A sprayed overlay or troweled overlay would be good for a pool deck. czcams.com/play/PLlh5D3kiDTBM2DET7pe20SCN7V_NxKYn3.html Some company will do a vinyl chip polyaspartic system for pool decks but I personally don’t think like them for exterior concrete.
I used the Rust-Oleum brand on my garage floor about 12 years ago. I applied it heavily, bought extra chips, then clear coated it. It still looks as good today as it did when I first finished it. I use Tide detergent and a brush to clean it off and a squeegee to pull the water off. I have spilled gas and oil on it, accidentally hit it with a hammer and nothing seems to hurt it. It always cleans up like the day it was first put down. I recommend it.
John can you please leave in a comment how much you spent on your floor? I have to do this myself on a budget, a social security budget 🙋, so I m putting on the first set of new shingles over the ones that have been on it for the last 28 year's and I want a cleaner fresher floor that is easier to blow out with the leaf blower. Thanks,🐕🐈
I appreciate the info - we are looking to do this to a huge area behind our house. How tough is this stuff in regards to cracking, weather etc.... Like, if the concreate underneath cracks - will the epoxy too?
@@shep78Gmail Jaime’s English is better than my Spanish and he is correct. Epoxy flooring is only for covered applications without direct sunlight or weather.
I hired professionals 22 years ago to do a 3 car garage and a 2 car garage. 99% of it looks like the day it was installed. I spilled some sealer I was using on another project and messed up a couple of square feet of it. I think they took 2 days to do it, best money I ever spent.
I really like how you spread out the install over 2-days. When I learned how to install the emphasis was on speed and hustle that burned me out where I lost a bit of want to do the installs. I've taken two years off and been thinking about getting back into installs because I simply enjoy the process of changing floors from 'ehe' to 'wow, you did that?'
I really enjoy the process too. It’s really gratifying to see the finish product. I wouldn’t enjoy having to rush all the time either doing a one day install. 👎🏻
Hey guys, very good video. I have extensive experience with Rustoleum Epoxy and I’m currently in the middle of preparing my floor for a “professional” quality of epoxy which I will apply. With each of these options, we are talking about apples and oranges. They both work great for different situations. For basement floors, the Rustoleum epoxy is fantastic. I used several of these kits for my basement 15 years ago and of all my many DIY projects I have completed, this was my favorite. For basement applications, the Rustoleum kit with acid etching prep works perfectly fine. I know this as I raised 3 kids on a Rustoleum floor for the past 15 years and the basement still looks great and is still super easy to clean. Epoxy is awesome. For older garages, the prep is totally different as there are typically drops of paint, oil spots, tire wear, stains, blemishes and concrete spauling. This means preparing a garage floor requires much more work. For good adhesion, one needs exposed aggregate. If your garage floor is a mess (like mine), my suggestion (after just finishing the backbreaking prep work) is to hire it out...unless you have balls of steel. For a garage application, I think it makes sense to spend a little more on better epoxy especially for those of us in colder climates with slush and road salt. However, for garages, I think the biggest difference is not the epoxy kit but the quality of the preparation. What I have discovered is that one’s success has more to do with the quality of the equipment you rent. For example, with a shot blaster, one needs a professional quality vacuum with a hepa filter and you must have the patience of Job. Don’t even consider using a shop vac as it just doesn’t work and if you don’t have patience and stamina, don’t even try this project. Likewise, using a floor grinder, one will likely need a grinder with an aggressive diamond blade and a special vacuum with a hepa filter. A grinder with a polishing or finishing blade won’t do. Expect that your rental person will have no clue about any of this. YMMV! Again, if you are clever, resourceful, hard working and have balls of steel, you can get through this. For everyone else, hire it done. Hope this helps at least one person.
Tim, you’re not given enough credit for how amazing and professional your videos are. I mean wow ! Keep up the great work and I’m certain you will blow up beyond control one day. You rock!
Wow, Tim. I am so impressed with you, your company, and this video. I want to coat my patio and would hire you in a heartbeat, but I bet you will agree that Nampa, Idaho is a bit far to commute. Your attention to replying to viewer's questions is quite impressive. It conveys to me that you put that same integrity into your business. Thank you for providing the quantities of what you apply to the concrete so that in my hunt for a company like yours here in Nampa, I can ask those questions. And BTW, if you know of a company in Nampa that you would recommend, fire away. Crazy query I know, but it never hurts to ask, right?
First house I did Rust-Oleum, my prep was ok and it lifted in a year where tires were. Second house I had custom built and personally installed 3 layer ArmorPoxy on 16 month old concrete. Did a diamond grind before and probably 5 cleanings. Machine was $100 and materials $450. I choose light grey with no chips because I work on small parts and projects and if you drop something on chips it can be hard to find. 7 years later and it's still virtually like new. Pretty chemical resistant but interestingly enough it doesn't like rubbing alcohol, makes the top coat hazy.
The DIY kits are a hit-or-miss success from my experience. I installed a Rustoleum water-based epoxy on my new construction previous house i owned. Used the concrete etch cleaner, applied with chips with NO top coat and somehow it lasted for over 10 years without any problems and no hot tire pick-up. Helped install two additional epoxy garage floor coatings the same exact way and immediately had hot tire pick-up and peeling issues. The professional installs use a much better (and more costly) coating that will be a lot thicker than standard DIY kits, plus they also grind the floor with heavy equipment that most people aren't doing so it's going to "grab" the concrete even better. Acid etching doesn't compare to grinding in any way. As with most services out there, you get what you pay for.
