Glossy and Sealed Finish on Bare Concrete


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Old 02-19-18, 11:53 AM
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Glossy and Sealed Finish on Bare Concrete

Hey folks,

My unfinished basement has an old bare concrete floor. I could mop it all day, but it'll never feel clean. I'd like to make it a little more attractive while also sealing it, so that the odors and dirt of the last 50 years aren't continuing to transfer back and forth. Ideally it would be left with a smooth finish, rather than a bare concrete-feeling finish. i.e. I'd like to keep the existing look, imperfections and all, but finishing it a bit and making it more sanitary.

I'm trying to understand the right product to use to get this. Do I need a High Gloss Concrete Sealer? Or Do I need some kind of High Gloss Clear epoxy paint? Anyone have any recommendations of specific products? Thanks

Please see attached picture of an example ideal outcome (Erased company identifying info, hence the white)
 
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Old 02-19-18, 01:10 PM
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Not the expert on this, but maybe I can start it off.

Some of it depends on how the concrete was poured and finished. A steel trowel finish is usually very smooth. It sweeps up really clean. So if your floor was finished with a steel trowel and is already fairly smooth, you might get away with a high gloss sealer.

However if your floor feels the least bit rough, a single thin coat of sealer won't cut it. You would likely want either an epoxy or a polyurethane. You will probably get your best advise on this from a company that stains concrete. Might be a floor company... might be a painter. Call around in your area if you want to find the best qualified company... they can answer your questions or come give you a bid. And that might be an option you could think about... coloring the floor prior to putting down your floor finish.

If you are looking to do this yourself, a product like this might work for you. https://www.rustoleum.com/product-ca...-polyurethane/

Multiple coats would be needed to build up the finish you desire.

But I'm pretty sure that before you do anything you would need to make sure that you have no moisture issues. Taping the edges of a piece of clear poly 2x2... checking it for moisture after a day or two. But that's not foolproof... since water table, wet conditions might only crop up a few days a year.
 
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Old 02-19-18, 01:58 PM
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Cool. Thanks for the suggestion! Any thoughts on Rust-Oleum Rock Solid?
 
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Old 02-19-18, 02:05 PM
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Sure, if it works in a garage it would work in a basement. I haven't used one in a few years but the key is having a clean floor... and not working yourself into a corner. LOL! Flocking the sprinkles (if desired) takes a little planning too. Looks bad if you can't get it consistent... putting them on lightly is the key, imo.
 
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Old 02-19-18, 02:20 PM
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The problem with finishing a floor in a 50 yr old basement is moisture migrating thru the slab. Newer houses generally have both gravel and a vapor barrier under the slab, many older houses do not. Moisture migrating up thru the slab is the #1 reason for coating failure. I'd at least tape some plastic over a few feet of the floor for a few days and see if moisture accumulates.
 
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Old 02-19-18, 04:30 PM
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A lot depends on what you are going to use the basement for.

The epoxy products take some work and if all you want is to seal the floor a water based concrete sealer (something you get at a janitor supply) will give a very long lasting sealed floor.

In my work area I put down 3 coats and it has held up for 8 years so far but it's just a plain old concrete floor!
 
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Old 03-03-18, 04:26 AM
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lithium silicate to strengthen the conc + stop the dusting,,, ' jon-don ' is 1 source - your prosoco dealer's another,,, probably amazon's another,,, there are products that will act as a vapor barrier & aren't all that difficult to install,,, but i'd pick lithium instead
sorry i didn't see this thread previously = we do this work for a living
 
 

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