Slippery Garage Floor
#1
12-26-13, 07:40 PM
Slippery Garage Floor
My garage floor was finished to nice shine and is very slippery, especially if there is anything on it like sawdust or water. I've looked into coatings but the prep work seems to be pretty extensive.
Is there anything I can do to rough up the floor? I don't really care what it looks like. Just want to not fall every time I walk through.
Thanks.
Is there anything I can do to rough up the floor? I don't really care what it looks like. Just want to not fall every time I walk through.
Thanks.
#2
12-26-13, 08:35 PM
Group Moderator
I epoxy painted my floor and it's real slippery too.
What did you finish the floor with ?
You can add sand or a sand like additive available in most home improvement centers to paint for a finish with a grip.
I'm wondering it you could add the sand additive to some type of clear coat finish for the floor.
Maybe a clear polyurethane based product.
The pro paint guy Mark should stop by on his rounds. Maybe he has an idea.
What did you finish the floor with ?
You can add sand or a sand like additive available in most home improvement centers to paint for a finish with a grip.
I'm wondering it you could add the sand additive to some type of clear coat finish for the floor.
Maybe a clear polyurethane based product.
The pro paint guy Mark should stop by on his rounds. Maybe he has an idea.
#3
12-26-13, 09:01 PM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
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I suspect that when you write:
you mean it has a steel-troweled finish. The least expensive thing you can do is to paint it with a high quality porch and deck enamel and sprinkle sand in the wet paint. Normal cleaning as any painting project will need to be performed prior to the paint application. Any other coating will likely require even more aggressive cleaning techniques.
What you do NOT want to do is to acid etch, power sand, grind or otherwise scarify the surface unless you are prepared to add a high solids epoxy coating.
Adding sand to the paint is often suggested but doing so requires constantly stirring the paint AND it often results in a poor finish. Instead sprinkle the sand into the wet paint as you go, laying on a pretty heavy covering. After the paint dries sweep up the excess sand and apply a thinned coat of the same paint to solidly lock in the sand. Do not use regular builder's sand as it contains too much moisture but instead look for a white sand specially made for this work.
My garage floor was finished to nice shine...
What you do NOT want to do is to acid etch, power sand, grind or otherwise scarify the surface unless you are prepared to add a high solids epoxy coating.
Adding sand to the paint is often suggested but doing so requires constantly stirring the paint AND it often results in a poor finish. Instead sprinkle the sand into the wet paint as you go, laying on a pretty heavy covering. After the paint dries sweep up the excess sand and apply a thinned coat of the same paint to solidly lock in the sand. Do not use regular builder's sand as it contains too much moisture but instead look for a white sand specially made for this work.
#4
12-27-13, 03:20 AM
where to start ? impo, paint on unprepp'd burnished conc won't outlast 1st tire turn. 'burnished' floors require proper prep prior to ANY coating. IF your goal is only to make the floor walk-safe, acid etch's easiest, cheapest, & fastest. 1g of apron/vest store HCl treats 200sf - mix 1 HCl w/8 wtrs & apply w/plastic sprinkle can. when 'fizz' ends, neutralize w/1household ammonia:6 wtrs - same sprinkle can. rinse 2X = done. paint ( & repaint as rqd as you choose ! common sense & proper safety gear, of course.
sand breaks down. pro aggregates of choice - crushed garnet, alum oxide, or ' SharkGrip. ' pro's dump aggregate into mtl & keep stirring to prevent settling resulting in uniform aggregate ' loading. ' ' feeding chickens ' works but not uniform. applying to rejection works but too expensive w/good aggregates. most pro's rarely use use last 2.
epoxy coatings are best aggregate loaded when applied. when cured, installer applies coat of protective urethane. IF your existing epoxy's slippery, use lo-speed buffer/black pad to scuff it well. when clean, apply urethane cover coat w/aggregate as desired ( NOT sand ! ) IF wtr-bas'd epoxy, clean & apply more loaded wtr-bas'd epoxy. never expect wtr-bas'd epoxies to last long.
paint isn't traffic resistant - never was or why repaint porches ? i doubt thinn'd paint locks in anything. if paint wears, would not a thinn'd coat wear faster ? residential garages never get the auto dealer's svce garage coatings' abuse & their anticipated life is 7yrs.
