When RockSolid introduced its new line of Polycuramine garage floor and interior coatings, we were left scratching our heads at first. After all, what in the heck is Polycuramine? We admit we had never heard of it before. Moreover, what happened to the old RockSolid Polyurea garage floor coating, and why the change? Furthermore, why is Rust-Oleum’s name on RockSolid’s product?
After being asked by more than one reader, we decided it was time to see what the Polycuramine fuss was about. We wanted to know if it’s better than garage floor epoxy as RockSolid claims. In addition, we wanted to know why Rust-Oleum is involved.
Lastly, we wanted to determine if the Polycuramine garage floor coating is better than the older Polyurea coating that it has replaced. As a result, we have done a deep dive into RockSolid to get a better understanding of what this coating is and if we recommend it.
This article was first published in July 2014 and has been updated to reflect the latest information. Please read the latest update near the end. It reveals the most common complaints and issues over the years that you need to be aware of.
What is Polycuramine?
To best describe what Polycuramine is, we need a brief history of RockSolid Floors. This will help explain why Polycuramine was developed and how Rust-Oleum became involved.
RockSolid Floors was established in 2007 as an affiliate of Citadel Floor Finishing Systems. Citadel is a well-established, 40-year-old plus industrial floor finishing manufacturer that specializes in polyaspartic and polyurea technologies.
Realizing that there was a DIY demand for polyurea coatings, RockSolid Floors was born to provide a friendlier DIY version of the commercial quality Citadel polyurea. The RockSolid brand is probably best known for providing the A and B components in ready-to-mix sealed burst pouches that do not require a mixing bucket.
In January 2014, Rust-Oleum acquired Citadel and thus inherited the RockSolid line of floor coating products. As a result, all RockSolid products now come with Rust-Oleum branding. All customer service inquiries for RockSolid go directly to Rust-Oleum as well.
Polycuramine is a newly trademarked product that was developed the previous year by Citadel and found its way into the RockSolid lineup. It’s a proprietary blend that is alleged to combine the best benefits of Polyurea, Polyurethane, and Epoxy.
The following is a quote from a RockSolid sales page:
RockSolid Polycuramine™ is the best of Polyurea, Urethane, and Epoxy chemistries. It combines these three chemistries and their key attributes into ONE indestructible, self-leveling, flexible, fast curing, high gloss coating system.
RockSolid states that its Polycuramine garage floor coating is 20 times stronger than epoxy paint. It has a 96% solids content, a high gloss finish, and is impervious to all chemicals. The coating can be installed in one day, walked on in 8 – 10 hours, and driven on within 24 hours.
It also has the added advantage of an installation temperature range of 40°F – 90°F. In addition, RockSolid has a low VOC content with minimal odor and a limited lifetime warranty as well.
Each Polycuramine Garage Floor Coating kit consists of one burst pouch of colored Polycuramine to cover up to 250 ft². Included are decorative color flakes, the required foam roller, concrete etch solution, and of course instructions. There are six colors to choose from as well – Black, Dark Grey, Grey, Tan, Mocha, and Modern Griege.
You can view their information page and color chart here.
Our evaluation of RockSolid Polycuramine Garage Floor Coating
We feel that this new lineup for RockSolid couldn’t have come at a better time. Though the Polyurea garage coat kit that it replaced was a fairly good product, many of the reviews for it by the average DIY installer were less than great.
There are many benefits to a polyurea garage floor coating, but the pitfalls for the old RockSolid polyurea DIY coating was is in the installation. As a result, there were numerous complaints about delamination and finish issues.
Many if not most of these issues were due in part to the limited application time available. Polyurea cures fairly quickly. If it wasn’t applied in 20 to 30 minutes, it would begin to thicken up and problems ensued. It just wasn’t that DIY-friendly.
For example, it would not have enough time to seep into the pores of dense concrete that was prepped by etching and not by grinding. This led to delamination issues of the coating. Secondly, if you didn’t get the product down fast enough, the finish would not be very glossy and could get bumpy or lose its smooth texture among other issues.
After doing a bit of research, we learned that these problems should be solved with the new RockSolid Polycuramine coating.
First, we called the Rust-Oleum tech line. They stated that the new RockSolid Polycuramine formula has superior wetting characteristics (similar to epoxy). As a result, it allows the coating to penetrate the concrete much better for superior adhesion. This is a big help for concrete that is etched instead of prepped by grinding.
In addition, we learned that you have 45 minutes to one hour to apply the Polycuramine. This should be more than enough time to apply up to 250 ft² of product. The longer pot life should alleviate many of the finish issues that resulted from the short installation window of before.
