Should I apply a clear top coat to my epoxy garage floor coating? This is a reasonable question that pops up from time to time for the average DIY’er looking to save some money. The real question, however, is why wouldn’t you apply a clear coat? After all, there are many benefits to adding a clear top coat over the color coat for a garage floor.
Anyone who has installed a garage floor coating properly will tell you that the hardest and most time-consuming part is prepping the floor for the epoxy. Applying the epoxy goes fast. For many, it is the fun part of the job. So after all that work of getting the concrete ready, you should consider spending a little more time and money to ensure a longer-lasting and even more beautiful floor coating.
There are various clear coating options to choose from. However, the one rule to keep in mind is that the clear coat should perform just as well if not better than the color coat. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons why you should apply a clear topcoat to your epoxy garage floor.
1. Adds durability and wear
A proper clear coat will extend the life and add durability to your garage floor coating. Depending on the type of clear used, it can provide better stain and chemical resistance than the color coat. Lastly, the additional coat adds thickness to the floor coating to absorb impacts better and reduce any chance of hot tire pickup.
2. Protects the color coat
A clear coat acts as a sacrificial layer to protect the epoxy color coat. Without it, the color coat can lose its luster from wear. Though resistant to most chemicals, some oil spills or leaks allowed to sit for long periods can discolor the coating depending on the quality of the color coat applied.
3. Protects the color flakes
If you apply paint chips or color flakes to your floor, the clear coat will lock them in and protect them from peeling up and collecting dirt at the edges. Cleaning the floor and other activities can cause color flakes to pull up or chip away. When a clear coat is added, the color flakes are protected by the clear coat layer.
4. It is easier to clean
A clear coat makes a garage floor coating easier to clean. Dust mops and microfiber mop pads can glide over the floor coating without catching color flakes. This is especially true if you have a heavy flake coverage on your floor. It also allows for scrubbing without the worry of losing color flakes or dulling the color coat.
5. A Clear topcoat Adds depth to the floor coating
The additional layer of a clear topcoat adds depth to the look of the garage floor coating. This creates a richer-looking surface that appears more luxurious and thicker than it is.
6. It Creates a glossier looking finish
A clear coat will add a glossy shine to the floor coating and reflect light better than the color coat.
This is a great benefit when working on projects in the garage or automotive maintenance. The additional light reflection will brighten up your garage space. You may not need to purchase more overhead lighting or as much as you thought you might need.
7. A Clear Coat hides scratches better
All garage floor coatings will develop microscopic and sometimes larger scratches on the surface. A clear top coat helps to hide or camouflage these scratches so they are less noticeable and do not detract from the coating’s appearance. It does this by effectively acting as the sacrificial layer to prevent the color coat from being scratched which is much more obvious.
8. It’s a good medium for anti-slip additives
Anti-slip additives are hidden much better in a clear coat. Because most anti-slip media is translucent in color they will not stand out. Without a clear topcoat, they are added to the color coat instead. This makes the anti-slip granules much more visible as little bumps resembling sandpaper on the garage floor.
Furthermore, anti-slip media is more effective in clear coats. This is because many clear coat options are thinner in dry film thickness which allows the anti-slip media to protrude more. When used in thicker color coats, it does not protrude as much and is less effective.
9. Can be recoated to look new again
After many years of use, an epoxy garage floor coating can start to show its age depending on how much activity it has seen. If it has a clear topcoat, it can easily be roughed up with sandpaper to have a new coat of clear applied.
The sanding of the old top coat removes any blemishes, scratches, and other imperfections that the clear coating acquired over the years. Once the new clear coat is applied, your garage floor coating will look brand new again.
10. Clear topcoats just look awesome!
When you compare an epoxy floor coating with a clear coat to one that does not, there is no question about which looks better. The clear coat gives the garage floor that extra depth and showroom shine that screams “Look at me!”
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to add a clear topcoat to your garage floor coating, think about all the benefits it will provide in the long term. Yes, it will cost a little more money and yes, it may mean one more day of being without your garage. However, once you add a clear coat, you will be rewarded with a garage floor to be proud of for years to come. You will be glad you did it!