Thanks for the insight. We grind up the DIY epoxy all the time and they usually are peeling and dirty…but every once in a while they still look decent. I think you’re right… it’s just a combination of the acid not making the concrete rough enough and the material just being too thin to hold up under tires. Thanks for sharing.
For an old garage floor that has accumulated stains I would definitely grind it even as a DIY. A new garage floor if the surface is still good I would opt to try just etching. Thanks for all the insights on the different thickness of coatings.
Really helps with deciding what way to go. A poor job will cost more in the long run. Whereas right the first time - never a bad decision! But money will dictate. 🤕
I like this so much better then the square tiles that look good but I can see rain ruining them. I'm building a small home and already have the garage and updating it MySelf.
I feel like this is the most honest and accurate commercial I’ve ever seen 😆 I believed every word you said. Maybe I won’t go to oreilly for my garage floor kit :D
Guess you just put an end to doing it via Home Depot method. Never have been good with doing anything half assed. Thanks for the video showing the right way
Last summer had my new 2400 ft2 garage done in columbia. Saw one of you videos and got a contractor to do it. New 6"slab, 6 mil poly vapor barrier underneath, it was 2 days of grinding then two days of application. Wonderful end result. A clean slate ( new slab empty building )and a contractor saves money in the long run compared to the diy kit. Good price, there was no old floor or oil spills to remediate and grind off, that would be more money on top of the materials and time that was scrapped out. Shout out to steel floors of columbia sc
Awesome result! Your team really seem to take care of your client. Great info on pro vs diy products. I had no clue there was such a difference. Video is top quality too. THANKS!
I only just came across your channel. I’ve coated all my own garages and sheds and appreciate you explaining how you do it. Your coating work and video editing are top notch. Cheers from 🇦🇺
I love the detail you added going top to bottom in one stroke. Not many do this, and when I was an installer I’d always do the top to bottom so that streaks are minimized. I’ve seen so many people doing short 6 foot side to side and then not doing the top to bottom and it just looks like poor quality
Thinking about using diy kit for little 10x8 mud room with washer dryer, utility sink, and oil furnace. Years ago, as diy newbies, we painted the sealed concrete with some kind of latex that started chipping up within days of drying. Can’t wait to prep the room🙃
My grinder comes with a 45lbs weight to put on the top, also holds 7 1/2 gallons of water to add weight that way. Or you could use both. So it can add like 105lbs of head weight if needed and already weighs about 450lbs alone. It’s a beast for what it is. Of course there are bigger or better ones out there but its a Quallity grinder!!!
Very well done. I have made a career out of replacing “big box” epoxy floors myself. Great prep, ALWAYS grind, NEVER acid etch. We now sell our 100% solids epoxy garage kits online. Contractors discounts available. Keep up the great work.
I had friends that just had a pro installed floor and the used Black, Blue and Grey chips.... I love the Red based floor and will be wanting this when it is time to do my "Forever" shop floor.
I just had my garage floor done by a professional but I really like the way your floors look. Can I add a polyaspartic top coat to my floor? My floor is 2 days old.
It’s hard to say without know what type of coating was used… but you probably can. You would need to sand the floor before you do it because you are outside of the recoat window for any epoxy or poly.
Definitely higher quality, but hard to justify that cost on a starter home. DIY done right...which is few and far between I know, probably makes more sense in a sub 200k home given your value increase has a ceiling in those price range neighborhoods
I think the main consideration is what the garage is used for. If you want the garage to feel like it’s another finished room in the house, then I think it’s worth it. DIY is ok if you just want to make the garage look a little nicer without spending a lot.
@@TimDCVA fair points, but still consider home value before going for the Ferrari of floor coatings, just like inside. You will only get so much back. Now if resale doesn't matter and you're OK not getting some of that value back, go for the gusto! I did my garage ...drywall, insulate, attempting epoxy, knowing we have about topped out value, but I wanted it for my own enjoyment. All down to personal preference on how to spend in the end :) Regardless, I would hire you guys in a heart beat on a higher range house with something bigger than a 2 car garage!
You may tie the look of a freshly epoxied floor to home value, which can make sense. But I think you're forgetting that so many DIY epoxy kits fail before you'd sell. That can be frustrating to you while you live there, frustrating during the selling process, and the "wow" factor from a potential buyer is going to be way less if they see that the floor is in terrible shape.
I live in the Midwest and I’m wondering if this can be done throughout the seasons as the weather gets colder and whatnot. Awesome videos man, seriously so good.
I'm in Florida with lots of sun. Wanting to do this on my driveway and front patio which will take up lots of sun... Do I need to put a coating on top of the chips? I'm afraid it might yellow in time... What do you think?
Any recommendations of how to clean the water/moisture from my car after the sealing is completed? When my car comes in from the rain, the water is there forever. Thanks again for such a great high quality tutorial and video. And thanks in advance for your help with the excess water.
Wow, very nice! Question: at 1:38 it looks like there were some random running cracks in the slab that you had to prep. I have the exact same problem (if what I'm seeing is what I think it is). Can you explain how to prep/seal such cracks, and how you avoid getting that white efflorescence at the sides of the cracks? My floor is 20x25, and the installers didn't make any "sidewalk" style cuts, so when the floor contracted, it split randomly and really p*ssed me off (I didn't know any better at the time to ask about it). Thanks!
Awesome production quality and content! We have an unfinished 2-car garage Iooking to get this treatment - does the grinding, product application, flakes, etc. make any mess on the walls? Debating whether I should prime+paint the entire garage first or do it after the flooring is done.
