I did my own floor in a brand new house, and I still rented a grinder and did mechanical prep. Everything I read and all the advice said grind not etch. 10+ years and still looking great.
@@Roadshopaudio oil is impossible to completely remove from Concrete. You can degrease first, then diamond grind and you simply have to hope for the best. There are no guarantees with oil stains.
Here is what I learned from watching Concrete Solution videos. You didn't say it, because you are nice and don't want to trash the competition...but I've seen enough RUclips videos to figure it out. Virtually any suburbia home built since the 1980's has a garage with sealed concrete. Unless you build a new house and request no sealer on the cement, it will be sealed. Yet, companies market the acid etching approach for convenience when they know damn well that it won't work...that in reality, a surface grind is required for proper adhesion in virtually all of the cases. But they don't tell you that in clear terms and emphasis that acid etching in all likelihood will not be an option for the overwhelming majority of folks. They let customers buy and use the acid etching and invest in the tools, primer, topcoat and clear coat that is surely to separate in the very near future because of no pores for adhesion. What a racket this acid etching is to the consumer... and those companies get away with it. They know most DIYers would be put-off if they realize they will be burdened with the additional cost of rental for a diamond re-surfacing tool, having to go pick it up and return it, set up dust control system, as well as the extra work involved in the actual grinding/resurfacing to do it right.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions you guys are acting as if you’re the best people around for the job but my family has 4 business all throughout utah and all you’re doing is shitting on my work. I hav me garages that have lasted longer than you’ve ever done this job.
I was surprised that the flakes are thrown on top, and not mixed in with the epoxy. I know there's probably a really good reason for it, but it just caught me out.
You're a good teacher I like how you talked about the trees affecting the work. Leaving a pile to soak the roller in. Very good work. Thanks for the video.
I like ut, there is a huge difference between "good" and "good enough" great to see someone taking the steps to surpass good enough, because it never is.
It's so sad too! A mark of a true professional is one who makes the job look easy but also, leaves the place just as good or better then they left it. I'm halfway through the video and he is a true professional!
@@professionalcommenter I've been watching 1puglife on RUclips get his epoxy floors done. He's had 3 guys come in do a completely terrible job and here is 4 months later sanding it all and doing it himself.
This video explains to me why there are so many garage paint reviews that say "I did everything the instructions said and all peeled off". This stuff is an art and requires real attention to detail.
i completely agree. This company knows, is experienced and does the job right. BEWARE, there are so many "Bad" "Only for the money" "Fake" contractors on this earth.
What a bunch of BS... How long has the original floor lasted ? How much did it cost? If it was a $129 Home Depot kit. It has done a great job. Only flacking where the tires are are located. Sure he was flacking off the loose stuff. But it quickly transitioned to solid . Even though it was clear the bare spot had been there for a long time. It had not spread. Give me a wire brush and some cleaner and a pint of epoxy garage floor paint and all fixed for $35. Most people can't afford a $400 emergency car repair
So glad I found this BEFORE I begin my process here in North Texas! Thanks so much for your incredibly detailed and truly professional demonstration. FANTASTIC
Best video I've seen yet on the subject. I may have the confidence to have a crack at doing this myself after watching this video. I don't like the idea of spraying acid everywhere for etching so this suits me fine. Thanks for sharing.
I didn't know that one spread the flakes by hand, like that. Fun to see, and the result looked so good. Thank you for making videos like this. Well done. :)
Same ! Made me think also what he says about the grinding. But from my minimal experience with concrete, there often seems to be a thin, extra weak porous layer on top. So perhaps it's less about "the scratch" and more about binding to more solid concrete, just because the texture already looked quite rough in my opinion.
@Retro_Afterglow Well , it does have some benefits and has a more "modern" look to it, but for your normal garage , yeah not much reason for it. I got ceramic tiles in my garage and also floor heating. Don't think it was the best choice made , but i wasn't the one who built it. Also , no issues with the inside part of the garage (which has the heating and tiles) , but the outside part which has tiles has been having a couple issues , which had me working for a couple weekends.
@Retro_Afterglow beacuse its not pourous so it doesnt soak up fluids like concrete staining it, and cleans with a mop and bucket instead of a pressure washer when its dirty.
The consistency of randomness is what makes that flake look so incredible! Just fling it up in the air and let the universe take its course! Great job guys.
I still don't get why anyone would want flakes. Especially if you're dropping screws etc. why are you trying to make it harder to find them? haha. It's personal taste no doubt but I love the clean look. I guess in this case the light flake isn't so bad..
@@digitalsmithy Good thought. I really like the flake look, and I imagine it hides a lot of sins, but I never consider the "loose screw scenario"! Good call
I do the exact same thing as a job as well as concrete microtopping floors. You guys do a good job. Not sure why I got home from work and watched a video of the exact same floor I do.
I refinish hardwood and have done a few of these, thinking about getting into the business. All of mine turned out great but I only have a regular buffer and finishing and resin knowledge. I need to get the better concrete equipment and go in business, thanks for the vid.
@@BingBongYourLife Assuming you wish to do an epoxy floor and there already is some materisl on the concrete,yes. Otherwise it just depends in what you wanna do with it
I have poured epoxy bartops and tables for over 35 years and found by mixing epoxy in one bucket then pour and scrape sides of the first mix bucket into another then mix again you never have those poorly mixed or unmixed fails. Beautiful work !!!!
I woke up with my phone open to this comment, and a guy in medical scrubs screaming about the dead rising or some crap. Also, why does this say you posted this four days ago?
Great work! I made the mistake of scrubbing my floors with a cleaner and degreaser--but neither etching nor grinding. I did put down a primer that was supposed to be designed for previously coated floors (my garage had a thin coating of some sort). I paid for one of the higher-end Rust-oleum epoxy products. I should have known I was going to have problems when one of the batches started to get really hot and thick before I could apply even half of it. I got a replacement batch and battled through, and my floor looked great! ...for about 1 year.... Since then, it has almost completely failed. Terrible hot tire pickup, and other patches that flaked and popped off. Time to get a new coating--or perhaps go with something like Race Deck....
note: When you set your camera on the tripod, turn your camera lens to manual focus. Make sure it is focused & remember to turn the stabilizer off. That should take care of your blur. Thank you for the information on how to treat the concrete. You guys rock!
And as a contribution: make sure to use an aperture like 8 or above, to get all in focus. Will improve your end result (video wise, not the instruction, because that is awesome!)
What an informative video. Thank you. I had this playing in the background on low volume. When I started paying attention, you were just starting the primer application. I couldn’t figure out why your boots weren’t making any marks as you walked on the primer. Then I saw the spikes at 15:22 in the reflection. Pretty cool stuff.
That first floor application was why I had my shop floor polished instead of coated, I couldn't empty it out if it a coating came unbonded. That and the polishing was 1/3rd less than epoxy and at 24k sq. ft. the savings were substantial. EDIT: Forgot to say it's nice to see a craftsman take pride in his work, great job!