Update – Please read
Clear coats are designed for application over 2-part resinous coatings and single-part thermosetting resinous coatings. Do not confuse garage floor paint or 1-part epoxy paint as a garage floor coating. These are very thin acrylic latex paints that will not form a chemical bond with a resinous coating. Please read our article about applying clear coats over paint if this is your plan.
Please advise what kind of epoxy shield clear coat could be applied to the outdoor concrete floor to avoid weeds and mould growth. Thank you.
I CK. You can’t use epoxy outdoors. This article explains why. DuraGrade Concrete makes a clear that can be used outside. You can also use a clear acrylic sealer. Keep in mind that the concrete will have to be properly cleaned and prepped before applying a clear coating.
I had a paint contractor that applied ppg amerlock 2/400 to my new detached garage floor last week. (The new concrete had a less than perfect finish for a garage floor.) He is applying a second coat this week because we were not happy with the coverage. He an I both feel this will even out the coverage. He applied a light application of chips with the first coat last week to hide the concrete finish imperfections and I’m unsure if I want to reapply them. I was not happy with how the chips made the finish rough and probably difficult to sweep. My question is should I apply chips again and a clear coat to protect and smooth out the finish and what would be the best clear to apply to it.
Hi Lester. If this is the product that was used, then it was most likely applied too thin. Coatings should never be stretched. PPG recommends a dry film thickness of 8-20 mils for one coat. That is thick and should not result in coverage issues. The contractor should be able to calculate how much epoxy is required in order to achieve these rates if he is paying attention to the data sheets. Keep in mind that though this product produces a thick coating, it will not completely hide irregularities in the concrete. The reason is the 85% solids content (still very good). This means that 15% of the coating evaporates as it cures. This causes the coating to shrink. So if a small imperfection was covered and looked smooth before it cured, it will show somewhat after the cure. Only 100% solids epoxy when applied with a gauge rake will completely smooth out small imperfections.
The color flakes are a great way to camouflage imperfections, but it’s imperative to apply a high performance clear coat for some of the reasons you stated. We recommend using a high performance polyurethane, polyurea, or polyaspartic clear from the same manufacturer (PPG).
Hi Shea. Thanks for the input on my garage floor. Just wanted to post an update because it seems so many times people ask for advice on a particular problem and then you never hear if the problem was resolved, so here is the update.
The paint contractor came back and put down a second coat with a new light application of chips and it looked 200% better. After he finished I decide to go ahead and have him put down the clear too. I’m very glad that I did because it really looks amazing now despite the imperfections in the concrete finish. I can’t thank you enough for taking time out of your day to answer questions about other people’s garage floor finishing. I’d post a picture if I knew how to show how well it turned out. Thanks again!
That’s great to hear, Lester. We are glad it came out well for you and we really do appreciate the kind words. Images can’t be posted in the comments section. However, you can send them to our email at info@allgaragefloors.com
Hi. I have a similar issue. Did your painter just apply the 2nd coat over the original paint flakes or did he have to bring them all up again?
Hi Chris. Lester won’t be aware of your question since our comments section does not perform like a forum does. To answer your question, you would apply the second coat over the original flakes and then apply flakes again to the new color coat.
Thanks for yor reply. I did the 2nd coat and it made a massive difference. Thanks again for your help
Great!
great information. thanks.
do you one or two coats of clear to protect the epoxy and flakes? Also, how long should we wait before moving all the items back onto the floor? (not cars – just light shelving and bikes etc..)
Rene
Hi Rene. It depends on what type of clear coating you use and how much flakes are applied. For example, if it’s an epoxy clear coat with light color flakes, one coat will suffice. If it’s a heavy color flake application with a polyurethane clear, you would need a minimum of two clear coats. How soon you can move things back in depends on the type of clear coat used as well. 48 hours is the average.
I’m thinking of two clear coats over the epoxy coating, for the reasons you have said one coat is very worthwhile.
Is epoxy suitable for a covered carport and patio with the clear coat(s) protecting it?
