Any one have any experience with DIY concrete coatings? I just had a 1200 Sq ft slab poured and I am thinking about coating it. Would like to hear from those who have done this. Kind to buy. Things to look out for. That sort of thing.
Concrete coatings
- Thread starter Schattenreiter
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First find out if they put any kind of sealer on the slab. Hopefully they didn't. Our last clinic they did and I had a hard time getting it off and then getting anything to stick.
OP
No sealer was applied. I watched the entire process. They poured the concrete. waited a while then used a power trowel on it.
What's the slab for?
My Stepdad had a nice shop built. I can't remember the size, exactly. Bigger than 20x40, I suppose. Metal, and insulated.
Things were fine for a while, then he put one of those fancy coatings on the concrete floor. Now, everything gets wet. What I mean by that is, he is forced to leave the doors closed because if it's hot outside, but cool inside the shop (and I could have that backwards), and he opens the door or raises either of the roll up doors, he has to shut them quickly. If not, condensation covers everything. It's gotten bad enough before, that he used a floor squeegee to push water out.
My Stepdad had a nice shop built. I can't remember the size, exactly. Bigger than 20x40, I suppose. Metal, and insulated.
Things were fine for a while, then he put one of those fancy coatings on the concrete floor. Now, everything gets wet. What I mean by that is, he is forced to leave the doors closed because if it's hot outside, but cool inside the shop (and I could have that backwards), and he opens the door or raises either of the roll up doors, he has to shut them quickly. If not, condensation covers everything. It's gotten bad enough before, that he used a floor squeegee to push water out.
OP
Having one of those steel building erected. Not sure what roll the coating on the floor would play in condensation inside the building. Seems to me without the coating the concrete would just get wet instead of being able to push the water out.
I have heard of people having problems with condensation with these building if they are not insulated but having it insulated always seems to be the advice to stop the condensation.
Did he have a moisture barrier installed before the concrete was poured or not?
I have heard of people having problems with condensation with these building if they are not insulated but having it insulated always seems to be the advice to stop the condensation.
Did he have a moisture barrier installed before the concrete was poured or not?
I don't know about the moisture barrier. I can ask later today.
He wants to blame the coating because he didn't have this problem until after applying it. I think his shop had been up at least a year, maybe longer, before the coating. He didn't experience the extreme condensation before it.
12151791
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Just a thought….I think moisture is absorbed faster by non coated concrete slab. I say that because the floor in my garage is epoxy coated and car A/C condensation will stay on the slab for hours whereas at our old house car A/C condensation was gone in a very short time.
OP
Strange! I have been to a shop that has this coating (looks really nice by the way). We were there for a wedding and the doors were open but I didn't notice any signs of condensation.
Maybe he had condensation before but it just soaked into the concrete as opposed to sitting on top of it.
@12151791 beat me to it.
If its a uninsulated space the concrete will
Sweat and happens when there is a quick temp change by opening doors or weather change just like a tea glass. The air temp
changes faster than slab temp, the uncoated slab is just able to absorb some of it so
wasn’t as noticeable but it still does it. Certain times of year or weather patterns seem the worst for it in dads shop. Been that way for 30 years.
Sweat and happens when there is a quick temp change by opening doors or weather change just like a tea glass. The air temp
changes faster than slab temp, the uncoated slab is just able to absorb some of it so
wasn’t as noticeable but it still does it. Certain times of year or weather patterns seem the worst for it in dads shop. Been that way for 30 years.
And that's possible, concerning the floor, but I've seen it covering everything. His truck, golf cart, mower, everything. Unless having an uncoated floor kept it from collecting on the other surfaces.
I'll try to get a few details from him today.
CHRIS_WNC
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Dew point and slab temp may create condensation issues on the floor. My slab was sealed by the installers. In my uninsulated building I get moisture buildup under certain weather conditions. It's happened a few times since October when the building went up. My fix is to keep stuff up off the floor if at all possible. I'd be worried about having one of those beautiful epoxy coatings on there without having the condensation issue taken care of. I imagine that it becomes skating rink slick when wet.
The sealer that was used on mine looked nice but doesn't hold up well to auto shop use. A little spilled gas or brake cleaner over spray gets rid of the "glossy" look of it. Not a huge issue for me.
CHRIS
The sealer that was used on mine looked nice but doesn't hold up well to auto shop use. A little spilled gas or brake cleaner over spray gets rid of the "glossy" look of it. Not a huge issue for me.
CHRIS
An uninsulated metal building would be less likely to condensate because it is closer to the exterior temperature.
Uncoated cement is porous and able to absorb the comdensate moisture. Coating it will seal and create surface water.
It’s all a matter of dewpoint. Extreme temperature from interior to exterior temperature at grains of moisture in the air.
Coated concrete in an unconditioned space can get very slick.
Uncoated cement is porous and able to absorb the comdensate moisture. Coating it will seal and create surface water.
It’s all a matter of dewpoint. Extreme temperature from interior to exterior temperature at grains of moisture in the air.
Coated concrete in an unconditioned space can get very slick.
All of this condensation talk, it sounds like you have humidity problems. A dehumidifier, or better yet A/C, will help a lot. Your metal tools will also thank you.
OP
I no knowledge of coated floors. I do see many after being done. If not babied they do not look good with drag marks, spills, and wearing from machinery. I’ve considered it earlier when I moved here but since seeing others I abandoned it. I’ve had people ask me to put down runners to do installs. If I have to worry about my garage floor, it’s no longer a usable space.
That's why I'm leaning towards simply sealing mine. If I understand correctly, the sealer soaks in more than an epoxy coating.
I'd rather not have oil stains and such, and would love a nice epoxy coated floor, but if the coating didn't hold up I'd be pissed.
I beg to differ. A friend of mine had a 2 bay metal garage erected, no insulation, floor sealed, I've seen it rain inside that garage many times. He did have a heater in it, but the times I've seen it rain the heater wasn't being used.
How about for a house porch? Anyone do anything to the concrete to "dress" it up?
