I would like to paint the concrete floor in my crawlspace to keep the dust down, however, the idea of etching the floor is really turning me off the whole thing. The crawlspace has no drain and not much ventilation, so using acids down there along with tons of water for rinsing isn't exactly going to work well. So I'm wondering if there's any point in painting the floor if I decided not to etch? Obviously, I'd scrub the floor with cleaners and a wire brush to remove any loose pieces/grease/oil etc. (not that there's much grease or oil in the crawlspace). Or am I guaranteed 100% to have a bad paint job if I don't etch? What exactly does the etching accomplish?
Why would paint help, the dust is not from traffic wearing the concrete ,right, so just hose it off. Etching is needed on hard non porus concrete, if yours is dusting it is porus- a poor mix, just hose it clean and paint.
I think etching becomes less of a requirement for older concrete. The purpose of etching is to give the concrete a rough surface so the paint will stick. If the floor has become rough over the years from wear, for example, then I wouldn't etch it.
But it does need to be clean of all oil, grease, dirt, etc. and have a rough sandpaper like finish, not a polished smooth look.
If it's a crawlspace, and not a traffic area, then just dumping masonry paint or tar all over it should do to keep the dust down. You'll have a "bad" paint job, but why do you care?
Etching has nothing to do with oil or water, it makes the concrete rough enough for the paint to "bite".
To test for moisture, get a sheet of plastic8x8 or so and tape it all around the edges to the floor. Let it sit for 24 hours, remove it, and see if there is a color difference between the area covered and the adjoining area. If there is, you have a moisture problem and the paint will likely lift. If not, paint away.
Its hard to see any benefit to "scrubbing" other than adding moisture to the concrete. How did you get any oil or grease in a crawlsapce?
That's just totally false. Read any paint can or guidelines for painting concrete and see what they say. Etching is always required for new concrete.
No it's not. Really new concrete is going to be very alkaline which is a problem. Obviously concrete can be poured and finished in a variety of ways, some more smoothly, some less smoothly. Now this guy is talking about a crawlspace which obviously doesn't get any traffic. But concrete that gets traffic definitely gets smoothed over time. Not only that, but the tiny nooks and crannies can get filled in with dirt and grime. In addition to etching you should clean and power wash (clean first, etch second, power wash third to get the concrete particles removed.) You think you need to etch concrete that's "rough" like a sidewalk? No.
Seems some folks who should know disagree with you about not needing to etch new concrete:
Preparation ** All surfaces must be clean, sound, dry and free of any dirt, oil and grease. Eliminate mildew stains with BEHR No. 62 Multi-Surface Deck-Prep Cleaner & Mildew Stain Remover. New or weathered wood; use BEHR No. 63 Wood Cleaner Brightener Conditioner. Uncoated Concrete or masonry surfaces; allow new surfaces to cure 30 days. Use BEHR 990 Concrete Cleaner & Degreaser and follow with BEHR No. 991 Concrete Etcher & Rust Remover.
Or how about this from another manufacturer:
Why is it necessary to etch my concrete surface before I apply Mason's Select Concrete Stain or Mason's Select Clear Finishes.
It is necessary to etch hard-troweled or very dense concrete surfaces, such as garage floors, in order to open up the surface and allow the Mason's Select Product to penetrate. If you are not sure whether to etch or not, it is always best to etch the surface. Sometimes, very dense surfaces require etching twice to make the surface porous enough to stain. The surface should feel like 120 grit sandpaper
Is etching recommended on new concrete surfaces?
Yes. All concrete with a smooth surface or that does not allow water to penetrate should be etched prior to applying Mason's Select Concrete Stain or Mason's Select Clear Finishes
Or how about this from DIY on how to paint concrete:
Step 2: Acid Etching: New interior walls should be acid etched before painting (see instructions below.) Existing coatings can be repainted where the coating is sound. Any bare spots (including areas revealed when scraping loose and peeling paint) should be acid etched before painting.
Thank you so much for this info ... the concrete in my crawlspace is definately as rough or rougher than 120 grit sand paper. I'll also check to see if it absorbs water, but I'm pretty sure it does a little.
One more quick question. The crawlspace is very close to my laundry room (it's a weird layout of a house ... hard to explain without pictures). Would a sealer be a good idea in the laundry room too? I know I've seen laundry room floors painted before so I'm assuming that's fine, but what about the sealer? What exactly is the difference between sealer vs paint? Is sealer just clear paint?
Consider using the Behr brand clear epoxy for garage floors (Home Depot). If the surface has been washed down and is dry, that should be fine. I'd also recommend this instead of Thompson Water Sealer for the utility room floor.
I was also wondering if anyone has every heard of or used Stone Mason products made by U.S.E. Hickson (found them at my local Home Depot in Canada). Their Premium Concrete Sealer sounds like it would be perfect cause it's water based, fast drying, and just all around doesn't sound like a pain to use
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But I'm not sure if it's too good to be true or if this product actually works.
X-No-Archive:yes May I suggest getting some scraps of carpet and put down there....no more crawling on your hands and knees on bare concrete. Dust problem goes away too - Works for me.
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