However, we do have to question some of RockSolid’s marketing methods. They claim that their new Polycuramine formulation is 20 times stronger than epoxy paint. Really? Their older polyurea product claimed it was only 4 times stronger.
Try as we might, we could not find an actual 2-part epoxy floor coating with only a 33% solids content as RockSolid compares it to. After digging a bit deeper, we discovered that what they are comparing it to is paint – 1 part epoxy paint that is (link). That is like comparing apples to oranges.
1-part epoxy paint is not an epoxy coating and the only product available with such a low solids content. We feel that this is misleading if not deceiving. They should be comparing it to a true 2-part epoxy. It’s tactics like this that create ruined expectations of garage floor coatings.
They also claim that the new Polycuramine blend combines the best of Polyurea, Polyurethane, and Epoxy. That isn’t necessarily true either. History has shown time and again for sealers and coatings that by combining the best of everything you will not get the best attributes of each ingredient.
Polyurethane for example is known for being very resistant to chemicals, has high abrasion resistance, and is U.V. stable. Though RockSolid Polycuramine has good chemical resistance, it is not U.V. stable and can yellow if exposed to direct sunlight for lengths of time – just as epoxy does.
It’s also not nearly as resistant to abrasion as most polyurethane or polyurea coatings. For example, the abrasion rate for Polycuramine is 40 mg. That’s about equivalent to a high solids epoxy and better than the inexpensive epoxy garage kits. However, a typical abrasion rating for polyurea is approximately 8 – 12 mg. You can find the RockSolid datasheets here.
This means that a polyurea coating would last much longer or wear many times slower than Polycuramine. We suggest reviewing how to read datasheets for coatings to learn more.
Another concern is that RockSolid Polycuramine is a thin coating. It has a dry film thickness of only 3 mils. That’s about half as thick as a typical polyurea coating. A high solids epoxy is approximately 8 – 10 mils thick for a DIY kit. Our guess is they need the coating to be thinner to get the coverage rate they require to keep the price point competitive.
As a result of the thin mil color coat, we recommend a second coat of clear Polycuramine to provide for an overall thicker coating. This will protect the color coat, and provide a deeper glossy look.
Would we recommend RockSolid Polycuramine?
With all that said, initial responses from consumers have been positive. Reports are that the new RockSolid Polycuramine garage coating formula is easier to apply DIY than the previous polyurea formula.
Few issues about the finish have been raised so far that we are aware of. In fact, it’s one of the most glossy coatings you can apply. Plus, the added benefit of being able to apply it in a wider range of temperature extremes is something you cannot do with epoxy garage floor coatings.
One nice advantage to the Polycuramine garage coat that we failed to mention is that it has a 7-day recoat window. This means that you can wait up to 7 days to apply another coat to the floor without having to prep it first. All that is required is to make sure it is clean.
This can be a great advantage to the average DIY installer who may only have a limited time to work on their floor. Most coating products have a recoat window of 24 hours or less.
Though the new RockSolid Polycuramine Garage Coat is only 3 mils thick, we feel this formulation is superior to that of comparable DIY coatings such as Rust-Oleum’s 2-part EpoxyShield product, Quikrete Epoxy garage floor coatings, or Valspar Epoxy Coatings as an example.
Yes, RockSolid Polycuramine is more expensive than these traditional DIY garage coat kits. However, the warranty is much better. Plus, it fills a void for the consumer who wants a quality DIY product that is easy to apply but may be intimidated by the cost and application of the thicker and more expensive multi-coat garage floor coatings.
RockSolid also has an easy-to-apply metallic garage floor coating which is now gaining some attention. It goes down twice as thick and has a very nice appearance.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, All Garage Floors earns from qualifying purchases. You can read our full disclaimer here.
Where to purchase RockSolid Polycuramine products
We’ve had to update this section on multiple occasions since we first posted this article in early 2014. Rust-Oleum has since expanded the distribution of RockSolid and it is now available from most home improvement centers and online.
If you don’t have one of these stores near you, we suggest purchasing RockSolid Garage Floor Coatings here at Amazon. We have found that on many occasions it is available at a cheaper price.
In addition, you can find the optional RockSolid Clear Coat here.
Final thoughts
It’s too soon to know if RockSolid Polycuramine is the DIY wave of the future in garage floor coatings. However, it does appear to have much better performance and wear than the traditional DIY epoxy garage floor kits found at your local home improvement centers and auto stores.
