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ChrisS

ChrisS

Jedi Knight
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I've been working on my garage addition for too long now and today I took advantage of the warm weather here in the north east to get the floor done. It's going to be hard to resist installing the lift this weekend. Got to give it some cure time I guess. I'm so excited to have a real shop again!

Garage_flr_5_sml.JPG
 
Oh, Chris!! That's err.... mm.... MAMMARIES!!!


Give it CURE TIME, bub! Just a few days and it'll be FINE to start pluggin' holes fer the lift.


Cudos.


Really.
 
Wish I'd had the fortitude to do my floors before I started using the garage!!
 
ooooohhhh drool.... lookin good.
 
Tony, I don't have much fortitude, I've been using it for a while with a dirt floor. Put down some poly to paint the Miata. The walls still show the primer.

Garage_flr_2_sml.JPG


Dale, I picked up a used ALM asymmetrical lift from a dealership that closed it's service department. I had a standing order with a guy who's business it is to go in and remove them. My house was halfway between his shop and the dealership so he gave me a fair deal because he dropped it off on his way back to the shop.
 
Chris, nice looking slab ya got there.

Don't forget to spray mist the concrete slab (often)
to keep the hydration reaction going.

You will attain about 75% strength after 3 days cure period.
You will attain about 90% strength after 7 days cure period.

Curing concrete loves humid conditions- so spray away!!

d
 
Soon would be a great time to epoxy that slab, after it cures of course. A couple of months I should think.
 
I'd coat it before putting anything in there. A fresh pour, free of dirt, oil or other contaminants is the best base. I believe I waited around 2 weeks before coating mine. It still looks new after 2 years.

DSCN2681.jpg


(photo taken when new)
 
Steve, that is my next job so I would appreciate some info.

What did you use, and how does it hold up to jack stands and jacks rolling on it or is that out of the question?

Did you have to do it all at one time or?

Surely looks so nice though.
 
I used aircraft hanger paint. This stuff is tough as nails! There is no paint that will hold up against typical jack stands, and anything will eventually wear through from metal floor jack wheels, but this is as good as I've seen.

I'm careful about dropping things or dragging metal objects around, and I've taped my floor jack wheels. In the two years I've been working in the garage the only chips in the paint are where I dropped something so big that it took a chunk out of the concrete.

The paint was manufactured by APF in Arizona. As with any painting process, preparation is critical. This paint uses a primer, then top coat. I have three top coats and it's pretty tough.

You can choose to put in sand for traction, but it makes it more difficult to clean because mops and rags get shredded. I went without sand, but the downside is that when the floor gets wet, it's really slippery. I don't let anyone in the garage with wet feet, period. I walked in from a wet driveway a while back and my feet nearly went out from under me. I stopped my fall with the jack stand in my hand and took a chunk of concrete out. Just something to keep in mind if you get a lot of rain or plan to get the floor wet at all.
 
I desparately want to do something with my garage floor! If only I could find the time (and the $$$)

Basil
 
That's fantatic, Chris. Looks like a nice sized space as well. All that and a lift to boot. Me, jealous? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/sick.gif
 
Here's a better photo showing the color, taken shortly after application.

IMG_6000.jpg


And here it is over a year later. It still looks this good except for a couple places where I dropped really heavy things.

IMG_8979.jpg
 
That ain't cheep guys. Best I can tell so far a three car garage would run about $1000 bucks.

You know I think I see a second lift there as well.
 
jlaird said:
Best I can tell so far a three car garage would run about $1000 bucks.
Click to expand...
That's about right for a high-end product installed by a professional. You can save more than half of the cost if you can do it yourself, but then there is no warranty. In hindsight I would have done a better job than the guys I paid to do it, so it wasn't worth the extra cost for the warranty.
 
Basil said:
I desparately want to do something with my garage floor! If only I could find the time (and the $$$)

Basil
Click to expand...

Ok ,Time to start up a pool for the bosses garage Floor.
 
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