we weren't painters - different trade. we repair'd/replac'd many painter-applied coatings. always thought paint/apron/vest stores selling stuff made it too easy but that's opinion. pro's guarantee work but most diy'ers make excuses when the work fails. follow whichever post you wish - just my $.03 based on 20yrs of the work. no intent to begin flaming war.
sand breaks down. pro aggregates of choice - crushed garnet, alum oxide, or ' SharkGrip. ' pro's dump aggregate into mtl & keep stirring to prevent settling resulting in uniform aggregate ' loading. ' ' feeding chickens ' works but not uniform. applying to rejection works but too expensive w/good aggregates. most pro's rarely use use last 2.
epoxy coatings are best aggregate loaded when applied. when cured, installer applies coat of protective urethane. IF your existing epoxy's slippery, use lo-speed buffer/black pad to scuff it well. when clean, apply urethane cover coat w/aggregate as desired ( NOT sand ! ) IF wtr-bas'd epoxy, clean & apply more loaded wtr-bas'd epoxy. never expect wtr-bas'd epoxies to last long.
paint isn't traffic resistant - never was or why repaint porches ? i doubt thinn'd paint locks in anything. if paint wears, would not a thinn'd coat wear faster ? residential garages never get the auto dealer's svce garage coatings' abuse & their anticipated life is 7yrs.
we weren't painters - different trade. we repair'd/replac'd many painter-applied coatings. always thought paint/apron/vest stores selling stuff made it too easy but that's opinion. pro's guarantee work but most diy'ers make excuses when the work fails. follow whichever post you wish - just my $.03 based on 20yrs of the work. no intent to begin flaming war.
Last edited by stadry; 12-27-13 at 04:36 AM.
#5
12-27-13, 04:07 AM
I've used both the "sand" additive you mix in with the paint and sprinkled sand over wet paint and while either method is effective short term, what happens is the sand/grit wears away in short order on all the high traffic areas. Not something I would recommend. I'd see if there was someway you could sand or otherwise rough up the concrete finish.
#6
12-28-13, 04:24 AM
PJ, IF you're still experiencing the slipperies, you can do the same - lo-rpm buffer & blk pad to scuff the epoxy then roll on a urethane coat loaded w/sharkgrip ( ground polycarbonate ),,, none of these floors are lifetime but its realistic to anticipate 10yr svce life.
btw, adding the vinyl flakes would have largely negated the slipperies + add to the overall attractiveness.
btw, adding the vinyl flakes would have largely negated the slipperies + add to the overall attractiveness.
#7
12-28-13, 07:28 PM
There is no finish on the floor currently. Just the VERY smooth concrete. What are the cons if I just acid etch or sand the floor? Is there a reason I need to paint or epoxy after?
#8
12-29-13, 04:24 AM
As far as I know, the only big con to roughing up the concrete is it will be harder to keep clean. Smooth/slick concrete is harder to stain and easier to clean off. Porous concrete can absorb stains/dirt making it harder to clean. That's the main reason slick concrete needs to be etched prior to applying any coating - gives more 'tooth' so the coating will adhere better.
#10
01-18-14, 01:12 PM
Member
For a non-slippery walking surface, it's hard to beat embedding carborundum aggregate onto/into the top surface. It's applied by either broadcasting it onto soft, freshly-finished concrete, or embedding it in wet paint on existing concrete. Carborundum (actually silica carbide, sometimes called moissanite) is a very hard, industrial-strength abrasive, often used on factory floors to prevent slipping.
If one doesn't want to do the entire garage floor, there's always the option of applying a series of self-adhesive carborundum strips, just in the main walkway areas. I've used them on outdoor stairway locations in heavy snow country, and they work extremely well, even resistant to vigorous snow shoveling. They're available in multiple sizes at most big box stores.
If one doesn't want to do the entire garage floor, there's always the option of applying a series of self-adhesive carborundum strips, just in the main walkway areas. I've used them on outdoor stairway locations in heavy snow country, and they work extremely well, even resistant to vigorous snow shoveling. They're available in multiple sizes at most big box stores.