Reviews so far have been positive and you can bet we will be keeping a close eye on the developments of this new product.
———- 2023 UPDATE ———-
It’s been over 8 years now since we first evaluated and wrote about the new RockSolid Polycuramine garage floor coating. To date, we have heard very few issues relating to the actual performance of the coating in terms of adhesion, hot tire pickup, and wear.
This is a strong indicator that it performs and lasts longer than the traditional low solids DIY garage floor coating kits such as EpoxyShield.
However, we have found that there is one primary flaw with RockSolid. Simply put, RockSolid does not provide enough coating material for the coverage rates they list. And this creates a couple of irritating issues that people are not happy about. The first is color uniformity and finish.
If you scroll down you will see that we have well over 900 comments for this article. A good percentage of these are questions or complaints regarding cosmetic problems with single-color coat applications.
These people have been reporting patchy areas or sections of the coating that appear less glossy and/or slightly different in color. Some have also complained about small spider cracks showing through.
The source of these issues is due to the coating being too thin in those areas. As with all coatings, if a single coat application on bare concrete is too thin, the appearance of the coating will not be good. The color tone and finish will change and lose gloss. It can even look slightly transparent with the concrete color showing through.
There is a reason why this happens with RockSolid.
As we originally stated, Polycuramine penetrates properly prepared concrete well – as it should. In addition, the density and porosity of a concrete slab can vary. This means that some areas of the concrete will absorb more coating than others. This is normal.
When RockSolid Polycuramine is applied to slabs that are less dense and/or more porous in areas, the limited amount of material (90 oz) provided in one burst pouch mix does not provide enough thickness at the recommended coverage rates to counteract the additional penetration and absorption of the material. As a result, the coating is too thin in those areas after it cures.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in terms of performance. You achieve a very good bond when the concrete absorbs the coating. However, this means you need to purchase and apply a second color coat to achieve the rich color, glossy finish, and durability that it should have. The first coat essentially acts as a primer coat.
The reason spider cracks tend to show through is due to the good penetration qualities of Polycuramine. It allows the thin cracks to absorb more material as it cures. As a result, the cracks show through and look dark. This can be avoided by properly filling spider cracks in the concrete (link) beforehand or by the application of a second coat.
The 250 ft² maximum coverage rate is only possible under ideal conditions consisting of newer concrete that is smooth, consistently dense throughout, and with no cosmetic defects. It can be obtained, however, when being applied as a second coat or over a previously coated floor that will not absorb the Polycuramine.
If you purchase RockSolid, we recommend a maximum coverage rate of no more than 200 ft² when applied to bare concrete. Slightly less is preferable. This should help provide for a thicker application. When it cures, it should be thick enough to provide a consistent color and glossy finish.
If you prep your garage floor concrete via grinding, then you will require a minimum of two color coats – period. The first acts as the primer coat and the second provides the required thickness to obtain the proper color and gloss.
There is something else to be aware of as well. RockSolid Clear Coat states that a single-car kit can be applied over the color coat of a 2.5-car kit – up to 500 ft². This makes the clear coat especially thin. Though consumers like the way the clear coat performs and looks, the number one complaint is that you need to use more than what Rust-Oleum RockSolid recommends.
The second big issue with RockSolid Polycuramine garage floor coatings is that it is more expensive than epoxy, particularly for what you get. And this is why we believe that Rust-Oleum RockSolid recommends the overly generous coverage rates. We are guessing that this was a decision that was made to try and keep the cost down to compete against epoxy kits.
To make things worse, Polycuramine has become even more expensive in the past few years. At the time of this update, you can purchase a much better commercial-quality single-part polyurea floor coating with the same coverage rates for less money.
These polyurea coatings are almost twice as thick as RockSolid. They have a very long pot life for easy application, they are U.V. stable, and have far superior abrasion ratings. Here is an example of a single color coat of AWF Polyurea that costs less for the same coverage.
The one consideration with these commercial quality polyurea coatings is that they are not low VOC coatings as RockSolid is. They should only be applied in a garage or similar environment and not inside a home such as a basement.
Our goal with this update is not to talk you out of purchasing a RockSolid Garage Floor Coating kit. However, what we are trying to do is inform and educate you about the issues you need to be aware of before making that decision.
Do we still think RockSolid is a good-performing DIY garage floor coating? Yes – if you follow our recommendations about coverage rates. However, there are now better performing easy-to-apply commercial-quality polyurea coatings that can be purchased for similar pricing.
David says
I used the Rock Solid product.
And found that if any pin holes are visible in the concrete it will create a blister bubble.
