Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Recommendations?

I am moving into a new house and want to epoxy the floor before we really move in. Are there any suggestions on what products to use? Tips for applying the coating?

I started looking at what Lowes has but I was thinking I could get something better if I buy online.

I used the Rustoleum kit. Like a paint job, the devil is in the prep work.Rent a pressure washer.

Before: This is after three de-greasing sprays and acid etch.

This is applied and drying.

I spent one full day (10 hours) prepping and 2 hours applying.

I agree with Dave. Prep it good with degreaser and the acid etch, then make sure you let it cure the recommended amount of time. I got the kit from lows and have no complaints after 3 years.

See the Flooring section at garagejournal.com

This is worth reading as well - mainly the Step 1 "testing" part (not intended as an endorsement for Griot's in any way - just good, concise info):

http://www.griotsgarage.com/text/pdf/90011_90013.pdf

Thanks guys, the house is brand new so the concrete just got poured about 5 months ago so I am hoping I will be able to do it with less prep time.

I was thinking about using a dark color like this and adding in some dashed yellow lines to make it look like a lane. Should I use a light color so I can see fluid leaks?

This is what I had in mind, it is a 3 car garage.

In reply to jonnyd330:

I agree that it's all in the prep. Epoxy is for the most part, duh, epoxy, and buying the highly advertised, high priced products is a waste of money. And new or not, you'll still need to acid etch it. I used the Rustoleum Industrial Paint on mine (not the garage floor paint you can buy at the big box stores). After 7 years there's no peeling or chipping, but rust stains are a pain. So is keeping it clean. Mine is a medium gray. If I was to do it again, I'd go clear, just to help hide the dirt and stains. But I use my shop for restoration work. If you are just using it for parking, then you may not have that problem.

It depends on what you're going for. A dark color will look good it you want more of a "showroom/man-cave" feel, combined with finishes and lighting to match. If it's going to be more of a shop, then go as light as possible to reflect light and see dropped objects. The same logic applies for the colored "speckles" put down before the clear coat; a small nut on a solid gray floor: "oh... there it is..." and small nut on a speckled floor: "WTF did that thing go???"

Dark color will make your garage look like a cave.

Looks like costco has a deal on rhino epoxy, anyone use this stuff?

http://www.costco.com/Rhino-Linings-EXCEL-Epoxy-Floor-Coating-Kit.product.11753341.html

I'd be tempted to do a chemical stain and sealer - light colors for visibility if you do more than park a car in the garage. You can find home brew stain recipes on the web - so you could do a garage for as little as a few dollars.

Zombie canoe?

Canoe deleted.

I use rustoleum when I did my garage floor, (an old garage) but on new construction I would use as high a quality product as I could and dam the costs.

Have you considered polishing the concrete? I have read that it's the cat pajamas!

oldtin wrote: I'd be tempted to do a chemical stain and sealer - light colors for visibility if you do more than park a car in the garage. You can find home brew stain recipes on the web - so you could do a garage for as little as a few dollars.

I'm digging the idea of staining the concrete! I currently have the typical polished concrete, roughly 15 years old and fairly full of various fluid stains. I wonder if that would be easier than going the epoxy route.

Zombie canoes deleted.