I’ve noticed that the professionals use a lot more of the decorative flakes than the Bunnings kits.
I’m assuming a ‘bumpy feel’ would make it less slippery??
Hello Michael. No, you cannot apply epoxy in an outdoor environment. Epoxy coating coats are for indoors only. Epoxy is not U.V. stable and the direct and indirect sunlight (no walls) will cause it to yellow (amber), chalk up, and eventually deteriorate. You would need to use a polyurea or polyaspartic coating that is approved for outdoor use if you want to use it for a patio or carport. A heavy flake application will provide some texture, but it does not create what you would consider and anti-slip surface.
My husband just did our garage floor with the Rustoleum 2 part Epoxy Kit. Then he did the Rustoleum clear top coat after. It looks amazing however He missed some spots due to sun shining into the garage. He wants to make sure those spots don’t peel or get tire marks. We just bought another top coat kit. Is it ok if he does a 2nd coat of the clear top coat on top of the first top coat layer? It has been 2 weeks since the top coat layer was put on the floor. Thanks!
Hello Jessica. Yes, you can apply another coat of clear. However, because you are past the 4 day recoat window for Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield, it will require that the surface be deglossed by roughing it up with 120 grit sandpaper first. This will provide the proper mechanical bond for the clear coat to adhere properly. Once the surface is swept and vacuumed, wipe it down with denatured alcohol (or equivalent) applied to a microfiber mop pad. Once it evaporates (it’s quick) you can apply the clear and it will look glossy again.
Hi Shea, We are having our outdoor alfresco area done with ecoshield epoxy as a base coat and then the flakes with Sparta shield with 2 coats non slip glass as the clear coat…. I’m hoping that will look Awesome… Just wondering if the second coat will give it a darker look than just the one coat, also because it is totally undercover if you can use a hose to wash it down? Please can you give me your opinion as it will be much appreciated….. Thanks Michelle
Hi Michelle. I hope you haven’t started your project yet. Epoxy is not U.V. stable and should never be used outdoors. Strong indirect U.V. light will cause it to amber (yellow tint) and then it can slowly begin to chalk and deteriorate over time. This article here explains more. You need to use a coating that is U.V. stable and approved for outdoor application. DuraGrade Concrete by Rust Bullet is one such example.
Hi I just used BEHR Self-Priming 1-Part Epoxy Satin Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint to paint my garage, since rustoleum is over my budget. I planned to paint two coats and then apply flakes, after the flakes embedded, what kind of clear top coat I should use? I prefer no shining finish. Can I use any epoxy clear coat? Thank you!
Hello Yang. 1-part epoxy paint is designed as a stand alone application and not intended to be clear coated. In addition, it is not compatible with epoxy coatings since it is a latex concrete paint and not a true 2-part epoxy. Technically, if you sand the surface with 120 grit sandpaper you can apply a water-based clear epoxy coating over it. However, the epoxy would be 2.5 times more expensive with less of a coverage rate. In addition, it still will not protect the paint from hot tire pickup since it’s the paint that is adhered to the concrete and not the epoxy. If Rust-Oleum epoxy (budget epoxy) was not in the budget, then a clear coat of epoxy would not be either. This article here explains more. Our suggestion is to leave the paint as is and begin budgeting for a true garage floor coating system. Once the paint begins to wear and experience hot tire pickup, you can eventually grind it off and apply a true coating that will last years. I hope that helps.
Thank you for this, its exactly what I was looking for. I have a question I’m hoping you can answer though. I put down the Rust-Oleum 2 part epoxy floor with flakes in my garage and it looks great. I did this about a month ago and have parked on it multiple times. If I want to put a clear coat on it, do I have to prep it at all besides hosing it down to clean any debris off? I wish I would have looked this up sooner and applied it right after the Epoxy application.
Hi Mike. You are far past the Rust-Oleum recoat window of 72 hours. If you want to apply a clear coat, you will first need to clean the floor and then rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper in order to achieve the proper mechanical bond. After you sweep and/or vacuum up the dust, you then need to wipe it down with denatured alcohol (or equivalent) applied to a microfiber mop pad or lint free towel. It will quickly evaporate and you will be ready to apply the clear coat.