I have thousands of pea size blister bubbles across my floor.
We purchased the etch kit and all the recommended tools. Preped exactly as instructed and now have a stinky blistered floor that must be ground off.
Don’t waste your money.
Garbage. Trendy. Soft. Expensive.
David
Fresno
Shea says
Hello David. We removed your phone number for privacy reasons. Thousands of people view this site daily and you don’t want the numerous phone calls that you may get. Unfortunately, the issue you encountered with the coating is called outgassing. This is caused when moisture from down within the concrete is trying to escape as you are applying the coating. It is most commonly caused from concrete that was acid etched or treated with water and not allowed to dry thoroughly before application of the coating. Though the surface may have been dry, the slab was still wet from within. The moisture from within the slab will rise as water vapor. It becomes most prevalent as the air temperatures increase. If not allowed to dry long enough, this moisture vapor gets trapped under the coating as it is beginning to cure. It will form bubbles and little volcano like blisters as it escapes from the coating. It’s not an issue with RockSolid. This is a common occurrence with any coating that is applied too soon after concrete was wet.
Charles says
What is the proper repair/corrective procedure if moisture bubbling has occurred?
Many thanks in advance.
Shea says
Hi Charles. Where did the moisture come from? Did you etch the surface first or did you grind? Did the concrete have any moisture present before you applied the coating?
jay says
lets say its just from an acid wash?
Shea says
Can you elaborate more, Jay? I’m not sure what you are getting at.
Jim says
My son put this type of floor down. He had similar issues. After investigating it was due to using a power paddle on a drill and put to much air into the paint.
Cindy says
Can you tell me what a good product would be for a garage floor that never dries? I live in the woods and even on the hottest day my garage floor is never dry. The moisture comes up through from the ground. What would you recommend using to seal or finish my garage floor and protect it from car and road oils/dirt/salt etc.?
Shea says
Hello Cindy. Constant moisture coming from under a slab can be a tough problem to completely solve. Basement floors can have similar issues. A floor coating is the last thing you want to try and apply. The reason is that coatings do not breath and will not allow the vapors from moisture to escape. This will cause the coating to delaminate and peel after some time.
We recommend treating the concrete with a densifier that has a siliconate sealer added. Densifiers penetrate and react to the concrete. This reaction creates a hard substance that fills many of the empty pores and capillaries in the concrete and strengthens it. The benefit to this is that it does a good job of blocking moisture from underneath since these are the same routes that moisture takes to find its way to the surface. The siliconate sealer that is added helps to protect the concrete from road salts, chemicals, and moisture from above the surface. This article here provides a good explanation along with a product we recommend. It’s important that the concrete is clean before you apply it. You also want to make sure there is no moisture on the surface at the time of application. Use fans if necessary to help dry the surface before you apply it. It generally takes about a week for the densifier to complete the reaction. This type of treatment is never a guarantee that it will completely solve the issue, but it will definitely slow it up quite a bit. Many times it will slow up the moisture intrusion enough that what little does come up actually evaporates as it reaches the surface and the concrete never gets damp.
Broderick says
Can I use the Rocksolid polucuramine product over a densifier? Also, what products can I use over the polycuramine if I want to make it UV stable?
Shea says
Hello Broderick. RockSolid actually has their own product called Moisture Stop that is a type of densifier. It is applied to the concrete after it has been prepped properly for the RockSolid application. You cannot make polycuramine U.V. stable. You could apply a clear polyurethane coating to the color coat to slow down the ambering process, but it will still happen. If you are concerned about the coating being U.V. stable, we would highly recommend a single-part polyurea coating instead.
J.W. Droigk says
Would this product be strong enough for a shop? I have a semi truck and am looking for a product to put in my 2,500ft shop.
Shea says
No, it’s not J.W. RockSolid is a thin coating that works fine for residential garage floors that will not see any type of heavy duty use. We would suggest an epoxy system that consists of an epoxy primer, a high solids to 100% solids epoxy base color coat, and a top coat or two of a high performance polyurethane or polyurea. This article here explains more of the differences in different systems.
Mathew Chavez says
Can this product be used over a wood subfloor. I have a bathroom that is roughly 130sqft. I have preped the floor and sealed the seams. The floor is very sturdy. i have also primed the floor.
I put down the first coat and plan on applying a secound coat of the rock solid polycuramine. Are there any reservations to this project that you may have?
Do you foresee any issues for my floor in the future.
