EPOXY FLOOR PAINT

The following information is to give you an outline as to how epoxy floor paint should be applied and cost estimates.  These instructions are by no means a substitute for the manufacturer’s instructions. 

How Long Does it Take to Apply:

Epoxy floor paint is a tough, long-lasting coating that is painted onto the concrete surface.  Epoxy floor paint when applied correctly will resist grease, oil and many other substances, which would ruin typical paints. 

However, in all honestly the real challenge of this project is in the preparation of the concrete surface so that it will bond with the epoxy floor paint.  In addition, the preparation work can be labor intensive and tedious.  In addition, do not think that this will be a one-day project—as it will not be, plan for it to take the entire weekend.  With that said, the following information should help you evaluate the condition of your concrete, prepare your concrete, and finally apply your concrete paint.

Your first step will be to test your concrete for moisture.  To do this, tape a plastic bag to the garage floor for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, lift a corner of the taped plastic bag.  If it’s dry underneath, you can proceed with an epoxy coating.  However, if you find moisture under the plastic, do not coat the floor with epoxy, as the moisture in the concrete will prevent the epoxy from bonding correctly with the concrete.  Over time, this will cause the epoxy to peal and wear away from the concrete garage flooring.  If there isn’t any moisture, then you can continue on to the second step of cleaning the concrete floor.

Plan to spend the first day and possible the second day cleaning, degreasing and removing oil spots from the concrete.  You will also need to etching it with a mild acid, then scrub, vacuum, and rinsing the concrete.  You will have to rinse the floor a lot to ensure that you have removed all resin from the acid wash.  Once you have thoroughly cleaned the concrete, your next step is to fill all the cracks and apply the first coat of epoxy.  The next day, you will apply a second coat of epoxy paint.  So far, we have spent a day testing the concrete for moisture, two days cleaning the floor, and two days apply two coats of the epoxy paint, which if my math is correct, we have spent 5 days so far applying epoxy garage paint.  Keep in mind however, that we did not add in the time it will take you to remove everything off the concrete garage floor before you begin.  For most homeowners this adds another day.  Therefore, the approximant total time it will take you, is a week give or take a day or two. 

How Much Will It Cost:

The best part of this project is that it doesn’t require many special tools.  However, to save your poor back and to help reduce the amount of time you will spend cleaning and preparing the concrete surface, we strongly recommend that you rent a walk-behind power floor scrubber that comes with a stiff brush attachment.  You can usually rent these for about $25 per day from most home improvement stores or tool rental shops.  The stiff brushes will work better than scrubbing pads on concrete.  However, if the stiff brushes are not available, then go ahead and purchase two scrubbing pads.  These should run approximately $8 to $ 12 each.  The other tool you should consider renting is a wet vacuum if you do not already own one or have access to one.  A Wet/Dry Vac usually runs about $18 a day.

The cost of the epoxy coating starts as low as $.60 per square foot if you do it yourself to more than $4.25 per square foot if you have it professional installed.  The price of the epoxy will also depend on the type you choose.  All epoxy floor paints are tough resins, which come in two separate parts.  You will combine the two parts together just before you apply them to your concrete floor.  Epoxy floor paints and coatings can be divided into three types: 100 % solids, solvent based and water based. 

100 percent solid epoxy coatings are more possible the most expensive coating because they are nearly pure epoxy.  Because of this, 100% coatings do not contain solvents that evaporate.  100 percent epoxy coatings are expensive and are difficult to apply because they harden quickly.  Therefore, professionals should install them. 

The next type of epoxy coatings is the solvent-based epoxies.  These contain approximately 40 to 60 percent epoxy and are often the choice of professionals.  However, they do have a few drawbacks.  The main drawback is that they contain solvents, which are powerful and potentially hazardous, for this reason you have to use a respirator.  The good news is that you can purchase a quality respirator for approximately $14.00.  The 3M 5000 series respirator has an organic vapor/acid gas filter.  When wearing a respirator, it must fit snuggly to your face so that none of the fumes can seep in around the edges when you breathe.  Because of the hazardous potential of the fumes, you must provide ventilation to the area you are coating.  This means, keeping all pets and all other people away from the odors.

You can find solvent-based epoxies at some paint specialty stores such as Sherwin-Williams and ICI Dulux, to name a few.  If you are have trouble locating them, then consult your Yellow Pages under “Paint, Wholesale & Manufacturers” or “Industrial Equipment & Supplies,” you can also surf the Internet.

The most economical form of epoxy coatings is the water-based epoxies.  Water-based epoxies must be mixed before you apply them.  Like solvent-based epoxies, water-based epoxies also typically contain 40 to 60 percent epoxy.  However, unlike solvent based epoxies, water based epoxies do not contain solvents that release hazardous fumes.  You can find water-based solvents at your neighborhood home improvement center.  One of the most widely sold brands is Rust-Oleum’s Epoxy Shield Garage Floor Coating. 

Whether you choose to use solvent- or water-based epoxy, we recommend applying two coats.  This will extend the long-term wear and durability of the coating, this is known as “build.”  Build is a term that refers to the thickness of the dried epoxy coating.  When purchasing epoxy coating, products with a higher solid content will have a higher build, and usually a higher price as well. 

The average two-car garage is approximately 450 sq. ft. so you will need 2 to 3 gallons per coat this however, depends on the percent of solids in the epoxy.  To make sure you purchase the right amount, please read the container.  The price to apply two coats of epoxy will range between $150 to $300.  Make sure you read the cans for coverage to make sure you buy enough.  Remember it’s better to have too much, then to be half way through a project and run out of coating.

The Number One Question: Can I apply Epoxy over Paint?

The answer is yes and no. 

Working in the paint department of my local home improvement store, I am asked at least once a day during the week and at least 15 times during the weekends, if it is okay to apply epoxy concrete coatings over an already painted garage floor.  Yes, you can, IF YOU DO THE NECESSARY PREP WORK!  You cannot go home and immediately apply the epoxy coating directly over a painted garage floor. 

Your prep work begins by removing any loose paint and by scuffing the painted surface so that the epoxy will adhere to the painted garage floor.  To do this, you can rent a floor buffer with a 6—grit sanding screen.  These usually cost about $35.00 a day.  You will need to purchase extra screens. 

Once you have gone over the entire floor with the buffer, sweep the floor, or use a shop-vacuum to remove all the dust and paint chips.  However, you still aren’t ready to apply the epoxy.  Your next step is to clean thoroughly the floor using a cleaner/degreaser.  You may need to go back over your floor several times to ensure that you have removed all oil, dirt and grease from the floor as epoxy will not stick to any area that is contaminated with dirt, oil, or grease.