Thank you for the reply, I was afraid it was going to be something like that. It shouldn’t mess up the Epoxy and chips roughing it up right? I’m not trying to grind it down, just a light sanding across the whole floor?
Thanks again, this was very helpful!
You might loose a few color flakes in the process, but if they are adhered well it won’t be many. The floor will look all scratched up and hazy, but once you apply the clear it will bring the color and gloss right back.
I put supercoat on my garage and need to put flakes and clear coat on now. Are there any issues putting the flakes in the clear?
Hi Parker. The flakes are supposed to be applied to the color coat immediately after rolling it on. One of the objectives of the clear coat is to lock in and protect the color flakes. It’s also makes cleaning easier since dirt and debris will not get lodged against the flakes. You can certainly apply a clear coat and apply flakes to it, but it will have an odd look to it. As and FYI, because you are past the recoat window, any new coat that is applied to the color coat will require that you rough up and degloss the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first in order to create a proper profile for the new coating to adhere. If you don’t, the new coat will peel.
Hi In my garage I installed a commercial industrial 2 part epoxy coating then an additional uv top coat afterwards. This was done approximately 10 years ago. At the time I was unemployed and helping a friend do epoxy flooring for extra cash. Thus we were able to do the labor for free, he had all the tools, and was able to get wholesale pricing. It has been great no problems peeling but now the floor doesn’t have the gloss it used to. Also minor chips and scratches from dropping things etc. is there a way to bring the shine back and any suggestions to touch up damages? I still have a huge box of the flakes still. It’s a grey floor with tri color chips. What can I do restore the shine without having to grind and redo the floors? Can I possibly wet sand with 800 or 1000 grit then buff with a rubbing compound then wax like a car? Thanks for your assistance. Have a great day
Hi Marv. You can’t shine up coatings like paint on a car or wax on a floor. The moment you take an abrasive to the surface it will degloss and turn hazy. Putting wax over it will not improve it. What you need to do is apply a new high performance clear coat. That will bring back all the gloss and make the floor look almost new. You will need to degrease the surface and then rough it up with 120 grit sandpaper. A floor maintainer with a few 100 grit sanding screens works even faster. This will also give you the chance to sand out any embedded dirt in the scratched up areas. After the sanding, vacuum the surface and then wipe it down with denatured alcohol. You would need the same colored coating to touchup any areas with color. However, because you have the color flakes, you could mix up a little of the new clear and dap it into areas that are damaged and apply a few flakes over it to camouflage it. Once those areas have cured long enough to hold the flakes, you can then clear coat the entire floor.
Thanks for the response. On the clear coat would it be another 2 part epoxy, 1 part epoxy or polyaspartic coating? Please advice and any suggestions for product to use. Thanks
We recommend using something similar or better than what was used before, Marv. If the clear coat was U.V. stable, then is wasn’t epoxy. In addition, 1-part epoxy is just paint (not a true coating) and not available in clear. We would recommend a high performance polyurethane or single-part polyurea. Most polyaspartic coatings are very fast curing and only used my experienced professionals. As an FYI, you will not find these type of coating from your local home improvement center. I would suggest contacting the friend that helped you or a quality concrete coating vendor. Our sponsors are a good example.
Hello, thank you so much for this article and all the information! Really appreciate it!
I coated our basement floor with a Rustoleum Rock Solid Metallic a few months ago and it looked great at the beginning, but it has already faded into a sort of matte (no-gloss) finish and has scratched very easily. I didn’t know about the top coats when I did the initial project. Would adding a top coat now help cover the scratches and maintain the gloss look longer? If so, which product should I use? Any advice is appreciated, thank you so much!
