Concrete floor paint?

[CornishPete]

Finally got my garage floor concrete down yesterday! I'm wanting to paint it before I fill it with stuff and wondered if anyone has any experience. Won't have a car in it, more of a home workshop and storage for my bikes, relatively low traffic. I'd thought of just getting a few tins of Leyland floor paint from screwfix, thinning one coat for a primer/base layer then another top coat and seeing how it goes. Could always top up in a few years if it wears away in places. Then I've seen the epoxy stuff but it looks like much more prep work. Is it significantly more hard wearing to justify the extra time and cost? It's 2.7x6.5 so not vast. Any experiences with either, or any alternatives much appreciated.

 

[ajlelectronics]

How about the clip together workshop matting?

 

[rtcosic]

How about the clip together workshop matting?

I would still paint it to prevent dust.
I used Screwfix paint. It works but is of course brittle.
I have clip together floor tiles to lay on top when I find the appropriate Round Tuit.

Keep the doors open when painting!

 

[Migmac]

We used floor paint in the past, it got repainted every year. We now have a resin floor, what a difference. Lay it and forget.

 

[Blobber]

Whatever you put on it make sure the concrete is really dry before painting, cant remember but I think its a good few weeks of drying time for concrete

 

[500e]

Used both, the resin is the way to go initially costlier but lasts for years even with moderately heavy traffic
This is/was a good 2 pack we used https://www.blackfriar.co.uk/product/high-traffic-floor-paint/
As @rtcosic said keep all doors and windows open, a big fan helps as well.
The headache you can get is one to remember ask how I know, and that was with a door open

 

[RichardM]

I'd go with resin or tiled next time, painted current garage (and previous one), both times putting warm motorbike tyres on it caused the paint to pull off when the bike was moved next.

 

[Burdekin]

I've used both Jotun's penguard express and Jotamastic 80 on bare concrete in my workshop. Both have been exceptionally good, tough and hard wearing and would highly recommend either.

 

[CornishPete]

Whatever you put on it make sure the concrete is really dry before painting, cant remember but I think its a good few weeks of drying time for concrete

Partitioning the back 8' off to make a utility, level with kitchen and back door so floor in that will be a floating chipboard on polystyrene, also need to fit a garage door so will be a good 3 or 4 weeks before I do anything to it.
Looks like resin is the way to go. I've seen kits with primer and topcoat included but instructions mention grinding the surface first to get the best key. Would this be necessary on new concrete?

 

[Burdekin]

Partitioning the back 8' off to make a utility, level with kitchen and back door so floor in that will be a floating chipboard on polystyrene, also need to fit a garage door so will be a good 3 or 4 weeks before I do anything to it.
Looks like resin is the way to go. I've seen kits with primer and topcoat included but instructions mention grinding the surface first to get the best key. Would this be necessary on new concrete?

The epoxy resin coatings are epoxy primers, typically gloss. The Jotun products I listed will be as good but neither are gloss. Contact SML paints and ask them, will save you a bundle. Penguard HB can be used as a swimming pool paint even. Any decent 2k epoxy primer typically makes a good concrete floor paint. https://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/products/penguard-hb

 

[AVI_8]

I used epoxy from this company

paints4trade - Industrial Trade Paint & Coatings Manufacturer

Manufacturers & suppliers of high quality industrial, marine & decorative trade paints, coatings, & accessories, offering nationwide delivery services, technical advice and assistance. Visit now!

www.paints4trade.com

I’ve used non epoxy paints on a garage floor in the past and found it to be rubbish with the paint lifting under the tyres.
I think if my memory is correct you have to leave it a minimum of 28 days before painting new concrete.

 

[keithski122]

I'm in exactly the same situation, single garage, concrete went down monday. I came up with curing time is one month per inch of concrete with most paint people saying wait for 6 months. Did find resincoat which suggest 12 days minimum and use their new concrete primer.
I don't know whether to go cheap and just use toolsation/screfix stuff or pay the extra for the epoxy.
If you go the resincoat choice don't buy their kit, just buy the paint and primer and get the bits from toolstation as it works out cheaper.

 

[brightspark]

wouldnt be sealing wet in the slab no matter how long they say . 12 days 5 or 6 month about rite .if your using the cheap garage paint roller it with a coat of sbr bonding agent 1st that seals it then 2 full coats of paint

 

[keithski122]

The problem is that in 6 months time there is absolutely no way will my garage be able to be able to be cleared enough to paint the floor in one shot so its either now or never.

 

[lchris21]

what @ajlelectronics said. Been there several times over the years, tried loads of stuff, paints, epoxy, carpet, prayer. Managed to bag some of these off a mate, wish Id done it years ago...you wont regret it. Even worth the effort of shifting my mill and lathe to get them under rather than cutting around. should be easy for you as its empty ! Nice to walk sit kneel on, warm in winter, and easy to sweep clean. I do put a sheet down when welding though, but a small price to pay.

 

[gaz1]

if the right door is entering the home then you want to change it to a 1-2hr firedoor

prefereably a 2 hr firedoor

 

[GRW]

My floor has been down maybe a decade. Never painted as I knew garage floor paint would prove to be a PITA, but maybe the concrete wasn't that good, as it still dusting up and pitting now.

I've seen on here before (& mentioned again in this thread) that SBR Bond makes a good sealant pre-paint/epoxy - but I feel maybe my floor could do with levelling/smoothing out also (not looking fwd to having to clear out all the stuff to do the floor mind).

I don't know anything about self-levelling stuff (except that it exists)... can I ask if it'd work to seal/level my iffy concrete (& would it then be best to epoxy over that after a cure period of x?

 

[roofman]

My slab took 3 months to cure and even then it was still a bit green and not ready for paint

 

[sako243]

I'll try and find out what it was but did my workshop floor with a 2k paint. So far been 2 years and abused, the only place it's lost it is where stuff has fallen or dragged and gone through to the concrete.

 

[s410man]

I was told the best way to know if its ready to paint is tape a plastic sheet say 2ft square down to the floor

Leave it a day or so if when you lift it up theres damp underneath it you know theres still moisture rising out of the concrete