Watching from the UK where this sort of flooring doesn't seem very common in domestic properties. Possibly because we rarely put vehicles in our garages! Or perhaps because it's more costly them most home-owners are prepared to afford. However it looks really good and would definitely be better than the floor paint we tend to use. The grinding stage is what makes this seem out of reach at a diy level. Thanks for a really interesting video 👍🏻
you can easily rent those grinders, just need to be able to transport them I guess. For that you need a giant pickup truck if the parking lot of Home Depot is anything to go by
Great video and very informative. I've been in the painting business for many years now and this video helped me decide to stop climbing ladders and remain a ground-based mammal. No more ladder-climbing for me I'm done with that. Thanks guys and I can tell you you're a lot like me, you take pride in what you do and most everyone knows that's what makes a successful business. There's no substitute for quality. Sincerely Dean B.👍👍👍
I understand your point and wish you all success. But if you find yourself in a situation that your client wants you to work on heights, make sure you insist on safe means. So make sure to use a scaffolding or something like that. They want the work done and it shouldn't go at the cost of your safety. Just saying. 😏
I did epoxy with my dad on my parents’ house back when my dad was still a contractor and all he did was acid etch it. It failed almost immediately and we never knew why. I was just a kid. But now I know why 😆
@@michaelmcgee2026 You could say the same thing about any product and who really knows if it will affect the performance of the paint somewhere down the road, pressure washing it out and sufficient drying time to remove moisture content is key,I’ve done many of these in my 35 years and the only one that failed earlier than it should have was because I rushed the job and didn’t allow proper drying time.
Some people (idiot me )thought that when epoxyshield was remanufactured to a water cleanup product that it could be applied to a slightly damp surface and that wasn’t the case and still isn’t so today that was why it failed on a job I did it taught me to make sure the concrete has a really low moisture content before application.
As a home owner I have seen very nice epoxy garage floors in other folks homes but as someone that works on my own cars the last thing I would want would be chip floor since it would camouflage any small item dropped on the floor. I saw this first not with epoxy chip floors but with exposed aggregate concrete floors in the early 1980s when they were being used in passive solar homes. If you dropped and small amount of cut up food it could not be seen unless you got on your knees and looked for the relief of the food on the floor. I have also seen this issue on real granite countertops. Not criticizing your work just and observation of this type of flooring, beautiful work.
you can get flake all the same color, literally any color. But in all honesty, most of the folks getting these floors don't work on anything themselves ;)
The only solution might be to leave a section in the corner uncoated that you could sweep the work area debris over to, and use that as the search area. 😜 My usual tactic is taking a bright flashlight and shining it sideways across the area and look for the shadow from the part 🙈
This video saved me from just pouring epoxy over my splotchy basement floor. I'm definitely calling a specialist to help me prepare my floor properly. Thank you for sharing your work.
My dad and me did it on his garage floor. Put the washer the floor well, filled the cracks, put epoxy down, added flakes, waited for it to dry completely and applied a coat of wax on top. It’s held up perfectly for 3 years now and wasn’t hard at all (:
Nice job! I'm a flooring contractor. We sand and finish hardwood floors, install floor coverings and tile. I don't advertise or pursue garage floor work. But occasions arise where customers have me do it. I basically go after it how I would with a hardwood floor requiring a recoat. We use our buffing machine to clean up previously painted floors using 40 grit papers (not screens) on our buffing machine. Then we do a similar process you've done with oil-based colored polyurethanes. I appreciate what goes into the process that you're doing. Now situations are arising whereas customers want me to do their basement floor with floor leveler, then stain and seal it. I pre-qualify the project by telling them there are companies that specifically do this and that's not me. But I can make something nice ( basements that are prone to flood damage, so practicality and price is more a point than Elegance and high quality). I've been able to give a nice product I'm proud of. Now I see what the next level is with the process and products you use. I'll be sure to refer fellows like you you when customer expectations calls for a really nice durable job. Best wishes
As a contractor what I usually see is that the homeowner almost never wants to pay for the prep work because you can't see it when the work is done. Everyone says just etch and paint. Or we don't want to pay for underlayment mat, gravel, sand then pavers. Just put sand over the old stuff, tamp it and lay them pavers please. Nothing wrong with the contractor following the homeowners demands as long as you explain to them that they are looking at failure in the future. Most don't care or i hear were moving anyway. Then the inevitable happens as were watching in this video. I have a hard time blaming the previous worker or company without knowing the whole story that leads up to an extensive remodel.
That’s the problem people give cheap options then when someone prices to do the job right it’s “too high”. If more contractors just learned to not offer the cheap options more people would realize the actual costs to do the job right. But always will be hacks in any industry just have to build your client base on the good customers they will refer you. Whenever I hire someone I want to hear they are not cheap but do very good work. If u start to do the cheap work they will share u with others looking for the same thing and u don’t need those kind of customers.
There may be nothing wrong with following the homeowner’s request, especially if you are a fly by night contractor, but just remember that when the job fails the person who gets blamed isn’t the homeowner, but the contractor. Do you really want to be that contractor?
That's why a good product salesman won't even give that option. Do it right or not at all because in the end you are the expert and the end result comes back to your work and not what the person who has no idea what they actually want other then the most affordable price. No matter how cheap the job is doing it twice is still more expensive than doing it once right
As a homeowner, I just started doing things myself because I found out the prep work and anything else you can't 'see', doesn't get done, they lie and cover it up, say they did and charge the homeowner. Hiring a contractor is a scam. You have to take off work, and literally stand over them and make sure they are actually doing it, and not cutting corners.
You should try a hand held seed spreader for tossing flakes 👍🏻 I always toss my wall corners by hand but the spreader saves me a lot of time on open areas
Grinding is a far superior prep for all the reasons you mentioned and others. Acid etching is a pretty shallow process on well cured concrete. When finishing precast concrete panels, the acid works better the more green the concrete it is. Staining is an issue as concrete is porous and lots of things in garages (primarily oils) will act as a form release agent. Chlorides from road salts will also weaken the surface of the concrete over time and this weaker concrete may not be removed with just an acid etch, but grinding it will easily do so. If the flatwork guys happened to add more water to the mix when pouring to make it easier to float it will be weaker (especially the very top where excess water can get worked into the top of the mix). If the flatwork guys overworked the concrete when troweling or troweled too soon the top surface will again be weaker. Aggragate can be more porous than cement paste. Long story short, grinding to remove the softest concrete will allow for a better bond than any acid etch and will not change the concrete chemistry which is rather alkaline by nature.
I like grinding also or shot. Leaving a defined scratch, but my jobs are spec acid etch. Warranty purposes I have to, would you do first? Etch wash then grind then wash again. I prep 50,000 sqft tennis court for painting. So vacuuming is too slow. We blow it off and wash. Any thoughts?
@@2squeege that seems extremely redundant. I would simply diamond grind and apply a good primer. What is the point of acid etching and then diamond grinding? Acid etching apparently doesn't do enough
new viewer, I see home owners painting and throwing those little flakes onto the floor. Nice to know that it is a short cut that fails in no time....I have learned in my life, with everything I do--- the proper prep is key to any job from building something to washing dishes!!!! makes the job go smoother and faster in the long run.
I'm a pro painter and don't attempt these jobs. They require specialist product, equipment and skills. Great work guys. You can tape the front lip for a razor edge if you seal the tape edge with an appropriate mastic, and peel off while still wet.
