While looking through the "garages" thread and recnetly reading an article on how to set up a workshop in Hemmings Motor News, I thought about my garage and the downfalls it has right now. It got me thinking that I should probably put some sort of coating on the concrete floor to preserve it, also make the garage more appealing to the eye, more natural light, and it would look better without stains. I am wondering how many of you have a floor coating or have personally used U Coat It on a floor? I know I could easily cheap out and just buy concrete paint, but in this case it seems that I'd get what I pay for. I did a "rough" estimate and it was $669. I'd rather not dish out that kind off cash, but if thats what it takes I might as well. Any thoughts or opinions?
Rob, I looked into the UCoatIt stuff a little over a year ago, and I just couldn't justify paying that much for floor coating. What I ended up going with was the Rustoleum Epoxy Shield coating. I have to say I am very happy with the results, i haven't had a chip or a scratch in the last year. The only complaint so far is the same as my friend that used the UCoatIt, be very carful when it's raining or snowing, this stuff is like ice when it's wet! I ended up flat on my back twice last winter. You may wan't to call and see if you can add some sand into the mix for traction. The only other advice I can give is make sure your floor is absolutely clean and oil free before you roll any coating on, if the kit comes with a cleaner use it. These epoxys dry so fast you don't have much room for error, any dust or oil on the concrete will cause bubbles or worse yet no coverage on the oil spot. hope this helps,
I know you asked for U Coat It results but I also stayed away fromt the high price. I ended up using Rustoleum Professional Kit which is supposed to be the "high" solids variety. My garage is about 840 sq ft and it took two kits ($96 each at HD). I first etched the floor w/muratic acid (1:4 w/water), let it dry and paint away. I also added sand to it, just keep the paint wekk stirred to keep the sand in suspension, work in small sections and move the paint around with a squeegee, then use a roller to finish. Although I haven't gone through the winter with it, as far as rainy days are concerned, the floor has not been slippery. The sand may make it more difficult to wipe up spills. Good luck!
alternatives I coated my floor with U-Coat it and with the exception of the slick surface when water/snow is present, I love it. Smooth finish concrete is also slick if you add water or snow though. I mop my garage floor about once a week or so, and it is very easy to keep clean. Keep in mind though if you pick a lighter color, it will help brighten your garage. One consideration you must keep in mind. If your concrete slab does not have a vapor barrier, then you must be careful when you select your epoxy finish. A water cured epoxy will bond better to a concrete finish that may contain moisture. My main reason for selecting the finish I did is because my contractor decided to cut a few corners (before I fired him) and he felt like a vapor barrier wasn't necessary, even though it was in the scope of work and required by local building code. If you heat your garage and live in a cooler climate....you will have moisture "wick" up through your concrete floor. I used the floor coating as an alternative to a vapor barrier in lieu of tearing up the existing 6" conc. slab and re-pouring a new one. Check with a local painting supply house or painting contractor. There are alternatives to U-Coatit out there, but the prices don't vary a great deal. A lot of the epoxy finishes sold at local "Home-improvement" centers will not bond as well, and in a few years will start to flake. Hot tires after driving several miles will also stick to weaker finishes. I once bought a set of wheels and tires that had floor finish attached to them from a "lesser" sealer. Careful preparation is still the most important step. Good luck, and send us pictures when you finish. There is my $.20 worth John
I used U Coat It on my floor last September. Floor is 18 years old with some cracks and pitting. Followed the instructions for cleaning and prepping religiously (my wife thought I was going overboard) and didn't drive or park on it for 10 days after it was done. About 2 weeks after I started parking on it, the paint started peeling off under one of the back tires of my Yukon. Needless to say I was pissed. I called U-Coat-it and they said they would send me a repair kit, just wanted me to send them a sample of peeling paint. Got the repair kit a week or so later, but by now it was getting into October and was getting cool and wet so decided to wait out the winter to see if it got worse or peeled any where else and for it to warm up. After the winter, the spot had gotten a little bigger, which I expected, but it was raining constantly and still cool so kept waiting to fix it. Then I noticed another spot a little farther away but in line with the other where I drive in and out was peeling up. It finally got warm and dry enough so fixed the spot over the week of July 4th. The repair kit is pretty small, but covered better than I thought. I was told by U-Coat-It to sand the finish down with 60-80 grit sandpaper then follow instructions to repair it. I sanded and feathered the spots out and ended up with an area about 15 inches wide and 3 feet long. I also took a 36 grit grinding disk on a drill and lightly scratched the surface of the concrete to get better adhesion. Degreased it 4 times and etched it with muriatic acid 4 times then repaired the spot. So far so good. It seems to be holding. The color matches pretty well and although the repair is not invisible most people don't notice it and I think it will blend in better once it gets driven on a little more. Most noticeable part of the repair is the gloss of the clear topcoat which I think will dull down with time. And yes it is very slippery with snow and ice. Water isn't that bad. The kit comes with grit in it, but I was told not to put it in the whole floor as it is hard to clean. I just put the grit in areas where doors from the house or to the outside enter in.