Shea says
Hi Mathew. RockSolid does not warranty their product for wood, but it can be applied to wood if it is sanded first with 60 to 80 grit sandpaper. It will take a minimum of two coats for a solid finish. Our concern, however, is the primer coat you say you applied already. 2-part coatings generally are not compatible with traditional paint primers and should not be used. You may need to contact Rust-Oleum to check for compatibility. If it’s not compatible, you will need to sand it out of the wood. Also, polycuramine on a bathroom floor is going to be very slippery when wet with bare feet. We highly recommend using an anti-slip additive in the final coat or bathroom mats where the floor will get wet.
Mitul Modi says
Hi,
I have applied ‘Rust-Oleum Tan RockSolid Garage Floor Coating’ in Tan colour with flakes around 9 months ago in double garage.
The concrete floor had a dent around 5cm wide, which was filled with a concrete repaire mix after etching the floor. As it was applied after etching, the coat didn’t last long and concrete is now visible in that 5cm area with a hole.
Now, I want to apply ‘Rust-Oleum Earth Brown RockSolid Metallic Garage Floor Coating’ in Metallic Brown colour.
Should I use ‘Rust-Oleum RockSolid Fast Patch Concrete Repair Kit’ to fix the hole? Do etching on repair and apply the new metallic colour/coat directly on existing one?
Thanks,
Mitul
Shea says
Hi Mitul. Our guess is that the wrong repair product was used initially or the repair was not prepped correctly. The RockSolid Fast Patch will work well and will not fail if the area is prepped properly. Make sure to knock or grind out all the old repair material first. You can apply a coating directly over Fast Patch if done within 24 hours. You can’t etch Fast Patch since it is an epoxy patch. The other option is to sand it or grind it (preferred) in order to provide a smooth repair transition that will not be noticed through the coating. Be sure to degloss and rough up the surface of your old coating with 120 grit sandpaper before applying the new coating.
David Fabio says
On Rust-oleum’s recommendation, I put Rock Solid over Epoxy Shield Professional when the later was starting to wear. I found their claims do not hold water. Rock Solid was not self leveling, did not cover minor imperfections, and when applied over Epoxy Shield, moisture built up under the original coating causing large areas to bubble loose. What appeared to be a few 2X4″ areas, lifted to 8X20″ areas of little or no adhesion after 2 years. For the price – including cans to fix the problems, I would not recommend it.
Rob says
I am about to apply rock solid clear coat over epoxy shield that was applied just two weeks ago. Is there any prep other than cleaning that needs to be done? And is this even recommended?
Shea says
Hello Rob. You are already far past the recoat window in order to achieve a chemical bond for the EpoxyShield coating that you applied. You will have to degloss the surface by roughing it up with 120 grit sandpaper first if you want to apply a clear coat. This will enable the clear to obtain a mechanical bond. If you were to apply it directly without doing this, the coating would begin to peel up within days of applying it. The RockSolid clear is fine to use since the EpoxyShield has already cured. However, if you were to apply a clear coat over EpoxyShield within the recoat window, you would need to use Epoxyshield Clear Coat. RockSolid is not compatible with epoxy for a chemical bond. This article here discusses the advantages of a clear coat as well.
Graeme says
Hello, thanks so much for providing this source of information. I have a concrete floor that I have prepped and is ready to coat, my question is that I have a floor area of 280sqft and I will be using rustoleum metallic gunmetal. As each box only covers up to 250sqft my plan was to “stretch” the first box for the first coat and then apply a second coat using the second box over what will essentially be a sealed floor as it should achieve better coverage. What do you think? Should I use the metallic flakes in both coats or just the finish coat? I am also contemplating a clear coat for added durability/easier future repair, would you recommend a poly- eurathane as opposed to rustoleum clear coat? I would appreciate any suggestions. Btw the floor has been ground and patched ready for coating. The room will be used as a gym/ man cave. I can’t believe I found such a great website about concrete coatings, it has been a huge help, thanks again. I just wish that more of the products you recommended were available in Oz.
Shea says
Hello Graeme. You might get away with trying to stretch a second coat, but we wouldn’t feel comfortable telling you it will work. RockSolid is a bit too generous with their coverage rates to begin with. Also, one kit of the metallic coating only covers 125 square feet unless you are buying a case of 2. If you do go with that plan, we would recommend two coats of the same product to get the most consistent finish. If you can source a quality polyurethane floor coating for concrete, it will provide more scratch resistance and abrasion resistance than the polycuramine clear. Don’t get it confused, however, with the polyurethane for wood floors which you can find at your local home improvement centers. If not, the use the polycuramine clear.