Can you do a inlaid graphic with the flakes. i.e. if I wanted a mostly grey chips but had an outline of the Clemson Tigers logo in orange and purple chips?
The question more so is value for money. It’s a very individual preference. $250 for a diy for that last 10 years or few thousand for a professional floor that last 20 plus years.
@@TimDCVA The issue is most diyers don’t do the necessary homework, surface prep is never done correctly, checking for moisture and vapor. I applied rustoleum epoxy on my 500 sq feet garage 6 years ago. Rented a concrete sander and prepped the surface, bought 2 kits (twice the recommended product), checked for moisture overnight, applied the clear epoxy. It was a lot of work and the floor has held up wonderfully. I doubt if all diyers are doing the same due diligence. Hence the much higher failure rate. I would definitely go with the professionals when in doubt. The red floor looks absolutely beautiful.
I just started binge watching some of your videos and am learning a lot. I would love to do this, but it just isn't in my budget right now. Would it be possible to use a DIY epoxy kit and seal it with a polyurea top coat? I have a 1 car garage that doesn't get hit with a lot of sunlight. Also, should I paint the garage walls first and then do the floors, or does it even matter? Please advise.
You guys did a great job. Thanks for explaining what the difference between product from Lowe’s and you guys. Are you guys in Florida? I want to do my 380 sqft garage floor. Wonder how much for estimate done by professional like you guys? I don’t want handyman doing the product from Lowe’s. Thanks.
Love this! Thanks for sharing all this valuable info. Question: is it typically better/recommended to get an epoxy coating versus porcelain tiles? Or are they roughly the same in longevity and protection, and it's up to the homeowner's opinion?
@@TimDCVA Thanks for the speedy response!! That makes sense. I suspect there would also be complications with installing porcelain tiles since our garage isn't level and has a slight angle to direct and drain out any water/liquids out of the garage.
Porcelain if done right will last longer. But make sure your floor is flat if you want to go that route. Use epoxy grout, 1/4 grout lines or as narrow as possible. 1/8 is best but requires gaged tiles. Make sure they are flat and square, which requires they're trimmed. Presuming you have a budget here. If you're doing it yourself epoxy. Groute color has to be the color of soil in your area. 1/8 lines dont show up so they don't have to be clean. Install a hot and cold facet in the garage or anything else you want that may require floor work.
Tim, you have the patience of Job not to blow some of these commentators out of the water. I respect that. If they really knew as much as they think they do…
Tim, I'm in the Air Force, and we're preparing to do a self- help project which intells removing 6,500 Sq ft of hvp tile and then epoxying 14,000 square ft. We were planning on buying 14 kits of professional rocksolid polyaspartic industrial flooring, but no flacks because we rig cargo parachutes. Could you give me some advice?
I notice you dont tape the wall or put anything to prevent getting product on the baseboard or wall. Is this typical for you? How do you ensure you dont touch the wall?
I’ve always struggled with epoxy soaking up behind tape, so we just learned to do it without tape. It’s easier to cut it in quickly if you use the brush more like a squeegee and just push piles of epoxy up to the wall. I carry a rag to wipe any spots we mess up.
Some suppliers/vendors are using a black primer, followed by epoxy, then chips, then the polyaspartic urethane top coat. I noticed that you skipped a step. You mentioned "primer epoxy" and broadcast the chips directly on this layer. Is this as effective? I'm all about saving time. Additionally, I didn't see you wash or wet the floor, did you simply vacuum? Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jake. You are correct. We do a 2 coat system. A lot of the one day systems... or the water based diy systems require a primer because the first coat dries too fast to get chips into it. Our high solids primer stays wet on the surface long enough for us to broadcast chips so we don’t need the additional coat. We never wash the floor. We always vacuum it, dry mop it to agitate the dust and then vacuum it again.
This may be a dumb question, but is 100% solids epoxy a must over say a 93% solids? I ask because I notice the price is significantly less with 93%..and doesn’t seem like it would be all THAT detrimental…or is it that much of a difference? Thank you in advance! Love the videos!!
I'd soo hire a company but they are all booked 2 months out and need it done next two weeks :) But I do appreciate the video, gives me ideas how to do it. At the very least it will look better than what it is today.
@@TimDCVA Actually found a guy who had a cancellation :) So Monday. And thanks to your video when he was going over the differences I already knew what he was talking about :) Thanks! Initially I thought it was just the cleaning process never realized the material as well was different.
I always give customers the option to have them filled. I personally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense. A seamless floor is nice… but I like the lines in the floor to break up the design.
I am moving into a new home. Will I have to grind a new garage floor? Thanks for the videos. Texas is too far for you, I'm pretty sure. This helps me have a floor that is professional, and will last.
Anything that is based on water is week, and will not sustain hard ussage, so always go with oil based epoxy, same is with wooden floors, water based finish coat even if you apply it 3 times,if you walk on it every day it will be gloss 3 years max.Have a blessed day.
Will roughing up a brand new, still pliable, freshly poured garage floor with a broom help with the application of these products without having to grind the floor?
Very cool videos. What brand epoxy do you guys like to use? I’ve gotta do an unsealed floor with multiple oil stains. What should I do to prep? Thanks in advance 🙏🌲
Truth is DYI kits at big box stores will never compare to the ones professional uses because of what you stated. I've helped a couple of friends do DIY Kits + prepping really good. They will look pretty good for a good while but that depends on how much and what kind of traffic it gets. Invest in a good professional contractor to do the prep and install OR if you are a DIY'er , invest in an industrial grade kit, time and floor preparation.