That's exactly what happened to me, the first company basically made themselves unavailable to do the warranty work and I had to redo entirely with another company. They stripped it, added a rubberized undercoat and re-epoxied....beautiful now and perfect. As he says, all in the prep and after my experience make sure to "fully" check references.
Great video I do this as well but trying to educate clients is almost impossible with trying to get them get them to understand time and preparation to get the perfect results when people going around doing for nothing and just use a leaf blower before applying
The grinding and prep work I was okay with, just needed to see this part on the prime, intermediate and then the final clear coat with the aluminum oxide. The local contractors are about 2500$ for the 350 sq ft area. I'll save not quite 2000$ spending 3 days of work basically. Professionals doing youtube videos can save you a lot of money. You can always hire the pros if you do not feel you can or want to try it. Well done.
You are absolutely correct. Here is a link to the epoxy kit used in this video: concretefloorsolutions.com/product/500-sq-ft-complete-epoxy-flake-floor-kit/
Thanks for that, I always wondered how my garage floor was done. Mine has a couple of acid burns from a buggy battery, pity you were not here in Australia to patch/recover it!
If it was under the tires it was likely shitty epoxy rather than floor contamination or bonding. Unless there happened to be oil and contamination under only the tire spots when you poured, Of course as mentioned not neutralizing acid or following directions will do it too,
Very informative video. I have the same problem. I thought I was getting the best possible product and the proper installation, but the vendor just sold me on hiring him. The epoxy is just cracking and lifting at the cracks. I'm not in PA, but at least I have hope this can be repaired. I'll look for someone in the area. Thanks!
Thanks for the video! Concrete guy about to do a flake epoxy garage floor for my first time. I know most of it comes down to good prep work, but just wanted to take some more time to make sure I do it correctly. From Chester County too. My next step would be to figure out which products/kits I want to use.
I started my floor coating business this year. You have a very impressive operation. Do you happen to have an equipment list? I’ve never seen someone recut the saw joint to clean it before. That’s an awesome idea!!
My dad owns an epoxy company. --prep; 3 in grinders/sanders, 7 inch grinders (get different heads for them because you never know how hard the concrete will be), 120/220 v grinders (nice for small garages/sheds), 480 v grinder, diamonds for soft, medium,hard concrete, we use blasters as well if need be, strong sucking vacuum, Saw, standing saw. soft and stiff brooms. extension cords, generator, dust masks, ear plugs, work gloves, chipper, knee pads, wet vac + filter --Floor: small drill/big drill depending what you are mixing, 2&5 gallon pales, plastic/cardboard for mix area, roller pans, 3",9",14" roller covers, extension handles, duct tape, masking tape, toweling, MEK for cleanup (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), brushes, squeegees (flat/notched depending on floor type), hand squeegee (goof for under shelves/benches ect.), rubber gloves, garbage bags for clean up, caution tape to put up after floor is complete for it to dry --common tools that would come in handy are a hammer, hand chipper, putty knives, 5 in one for scraping saw cuts, razor blades, plug in lights if working in a low light area the more the merrier. You dont NEED everything to lay a quality floor but it comes in handy when a problem arises. I may be missing a few things but these are things we use on a weekly basis
You can just tell by flakes being so evenly spread out that you're far more superior than the previous epoxy floor installer. I've done my own epoxy floors with flake (in a enclosed trailer).....and that was harder than I expected. The flake didn't look even. Luckily it turned out great when I redid it without flake, and added more epoxy. Just the flake alone though, you could tell that on one throw, I threw too much, and on another I threw too little. Yours just looks machine perfect (if a machine could do that).
This is one of the reasons I'm not attempting it myself. I was worried I would not be able to throw the flake evenly. Guess I could practice first over the old floor.
Whoever did that floor did it on the cheap. There’s hardly any flake in it and obviously surface prep was less than ideal. Looks like DIY. You guys did a very professional job to fix the original poorly done coating.
@@celitocheng8322 Did they even acid etch your floor? Seems like acid etching would work for most folks if they applied a primer, then the epoxy, and then a proper clear coat.
Grinding up the floor provides more surface area for the epoxy to bond to. Like painting a car, you don't buff the surface smooth before applying the paint. Any kind of prepared surface needs to be clean and dry. Where the weight of the car sits and persistent hot oil and tyres twisting on the surface need the extra adhesion. He said they appeared to be newish homes, wondering if it was included with the price of the house which means quick and dirty. The oxide he threw on last was much more even than on the old finish judging by the photos he showed at the end.
Thanks for the info, that looks like a heavy flake to me so it gives some reference point to get a lighter flake. You said the top coat has an amber tint, will it yellow even more after a couple of years? What a fantastic job you guys did...it was such a mess when you started and explained all the steps & products. Beautiful floor.
You only see the amber color when you pour out the material and its puddled. Once you squeegee the material out its clear. The amber tint gives the material UV stability, so it may slightly cloud up in direct sun over years but not very noticeable.
Really great work. If you were in my area I'd bring you guys out for garage & walk-out basement. Really impressed with process and attention to detail that you guys are explaining in video
These guys spot on. Removing contaminants with the diamond grinder is the way to avoid call backs and the safest way to do it. Obviously, if the hot tires caused problems you are dealing with really poor quality epoxy(or paint) and possibly whoever etched the floor did not neutralize the acid. I have never ever had a problem with epoxy bonding to clean smooth concrete that is not scratched with a diamond grinder but I am usually dealing with concrete that has no oil contaminates,,,,,,,,,, but that said, I just hired a friend who has an epoxy flooring company to do my basement and he hit my fairly new floor hard with the diamond machine to break through where I power trawled the surface smooth when I poured SCC (6"). I had filled cracks 10 years prior with no primer and it was solid when ground down but again I used a high quality epoxy. He used a primer after grinding and it stayed tacky before the first base pour of epoxy. I have mixed feelings about the primers on surfaces that already have a vapor barrier below. The primer is not as strong since its a waterbourne 2 part acrylic type sealer (and a vapor barrier) but if you get the post seal coat of epoxy on within a certain amount of hours it seems to bond. I prefer using the straight epoxy versus a water bourne sealer to seal the floor since epoxy is so damn strong and soaks in very well especially when pre heated. Bottom line is, make sure you have a really high quality non blushing floor epoxy if doing a DIY; when you prep make sure you neutralize the acid etch and let it dry. Also follow instructions exactly!
Just to know there is a difference of Professional and Properly Installed, you do NOT have to pay someone but you do have to do it correctly. Plenty of bad "Pros" out there too.
Well the fact is the kits at the big box stores are not the same grade of what the pros use, also the products the pros use is substantially more expensive. Hence why.a job done by a pro cost more plus it will be done right. See the so called DIY know it alls work and the headaches they cause us pros. A pro having to clean up a diy shit show costs you more
@@zack9912000 Bad Pros cause "shit shows" too and it cost you extra for the privilege. Why it is important to vet your vendor or contractor. Many are great but there are some no so much.