Graeme says
Hello again. The box states “covers up to 23sqm” ( must be a different size pouch for Oz export) and the floor is 27sqm ( I have two boxes), I realise that the first coat will not finish that well but am hoping that the second coat will go further as the pores will be sealed and coverage will better. I suspect that maybe that is the condition that gives 23sqm of coverage. I will have to mix the two part A and part B’s seperately then half each and mix to achieve a consistent colour. I have a control joint that divides the room and will use one mix per section. I’m not sure I will get the whole floor done within the pot life if I mix the two pouches and paint the whole floor in 1 go, It’s getting quite warm now. Btw I will be post filling the joint with a mastic filler. Measuring and mixing is going to be a real pain but it seems to be the best method to achieve the best result. My wife has family coming and she is riding me hard to get it finished before they arrive, so the anxiety levels are on the rise and a redo is not on the agenda. Any advice will be gratefully received. I’m hoping for a good result in which case I will send you some photos with a follow up report. Thanks again. Graeme.
Shea says
You have a good plan using the control joints to make sure you use an even amount, Graeme. I just wanted to make sure you had the right coverage rates because people have assumed before that the metallic coating covered the same square footage as the standard garage coating. Be sure you have a fresh roller for each section and you should be OK, particularly on the final coat. Be aware that the first coat is going to get sucked up into the concrete due to the grinding. It’s a good thing, but because you are basically using it as a primer coat don’t worry as much about the coating looking poor as you go. Some areas will look OK and others will look less glossy and thin.
Phil jarmy says
I have painted a garage floor with rok solid and hasn’t come up too well. It seems that as I had the surface grinded it caused it to be more porous and left an uneven coat. I want to recoat but there will be a period of two months before I can do again. Can it be repainted after the surface is sanded or is it not possible?
Shea says
Yes it can, Phil. You will just need to rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first. This will degloss the surface and provide mechanical bite for the second coat. Once you sweep or vacuum up the dust, wipe down the surface with denatured alcohol on a lint free towel. This will clean up any remaining dust as well as dirt.
Mike says
I have a new enclosed trailer and want to seal the floors before use. Is rock solid a good fit.
Shea says
Not necessarily Mike. It will require multiple coats and may not stand up to what you are using the trailer for. How do you plan on using the trailer?
Kevin Goudreau says
Hi Shea one last question, does the rock solid Textured clear top coat already anti slip ? It doesn’t say on the box . It’s Textured clear with powder coat texture Thanks
Shea says
It’s a good question Kevin. The textured clear coat that RockSolid offers has the anti-slip already added. That is what gives it the texture. Keep in mind, however, that it is a satin finish and a lower solids content compared to the glossy clear. Satin or matte clear coats generally are less durable and abrasion resistant. Also, the textured clear coat does not provide an abrasion resistant rating where as the glossy clear does. This article explains how to read data sheets to better understand what you are purchasing.
We put in a call to Rust-Oleum to verify and indeed, they did say that the textured clear coat is not as durable as the glossy. The glossy clear coat does come with anti-slip media, but you have to mix it in yourself. One other thing I wanted to point out to make sure you are aware, RockSolid is not U.V. resistant. This means that it will yellow over time just as your previous coating did.
Kevin Goudreau says
Thanks Shea, the Rock solid Textured top coat is not U.V. resisistant ? Is the rock solid clear top coat UV resistant. ? Sorry so many questions. If not what should I use as top coat ? I’ve already put the base down grey color , just waiting to dry to put top coat down. I do not want this to yellow again Thanks you have been very helpful !!!!
Shea says
The entire RockSolid lineup is not U.V. resistant, Kevin. We did a big article on RockSolid polycuramine when it first came out. Anything with epoxy in it will eventually amber to some degree depending on how much U.V. exposure there is. Polyurethane, polyurea, and polyaspartic coatings are all U.V. resistant and will not amber – period. They are the preferred coatings if this is an issue. Even you applied one of these as a clear coat, the grey underneath will still amber over time since U.V. light will travel through the clear coat. A single-part polyurea coating would have been your best bet if yellowing was your primary concern.
Rolf says
I’m looking to put rocksolid in my garage – 35sqm. Was thinking that I would buy 2 packs of the double garage pack and use both for one. Then I’m going to use rocksolid clear coat over the top.
Was wondering if I should put down 1 coat first, let that cure and then apply the second coat the next day? Or will it be ok to use both packs as one big pack?