Due to these things, I always look at everything at a box store with some skepticism. I make it a point to learn the difference. I've found that if you call and find a professional is too busy to take your job, or focus on a different market (like commercial vs. residential), they're still at-least willing to point you to the right stuff or let you know about the supply store that you can barely see behind the trees that everyone goes to get the right stuff
Certainly it appears one of the differences between pros and DIY'ers is the quality of the prep job and the thickness of the epoxy finish. Any reason why one couldn't buy two DIY kits and simple add more coats/ layers after using a physical concrete grinder (eg. Shop Blaster) to roughen up the garage floor surface? Thx.
Could you tell me where to buy or the brand? Im looking to get into this and want to try on my house garage first, i do overlay work im based out of south ga
Hey Cris- I have a course that teaches everything you need to know and includes material recommendations. Here is a link if you want to check it out: decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
Sorry I don’t have a tutorial on that. Fwiw our walls aren’t pallet walls. We used rough cut lumber that a mobile saw mill cut out of some trees on our property.
Our Epoxy Garage Floor Course is Live. decorativeconcreteschool.com
Dang I just bought a kit to do my garage floor. I was excited about it til I watched your video lol. Good job and video.
Yes… but we have other systems that are similar that would probably work a little better.
A sprayed overlay or troweled overlay would be good for a pool deck.
czcams.com/play/PLlh5D3kiDTBM2DET7pe20SCN7V_NxKYn3.html
Some company will do a vinyl chip polyaspartic system for pool decks but I personally don’t think like them for exterior concrete.
Sorry, we couldn't find that page
Sorry… It works for me… but here’s the full link:
decorativeconcreteschool.com
I used the Rust-Oleum brand on my garage floor about 12 years ago. I applied it heavily, bought extra chips, then clear coated it. It still looks as good today as it did when I first finished it. I use Tide detergent and a brush to clean it off and a squeegee to pull the water off. I have spilled gas and oil on it, accidentally hit it with a hammer and nothing seems to hurt it. It always cleans up like the day it was first put down. I recommend it.
John can you please leave in a comment how much you spent on your floor? I have to do this myself on a budget, a social security budget 🙋, so I m putting on the first set of new shingles over the ones that have been on it for the last 28 year's and I want a cleaner fresher floor that is easier to blow out with the leaf blower. Thanks,🐕🐈
About 500 for 2.5 car kits, extra cleaning tools, and cleaners. Also did extra etching. 500 is the high end, plus lots and lots of labor lol
I appreciate the info - we are looking to do this to a huge area behind our house. How tough is this stuff in regards to cracking, weather etc....
Like, if the concreate underneath cracks - will the epoxy too?
@@shep78Gmail espoxy just work for inside and cover area not exposo to elements or even sun...
@@shep78Gmail Jaime’s English is better than my Spanish and he is correct. Epoxy flooring is only for covered applications without direct sunlight or weather.
I hired professionals 22 years ago to do a 3 car garage and a 2 car garage. 99% of it looks like the day it was installed. I spilled some sealer I was using on another project and messed up a couple of square feet of it.
I think they took 2 days to do it, best money I ever spent.
I am sold on hiring a Pro after this video!! Was trying to save money but this is huge difference. Thank You!!
You’re welcome. 👍🏻👍🏻
I really like how you spread out the install over 2-days. When I learned how to install the emphasis was on speed and hustle that burned me out where I lost a bit of want to do the installs. I've taken two years off and been thinking about getting back into installs because I simply enjoy the process of changing floors from 'ehe' to 'wow, you did that?'
I really enjoy the process too. It’s really gratifying to see the finish product.
I wouldn’t enjoy having to rush all the time either doing a one day install. 👎🏻
Definitely agree
Hey guys, very good video. I have extensive experience with Rustoleum Epoxy and I’m currently in the middle of preparing my floor for a “professional” quality of epoxy which I will apply.
With each of these options, we are talking about apples and oranges. They both work great for different situations.
For basement floors, the Rustoleum epoxy is fantastic. I used several of these kits for my basement 15 years ago and of all my many DIY projects I have completed, this was my favorite.
For basement applications, the Rustoleum kit with acid etching prep works perfectly fine. I know this as I raised 3 kids on a Rustoleum floor for the past 15 years and the basement still looks great and is still super easy to clean. Epoxy is awesome.
For older garages, the prep is totally different as there are typically drops of paint, oil spots, tire wear, stains, blemishes and concrete spauling.
This means preparing a garage floor requires much more work. For good adhesion, one needs exposed aggregate. If your garage floor is a mess (like mine), my suggestion (after just finishing the backbreaking prep work) is to hire it out...unless you have balls of steel.
For a garage application, I think it makes sense to spend a little more on better epoxy especially for those of us in colder climates with slush and road salt.
However, for garages, I think the biggest difference is not the epoxy kit but the quality of the preparation. What I have discovered is that one’s success has more to do with the quality of the equipment you rent.
For example, with a shot blaster, one needs a professional quality vacuum with a hepa filter and you must have the patience of Job. Don’t even consider using a shop vac as it just doesn’t work and if you don’t have patience and stamina, don’t even try this project.
Likewise, using a floor grinder, one will likely need a grinder with an aggressive diamond blade and a special vacuum with a hepa filter. A grinder with a polishing or finishing blade won’t do. Expect that your rental person will have no clue about any of this. YMMV!
Again, if you are clever, resourceful, hard working and have balls of steel, you can get through this. For everyone else, hire it done. Hope this helps at least one person.