Hi Cheyenne. Typically, coatings that develop a matte looking finish is the result of it being applied too thin. They look glossy during the curing stage and then cure with a matte finish. If this is what yours did, then we would recommend applying another metallic color coat first before applying a clear coat as it will not change how the metallic color coat looks. However, if your floor did have a rich color and glossy look for a few months, then the proper application of a clear coat will bring this back. It will require that you rough up and sand the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first. You can also rent a floor maintainer and use a few 100 grit sanding screens if you want to get it done faster with less work. Vacuum up the dust, wipe the floor down with denature alcohol on a microfiber mop pad, and then apply the clear.
Metallic coatings highlight and detail small scratches much more than traditional coatings due to their darker colors and glossy finish. They should always have a clear coat applied to protect the finish of the color coat. Scratches can still be seen, but they won’t be as obvious as when they scratch the color coat. We recommend staying within the RockSolid line and use their clear coat. Keep in mind that the clear coat is not as glossy as the metallic coat, so it will tone it down some.
Can this be applied directly to granite bedrock in a basement?
Hi Jessica. Coatings are not intended for rock. However, if the rock will easily absorb water, then the coating should adhere. Keep in mind that manufacturers and vendors are not going to warranty coatings applied to rock.
Hi thanks for a nice article i have a question can a clear coat epoxy be applied to the URETHANE SAFETY YELLOW paint Model # 251286 and if yes what type. Our supplier is Ackland Grainger it would be a great help if u can suggest some thing thanks
Hello Fahim. Yes, it can be applied. It will require roughing up the paint with 120 grit sandpaper in order to provide the proper profile for mechanical adhesion. We are not familiar with the products Grainger carries, but any epoxy will work.
Thank you for your suggestion it would help a lot another question do u know if we can do some thing to dry the URETHANE SAFETY YELLOW paint fast what can be added to make tye process faster so we can apply th3 epoxy on top as its a warehouse setting and not much time is given to the paint to cure
There is not much you can do to make urethane paint dry faster. Also, epoxy requires a minimum of four days before it can be driven on. Some manufacturers do offer an accelerant additive you can mix in with the epoxy. FYI, if this is for outdoors then epoxy is not recommended. Epoxy is not U.V. stable and will amber and deteriorate when exposed to direct sunlight.
Hi. I have already done all of prep from the floor and laying rocksolid rust-oleum in 2 days with our highest temps for the week being then. I purchased high quality map rollers to roll the expoxy but after reading one of your articles is it really better to use the foam rollers that come with the kit? Also, I’m hoping the 2.5 car kit allows me two coats in a 1 car garage but we’ll see. I really want to add clear coat to it but I’m curious if there’s any cheaper alternatives then the rocksolid rust-oleum kit I can use to clear coat. The clear coat runs about 150 online and at home depot. Feels a bit much for clear.
Hi Rob. Yes, we recommend sticking with the rollers that are provided in the kit. Use the ones you purchased as a backup in case of a mishap. You always factor in the amount of coating you need by the actual square feet of your garage and the square foot coverage rate in the data sheets or instructions of the product you use. Do not use vague 1-car or 2.5 car marketing on a box. That does not translate to square feet. Each mixed polycuramine pouch will cover 200-250 square feet depending on the porosity and surface texture of the concrete. The first coat will cover less while the second coat will cover more since it will not be absorbed by the concrete.
If you add a clear coat you should stay with RockSolid. The number one rule of clear coats is that it should be of equal or greater performance and durability than the color coat. The clear coat is the wear coat and the coat that protects the surface from stains and dirt. If you go with something of lesser quality, you just downgraded the entire floor coating system.
Ok. I just remeasured the floor it is 260 sqft. I know I’m not supposed to strech the flooring but I really want a second coat and only have 2 pouches in the 2.5car kit. I also sanded and used muriatic acid, so the floor is pretty porous now.
Would you recommend doing a thinner single coat to recoat with the second or use both bags for 1 thicker single coat?
You would be better off going with a thicker single coat, Rob. If you did two coats, the second one would still be a bit on the thin side and may not allow the color flakes to adhere very well. A thicker single coat will allow for the flakes to sink in better. For a thicker single coat we recommend using the rollers that you purchased. They will allow you to apply it thicker. They are 3/8″ nap, correct?
