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Posted (edited)

Has anyone painted the shop floor ? Looking at what products actually work and can withstand all the chemicals and chipping. Thanks in advance !

Edited by sparkerauto
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

It's been 20 years since I did mine. It was beautiful for several years. Slowly over time wear and tear do get to the paint. It was a 2 part epoxy I believe made by Devcon. I recommend staying away from the water base stuff. I did my waiting room with it a few years ago and it didn't last very long, and the clear coat bubbled up. 

Here is what I can tell you. If you do any welding or cutting with a torch, it will burn holes. It will chip if heavy things are dropped on it. If you drag things across it, it will scratch, and it will yellow, and stain over time. For some reason washer solvent causes it to dry up and crack. Mine is looking pretty rough now, but it was great for many years.

Scott

  • Like 3
Posted

Epoxied floors look great! We get compliments all the time and it is fairly easy to keep clean.  I personally do not ever plan to have bare concrete floors in any shop for many reasons.

I've used multiple DIY Epoxy products over the years and none of them held up to the chemicals or lasted very long.  I found that Armor Seal 1000HS (purchased from Sherwin Williams) to be a very good product and has now been down for 5 years with minimal issues and still looks great.  I know a few other shop owners that paid to have their floors epoxied and can tell you that theirs are going to far outlast my DIY epoxied floors.  As with any other painting type of application, it is all about the prep work (and that is why I think the professionally done floors seem to be holding up better). 

My advice would be, if you are going to stay in that building for 10 years or more, pay the professional. If you are planning to move, I highly recommend DIY with the Armor Seal.

  • Like 2
Posted

Sherwin Williams is definitely the answer! Go to your local commercial store & they should help choosing the correct product!

  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Over the last 5 years I have done two different shop floors and used Armor Garage with outstanding results. It's expensive and prepping the floor is critical but nothing phases this stuff. They have a warranty to back up the quality.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Used Rust-oleum epoxy sheild coating from home depot, etched floor per instructions. Looked great for 3 months completely gone by first year. Bubbled up and pealed.

 

Professional gave a bid of $5,000 for 2 bays, said the secret was to grind the concrete using a grinding machine to get below the years of oil and solvents from an old floor like ours. Still waiting on funds to get professionally done. 

  • 1 year later...
Posted

We used Sherwin Williams Armor Clad for the first time this year. I was pretty happy with the results. The fumes were pretty strong vs products in the past. 

We get a crew together from the shop. Prep on Friday night, roll paint on Saturday morning. 

 

floors1.thumb.jpg.ac8d8726394cdec645fe7e0e51fc1775.jpgfloors2.thumb.jpg.cb2b22c5e203537d603fbfe861790ccf.jpgfloors3.thumb.jpg.af239646f0cc7e908a324423019de700.jpg

  • Like 1
Posted

We just finished the shop floor. The surface was ground to remove the old surface. Tuff Top waterborne epoxy for the first coat. 2 coats Rust Oleum waterborne Catalyzed Urethane top coat. Its gasoline and brake fluid proof. It is very resistant to scratching and forklift traffic.

 

Mike

Shop Floor2 (2).jpg

  • Like 1

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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