What a great thing to know that a client can afford a top-of-the-line work and the contractor can afford a top-of-the-line job even if it requires more steps & time. Where I'm from people do the cheapest way possible, and the workers don't want to work so you literally need to beg them to do a job that will work. (I tip frequently and well, it is very rare here in Israel)
Beautiful job there. I noticed that you covered the cuts in the floor. Wouldn’t that cause cracking in the concrete and coating as it shrinks and expands or does the epoxy seal it well enough? Can someone explain?
Joints are always a touchy subject. If you leave an open joint, it is unsightly, filled with dirt and is always difficult to clean. If you coat over a joint and it moves, yes it will crack but it will be small unless there is a settlement problem. Either way you can visually see a joint so the choice is up to the owner. Most people choose to coat over it and take their chances.
Looks good guys I’m from Philly area too but have you ever tried using a Kraft Parmesan cheese bottle to broadcast the flakes it’s virtually impossible to screw it up just point the opening up in the air and shake until you reach the desired look.
A lot of people want their garage floors done because the garage floor looks bad. But they do'nt want to pay for or do all the prep. The funny part is that once you've properly done all the prep, the floors look pretty good again! Maybe what people want/need really is a good garage floor cleaning more than a coating after all.
Thanks for such a detailed video. Requesting your inputs based on your experience, my three garage is 20 years old, bare concrete in decent condition with some oil spots. We will be parking two cars everyday in the garage, I’m comparing different products for my project and have a question, sorry for this basic question but why primer is required? I’m thinking is one way you’re grinding the floor to create scratch and when you put primer, that Will fill up those scratch, so how will that impact epoxy bonding?
The primer is a very thin material designed to penetrate into the concrete. Every coat after the primer is bonded to the primer so it cannot peel. If you are not installing a primer, you are risking the epoxy nut penetrating into the concrete and sticking. Primer is an extremely important part of the system, especially with Concrete that has been exposed to oils etc.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions appreciate your response. Can you provide list of all the items I need from your company starting from cleaning to top coat. Thanks in advance for your help
@@ninjip3460 I don't know your exact square footage. Please refer to our kits. If you have any questions, please email me directly jason@concretefloorsolutions.com I would also recommend a squeegee, spike shoes, 18 inch rollers and roller frame: concretefloorsolutions.com/product-category/epoxy-floor-kits/
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions appreciate your willingness to help, one qq for grinding, as the floor is 20 years old, should I decrease and then grind or directly grind? I’m planning to rent grinding equipment from Home Depot, can you suggest which equipment and attachments to be used? Thanks again.
I did my own floor in a brand new house, and I still rented a grinder and did mechanical prep. Everything I read and all the advice said grind not etch. 10+ years and still looking great.
It is worth the extra work
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions FWIW the grinding wasn't a giant hassle. A bit messy buy you're also not having to deal with the acid or fumes.
If my floor has oil stains, is grinding all you do? Or degreaser recommended after grinding? Assuming the oils seeps down.
@@Roadshopaudio oil is impossible to completely remove from Concrete. You can degrease first, then diamond grind and you simply have to hope for the best. There are no guarantees with oil stains.
Here is what I learned from watching Concrete Solution videos. You didn't say it, because you are nice and don't want to trash the competition...but I've seen enough RUclips videos to figure it out. Virtually any suburbia home built since the 1980's has a garage with sealed concrete. Unless you build a new house and request no sealer on the cement, it will be sealed. Yet, companies market the acid etching approach for convenience when they know damn well that it won't work...that in reality, a surface grind is required for proper adhesion in virtually all of the cases. But they don't tell you that in clear terms and emphasis that acid etching in all likelihood will not be an option for the overwhelming majority of folks. They let customers buy and use the acid etching and invest in the tools, primer, topcoat and clear coat that is surely to separate in the very near future because of no pores for adhesion. What a racket this acid etching is to the consumer... and those companies get away with it. They know most DIYers would be put-off if they realize they will be burdened with the additional cost of rental for a diamond re-surfacing tool, having to go pick it up and return it, set up dust control system, as well as the extra work involved in the actual grinding/resurfacing to do it right.
You guys definitely know how to do epoxy floors. I can tell that you guys really take pride and care in your work. Good job!
Thank you for watching and noticing.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions hi ! Nice job after to apply the clear paint , what is that the white thing . Do you have the name ?
@@dario_kun The white powder like staff is called Aluminum Oxide.
I can tell you have no fucking idea how the job gets done either
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions you guys are acting as if you’re the best people around for the job but my family has 4 business all throughout utah and all you’re doing is shitting on my work. I hav me garages that have lasted longer than you’ve ever done this job.
When someone makes a complicated job look this easy to follow, you know they are highly skilled. The finish turned out beautiful!
but it's not complicated in the least
I was surprised that the flakes are thrown on top, and not mixed in with the epoxy. I know there's probably a really good reason for it, but it just caught me out.
@@paulmurgatroyd6372 it probably might settle in epoxy, so no consistency
@@zh3nox Yeah, it's obviously been tried and tested.
I like hearing the birds in the back
This video saved me the mistake of applying a DIY kit, thank you.
You're a good teacher I like how you talked about the trees affecting the work. Leaving a pile to soak the roller in. Very good work. Thanks for the video.
I like ut, there is a huge difference between "good" and "good enough" great to see someone taking the steps to surpass good enough, because it never is.
Our pro installed epoxy flooring has been down for 15 years now. Zero issues. That pretty well sums it up for me.
Very impressed with the attention to detail and overall quality of this install. 90% of professionals won't even do this good of a job.
Thank you for noticing.
It's so sad too! A mark of a true professional is one who makes the job look easy but also, leaves the place just as good or better then they left it. I'm halfway through the video and he is a true professional!
@@professionalcommenter I've been watching 1puglife on RUclips get his epoxy floors done. He's had 3 guys come in do a completely terrible job and here is 4 months later sanding it all and doing it himself.
How much did this job cost out of curiosity?
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions i could do it better if i was doing it longer than you guys :)
This video explains to me why there are so many garage paint reviews that say "I did everything the instructions said and all peeled off". This stuff is an art and requires real attention to detail.
yeah a lot of them homeowners have no business doing it
Mine have been going 15 years strong at this point. Followed the directions. Cleaned meticulously and did all the prep. Looks great.
When I saw you guys prepared well for your safety and sample preparation, I knew you are so professional. Wish if I can find like you around here.
I bought your system and installed per your advice and videos. Been about 6 months and it still looks brand new. What a great product.
Thank you for supporting us and purchasing our products and thank you for watching our videos. We appreciate the feedback.
did you rent a sander?
@@racker7855 Did you end up hiring one?
Its so nice to see someone that takes pride in there work
i completely agree. This company knows, is experienced and does the job right. BEWARE, there are so many "Bad" "Only for the money" "Fake" contractors on this earth.
Plenty of people take pride in their work.. unfortunately a lot of the work is nothing to be proud of, like the previous coating in this video.
What a bunch of BS...
How long has the original floor lasted ?
How much did it cost?
If it was a $129 Home Depot kit. It has done a great job. Only flacking where the tires are are located. Sure he was flacking off the loose stuff. But it quickly transitioned to solid . Even though it was clear the bare spot had been there for a long time. It had not spread.
