Sensitized to formaldehyde/need workbench

[Bill]

From what I have read, paint does not prevent outgassing of formaldehyde--but there are sealants that do. I am currently sitting at a Sauder computer desk I assembled in 1997 which gives me no problems now. It did in 1997, but I was less sensitive at that time. I remember looking at some of my furniture then questioning, "How can a piece of furniture seem to make me sweat?".

To me, "time" seems like a better healer of the material than a covering for it is. Personally, I'd like to avoid it altogether. I would like to avoid bringing any new materials into my home that place my sense of well-being at risk. My sense of well-being was bombarded while I was figuring out what my issues were. By the way, I don't think these aren't just my issues--I think I'm just a little more sensitive than most people to the chemicals that are showing up in consumer products and food. I don't think the chemicials under question are good for any people. Sadly, I think that he big picture here is remnicient of the way that tobacco companies defended the safety of smoking cigarettes (until not very long ago). I don't find this encouraging--and it bothers me that the USA allows the import of building materials that no other country will allow?!$$

Bill

[Bill]

I guess this is what I was looking at the other day (or something very similar to it):

might be adequate for my current needs. At this point, I just want to stand on and look at a clean floor rather than a very grimey one. I'm not planning to show it off on tv or anything. :)

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

>> It might be adequate for my current needs.

Water based, one part epoxy, $27.88/gal.

Dream on.

If you think this is going to do your job, we should talk about some swamp land over in Arizona.

Cleaning up and sealing a concrete slab is a lot of work and it won't be cheap.

IMHO, you have two choices, do it first class or stay at home.

There are no coach fares on this one.

Lew

[Lew Hodgett]

Once you asre sensitized, you are basically screwed.

Just trying to see if there were any work arounds that produced a result you could live with.

Lew

[diggerop]

>> It might be adequate for my current needs. At this point, I just want to

This may interest you: - something I came across recently.

There is a forum at Garagejournal.com with a thread describing contributors experiences with Quikcrete epoxy kits from Lowes. Cost seems to be around $65 per kit to cover around 250 sq ft. Thread starter describes the whole process including floor grinding, with photo's. General consensus seems to be that it performs well.

[Bill]

Thank you for posting this, diggerop.

That must be what I found at Lowes site the other day because the price and the square footage is about the same. What do you think of the result, Lew (I don't have other results to compare it to, but I think it looks pretty good)?

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

What is being described is a catalyzed resin system, which is what it should be if epoxy based.

I must admit, I'm prejudiced.

One look at that concrete grinder brought back memories of many years ago behind the business end of a floor sander while in college.

I swore I'd never do it again.

The secret of doing a coating like this will be the surface prep.

I'm sure that will include a muriatic acid etch followed by a neutralization wash.

As far as life is concerned, 8 months doesn't impress me.

A couple of years on a garage floor in the rust belt where salt laden snow drops off the car when you park it inside at night is a more realistic test IMHO.

I also painted my brand new garage floor subjected to conditions like that.

Lasted about a year.

When it comes to concrete coatings, I'm wary of any DIY process.

YMMV

Lew

[diggerop]

These guys must be on some sensational stuff : )

Aero Marine Products in San Diego

300/1 1 Gallon Kit - Total yield of 1 Gallon of epoxy Consists of 1/2 Gallon of #300 resin and 1/2 Gallon of #11 Hardener Price: $46 per kit

diggerop

[diggerop]

Good advice from Steve.

There are two essential rules to consider when applying epoxy; -

Rule 1/. Surface Preparation is Critical Rule 2/. See Rule 1

The following links appear to provide a good starting point on the process.

[Lew Hodgett]

$46 is for a gallon of casting resin(red)

Doesn't appear to package a gallon kit for laminating(green), but

1-1/2 gallon is $74 which is ($49+/gal) still pretty good for small quantity.

Lew

[diggerop]

I'm being pedantic, I know, ..... however,

Casting resin (white polymer) is even cheaper - $79 for 2 gal - which equates to $39.50/gal

From their site:

AeroMarine Casting Resin is a thin, fast setting polymer used for casting parts for many applications. It features a simple ?one to one? mix ratio. It contains no fillers, has no odor, and cures to an off-white color. Colorants are available, and this product is easily painted.

