I am trying to wrap my head around the best coating for new concrete. The shop floor is approximately 2400 sf. I want to coat it with something that will prevent staining from spills. Leaking cars etc. I asked over at the Garage Journal but they confused me more. Is there a decent product that is just a clear coating that is somewhat reasonable cost ?
The only shop floor Ive seen that was smooth & clear finished. I was told it was waxed and buffed like you would a commercial floor. I used a light colored w part epoxy w flecks in our shop. I will say the extra light reflected off of the light colored floor is nice. It seems to add more light to the shop, where my plain concrete floor just kind of soaked it up if that makes any sense. I are not a scientistist... I often here guys say "I use my shop as a shop, I dont need any coatings on my floor". Well so do I & I dont regret the epoxy one bit. It makes cleaning easier & to me looks better. It was cheap enough & I did it in one day myself. Just pre wash w citric acid. Let it dry a couple days, then it rolls on like paint. Throw the flakes in if you want em.
I wonder if a person coated the floor with canning wax and then heated it up to the point of melting. If that would create a protective barrier that would stop future stains ? I saw where a person used beeswax and mixed it with clay then packed it for a living room floor .
I can't say enough good things about ArmorPoxy. https://armorpoxy.com/ I did the floor application myself with the "job on a pallet" kit they have. We used the 100% solids, 2 part ArmorPoxyII. It dries hard a rock and can even fill holes, then it gets clear coated. In the 8 years I've had it and beat the **** out of it, it has never lifted or needed to be touched up. It's astonishingly heat resistant from dropping parts on the ground that I've just welded or torched on. It's impervious to oil and gas can sit on it so long it will evaporate before the floor is damaged. Basic clean up is just with a mop and bucket.
Best bet would be to ask a few of the pros on Garage Journal specific questions by way of private messaging. Less confusion and compe***ion. Industrial epoxy flooring was part of my gig before I retired but I haven't kept up with new trends and products. It was not overly difficult to apply. As most coatings application, the prep was the key to a better outcome. We used to recommend an extended cure time for new concrete before coating. Older concrete had to be blasted to promote better adhesion. Yellowing in time was a certainty unless you started with a red hue. If doing it yourself, take all safety precautions. We used some real skull & crossbones chemicals for removing oil/grease from some areas that are likely outlawed today. Ventilation was taken very seriously. Results varied depending on condition of the concrete before hand and the intended use. What seemed to hold up or at least look better longer was the clear 2 part epoxy. Damage from forklifts or skids didn't show as much. It seemed to seal better, would scratch but would not peel off in sheets. Probably, almost half the cost was labor if blasting prep was needed. New construction should be cheaper. It is likely done differently these days. After you get educated in the process you may decide to do it yourself and save a few bucks. Good luck!
I have done our patio. I acid etched it and did the stain conversion. It was fairly easy, but usually the colors are darker and the clear isn't designed for daily abuse.
I can look into the brand we used, I have an unused box in storage. I think it was more like 600$ for 2,000 sq foot than 6k$. Im sure we just bought it at the big box store. Home Depot or Lowes.
I've been looking at this stuff. Still have to read the reviews on it. https://www.concretesealersusa.com/...in-protector-for-concrete-surfaces-4-gal-kit/
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