Give me a wire brush and some cleaner and a pint of epoxy garage floor paint and all fixed for $35.
Most people can't afford a $400 emergency car repair
So glad I found this BEFORE I begin my process here in North Texas! Thanks so much for your incredibly detailed and truly professional demonstration. FANTASTIC
You can give us a call before you place the order. We will gladly coach you through every step of the installation.
Best video I've seen yet on the subject. I may have the confidence to have a crack at doing this myself after watching this video. I don't like the idea of spraying acid everywhere for etching so this suits me fine. Thanks for sharing.
I didn't know that one spread the flakes by hand, like that. Fun to see, and the result looked so good.
Thank you for making videos like this.
Well done. :)
I don't have a garage, am probably never going to do a epoxy floor but enjoyed watching the process! Good job guys, from London, England 👍
Same ! Made me think also what he says about the grinding. But from my minimal experience with concrete, there often seems to be a thin, extra weak porous layer on top. So perhaps it's less about "the scratch" and more about binding to more solid concrete, just because the texture already looked quite rough in my opinion.
@Retro_Afterglow Well , it does have some benefits and has a more "modern" look to it, but for your normal garage , yeah not much reason for it.
I got ceramic tiles in my garage and also floor heating. Don't think it was the best choice made , but i wasn't the one who built it.
Also , no issues with the inside part of the garage (which has the heating and tiles) , but the outside part which has tiles has been having a couple issues , which had me working for a couple weekends.
@Retro_Afterglow beacuse its not pourous so it doesnt soak up fluids like concrete staining it, and cleans with a mop and bucket instead of a pressure washer when its dirty.
The consistency of randomness is what makes that flake look so incredible! Just fling it up in the air and let the universe take its course! Great job guys.
I still don't get why anyone would want flakes. Especially if you're dropping screws etc. why are you trying to make it harder to find them? haha. It's personal taste no doubt but I love the clean look. I guess in this case the light flake isn't so bad..
@@digitalsmithy Good thought. I really like the flake look, and I imagine it hides a lot of sins, but I never consider the "loose screw scenario"! Good call
@@IanTheWoodchuck and good call with hiding stains etc. I guess that's obviously the main reason to do it in the first place :)
One huge advantage of the flake is it is like camouflage on the floor, at least if you do damage the floor it won't stick out like a sore thumb
Making something look random is often more difficult than it sounds.
I never thought I would be awake at 3:25am watching videos about good shed floorings.
Here at 4:12 am lol
3:48 am for me 🙄
Thank you for taking the time to record this. Very helpful to see the limitations of etching.
No idea why this video appeared for me, but it's always great to see someone do a good job start to finish.
@J P I really need to try and get the copyright on that...
I do the exact same thing as a job as well as concrete microtopping floors. You guys do a good job. Not sure why I got home from work and watched a video of the exact same floor I do.
Because it’s nice to see somebody else work as hard as you while you’re sitting on the couch. Lol
I do the same lol. But I work in a different trade.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions true that! Lol
I love the rolling chair! Saves your back and knees for sure!
Ya
Rac A Tac
I refinish hardwood and have done a few of these, thinking about getting into the business. All of mine turned out great but I only have a regular buffer and finishing and resin knowledge. I need to get the better concrete equipment and go in business, thanks for the vid.
How refreshing a pro who does pro work , great job fellas
Thanks for sharing. You guys are all over this and it shows, a real education. Cheers from Down Under.
What I didn't get from this video, is when doing something like this, is clean white concrete desirable?
that's desirable if you wish to remove whatever is on the concrete. otherwise it just depends on what you plan to do with it
@@BingBongYourLife Assuming you wish to do an epoxy floor and there already is some materisl on the concrete,yes. Otherwise it just depends in what you wanna do with it
I have poured epoxy bartops and tables for over 35 years and found by mixing epoxy in one bucket then pour and scrape sides of the first mix bucket into another then mix again you never have those poorly mixed or unmixed fails.
Beautiful work !!!!
This floor looks great. You are a master of the flakes and spikes.
This is the best video I’ve seen out there for even a small project like mine , very well explained Thanks For Sharing your knowledge
These guys certainly know what they're doing. It's good to see that we still have qualified professionals in this country.
Thank you, we put a lot of effort into making sure we install floors as close to perfect as possible
It’s cool watching you walk over the puddles and not leave prints
I know how's that work?
@@big502chevy5 spike shoes, look like crocs, you can see in video if you look hard
@@big502chevy5 they’re called cleats
@@mabals no, they're called spiked shoes.
Good to know, I was curious about those shoes.
Take a shot every time he says "Clean White Concrete" .
I did, and when he got to the blurry image I've thought that the last shot was just too much.
I woke up with my phone open to this comment, and a guy in medical scrubs screaming about the dead rising or some crap. Also, why does this say you posted this four days ago?
Wel tha was certainly an intleretin interesting exprriment
Clea white concrete
Too many sh0ts
Bonus round: now try adding a shot for the word consistently.
Good luck.
🥳🤣
I *love* to watch pros at work. Thanks for sharing.
Great work! I made the mistake of scrubbing my floors with a cleaner and degreaser--but neither etching nor grinding. I did put down a primer that was supposed to be designed for previously coated floors (my garage had a thin coating of some sort). I paid for one of the higher-end Rust-oleum epoxy products. I should have known I was going to have problems when one of the batches started to get really hot and thick before I could apply even half of it. I got a replacement batch and battled through, and my floor looked great! ...for about 1 year.... Since then, it has almost completely failed. Terrible hot tire pickup, and other patches that flaked and popped off. Time to get a new coating--or perhaps go with something like Race Deck....
I really enjoy watching someone passionate about their profession. Very well narrated and explained, definitely earned my sub!
note: When you set your camera on the tripod, turn your camera lens to manual focus. Make sure it is focused & remember to turn the stabilizer off. That should take care of your blur. Thank you for the information on how to treat the concrete. You guys rock!
And as a contribution: make sure to use an aperture like 8 or above, to get all in focus. Will improve your end result (video wise, not the instruction, because that is awesome!)
Talk about professional work. This is amazing!
What a treat to see some real pros at work.
Thank you for watching
What an informative video. Thank you. I had this playing in the background on low volume. When I started paying attention, you were just starting the primer application. I couldn’t figure out why your boots weren’t making any marks as you walked on the primer. Then I saw the spikes at 15:22 in the reflection. Pretty cool stuff.
That first floor application was why I had my shop floor polished instead of coated, I couldn't empty it out if it a coating came unbonded. That and the polishing was 1/3rd less than epoxy and at 24k sq. ft. the savings were substantial. EDIT: Forgot to say it's nice to see a craftsman take pride in his work, great job!
Thank you for noticing
How much did you pay to have it polished? Per sq ft?
Watching from the UK where this sort of flooring doesn't seem very common in domestic properties. Possibly because we rarely put vehicles in our garages!
Or perhaps because it's more costly them most home-owners are prepared to afford. However it looks really good and would definitely be better than the floor paint we tend to use.
The grinding stage is what makes this seem out of reach at a diy level.