Tim, you’re not given enough credit for how amazing and professional your videos are. I mean wow ! Keep up the great work and I’m certain you will blow up beyond control one day. You rock!
Thanks Tony! I really appreciate the encouragement. I always enjoy your Tiktok videos too. 👍🏻
Definitely amazing editing, music 🎶 and all very chill vibe makes the work look fun. 👍
Wow, Tim. I am so impressed with you, your company, and this video. I want to coat my patio and would hire you in a heartbeat, but I bet you will agree that Nampa, Idaho is a bit far to commute. Your attention to replying to viewer's questions is quite impressive. It conveys to me that you put that same integrity into your business.
Thank you for providing the quantities of what you apply to the concrete so that in my hunt for a company like yours here in Nampa, I can ask those questions.
And BTW, if you know of a company in Nampa that you would recommend, fire away. Crazy query I know, but it never hurts to ask, right?
Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement.
Sorry I don’t know anyone in Idaho.
First house I did Rust-Oleum, my prep was ok and it lifted in a year where tires were. Second house I had custom built and personally installed 3 layer ArmorPoxy on 16 month old concrete. Did a diamond grind before and probably 5 cleanings. Machine was $100 and materials $450. I choose light grey with no chips because I work on small parts and projects and if you drop something on chips it can be hard to find. 7 years later and it's still virtually like new. Pretty chemical resistant but interestingly enough it doesn't like rubbing alcohol, makes the top coat hazy.
Did you use the Rust-Oleum brand the second time ?
The DIY kits are a hit-or-miss success from my experience. I installed a Rustoleum water-based epoxy on my new construction previous house i owned. Used the concrete etch cleaner, applied with chips with NO top coat and somehow it lasted for over 10 years without any problems and no hot tire pick-up. Helped install two additional epoxy garage floor coatings the same exact way and immediately had hot tire pick-up and peeling issues. The professional installs use a much better (and more costly) coating that will be a lot thicker than standard DIY kits, plus they also grind the floor with heavy equipment that most people aren't doing so it's going to "grab" the concrete even better. Acid etching doesn't compare to grinding in any way. As with most services out there, you get what you pay for.
Thanks for the insight. We grind up the DIY epoxy all the time and they usually are peeling and dirty…but every once in a while they still look decent.
I think you’re right… it’s just a combination of the acid not making the concrete rough enough and the material just being too thin to hold up under tires.
Thanks for sharing.
For an old garage floor that has accumulated stains I would definitely grind it even as a DIY. A new garage floor if the surface is still good I would opt to try just etching. Thanks for all the insights on the different thickness of coatings.
You’re welcome. 👍🏻👍🏻
Solid job good to see someone talking about the differences
Thanks! 🙌🏼
Really helps with deciding what way to go. A poor job will cost more in the long run. Whereas right the first time - never a bad decision! But money will dictate. 🤕
the best technic I seen on youtube
Thank you! 🙏🏻
I work for a contractor in TN doing this work. We do garages pool decks and basements everyday all week all year long!
🙌🏼
Where at in Tennessee do you do this work? Looking to get a quote for my garage.
I like this so much better then the square tiles that look good but I can see rain ruining them. I'm building a small home and already have the garage and updating it MySelf.
I feel like this is the most honest and accurate commercial I’ve ever seen 😆 I believed every word you said. Maybe I won’t go to oreilly for my garage floor kit :D
Guess you just put an end to doing it via Home Depot method. Never have been good with doing anything half assed. Thanks for the video showing the right way
Haha. Thanks for watching. 👍🏻👍🏻
Last summer had my new 2400 ft2 garage done in columbia. Saw one of you videos and got a contractor to do it. New 6"slab, 6 mil poly vapor barrier underneath, it was 2 days of grinding then two days of application. Wonderful end result. A clean slate ( new slab empty building )and a contractor saves money in the long run compared to the diy kit. Good price, there was no old floor or oil spills to remediate and grind off, that would be more money on top of the materials and time that was scrapped out. Shout out to steel floors of columbia sc
That’s great. Glad it worked out. 👍🏻👍🏻
wish you all were near Montana, this is a great marketing tool.
Awesome result! Your team really seem to take care of your client.
Great info on pro vs diy products. I had no clue there was such a difference.
Video is top quality too. THANKS!
Thank you!
I only just came across your channel. I’ve coated all my own garages and sheds and appreciate you explaining how you do it. Your coating work and video editing are top notch. Cheers from 🇦🇺
Thank you!
Best epoxy flooring video I've seen. Thanks for the insight. Props dude!
Thank you! I appreciate the encouragement. 🙌🏼
I love the detail you added going top to bottom in one stroke. Not many do this, and when I was an installer I’d always do the top to bottom so that streaks are minimized.
I’ve seen so many people doing short 6 foot side to side and then not doing the top to bottom and it just looks like poor quality
Thanks! I agree that it needs to be rolled a lot. 👍🏻
Thinking about using diy kit for little 10x8 mud room with washer dryer, utility sink, and oil furnace. Years ago, as diy newbies, we painted the sealed concrete with some kind of latex that started chipping up within days of drying. Can’t wait to prep the room🙃
My grinder comes with a 45lbs weight to put on the top, also holds 7 1/2 gallons of water to add weight that way. Or you could use both. So it can add like 105lbs of head weight if needed and already weighs about 450lbs alone. It’s a beast for what it is. Of course there are bigger or better ones out there but its a Quallity grinder!!!
Very well done. I have made a career out of replacing “big box” epoxy floors myself. Great prep, ALWAYS grind, NEVER acid etch. We now sell our 100% solids epoxy garage kits online. Contractors discounts available. Keep up the great work.