They are 1/4″ NAP Wooster professional expoxy glide. I don’t know why I got 1/4″ will that be a problem?
Also the garage is attached and insulated, I have a supplemental space heater on the wall 4ft above the floor. I see the vapors are flammable, do you think running the space heater during install will be an issue?
Thank you so much for all the advice btw, you guys are awesome.
The 1/4″ nap is still better than the supplied foam roller when trying to apply it thicker. Do not run a heater at all if you can help it. There are little fumes, but if it’s a gas heater, don’t run it at all. RockSolid can be applied and cured in temps down to the low 40’s anyway and heaters can sometimes have a cosmetic effect on the surface of coatings as they cure.
Ok. Thanks for all the help. The heater is electric but I’ve been trying to warm the garage to 80f before laying expoxy to try to get the floor a little warmer for install and then probably leave it off for at least a few hours while my ceiling vent fan removes the fumes. It’s supposed to peak tommorow at 50f and maintain that temp for about 6 hours before falling hard again. Hopefully it will be mostly cured before I turn the heater back on. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions.
Rob, coatings need days to fully cure, not hours. While air temperature is certainly important, the most important temp is the actual floor temp. If RockSolid drops below 40 degrees at all it will quit curing. This article here talks more about apply coatings in cold temperatures.
Well I just finished rolling it out and putting in the chips. Supposed to be over 45 until tomorrow afternoon but that’s the reason I had the heater keeping it to the 80s until I started to try to warm the concrete as much as possible. I have a pretty serious exhaust fan in the garage to remove welding fumes etc. So I’ll probably fire up the space heater in a few hours after the bulk of the fumes vent and just keep the exhaust roaring as well. You where definitely right about using both packs. My floor was so porous it barely covered with both packs. I didn’t even coat the cinder block either. I’ll just paint that black with outdoor paint later. Are the curing temps the same for the clear coat? The temps are supposed to fall again soon and honestly idk if they will recover back up yet to apply the clear in 40f+ within the 7 day recoat window or not.
The clear coat is the same product, Rob, it’s just not tinted a particular color. Everything else is the same. If you don’t make the 7 day recoat window you will need to degloss the surface by roughing it up first with 120 grit sandpaper. Sweep up the dust and then do a chemical wipe with denatured alcohol on a microfiber mop pad. You can apply the clear immediately afterwards.
So the floor overall went great took about 24 hours to not be tacky at all anymore. I do have some shiny and dull areas. I’m sure that has to do with how absorbent the concrete was. But I also went very heavy on the chips too hide imperfections in the floor. What I am curious about is can I roll another 2.5 car kit over this to get a better glossy uniform color with all these chips down. I did scrape off the excess chips and vacuum them off the floor really well. Or would it be better to just use the clear now? Will the clear make the lightly less shiny areas shine the same? Additionally just for general knowledge I did call rust-oleum yesterday and found out the flash point is 200f so a higher space heater is ok to run once it’s a few hours in and they said the rock solid kit won’t stop curing at low temps but it will drastically slow down the process, the other water based kits will completely stop curing under 40f. They also said you have a 30 day window to recover before needing to sand, which in the directions it says 7 days. They where very adamant about the 30 day window though. Just wanted to share that discussion with you and wish you a happy holiday!
Hi Rob. Were glad it has turned out to your liking. Applying the clear will tend to even the overall appearance out. You will still notice a difference because you know where to look, but others most likely would not notice. The RockSolid clear coat is just slightly less glossy than the color coat, but glossy nonetheless. You can certainly apply another color coat first if you like in order to get a more uniform look.
We wouldn’t be confident with what you were told about the 30 day recoat. We had a conversation with one of their engineers a few years ago about recoats since RockSolid was the first (and still only) coating to go 7 days with their recoat window. He was fairly adamant about the 7 day window when we talked with him. One thing we have learned with large national brand companies is that the customer service people many times are trained with a manual and don’t have real world experience. That is why reading the actual data sheets are important.
Hello.
