TurboNova Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 As much as I am always in some very difficult debate on a garage floor coating,I honestly think I am just too tough on a floor. I have looked into doing my own garage floor or having AJ do the RHINO stuff. Its usually a debate whether I want to shell the money out or do the work. For now I think I will just try cleaning it. My questions are whats the best approach to lift stains and dark spots in concrete? I am thinking Id like to just get my concrete as clean as possible and see if I just want to roll that way instead of paying for a coating that could get damaged. Now my garage is 10 years old and its really not horrible, just have some areas that are real eye sores and would like to get the concrete super clean without mechanically grinding it. I am aware of Muratic acid which will probably be on the list but what else is reccomended. Also been searching garagejournal.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhead Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Have you tried spraying it with brake cleaner then wiping it off by hand with shop towels? That won't get it all up, but it does pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboNova Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 yeah Ill try it out when the spring hits. I guess Im looking to make a day of it. Pull all my equipment out of the garage and maybe rent a floor scrubber and with the use of my power washer completely clean the floor to as close to new standing. Chemicals that Ive heard used: Bond Lok Muratic Acid TIDE Liquid Oil Dry (kitty litter) lift the stain prior to chemical approach Zep Totally awesome Purple Power Diesel Fuel/Kerosene Mortar mix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Brake parts cleaner and then oil dry. Scrub the oil dry in with your boot and then sweep it up after about 5 minutes. Repeat if needed but usually gets it in one shot. Kitty litter and oil dry are not the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 I still have a Ford T18 tranny in my garage...moved some stuff around and the trans shifted, dumping a quart of gear lube on the floor. Attached garage so I started smelling it inside the house :no: Used Simple Green, lazily sprayed it on the concrete stains after wiping the gear oil up, and let it sit. In a couple of days the Simple Green neutralized the stains and I could scrub the mess with detergent and nylon brush. LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED. I like Simple Green and elbow grease on old stains as well. Just let it sit for a day or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck531 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 I thought about doing this but the more I think of it the more I don't want to do it. With both cars driving in the winter and we both park in the garage it just gets nasty. I normally just clean it out twice a year. I thought about doing the epoxy stuff but too pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Moratic Acid works wonders, deff the least amount of work, just dilute it because it will strip everything. I'm sure enough working with the other products will work, but believe me moratic acid works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bastard Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 I've heard grill cleaner (and maybe oven cleaner too) works pretty well. I'm not sure if you have to get at it right away or if it will work on set in stains, but it may be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson1647545504 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Just rent a floor grinder and spend a weekend on it. (Also get/borrow the $60 diamond grinder bit for cleanup work) I had shit which none of the chemicals would remove. Afterwards the floor looked like a pool deck and the top level epoxy went on easily. The coating is 'coropoxy' (light-duty industrial grade) from Creative Paints in north Columbus. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7777329192_fea0b6bda3_z.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Your over thinking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tripleskate Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Brake parts cleaner and then oil dry. Scrub the oil dry in with your boot and then sweep it up after about 5 minutes. Repeat if needed but usually gets it in one shot. Kitty litter and oil dry are not the same. Seconded on the oil dry. That is exactly what we would do at my old job for cleaning the garage floors, and fuel stations when servicing the buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Seconded on the oil dry. That is exactly what we would do at my old job for cleaning the garage floors, and fuel stations when servicing the buses. The father of a friend of mine owns a semi truck towing and repair shop. He's the one that I found out about the BPC and oil dry trick. His shop has the cleanest floor of any truck shop I've ever been in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboNova Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Brake parts cleaner and then oil dry. Scrub the oil dry in with your boot and then sweep it up after about 5 minutes. Repeat if needed but usually gets it in one shot. Kitty litter and oil dry are not the same. Yeah I know... Alot of people actually refer to oil dry as kitty litter but dont actually know its called oil dry. Moratic Acid works wonders, deff the least amount of work, just dilute it because it will strip everything. I'm sure enough working with the other products will work, but believe me moratic acid works great. I am on board with the muratic acid, It just seems most say that you need to actually degrease the slab prior to acid, and acid is really just for etching not cleaning. Wont acid actually open the pores of the concrete and make it more abosrbant and rough? Just rent a floor grinder and spend a weekend on it. (Also get/borrow the $60 diamond grinder bit for cleanup work) I had shit which none of the chemicals would remove. Afterwards the floor looked like a pool deck and the top level epoxy went on easily. The coating is 'coropoxy' (light-duty industrial grade) from Creative Paints in north Columbus. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7777329192_fea0b6bda3_z.jpg I may go this route if its the best approach but would like to not go the grinding route since I am not going to coat the floor at this point. Your over thinking it. how so? I am on the fence about the coating due to the amount of welding, grinding and actually heavy work that is done in my garage (jack stands, floor jacks, engine/trans removals) I know I would be obsessive about keeping it looking like new and dont want to worry about hurting it in the long run then having to grind the floor down the road and re apply it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 I have seen where guys have used too much acid and yes it will make the floor much more absorbent. I have always used small amounts to spike a water/degreaser solution, then scrub and let sit for 15 minutes or so. That takes a lot up, then if its really bad make it a little stronger and attack those spots, but it really needs to be diluted, a cap full goes a long way. Typically a gallon of water/degreaser with 1 cap full will get evrything but the bad spots up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Are you worried about having a nice looking floor or protecting the concrete? With any floor covering its only a matter of time until it needs redone. I applied the same epoxy you told me you were using in a heavy duty shop meaning they did everything they could to destroy it. After a few years of applying and never being cleaned I took a small section and did some cleaning to it. While it obviously didnt look new afterwards it was still in fairly good shape and despite every kind of fluid being spilled on it, it still never chipped or wore off. If you apply it correctly the floors will look good for years no matter what you do to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boosted98gst Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Be careful using the acid, we used too much on our floor which caused it to turn like dusty. I always had luck with using purple stuff scrubbed with a tire brush, then power washer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboNova Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Are you worried about having a nice looking floor or protecting the concrete? With any floor covering its only a matter of time until it needs redone. I applied the same epoxy you told me you were using in a heavy duty shop meaning they did everything they could to destroy it. After a few years of applying and never being cleaned I took a small section and did some cleaning to it. While it obviously didnt look new afterwards it was still in fairly good shape and despite every kind of fluid being spilled on it, it still never chipped or wore off. If you apply it correctly the floors will look good for years no matter what you do to it. Both! I want it to look clean and also protection from future stains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Any floor covering is susceptible to abuse but what you have described as an intended use does not sound like anything over the top. With any chemical floor covering it 100% comes down to prep. What are you major concerns, chipping, lifting, staining, fading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Coke works well on bloodstains... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Coke works well on bloodstains... So you have heard......right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboNova Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Any floor covering is susceptible to abuse but what you have described as an intended use does not sound like anything over the top. With any chemical floor covering it 100% comes down to prep. What are you major concerns, chipping, lifting, staining, fading? I dont know jason, I have done more then my share of homework on coatings. Over the past year I have had several contractors quote me and some have even refered me to shops that they have installed it and most of these shops were not even impressed, stating that the contractor had to come back and repair sections shortly after application. And these work companies that only do this type of stuff. You know I am not shy from doing work so I looked into renting a grinder and doing the prep in house and applying the armorseal 1000hs. Its a mixed bag from what I can tell where people have done grinding or shotblasting then etched the floor and still had adhesion issues. Materials are not a big deal Id be out 600-800 to do the floor on my own however I would have to rent a pods unit to store all my shit from my garage plus dissasemble my lift to do it all. I love the look but dont want it to chip/peel/wear out/fade/bubble 1-2 years later and have to do it all again. AJ quoted me a very Fair price for the RHINO which honestly would be the only other option Id even consider, but even at that price Id be close to having the money id need to getting an enclosed trailer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 I had Aj quote me on several floors and the price was the determining factor. Its a great product they use and the work looks top notch but the price is beyond what I would ever spend on a floor. I have easily done over 100 epoxy floors and never once had an adhesion issues but then again it all comes down to prep. If you want have a nice epoxy floor and you arent looking for the shine necessarily think about a water based epoxy. They go down easy and can be recoated whenever you feel like. I have a water based epoxy floor at the shop(cost $30) it has held up great for the year its been down. I will recoat it here in a few weeks just because I like the shop floor to always look good. It will cost me another $30 and its easier than painting a wall. It is a one part water based floor epoxy comes in a paint can. There is no upkeep to this floor other than mopping. I did very little prep prior to putting it down since we only had a one year lease, I think I just scrubbed it with a brush and water and these floors were fucked prior to doing it. When my lease is up I will roll on another coat if it looks bad and the floors will look new again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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