Thanks! We replace a lot of those floors too. 🤦🏻♂️
@@TimDCVA LOL! Spammers...Sheesh
Video is great I’m going to my first in the coming weeks. Some more tips would be great
I have an online course that teaches everything you need to know.
decorativeconcreteschool.com
Beautiful! Full coverage...Im sold!
Great work brother plz keep it up.... and do something for us.... for those who want progress in this paint field ......
Thanks!
👏 is awesome I’m a painter and I’m start doing some garage floors I want to learn more you guys are awesome
Thanks!
I have an online epoxy/polyaspartic course if you want in depth training from us. 👍🏻
decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
That’s some great footage of the work. Great information too. Best video I’ve seen on the subject so far. Nice job!
Thanks Seth! I really appreciate the encouragement.
I had friends that just had a pro installed floor and the used Black, Blue and Grey chips.... I love the Red based floor and will be wanting this when it is time to do my "Forever" shop floor.
The midnight blue/orbit whatever its called haha. Thats my personal favorite. 👍🏼
It all comes down to money. Most people are OK with an ok job. However, it's always nice to know how to do the job right.
great video. I thought this job was bigger than I'd want to tackle, and you confirmed it! thanks so much, will be checking with the pros! :)
That is awesome finished floor. Learned a ton from your explanation. Will now be getting my garages professionally done.
Thanks! Glad I could help
Those chips 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Some of us just can't afford a pro install. But I'm sure your work is really great.
Look for pro materials instead of HD and follow what real pros do.
After completion, what is the dry time and when can cars park inside? Thx. By the way, luv the detail and care you put into these projects.
Thanks! usually 24 hours during the summer.
Awesome. I really like the color. Not certain where you work out of, but I’m in Myrtle Beach and would love to get my garage done.
He’s in Virginia
Hi. I’m in central VA. We travel for some larger projects... so it just depends on the size of the garage.
I just had my garage floor done by a professional but I really like the way your floors look. Can I add a polyaspartic top coat to my floor? My floor is 2 days old.
It’s hard to say without know what type of coating was used… but you probably can. You would need to sand the floor before you do it because you are outside of the recoat window for any epoxy or poly.
Definitely higher quality, but hard to justify that cost on a starter home. DIY done right...which is few and far between I know, probably makes more sense in a sub 200k home given your value increase has a ceiling in those price range neighborhoods
I think the main consideration is what the garage is used for. If you want the garage to feel like it’s another finished room in the house, then I think it’s worth it.
DIY is ok if you just want to make the garage look a little nicer without spending a lot.
@@TimDCVA fair points, but still consider home value before going for the Ferrari of floor coatings, just like inside. You will only get so much back.
Now if resale doesn't matter and you're OK not getting some of that value back, go for the gusto! I did my garage ...drywall, insulate, attempting epoxy, knowing we have about topped out value, but I wanted it for my own enjoyment. All down to personal preference on how to spend in the end :)
Regardless, I would hire you guys in a heart beat on a higher range house with something bigger than a 2 car garage!
You may tie the look of a freshly epoxied floor to home value, which can make sense. But I think you're forgetting that so many DIY epoxy kits fail before you'd sell. That can be frustrating to you while you live there, frustrating during the selling process, and the "wow" factor from a potential buyer is going to be way less if they see that the floor is in terrible shape.
@@scubasteve159753 totally agree, just happy my five days of labor has survived so far with limited wear! 🤣
Welcome to my home Tim😍
Great Video. Gonna watch the other link as well. Appreciate it.
Thanks!
I live in the Midwest and I’m wondering if this can be done throughout the seasons as the weather gets colder and whatnot. Awesome videos man, seriously so good.
Thanks! Yes we work through the winter.
I'm in Florida with lots of sun. Wanting to do this on my driveway and front patio which will take up lots of sun... Do I need to put a coating on top of the chips? I'm afraid it might yellow in time... What do you think?
Polyaspartic top coats don’t really turn yellow.
There are better options for exterior concrete though. Look into a concrete overlay.
Looking in from Ireland 🇮🇪. Class job
Thanks! 🙌🏼
Me to 🇮🇪
Great video ...on point. As a decorative concrete installer myself I appreciate the topic.
Thanks Mike! I appreciate the encouragement.
WHY WOULD ANYONE NOT WANT A PRO TO DO IT ? IT A LOT CHEAPER IN THE LONG RUN. I JUST HAD MINE DONE AND IT TURN OUT GREAT. HE DID A GREAT JOB.
Cool. Glad it worked out for you. 👍🏻
So satisfying!
Any recommendations of how to clean the water/moisture from my car after the sealing is completed? When my car comes in from the rain, the water is there forever. Thanks again for such a great high quality tutorial and video. And thanks in advance for your help with the excess water.
You’re welcome!
I always tell my customers to get a wide window squeegee to move the water out. Foam squeegees work well too.
Hi, great video, your work looks really good. I need some advice on how to improve/prep my garage floor for epoxy since it is not perfectly leveled.
Thanks! Feel free to email me a few photos and I can try to help. 👍🏻
Wow, very nice! Question: at 1:38 it looks like there were some random running cracks in the slab that you had to prep. I have the exact same problem (if what I'm seeing is what I think it is). Can you explain how to prep/seal such cracks, and how you avoid getting that white efflorescence at the sides of the cracks? My floor is 20x25, and the installers didn't make any "sidewalk" style cuts, so when the floor contracted, it split randomly and really p*ssed me off (I didn't know any better at the time to ask about it). Thanks!
