and wipe up chemicals usually without damage. A new white floor you will be able to find parts easier, until the second day when there are shoe scuff marks and other marks all over the place.

Just keep in mind new concrete needs time to cure before any top coat you choose to use.
 
#8 ·
I had epoxy with the little plastic confetti stuff. Loved it for traction. Hated trying to find dropped screws and washers on it. When I got my shop done here in Santa Fe, I was going to get epoxy over the concrete in the motorcycle garage side, but the contractor flaked out, so I've still got naked concrete.

The one thing I wouldn't do is get epoxy with nothing in it. I'd probably get the sanded stuff, as spills on epoxy are pretty dang slippery. Also, I would prefer gray to white for glare. But I'd also look at light yellow or other pastel choices. Gray seems too likely to hide small parts.
 
#9 ·
After a lot of evaluation, I went with tile. The inexpensive tiles at HD were on a really good sale and I was concerned about the longevity of epoxy, especially after reading the various reviews. Sounds like surface prep, etching, and cleaning make or break the epoxy floor coverings.

One of the folks I work with painted their basement with the fancy version of Rustoleum metallic epoxy after their basement flooded. It took 4 people 2 days. The first day was spent cleaning, etching and prepping the floor. Day 2 was spent with one person rolling the paint on and 2 people taking care of the edges. The last person made sure the epoxy was ready to go the rolling didn't have to wait as well as spreading the sand. Apparently, it sets up FAST and if starts to dry and you roll over it things get screwed up. I saw the finished pictures - WOW it looked great. I haven't heard if they had any problems with it popping.

I need to do this in the shop and in the main garage. I might wait to see how it works for you.
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
I've been on unfinished concrete floors and there's a nails-on-a-chalkboard feel to them for me personally. I'm definitely going to finish with something!

Simplest option on the table so far looks like "Eagle Natural Sealant" or similar, at Home Depot: a $90, 5gal can covers 1000 sqft and I don't have to mix anything.

Good points about white paint being a bit too glaring as well as too prone to scuffing. Perhaps a light gray glossy paint…
 
#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
I ve been on unfinished concrete floors and there s a nails-on-a-chalkboard feel to them for me personally. I m definitely going to finish with something!

Simplest option on the table so far looks like "Eagle Natural Sealant" or similar, at Home Depot: a $90, 5gal can covers 1000 sqft and I don t have to mix anything.

Good points about white paint being a bit too glaring as well as too prone to scuffing. Perhaps a light gray glossy paint…

- JohnMcClure
I used to work in a shop (national chain)that had the grey epoxy. The stuff lasts for years if maintained. I was the guy that had to maintain them, but also the guy that had to repaint shops that needed it. The grey stays pretty clean if sealed and polished regularly(rent a floor buffer from HD), scuff marks come off easy. After years of the grey, for my own garage I did the tan kit with the flecks. Personally i don't find the flexks an issue. I have one of those magnetic sweeper wands that will grab anything metal. And i learned long ago the best way to find small parts you drop is to get down to floor level, close one eye and use the lower eye to sight down the floor and hold a flashlight, even tiny springs etc will stand out.
 
#20 ·
I used the rustoleum product with the confetti. It's held up very well in my shop for 3 years now. Doign the etching and all that was a pain and you do need to work quickly. Definitely have someone else helping you paint. My wife did the edges while I rolled the floor.
 
#22 ·
I kinda like concrete just as it is, plus as stated no work. My BIL is in the other camp, and all I can tell you is he learned the hard way they aren't all created equal. Not sue what brand he used, but paid a LOT of $$$$ for a product that he spent a solid week prepping brand new concrete for, and within a week had almost totally peeled off.

He finally got another product that stayed down, and after 8 years they moved, and it was still down. However on rainy, or snowy days that floor could look dry, but was slick as snot. I can understand a clear coat floor that IS wet being slippery, this stuff just needed moisture in the air. Splatttt that was yer ass hitting the floor.

Did I say I really like concrete?
 
#25 ·
I used an epoxy product in a bright yellow color. It definitely made the shop brighter. Another thing I noticed is that
the humidity was significantly reduced. You could just feel the difference in the air. I ve never regretted doing it.

- BurlyBob
Wait a minute, what? Can you suggest a mechanism for this? IE, that moisture otherwise wicks up through the unsealed concrete and evaporates into the shop air, but is blocked by epoxy… or something else? I'm not doubting you, just completely confounded as to the possible cause of this perceived humidity reduction.
 
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