Dunn-Edwards Paint

[G Henslee]

I'm going to repaint my mother's front patio and front porch floors which are both concrete slabs. They've each had several coats of oil base paint applied to them over the years. I was able to pressure washed most of it off and am ready to paint.

Speaking to the 'expert' at the local Dunn Edwards paint store he recommended their product called Vinyl Stripe. Specs say it's self-priming, durable enough for even tires to run over. One of it's uses is for striping parking lots. They also have a product called Tuff-Floor which is a lighter weight product that can't take the tire traffic.

While I don't necessarily need something to handle vehicle traffic, with the Vinyl STripe I won't have to etch or prime. According to the 'expert' and the product info I wouldn't have had to bother with the pressure wash either. Just clean any loose stuff off. He quoted me "contractors price" of $21 a gal.

Can anyone offer an opinion on either of these products?

Thanks, G.

[G Henslee]

Having completed the above I want to share with the group my findings after using the aforementioned Vinyl Stripe product.

I found it to be a great primer. And that's all.

The finish is very, very flat, so footprints and scuff marks etc, show immediately and badly. Because I wasn't happy with the finish, I ultimately used the Dunn-Edwards Tuff-Floor product over the top of it with good success. Coverage went well (2 coats) and the slight sheen it has deters footprints and makes it easy to wash.

I wouldn't use either of the products for a garge floor as the Vinyl Stripe would show every tire mark, and the Tuff-Floor is not made for tire wear. An epoxy product would be the ticket for a gge floor as discussed here several times.

[3rd eye]

Just an observation- That is to be expected form a dead flat finish.

Because I wasn't happy with the finish, I

I'd want a 'slight' sheen for a floor paint too. But they also tend to be a bit slippery when wet.

[G Henslee]

Right. Well a 'painta I ainta' and I wasn't intending to dis' the Vinyl Stripe product as bad. It's primary use is for striping on asphalt, concrete etc, so it would stand to reason they want to avoid the slippery aspect. Hell the specs say it's used for helicopter pads too. It also isn't affected by hot tires but I can't imagine this stuff on a gge floor. I figured it would be indestructible but sort of forgot about the flatness being an issue.

The store sold it to me for $18 instead of the quoted $21 and with it's 'no priming, no etching, paint over latex or oil-base characteristics', I suppose for a primer it's great. So far anyway :) A heavier can of paint I've never picked up and I've never used a stickier paint myself. Specs say very quick drying. They weren't lieing! Walk-on in 10-15 minutes and recoat in one hour depending upon weather of course.

Get this. The coverage is figured in linear feet. A gallon will do a standard 4" wide line - 347 feet.

That aspect concerned me because of my elderly ma but the Tuff-Floor product is just right, sort of a satin? or eggshell? It's gotten wet with the sprinklers a bit and I walked on it to test. Seems good.

[RicodJour]

I thought the price was pretty cheap for a specialty paint until I read the coverage - 1/3 of the usual.

R