Thanks for a really interesting video 👍🏻
you can easily rent those grinders, just need to be able to transport them I guess. For that you need a giant pickup truck if the parking lot of Home Depot is anything to go by
@@chir0pter To translate to UK, he means go to HSS and put the seats down in your Civic.
I don't think an epoxy floor is the best for dampness, and if there's anything the UK leads the world in, it's wet shoes.
I used to do epoxy floors and I wish we had those chairs / rolling knee saver things and your large grinder , we beadblasted mostly.
This was a Masterclass. Thanks For taking the time to share this. I might try it one day!
Thank you for watching
I’ve worked in the trades for years. You are an excellent craftsman and you explain things well. Bravo.
Thank you
Great video and very informative. I've been in the painting business for many years now and this video helped me decide to stop climbing ladders and remain a ground-based mammal. No more ladder-climbing for me I'm done with that. Thanks guys and I can tell you you're a lot like me, you take pride in what you do and most everyone knows that's what makes a successful business. There's no substitute for quality. Sincerely Dean B.👍👍👍
I understand your point and wish you all success.
But if you find yourself in a situation that your client wants you to work on heights, make sure you insist on safe means. So make sure to use a scaffolding or something like that. They want the work done and it shouldn't go at the cost of your safety.
Just saying. 😏
I did epoxy with my dad on my parents’ house back when my dad was still a contractor and all he did was acid etch it. It failed almost immediately and we never knew why. I was just a kid. But now I know why 😆
Remember "clean white concrete". :)
If you don’t completely rinse the acid of and let throughly dry until all the moisture is out of the concrete it will begin to fail in 24 hrs.
@@billprezioso3677 never use acid. You will never completely get it out of the pourous concrete and there's no way of ever knowing if you did.
@@michaelmcgee2026 You could say the same thing about any product and who really knows if it will affect the performance of the paint somewhere down the road, pressure washing it out and sufficient drying time to remove moisture content is key,I’ve done many of these in my 35 years and the only one that failed earlier than it should have was because I rushed the job and didn’t allow proper drying time.
Some people (idiot me )thought that when epoxyshield was remanufactured to a water cleanup product that it could be applied to a slightly damp surface and that wasn’t the case and still isn’t so today that was why it failed on a job I did it taught me to make sure the concrete has a really low moisture content before application.
Watching real professionals working their trade is awesome 👌
Thanks for watching
Very thorough from the beginning diagnosis to the finished product. 👍
One of the best explainer videos I’ve seen. Thank you.
As a home owner I have seen very nice epoxy garage floors in other folks homes but as someone that works on my own cars the last thing I would want would be chip floor since it would camouflage any small item dropped on the floor. I saw this first not with epoxy chip floors but with exposed aggregate concrete floors in the early 1980s when they were being used in passive solar homes. If you dropped and small amount of cut up food it could not be seen unless you got on your knees and looked for the relief of the food on the floor. I have also seen this issue on real granite countertops.
Not criticizing your work just and observation of this type of flooring, beautiful work.
you can get flake all the same color, literally any color. But in all honesty, most of the folks getting these floors don't work on anything themselves ;)
Just asked this question before reading this- probably a valid point about the demographic though 🙂
The only solution might be to leave a section in the corner uncoated that you could sweep the work area debris over to, and use that as the search area. 😜
My usual tactic is taking a bright flashlight and shining it sideways across the area and look for the shadow from the part 🙈
This video saved me from just pouring epoxy over my splotchy basement floor. I'm definitely calling a specialist to help me prepare my floor properly. Thank you for sharing your work.
My dad and me did it on his garage floor. Put the washer the floor well, filled the cracks, put epoxy down, added flakes, waited for it to dry completely and applied a coat of wax on top. It’s held up perfectly for 3 years now and wasn’t hard at all (:
I have heard of the wax before but never tried it
Nice job! I'm a flooring contractor. We sand and finish hardwood floors, install floor coverings and tile. I don't advertise or pursue garage floor work. But occasions arise where customers have me do it. I basically go after it how I would with a hardwood floor requiring a recoat. We use our buffing machine to clean up previously painted floors using 40 grit papers (not screens) on our buffing machine. Then we do a similar process you've done with oil-based colored polyurethanes. I appreciate what goes into the process that you're doing. Now situations are arising whereas customers want me to do their basement floor with floor leveler, then stain and seal it. I pre-qualify the project by telling them there are companies that specifically do this and that's not me. But I can make something nice ( basements that are prone to flood damage, so practicality and price is more a point than Elegance and high quality). I've been able to give a nice product I'm proud of. Now I see what the next level is with the process and products you use. I'll be sure to refer fellows like you you when customer expectations calls for a really nice durable job. Best wishes
Thank you for watching the videos, if you ever have any questions email me directly Jason@concretefloorsolutions.com and I can help you out.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions thank you that's very kind. I certainly will
Do you have any videos with the holographic glitter flake in use?
As a contractor what I usually see is that the homeowner almost never wants to pay for the prep work because you can't see it when the work is done. Everyone says just etch and paint. Or we don't want to pay for underlayment mat, gravel, sand then pavers. Just put sand over the old stuff, tamp it and lay them pavers please. Nothing wrong with the contractor following the homeowners demands as long as you explain to them that they are looking at failure in the future. Most don't care or i hear were moving anyway. Then the inevitable happens as were watching in this video. I have a hard time blaming the previous worker or company without knowing the whole story that leads up to an extensive remodel.
Great point.
That’s the problem people give cheap options then when someone prices to do the job right it’s “too high”. If more contractors just learned to not offer the cheap options more people would realize the actual costs to do the job right. But always will be hacks in any industry just have to build your client base on the good customers they will refer you. Whenever I hire someone I want to hear they are not cheap but do very good work. If u start to do the cheap work they will share u with others looking for the same thing and u don’t need those kind of customers.
There may be nothing wrong with following the homeowner’s request, especially if you are a fly by night contractor, but just remember that when the job fails the person who gets blamed isn’t the homeowner, but the contractor. Do you really want to be that contractor?
That's why a good product salesman won't even give that option. Do it right or not at all because in the end you are the expert and the end result comes back to your work and not what the person who has no idea what they actually want other then the most affordable price. No matter how cheap the job is doing it twice is still more expensive than doing it once right
As a homeowner, I just started doing things myself because I found out the prep work and anything else you can't 'see', doesn't get done, they lie and cover it up, say they did and charge the homeowner. Hiring a contractor is a scam. You have to take off work, and literally stand over them and make sure they are actually doing it, and not cutting corners.
You should try a hand held seed spreader for tossing flakes 👍🏻 I always toss my wall corners by hand but the spreader saves me a lot of time on open areas
Grinding is a far superior prep for all the reasons you mentioned and others. Acid etching is a pretty shallow process on well cured concrete. When finishing precast concrete panels, the acid works better the more green the concrete it is. Staining is an issue as concrete is porous and lots of things in garages (primarily oils) will act as a form release agent. Chlorides from road salts will also weaken the surface of the concrete over time and this weaker concrete may not be removed with just an acid etch, but grinding it will easily do so. If the flatwork guys happened to add more water to the mix when pouring to make it easier to float it will be weaker (especially the very top where excess water can get worked into the top of the mix). If the flatwork guys overworked the concrete when troweling or troweled too soon the top surface will again be weaker. Aggragate can be more porous than cement paste. Long story short, grinding to remove the softest concrete will allow for a better bond than any acid etch and will not change the concrete chemistry which is rather alkaline by nature.