Shea says
Hello Rolf. You want to apply the RockSolid in two separate coats. Mixing that much product together will create too much heat and shorten the pot life by over half. Plus, it’s not formulated to be applied that thick and you could develop some curing issues.
James says
hi
I was accidentally made a spillage on my exposed driveway with rock solid while doing my garage. Is it any way which I can remove the unwanted spillage.
thanks,
James
Shea says
Hi James. You can try scrubbing it with acetone, but it still may not come up. Your best bet is to lightly grind the coating off the surface.
Travis Taggart says
Today I applied the rock solid universal kit with the marble (stone obsidian) additive. My question is. Will have it have a glossy/marble look or will I need to put a clear coat on over it?
Shea says
The coating will have a high gloss, Travis. A clear coat will help to protect the coating, but it may reduce the gloss just a little bit.
fred mirza says
Can I paint rocksold over eepoxy paint . Thanks.
Shea says
You can, Fred, but it’s not recommended. The reason is that the current paint can lift and peel much easier than RockSolid. If you apply RockSolid over it, then your entire floor will peel with the paint. Your coating is only as good as what it is adhered to. You will need to rough up the paint with 120 grit sandpaper before you do.
Craig says
if I only have a small area 4sqm to cover can I cut the bags and seperate the A + B prior to mixing and put in each of the components in to seperate containers and mix the required amounts as needed to apply a first coat, then mix the remaining contents of A + B to apply a second coat instead of needing 2 kits? Can this product handle being used in thicker layers and can a torch remove bubbles like an epoxy? Will it perform like an epoxy on a counter top?
Shea says
Hello Craig. Yes, you can carefully cut the bags and dispense the Part-A and Part-B contents separately. Make sure that the components are mixed in the proper ratio. I do not believe it is one to one. You may have to contact Rust-Oleum for that information or check the total amount of ounces for each part and figure it out from there.. Make sure to store the unused components in a sealed container. You cannot apply the RockSolid polycuramine too thickly or it will solvent flash and bubble. It is not 100% solids like table top epoxy. And no, torching it will not remove bubbles either. As long as it is stirred properly without introducing air you should not have bubbles.
Dave Winter says
In your Jan 7th answer to Fred regarding applying RockSolid over epoxy paint, you said it was not recommended. Does the same advice apply to a garage floor painted with porch/floor enamel? The paint is well adhered to the floor. I checked by cutting an X an testing with duct tape. No paint came off.
My concern is the RockSolid appears to gain adhesion by penetrating cement, which would not happen over a painted surface. Does sanding with 120 grit sand paper solve this concern.
Thanks,
Dave Winter
Shea says
Hi Dave. You are correct about RockSolid gaining adhesion when applied to bare concrete. It’s one of the advantages of resinous coatings over paint. You can apply RockSolid to your porch paint after sanding, but the ultimate adhesion of the entire system is still dependent upon the porch paint since that is what is adhered to the concrete. If it’s for a surface that sees only foot traffic and the porch paint has not peeled anywhere, then most likely you will be fine. However, if it’s for a garage environment that sees vehicle traffic then you run the risk of it peeling from the concrete.
Russ says
How long do you recommend letting newly poured concrete set before applying your product ? We’ve poured the slab and are waiting to install the garage kit.
Shea says
Hello Russ. New concrete needs to cure for a minimum of 30 days for a typical 4″ slab. Also, to avoid any confusion RockSolid is not our product.
Ray says
i used quick crete product originally, i restore motorcycles and do lots of bike repairs . bike jacks, rolling lifts etc. the floor has held up well for 6 years but is now showing wear, can i prep and cover with rock solid product , 2 coats and clear, and expect same wear charactoristics?
Shea says
Hello Ray. Actually, you should get better wear and scratch resistance from RockSolid than you did with Quikrete.
Catherine says
Hi,
Could I put the metallic RockSolid over tiles? Could I sand the tiles to make the product adhere?
What about put it over cork flooring?
Shea says
Hello Catherine. If you are referring to ceramic or porcelain tiles, then no, you cannot apply RockSolid over it. The tiles are too smooth and cannot be roughed up properly for the coating. Also, it would not look good. All the grout lines and elevation differences in the tiles will show through. Cork is not an option as well. Coating such as RockSolid are extremely hard and need a hard surface to apply to. Cork will flex and can cause the coating to crack.
Dave says
Hi Shea
I have concrete floors inside my home and just finished 1 with Rock Solid Earth Brown metallic the floor turned out great.
We only had about 50 SF and used the entire amount on that area.
The only problem is it seems to get fine scratches in it already (like fine scratches on a Black car) We are doing a much larger floor now and are wondering what we can put on it or do to prevent it?