Awesome production quality and content! We have an unfinished 2-car garage Iooking to get this treatment - does the grinding, product application, flakes, etc. make any mess on the walls? Debating whether I should prime+paint the entire garage first or do it after the flooring is done.
Always a great job Tim!
Thanks Ernie!
I do these in my town, great job guy’s 👍🏽
Thanks.🙌🏼
Great vid, I am Elite Crete installer in Staunton, VA. Area.
Thanks! We did an overlay at the train station in Staunton a few years ago. Nice place. 👍🏻
@@TimDCVA Ah yes I looked at it. I told them it was to big for me to take on. I do everything myself.
They are closed down now thanks to covid.
Can you do a inlaid graphic with the flakes. i.e. if I wanted a mostly grey chips but had an outline of the Clemson Tigers logo in orange and purple chips?
Yes… but you would need to pour each color separately and let it cure before applying the next color.
The question more so is value for money. It’s a very individual preference. $250 for a diy for that last 10 years or few thousand for a professional floor that last 20 plus years.
That is a valid question…. But it’s more like 6-12 months vs 10-20 years.
The diy kit looks and feels cheap too.
@@TimDCVA The issue is most diyers don’t do the necessary homework, surface prep is never done correctly, checking for moisture and vapor. I applied rustoleum epoxy on my 500 sq feet garage 6 years ago. Rented a concrete sander and prepped the surface, bought 2 kits (twice the recommended product), checked for moisture overnight, applied the clear epoxy. It was a lot of work and the floor has held up wonderfully. I doubt if all diyers are doing the same due diligence. Hence the much higher failure rate. I would definitely go with the professionals when in doubt. The red floor looks absolutely beautiful.
Thanks! I think you probably are right about diyers being diligent with the prep.
I just started binge watching some of your videos and am learning a lot. I would love to do this, but it just isn't in my budget right now. Would it be possible to use a DIY epoxy kit and seal it with a polyurea top coat? I have a 1 car garage that doesn't get hit with a lot of sunlight. Also, should I paint the garage walls first and then do the floors, or does it even matter? Please advise.
You guys did a great job. Thanks for explaining what the difference between product from Lowe’s and you guys. Are you guys in Florida? I want to do my 380 sqft garage floor. Wonder how much for estimate done by professional like you guys? I don’t want handyman doing the product from Lowe’s. Thanks.
Thanks! We are in VA. Most companies charge between $5-$7 per square foot.
Love this! Thanks for sharing all this valuable info. Question: is it typically better/recommended to get an epoxy coating versus porcelain tiles? Or are they roughly the same in longevity and protection, and it's up to the homeowner's opinion?
Thanks!
I think it’s just a matter of personal preference. I would think it would be hard to keep grout lines clean in a garage though.
@@TimDCVA Thanks for the speedy response!! That makes sense. I suspect there would also be complications with installing porcelain tiles since our garage isn't level and has a slight angle to direct and drain out any water/liquids out of the garage.
Porcelain if done right will last longer. But make sure your floor is flat if you want to go that route. Use epoxy grout, 1/4 grout lines or as narrow as possible. 1/8 is best but requires gaged tiles. Make sure they are flat and square, which requires they're trimmed.
Presuming you have a budget here. If you're doing it yourself epoxy. Groute color has to be the color of soil in your area. 1/8 lines dont show up so they don't have to be clean. Install a hot and cold facet in the garage or anything else you want that may require floor work.
Tim, you have the patience of Job not to blow some of these commentators out of the water. I respect that. If they really knew as much as they think they do…
Haha. Thank you!
Tim, I'm in the Air Force, and we're preparing to do a self- help project which intells removing 6,500 Sq ft of hvp tile and then epoxying 14,000 square ft. We were planning on buying 14 kits of professional rocksolid polyaspartic industrial flooring, but no flacks because we rig cargo parachutes. Could you give me some advice?
Yes. I’d be happy to help. Can you email me? tim at decorativeconcreteofvirginia .com 👍🏻
@@TimDCVA sure thing
@@TimDCVA I sent the email. Thank you in advance for any help you may provide. V/r, Jason Fox
beautiful work!!
Thanks for the tutorial and for all tips man ...
👍🏻 happy to help.
I notice you dont tape the wall or put anything to prevent getting product on the baseboard or wall. Is this typical for you? How do you ensure you dont touch the wall?
I’ve always struggled with epoxy soaking up behind tape, so we just learned to do it without tape.
It’s easier to cut it in quickly if you use the brush more like a squeegee and just push piles of epoxy up to the wall. I carry a rag to wipe any spots we mess up.
What are your thoughts on the CRAFTSMAN Epoxy 100% Solids MVB 2-part Garage Floor Paint Kit sold at Lowes?
I haven’t seen anyone use it before… but it seems to be okay. Just make sure you grind the concrete. Etching isn’t aggressive enough.
Beautiful done thank you for sharing
Thank you!
I have question, can we use epoxy on pavers patio also with transparent paint for glossy finish and waterproofing for pavers
Epoxy doesn’t hold up very well outside because of UV light.
Thank you, God bless you!
Thanks! 👍🏻
Some suppliers/vendors are using a black primer, followed by epoxy, then chips, then the polyaspartic urethane top coat. I noticed that you skipped a step. You mentioned "primer epoxy" and broadcast the chips directly on this layer. Is this as effective? I'm all about saving time. Additionally, I didn't see you wash or wet the floor, did you simply vacuum? Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jake.
