EpoxyShield Slippery?

[Denver Woody]

I am thinking about putting the Rustoleum EpoxyShield down on my two-car garage floor that also serves as my wood shop. The house is only five years old, and so the garage concrete floor is in great, smooth shape. I've read so many recommendations of this EpoxyShield in magazines, though, that I thought I ought to consider it. For those who put it down on garage floors, my main question is whether the floor becomes real slippery when cars bring in water, snow, and/or slush. I don't want to create a hazardous condition for everyone coming out of the car in the garage during bad weather.

Thanks, DW

[Sam Hopkins]

I thought the final thing to do with this was to throw down the anti-slip grit that came with the package when the paint is on?

[MattH]

"Denver Woody" wrote in news:bj4p86$1v69$ [e-mail]:

I used Rustoleum 9100 epoxy, which is the industrial version (it's tougher and cheaper than the stuff that is sold at the Borg). I've had it for about a year now and don't find it to be excessively slippery when wet or covered with saw dust. But, I live in Austin so it doesn't get any ice or even too much water on it. Maybe if I had a puddle and could hydroplane or something it would be slippery. I didn't add any sand. BTW, I love this stuff and would do it again in a heartbeat.

-Matt

[Denver Woody]

I haven't bought the kit yet, so I don't know whether it contains any anti-slip grit or not.

Thanks, DW

[Ben Siders]

I believe the kit comes with little colored flecks that you drop in the paint, both to make it look sharp and to provide additional traction.

[Sam Hopkins]

[Denver Woody]

I don't have a TV, but I'll take your word for how the commercial goes.

Thanks, DW

[Sam]

I have the stuff on my floor, yes it's slipperly when covered in a coat of saw dust (don't know about water as I don't let the cars in) I find it reflects the light better than the concret did, and it looks nice to (my floor was 25+ years old) I don't find that they little flakes of paint add any traction. I would do it again with out question, it works great.

[Ben Siders]

I currently have leftover vinyl flooring from my kitchen in the shop. You wanna talk about slippery with sawdust, that stuff is like ice.

[Jon]

I helped a buddy do this recently to a new shop (brand new concrete pad). He decided, correctly, that he didn't want to put those paint chips on his floor. The instructions tell you to just throw the paint chips on the floor after you paint (roller) the epoxy on. We figured there would be no way to keep the floor clean after this process (saw dust). Basically chipped paint sticking out of the floor. It may help for traction, but you'd never be able to adequately clean the floor.

The epoxy by itself isn't any more slippery than the concrete itself. It's only been there a few months, but it's really nice (he did the beige). I'd do it myself if I thought I could clean my garage floor enough to make it stick (not to mention trying to empty my shop/garage for 24 hrs).

I might add that I haven't seen the floor after someone used the chipped paint flecks.

Jon

[Denver Woody]

Okay, so with all the replies, if I have a good, smooth concrete floor, what value is this EpoxyShield to me? Any? Just looks? I don't ever service my cars in my garage, so I don't drip oil and junk on there. I'm wondering if this stuff has much value for woodworkers. The wood magazines that recommend it don't necessarily say why it's so good.

Thanks, DW

[todd]

When I did it in my basement, it was strictly for looks. If your existing concrete floor is smooth, my preference would be to leave it as is. The Epoxyshield is not particularly hard, either. It's not difficult to damage it.

todd

[Joe Wells]

I used the EpoxyShield stuff in my basement, although I used the stuff sold for garage floors. The paint chips are quite thin and kind of embed themselves into the epoxy. The resulting surface really doesn't have any additional traction to it. Any of the chips that end up protruding get broken off and swept up with the rest of the dust.

I did my basement in three applications, rotating the stuff out of the way each time. Where the wet stuff met the dry stuff there is a bit of noticable build-up, but it's not a big deal. I don't know what you've done to your floor, but I'd imagine that you could clean it well enough. I scrubbed my filthy, neglected 60-year-old basement floor well enough for it to adhere. If it's large enough to require two or more kits, then you can just shove stuff from one side to another.

[Joe Wells]

Yeah, looks mostly. It also makes cleanup easier. Bare concrete also seems to suck up light like a black hole, this stuff helps there too.

[Greg O]

I sold floor finishes/sealers a few years back, any of them will be more slippery than just bare concrete. That said I just sealed my shop floor this weekend with a similar product. I expect the floor to be more slick, But much easier to clean. It also made the shop much brighter too! Greg

[Young Carpenter]

Glanced at two articles a couple of days ago about this stuff. They both said essentially "slippery when wet."

[Gerald Ross]