RED SYSTEM: AeroMarine 300/11 epoxy is a simple, non-critical 1:1 by volume mix. It has a 45 minute work life, 24 hour cure, and is a medium syrup viscosity. Used for bonding, great for concrete repair, and general woodworking applications. It is widely used by people building boats, airplanes, r/c models, etc. ($46/gal)

diggerop

[Bill]

I've been thinking about the pipe for the pipe clamps.

I assume that "black steel 3/4, schedule 40" is the right type.

I was thinking 24 to 28 two foot pieces would be about right, so that using couplets, that would allow me to have 12 to 14 four-foot clamps (of course, I've never done this before).

I know someone who can thread the pipe for me if I buy unthreaded pipe--but where? What is a good source for this pipe?

I've been scrounging around the Internet, so I'm not idealess, but I still would like to hear your ideas.

Maybe I should give up all this "nonsense" and try to get the bar clamps on sale at HF for $5 each...

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

48" pipe is a good length.

These days there are speciality firms that make pipe nipples all day long.

Find a plumbing supply house and get a quote on 3/4" Sch 40, black,

48" Lg, threaded nipples.

Throw in a 3/4" coupling for each nipple and you are good to go.

Have fun.

Lew

[J. Clarke]

Home Depot will cut and thread it for you if they don't already have it in stock prethreaded in the length you want.

[Tanus]

Around here, Home Depot has lots of pipe, and in cut lengths of 48".

Tanus

[Bill]

Thank you! Do you use so many couplings to protect the nipples???

Some of the terminology that goes along with the pipes is finally starting to make sense--and it didn't come to me particularly easy. ;) If it wasn't for the Internet I might have my 4 by 4's and 2 by 4's bolted together by now. Instead I'm preparing to build a "millipedes" with twelves to fourteen 48" legs---heavy ones too! I seem to learn something new every day.

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

Industry standard, one coupling per length of pipe, in this case a 48" nipple.

Coupling protects threads on free end, fixed end pipe clamp protects other end.

Enjoy.

Lew

[Bill]

I learned I can rent a Edco concrete floor grinder for $95 for the day + grinding materials (and a hand grinder for $45 more, for the corners). The "diamond" (Dyma-Sert) cutters are $150 to rent and the stone ones ("coarse" is appropriate for epoxy preparation according to what I have read about the stones online) are about $50 to buy. The person doing the renting could only tell me that most people don't get the diamond ones. My 2 car garage is exactly 500 sqare feet.

Can I go right at my 40 year old badly stained floor (which has 2 long narrow cracks, with shifting about them) without power washing first? Nothing is wet, it's just aged grime (and I want to smooth the cracks). An Edco video I saw mentioned that the stones can get plugged with glue, but that doesn't seem too likely to me from a lot of very old grime and a bit of paint. However, I would hate to see "smearing" occur because that most likely wouldn't provide good preparation for the epoxy... Feedback invited, of course.

Bill

[Bill]

Lew,

So it would start out at 1 1/2 inches thick (before flattening). Will that be adequate for a 7' by 30" top (I realize there are other variables, and I'm planning a 3' section in the middle which will have to deal with gravity on its own...)? You may have seen my preliminary design pictures at a.b.p.w.

What if I were to cut the lumber into two inch wide strips instead and glue the (factory) faces? For one, I'd be "guaranteed" good glueing surfaces, no? By the way, I used my raincheck and picked up the last of my 15 pipe clamps. I picked up another rub brick too--I wore the first one out...when those screws in the rub brick hit the concrete it's worse than chalk on a chalkboard....I'm still cringing. I wore the darn thing out and then some.

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

1) Start with a 2x8 and sand one side with some 100 grit. 2) Rip 2x8 approximately in half. 3) Glue and clamp sanded faces together with factory edge down for registration (Alternate clamps up/down). 4) Repeat above to make 10 sets for a 30" wide bench. 5) Repeat process above making 5 sets, gluing sanded faces together. 6) Repeat process making one set 18" wide and one set 12" wide, gluing sanded faces together. 7) Repeat process to form 30" wide top, gluing sanded faces together.. 8) Head to the drum sanding shop and end up with 30" Wide x 73" long x 3-1/2" finished top ready for final trim. 9) Return home, Pop-A-Top, maybe 2-3, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Question for the CW folks:

Where did the phrase "Pop-A-Top" come from?

Lew