Indeed. Or blasting it with ballbearings. The etching probably failed because the rubber debris is acid resistant.
@@sticky170 exactly.
I like grinding also or shot. Leaving a defined scratch, but my jobs are spec acid etch. Warranty purposes I have to, would you do first? Etch wash then grind then wash again. I prep 50,000 sqft tennis court for painting. So vacuuming is too slow. We blow it off and wash. Any thoughts?
@@2squeege that seems extremely redundant. I would simply diamond grind and apply a good primer.
What is the point of acid etching and then diamond grinding? Acid etching apparently doesn't do enough
new viewer, I see home owners painting and throwing those little flakes onto the floor. Nice to know that it is a short cut that fails in no time....I have learned in my life, with everything I do--- the proper prep is key to any job from building something to washing dishes!!!! makes the job go smoother and faster in the long run.
Good job guys it warms my black heart to see people who care about quality work =)
I'm a pro painter and don't attempt these jobs. They require specialist product, equipment and skills. Great work guys. You can tape the front lip for a razor edge if you seal the tape edge with an appropriate mastic, and peel off while still wet.
Haha...whatever. special tools. Your a painter.
That's exactly what happened to me, the first company basically made themselves unavailable to do the warranty work and I had to redo entirely with another company. They stripped it, added a rubberized undercoat and re-epoxied....beautiful now and perfect. As he says, all in the prep and after my experience make sure to "fully" check references.
Such an art form , excellent work !
Nice video, what I liked the most, is I learned to use nail shoes to not screw up the surface.
great video. I appreciate how you mentioned production rate as well.
Great video
I do this as well but trying to educate clients is almost impossible with trying to get them get them to understand time and preparation to get the perfect results when people going around doing for nothing and just use a leaf blower before applying
Should Never acid etch a garage floor. It changes the the PH and other properties of concrete. You guys do great work!
Thank you for watching.
The grinding and prep work I was okay with, just needed to see this part on the prime, intermediate and then the final clear coat with the aluminum oxide. The local contractors are about 2500$ for the 350 sq ft area. I'll save not quite 2000$ spending 3 days of work basically. Professionals doing youtube videos can save you a lot of money. You can always hire the pros if you do not feel you can or want to try it. Well done.
You are absolutely correct. Here is a link to the epoxy kit used in this video:
concretefloorsolutions.com/product/500-sq-ft-complete-epoxy-flake-floor-kit/
Fabulous video and very clear instructions. Thank you!. PREP is the KEY to any good job! Very well reinforced in this video.
Thanks for that, I always wondered how my garage floor was done. Mine has a couple of acid burns from a buggy battery, pity you were not here in Australia to patch/recover it!
Huh this is exactly how my garage floor looks down to the tyre marks and everything. Now I know what went wrong...
If it was under the tires it was likely shitty epoxy rather than floor contamination or bonding. Unless there happened to be oil and contamination under only the tire spots when you poured, Of course as mentioned not neutralizing acid or following directions will do it too,
Just amazing,, love it when people take high pride in their work. I would definitely hire these guys anyday
If I've learned anything from this video I learned the term "CLEAN WHITE CONCRETE"
Except concrete is grey because portland cement is grey.
Also that’s racist, CNN told me so
Challenge: take a shot every time he says clean white concrete.
I believe clean, white, concrete is what defines a man.
what about CONSISTENCY
Very informative video. I have the same problem. I thought I was getting the best possible product and the proper installation, but the vendor just sold me on hiring him. The epoxy is just cracking and lifting at the cracks. I'm not in PA, but at least I have hope this can be repaired. I'll look for someone in the area. Thanks!
Thanks for the video! Concrete guy about to do a flake epoxy garage floor for my first time. I know most of it comes down to good prep work, but just wanted to take some more time to make sure I do it correctly. From Chester County too. My next step would be to figure out which products/kits I want to use.
concretefloorsolutions.com/store/epoxy-floor-kits/500-sq-ft-complete-epoxy-flake-floor-kit/
If you have any questions at all, contact me directly jason@concretefloorsolutions.com
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions thanks! I greatly appreciate it 🙏
I started my floor coating business this year. You have a very impressive operation. Do you happen to have an equipment list? I’ve never seen someone recut the saw joint to clean it before. That’s an awesome idea!!
My dad owns an epoxy company.
--prep; 3 in grinders/sanders, 7 inch grinders (get different heads for them because you never know how hard the concrete will be), 120/220 v grinders (nice for small garages/sheds), 480 v grinder, diamonds for soft, medium,hard concrete, we use blasters as well if need be, strong sucking vacuum, Saw, standing saw. soft and stiff brooms. extension cords, generator, dust masks, ear plugs, work gloves, chipper, knee pads, wet vac + filter
--Floor: small drill/big drill depending what you are mixing, 2&5 gallon pales, plastic/cardboard for mix area, roller pans, 3",9",14" roller covers, extension handles, duct tape, masking tape, toweling, MEK for cleanup (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), brushes, squeegees (flat/notched depending on floor type), hand squeegee (goof for under shelves/benches ect.), rubber gloves, garbage bags for clean up, caution tape to put up after floor is complete for it to dry
--common tools that would come in handy are a hammer, hand chipper, putty knives, 5 in one for scraping saw cuts, razor blades, plug in lights if working in a low light area
the more the merrier. You dont NEED everything to lay a quality floor but it comes in handy when a problem arises. I may be missing a few things but these are things we use on a weekly basis
@@FunnyFixxd thanks for your time!
@@tacticalenough6334 no problem, wish you the best! Stay out of my territory;) lololol
@@FunnyFixxd hahaha
@@kellynkarr lolol
You can just tell by flakes being so evenly spread out that you're far more superior than the previous epoxy floor installer. I've done my own epoxy floors with flake (in a enclosed trailer).....and that was harder than I expected. The flake didn't look even. Luckily it turned out great when I redid it without flake, and added more epoxy. Just the flake alone though, you could tell that on one throw, I threw too much, and on another I threw too little. Yours just looks machine perfect (if a machine could do that).
What a great compliment. Thank you for watching, I truly appreciate all the great feedback.
This is one of the reasons I'm not attempting it myself. I was worried I would not be able to throw the flake evenly. Guess I could practice first over the old floor.
Like the time you two men this garage floor ! very professionally done .will watch it again thanks.
1:09 as he knifes it up you can clearly see in this video where the oil spot stops right under where it flaked.
Great work guys, excellent info... finally information from someone who's doing a professional job correctly and not a BS artist...
Whoever did that floor did it on the cheap. There’s hardly any flake in it and obviously surface prep was less than ideal. Looks like DIY. You guys did a very professional job to fix the original poorly done coating.
That’s exactly what happened to my floor. I need to call them and redo my garage floor.
@@celitocheng8322 Did they even acid etch your floor? Seems like acid etching would work for most folks if they applied a primer, then the epoxy, and then a proper clear coat.