You are correct. We do a 2 coat system. A lot of the one day systems... or the water based diy systems require a primer because the first coat dries too fast to get chips into it.
Our high solids primer stays wet on the surface long enough for us to broadcast chips so we don’t need the additional coat.
We never wash the floor. We always vacuum it, dry mop it to agitate the dust and then vacuum it again.
Sorry, though what exactly rhe materials that we can use to make this one?
Thinking to do this @ my room
Thank you,
I share which brands of materials we like to use in my course.
decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
Where is the best place to to buy 100% solid products? What specific products did you use in the video? Great content btw!
My whole house would fit in that garage.
Haha.
Very professional!
That Urban camo
This may be a dumb question, but is 100% solids epoxy a must over say a 93% solids? I ask because I notice the price is significantly less with 93%..and doesn’t seem like it would be all THAT detrimental…or is it that much of a difference? Thank you in advance! Love the videos!!
Thanks!
Anything between 90-100 should be okay. The main thing is to make sure you aren’t using a water based product.
I'd soo hire a company but they are all booked 2 months out and need it done next two weeks :) But I do appreciate the video, gives me ideas how to do it. At the very least it will look better than what it is today.
That’s understandable. Best of luck with the project. 👍🏻
@@TimDCVA Actually found a guy who had a cancellation :) So Monday. And thanks to your video when he was going over the differences I already knew what he was talking about :) Thanks! Initially I thought it was just the cleaning process never realized the material as well was different.
What's your opinion on filling in relief cracks on a garage floor before epoxy?
I always give customers the option to have them filled.
I personally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense. A seamless floor is nice… but I like the lines in the floor to break up the design.
What kind of epoxy are you using? Link us
How do you prep a freshly concrete pad or do you have a link to a video?
We always grind. You also need to wait for moisture to evaporate out. People always say 28 days but it’s probably longer than that.
Hi, can you use this product inside swimming pools?
I don’t think so.
Hi Tim. Do you know someone you would recommend in the South Miami area?
I am moving into a new home. Will I have to grind a new garage floor?
Thanks for the videos. Texas is too far for you, I'm pretty sure. This helps me have a floor that is professional, and will last.
Yes we always grind the floor. 👍🏻👍🏻 Congrats on the new place.
Slick work. How much would a project of this size cost, and do the color of chips effect the cost? Thanks in advance 🙏
Thank you! It usually costs around $6 per foot. Color doesn’t change the price. 👍🏻
Anything that is based on water is week, and will not sustain hard ussage, so always go with oil based epoxy, same is with wooden floors, water based finish coat even if you apply it 3 times,if you walk on it every day it will be gloss 3 years max.Have a blessed day.
Thanks for the input. 👍🏻
Very nicely done !!
Thanks!
Will roughing up a brand new, still pliable, freshly poured garage floor with a broom help with the application of these products without having to grind the floor?
I’m not sure. Usually the surface of a broom finished pad ends up being pretty soft… so we would always grind it on one of our jobs.
What would it cost in materials for a 600 Sg ft garage and do you sell the materials? Can't afford for a company to do it but can DIY it.
Looks amazing
Thanks!
Very cool videos.
What brand epoxy do you guys like to use?
I’ve gotta do an unsealed floor with multiple oil stains.
What should I do to prep?
Thanks in advance 🙏🌲
I was thinking about taking your courses but have an issue, after I do where do I get the product? Do you sell it and ship your product?
We don’t sell any products. We do give you a list of our favorite manufacturers for each product we use. 👍🏻👍🏻
Truth is DYI kits at big box stores will never compare to the ones professional uses because of what you stated. I've helped a couple of friends do DIY Kits + prepping really good. They will look pretty good for a good while but that depends on how much and what kind of traffic it gets.
Invest in a good professional contractor to do the prep and install OR if you are a DIY'er , invest in an industrial grade kit, time and floor preparation.
👍🏻👍🏻
Due to these things, I always look at everything at a box store with some skepticism. I make it a point to learn the difference. I've found that if you call and find a professional is too busy to take your job, or focus on a different market (like commercial vs. residential), they're still at-least willing to point you to the right stuff or let you know about the supply store that you can barely see behind the trees that everyone goes to get the right stuff
Would this work well on a driveway & paths around a house?....existing surface is exposed aggregate.
Some people use this outside, but we have other options that are more suitable for exterior concrete.
@@TimDCVA
What would you recommend for exterior concrete then?
Regards.
Certainly it appears one of the differences between pros and DIY'ers is the quality of the prep job and the thickness of the epoxy finish. Any reason why one couldn't buy two DIY kits and simple add more coats/ layers after using a physical concrete grinder (eg. Shop Blaster) to roughen up the garage floor surface? Thx.
Did you guys used 250 to 300 lb chips instead 10 l of chips?
Yes.
Could you tell me where to buy or the brand? Im looking to get into this and want to try on my house garage first, i do overlay work im based out of south ga
Hey Cris- I have a course that teaches everything you need to know and includes material recommendations. Here is a link if you want to check it out:
decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
what are the materials needed for mostly the color red which been thrown in the floor
We ordered this custom blend from Torginol.
You have the BEST videos and I learn so much!
Thank you! 🙏🏻 😊
Do you have a tutorial on your palette wall? Everyone is fighting me on doing one. Thank you
Sorry I don’t have a tutorial on that. Fwiw our walls aren’t pallet walls. We used rough cut lumber that a mobile saw mill cut out of some trees on our property.
Great video! About what is the cost of material for this and where can the average DIYer find them?