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My new shed has just been finished. It is 12 x 8m. I have a partition in the middle so I have a 6 x 8m workshop and a 6 x 8m suite for the trailer and tractor. Before I move anything in there, I was wondering if I should paint the floor. Does it make it easier to cleanup? Any reason not too, other than cost?
Paint your floor now, 2 coats With a decent paint; and never have to worry about it again.
You will never regret it.
Less dust from surface break down.
Easy to clean any oil leaks by eliminating leakage absorption into concrete.
Easy to clean, sweep, mop, blow.
Choose a colour that won't absorb too much light eg light grey, beige etc.
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Two pack epoxy. Tough as nails, looks good, very easy to clean up and pretty easy to apply with a roller.
I painted mine with Bondall Factory & Garage Floor Paint. It's okay but I'd do it in epoxy if I had my time again. Just a nicer (smoother) surface finish. That said, the floor paint can be touched up if damaged while the epoxy can't, so swings and roundabouts.
Just seal it with a concrete sealer mine has has been there 20 years
I actually added a waterproofing sealer into the concrete mix (RadMYX). The slab now repels water... to a degree. It isn't completely waterproofed but it is pretty good.
Any particular brand of epoxy and where should I look for it?
Procrastinating as usual
The concrete floor of my workshop has a smooth finish and gives sufficient grip. Wouldn't either epoxy or a floor paint/sealant make it much more slippery?
Yvan
Congrats on the new shed.Quote:
Originally Posted by TongueTied
Make sure you get a paint that is able to be repaired. It is a real SOB if you have to grind the entire old coat off to seal up a wear through. Also, some paints will provide better protection against particular substances, like oil, acid, harsh detergents, abrasives, etc. So do a bit of research before you coat your shiny new floor with it. I'm sure there will be plenty of views about this from others on this forum.
Best of luck.
There are two different epoxy systems for concrete floors, but unfortunately my 'expert' on them has retired. One is slippery when dry and the other seems good until it gets wet when it turns into a skating rink. Regardless of that, any supplier worth his money should be offering you a traction additive that you put on as soon as you finish spreading the epoxy - something like coarse sand but unlike sand it doesn't break down with use (like sand paper does).
In case it isn't obvious, I'd recommend epoxy rather than paint.
We got a grit compound to add to the paint - final coat.
that could make it difficult. Epoxy and other floor finishes need to bond to the concrete, using a capillary waterproofing agent might preclude it especially if it was admix. Normal process is to grind or acid etch the surface, which you then have to wash but Radmyx remains active in the slab, when it gets wet it reactivates. If it beads water at all, epoxy won't take and will lift off the concrete.Quote:
Originally Posted by TongueTied
There may be a primer you can use and then paint the floor, but I suspect epoxy will be a waste of time and money. Its worth consulting suppliers to see what they recommend.
Do nothing. Economical. Most painted floors are very slippery when wet. Add more to your cost with some sort of grit.
Most painted floors are slippery when coated with fine saw dust or paint dust. That coating normally builds up where you are working.
Sure, it might be a lot easier to clean up when the day is done, not every 30 minutes.
My workshop is nearly 1/3 of my lower level. The bare concrete floor is 40 years old. It isn't coming apart - never dusty.
Never slippery when wet. Easy to clean with a ShopVac. Never any concern about scratching the finish.
If you do decide to paint, do it NOW before you fill the place up with stuff.
I don't know that I could empty my shop to paint the floor now, if I tried.
I have had good results with Taubman's Paving Paint (oil based) used as follows:
- With 25mm tape mask out 200x500mm rectangles (This is not purely for aesthetics as any later repairs can be quarantined to a single rectangle).
- Paint the squares.
- IMMEDIATELY, while the paint is still very wet, sprinkle it heavily with clean, dry, sharp sand.
- Wait until paint sets, not dries, and remove tape.
- Next day, vacuum up all loose paint and apply two more coats of paint.
Surface is sufficiently non-slippery to be used on yachts. Lasts at least ten years when exposed to UV.
Factory floor paint is even more durable - its designed to be continuously driven over by fork lifts.
I do not like any method that involves putting sand or any other grit into the pot of paint as it is extremely difficult to get a uniform surface - the grit settles or floats in the can so you have rich and lean patches.
Fair Winds
Graeme
I will be doing my new shed build floor in the next couple of months. I am going with Megapoxy
http://megapoxy.com/products/flooring/
Local supplier in SA:
Megapoxy Epoxy
some of their work:
QANTAS Adelaide Hanger
Winery floors
Morphettville Racecourse Horse Pool
Car parks
Floor Coatings & Sealers A
FWIW - this is the floor of my shed painted with Berger floor paint in 2011.
Attachment 405128
This is the MW end of the shed - the wood work end can be seen going through the opening on the RHS was painted one year later with the same stuff.
The metal work end was repainted when i retired in 2013 but it only lasted about a year because I work ~80% of my time in that end and it needs to be painted with something a bit more robust.
The WW end is now a bit beat up and needs a redcoat.
Was it worth it - i'd say it was. One thing I would do different is to use something harder on the MW end.