Grinding up the floor provides more surface area for the epoxy to bond to. Like painting a car, you don't buff the surface smooth before applying the paint. Any kind of prepared surface needs to be clean and dry. Where the weight of the car sits and persistent hot oil and tyres twisting on the surface need the extra adhesion.
He said they appeared to be newish homes, wondering if it was included with the price of the house which means quick and dirty. The oxide he threw on last was much more even than on the old finish judging by the photos he showed at the end.
Nothing wrong with DIY if you do it right. The professionals don't do it any differently just add a severe upcharge
Looks amazing, great job guys!
Thanks for the info, that looks like a heavy flake to me so it gives some reference point to get a lighter flake. You said the top coat has an amber tint, will it yellow even more after a couple of years? What a fantastic job you guys did...it was such a mess when you started and explained all the steps & products. Beautiful floor.
You only see the amber color when you pour out the material and its puddled. Once you squeegee the material out its clear. The amber tint gives the material UV stability, so it may slightly cloud up in direct sun over years but not very noticeable.
Really great work. If you were in my area I'd bring you guys out for garage & walk-out basement. Really impressed with process and attention to detail that you guys are explaining in video
These guys spot on. Removing contaminants with the diamond grinder is the way to avoid call backs and the safest way to do it.
Obviously, if the hot tires caused problems you are dealing with really poor quality epoxy(or paint) and possibly whoever etched the floor did not neutralize the acid.
I have never ever had a problem with epoxy bonding to clean smooth concrete that is not scratched with a diamond grinder but I am usually dealing with concrete that has no oil contaminates,,,,,,,,,,
but that said, I just hired a friend who has an epoxy flooring company to do my basement and he hit my fairly new floor hard with the diamond machine to break through where I power trawled the surface smooth when I poured SCC (6"). I had filled cracks 10 years prior with no primer and it was solid when ground down but again I used a high quality epoxy. He used a primer after grinding and it stayed tacky before the first base pour of epoxy.
I have mixed feelings about the primers on surfaces that already have a vapor barrier below. The primer is not as strong since its a waterbourne 2 part acrylic type sealer (and a vapor barrier) but if you get the post seal coat of epoxy on within a certain amount of hours it seems to bond. I prefer using the straight epoxy versus a water bourne sealer to seal the floor since epoxy is so damn strong and soaks in very well especially when pre heated.
Bottom line is, make sure you have a really high quality non blushing floor epoxy if doing a DIY; when you prep make sure you neutralize the acid etch and let it dry. Also follow instructions exactly!
I have a job later this month doing a garage like this. Glad this came up on my recommendations
If you have any questions, let me know
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions Thanks I love all your videos. Keep up the great work I'm learning here
I find it strange there's such a pronounced step on the edge of that garage floor entrance. Also that big grinder is impressive! Great results!
Just to know there is a difference of Professional and Properly Installed, you do NOT have to pay someone but you do have to do it correctly. Plenty of bad "Pros" out there too.
I absolutely agree
Just because somebody does something for a living doesn't mean they're good at what they do. This goes for all professions.
I get paid for what i know, not what i do.
Well the fact is the kits at the big box stores are not the same grade of what the pros use, also the products the pros use is substantially more expensive. Hence why.a job done by a pro cost more plus it will be done right. See the so called DIY know it alls work and the headaches they cause us pros. A pro having to clean up a diy shit show costs you more
@@zack9912000 Bad Pros cause "shit shows" too and it cost you extra for the privilege. Why it is important to vet your vendor or contractor. Many are great but there are some no so much.
Great craftsmanship. Wish I could hire you for my garage! Thank you!
Looks very good. I did this 7 years ago the old fashioned way with simple floor tiles (stoneware). was a lot of work. this looks very fast.
What a great thing to know that a client can afford a top-of-the-line work and the contractor can afford a top-of-the-line job even if it requires more steps & time.
Where I'm from people do the cheapest way possible, and the workers don't want to work so you literally need to beg them to do a job that will work. (I tip frequently and well, it is very rare here in Israel)
We try our best. Thanks for watching from Israel.
i have to say those painting shoe things looked like magic for a sec.
What are they?
Spikes
Beautiful job there. I noticed that you covered the cuts in the floor. Wouldn’t that cause cracking in the concrete and coating as it shrinks and expands or does the epoxy seal it well enough? Can someone explain?
Joints are always a touchy subject. If you leave an open joint, it is unsightly, filled with dirt and is always difficult to clean. If you coat over a joint and it moves, yes it will crack but it will be small unless there is a settlement problem. Either way you can visually see a joint so the choice is up to the owner. Most people choose to coat over it and take their chances.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions Very interesting, thanks for explaining!!
Material if flexible
When mixing epoxy, a good tip is to mix until you feel you've got it really mixed well... and then keep mixing.
and then after youve got it mixed to the point you think its overkill, repeat step one two times.
And then after 2 years of nonstop mixing take a 2min break and mix for another 2years. This step is critical, don’t skip!
I like the detail and the care you put into your work. Good Job. thanks for the info.
Thank you very much for your presentation. Your support means a lot.
Looks good guys I’m from Philly area too but have you ever tried using a Kraft Parmesan cheese bottle to broadcast the flakes it’s virtually impossible to screw it up just point the opening up in the air and shake until you reach the desired look.
...added benefit your garage smells like an Italian meal when you come home. Works with an old chilli shaker too!
@@Cheepchipsable well since I’m Italian and not Mexican I think I’ll keep using the Parmesan cheese bottle
the old pinch and throw method lol yup he's done than once or 4 times before nice job boys lol
A lot of people want their garage floors done because the garage floor looks bad. But they do'nt want to pay for or do all the prep. The funny part is that once you've properly done all the prep, the floors look pretty good again!
Maybe what people want/need really is a good garage floor cleaning more than a coating after all.
Thanks for such a detailed video. Requesting your inputs based on your experience, my three garage is 20 years old, bare concrete in decent condition with some oil spots. We will be parking two cars everyday in the garage, I’m comparing different products for my project and have a question, sorry for this basic question but why primer is required? I’m thinking is one way you’re grinding the floor to create scratch and when you put primer, that Will fill up those scratch, so how will that impact epoxy bonding?
The primer is a very thin material designed to penetrate into the concrete. Every coat after the primer is bonded to the primer so it cannot peel.
If you are not installing a primer, you are risking the epoxy nut penetrating into the concrete and sticking. Primer is an extremely important part of the system, especially with Concrete that has been exposed to oils etc.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions appreciate your response. Can you provide list of all the items I need from your company starting from cleaning to top coat. Thanks in advance for your help
@@ninjip3460 I don't know your exact square footage. Please refer to our kits. If you have any questions, please email me directly jason@concretefloorsolutions.com
I would also recommend a squeegee, spike shoes, 18 inch rollers and roller frame:
concretefloorsolutions.com/product-category/epoxy-floor-kits/
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions appreciate your willingness to help, one qq for grinding, as the floor is 20 years old, should I decrease and then grind or directly grind? I’m planning to rent grinding equipment from Home Depot, can you suggest which equipment and attachments to be used? Thanks again.
This was excellent! If you guys serviced Virginia, I’d call you in a heartbeat!