Thanks Dave
Shea says
Hello Dave. Yes, metallic floors can show fine scratches much more easily than typical coatings due to their darker colors and glossy nature. Also, because polycuramine cures to a hardness similar to epoxy it will scratch more easily as well. This is why the RockSolid clear won’t protect any better against the fine scratches, though it will protect the color coat.
What we recommend is to apply one coat of clear polyurethane (AKA urethane) as the final coat. Polyurethane is much more scratch resistant than polycuramine due to it’s flexibility in relation to polycuramine as well as epoxy. This makes polyurethane more wear resistant as well. Since this is for foot traffic only and it is indoors, we would recommend a quality water based polyurethane. The water based version is very low VOC’s and safe for indoors. Do not confuse polyurethane for wood floors with polyurethane for concrete. They are not the same. You will not find polyurethane for concrete at home improvement centers. We would recommend a product such as this one from Legacy Industrial.
Dave says
Hi Shea
Thanks for the great info.
Do I need to lightly sand the RockSolid before I apply the HD6000 WB URETHANE GLOSS COATING?
Thanks Again!
Shea says
That would be the best method, Dave. Use 120 grit sandpaper. The idea is to completely degloss the surface so that the polyurethane can achieve a mechanical bond. The other benefit to sanding the surface is that it will smooth out any irregularities in the coating and provide an even nicer finish.
Jack says
Can I apply rocksolid over resurfaced garage floor that has pits from winter chemical salts that blow out the concrete? Also I have a two stall garage with two 2.5 boxes of rock solid so when applied, should I apply both boxes in the first roll out or do one at a time and let the product set up then reapply coat #2 for final application?
Shea says
Hello Jack. Technically you can apply any coating over such a surface once it has been prepped properly (etching or grinding), however, all the irregularities will stand out and the coating will not fill them in if that is what you are thinking. They would need to be properly repaired beforehand if you want a nice finish. Do not apply all of the coating at once. You will first apply one coat/kit to the floor, wait the appropriate amount of time, then apply the second coat/kit. RockSolid provides directions for application with each kit and they also have videos online detailing installation.
Curtis White says
I applied Rock Solid as the instructions said but a week later the product hasn’t cured and the floor is sticky. Is there a product to help cure the surface?
Shea says
Hello Curtis. There isn’t a product that you can apply afterward to activate the curing process. It sounds like you had a mixing problem. Did you burst the pouches and mix them accordingly? Our recommendation would be to contact Rust-Oleum Customer Service and tell them your issue. Most likely you will have to scrape the coating off the floor, clean the concrete, and apply it again.
Sean says
I have a converted shed (about 100 sf) that I use as a home office. It currently has a faux wood vinyl floor adhered straight to the concrete. I don’t love the floor (really hard to keep clean, among other things), and have been considering a garage kit. Is this product a good option if I rough the vinyl first? Is it overkill? Would an epoxy be better for just foot/chair traffic? Thanks in advance!
Shea says
Hello Sean. Floor coatings will not adhere well to vinyl flooring. They are designed for concrete only, though some work for metal and wood also. Additionally, though coatings can be very thick relative to paint, the thickness is measured in mils and not inches. A coating would not self level and make the floor smooth unless you used multiple coats of a 100% solids commercial coating.
You may want to consider interlocking floor tile. SwissTrax has some product with faux wood graphics and other smooth surfaces. You can just lay right over your current flooring. We did an article on some of their new tiles here.
Rod McKay says
Can apply rock solid polycuramine over an existing 100% solids epoxy (epoxy-coat product) This product was put down 2 years ago with a clear top coat over it. The existing product is super hard and was put down properly and will not come off unless you grind it with a diamond stone. Was wondering if I sanded it down with 120 grit sandpaper (using a drum sander) if the rock solid would properly adhere to the epoxy-coat product. Thanks
Shea says
Hello Rod. Yes, as long as you properly rough up the surface you can apply the RockSolid over it. Once you vacuum the surface from roughing it up, wipe it down with denatured alcohol on a lint free towel to remove the remaining dust and debris. This will also help with the deglossing of the surface.
Andy says
Will the gloss and high gloss finishes be a slick or slippery surface? Will some water spilled on a finished high gloss finish be a slip hazard?
Shea says
Hi Andy. Yes the high gloss finish of RockSolid can be slippery when wet. If can add an anti-slip additive in the final coat if it’s a concern for you. Just keep in mind that it can tone down the gloss a bit if you do.