I bought an epoxy floor paint for my basement, but now I also want to paint fake tiles, using tile stencils. However, I am afraid that I will not be able to do this over the epoxy and clear coat. Is this possible?
Thanks
Hi Alexandria. What epoxy product and clear coat did you purchase exactly? Also, what is the purpose of applying the epoxy if you want to paint tiles over it? Just trying to get an understanding so we can try and help.
Thanks so much for your reply!
I bought an Epoxy floor paint that has 2 components A and B. I live in Sweden, so not sure the brands are the same.
I bought the paint but have not yet used it. My initial idea was to just paint the basement floor with this epoxy paint and get it over with, but then I found some examples of tile stencil painting, which I really liked and thought would give mote life to the basement. As I can’t return the epoxy paint, I am wondering if I can still use it to paint the floor and then stencil paint on top and finally finish off with a lacquer layer. Is this possible or does epoxy coating not take paint on top? Thanks!!
Yes, you can most certainly do that, Alexandra. It would require letting the final coat of epoxy cure for 3-4 days first. After that, you will need to degloss the surface by sanding it with 150 grit sandpaper. A floor maintainer with a green scrub pad (dry) will do the same thing and would be quicker. Vacuum/sweep and then wipe the surface down with denatured alcohol or equivalent. These steps provide the proper surface profile for the paint to adhere to. Otherwise, it will peel up from the glossy epoxy surface.
Hi just found your site and so much great info
I am about to do my garage with the dymark profesionale epoxy kit, https://www.dymark.com.au/categories/protectivedecorative/decorative/epoxycoat
After reading about diy kits lifting I completely grinded the floor, (was new concrete) and I have got an epoxy primer On-crete Ep5 epoxy primer https://www.on-crete.com.au/products/EP52-Epoxy-Primer-62.htm
I have just done the primer and about to do the epoxy, have I done the right thing using a primer? I would also like to clear coat it as well, what clear would you recommend
Hi Dave. Yes, applying a primer first helps for a variety of reasons which we list here. For a clear coat, we would recommend a high performance polyurethane or polyaspartic. It looks like the company you purchased the primer from carries those products. Keep in mind though that you have approximately 24 hours to apply subsequent coats to a new coating. If the surface cures much longer than that you will be outside the recoat window. It will then require that you degloss and rough up the surface first before applying a new coat
Thanks so much, I laid the primer coat about 15hrs ago so I better put down the epoxy now
I just installed Rustoleum Garage Epoxyshield 2-part epoxy in my basement workshop. It went on really well and I would like to preserve and protect the finish (for all the reason listed in your article). My understanding is polyurethane does a good job. Can I use a the water based polyurethanes made by Minwax or Rustoleum’s Varathane brand Ultimate Polyurethane? Would these products work? If not, what type polyurethane should I look for? Thanks so much for any info you can provide.
Hello Steve. No, you cannot use any of the polyurethanes you mention. Those are polyurethanes for furniture and wood floors and are not compatible with concrete coatings. In addition, they do not provide the same performance properties, they are a yellow tint in color and will not adhere. Proper polyurethane concrete coatings are not sold by home improvement centers or hardware stores. They are only available from concrete coating vendors and coating specialists. Here is an example of polyurethanes we recommend. If you have a Sherwin-Williams nearby, they carry a polyurethane called Rexthane that will work. All of your high performing polyurethanes are solvent-based, though there are some water-based products that perform fairly well, just not as good as the solvent-based products. Also, keep in mind that you only have a 48 – 72 hour recoat window for Rust-Oleum in order to get a chemical bond. Any additional coats applied after that window will require that you first degloss the surface with 120 grit sandpaper in order to provide a mechanical bond.
Great information. Thank you very much! You guys really help in figuring this stuff out and getting it right!
Hi there,
Thank you for the awesome writeup! I actually did my garage about a month in a half ago with “Rust-Oleum RockSolid 180 oz. Gray Polycuramine 2.5 Car Garage Floor Kit”
I actually got one 2.5 garage one and another 1 car one just in case.
just as you mentioned in the other article some places are glossier than the others. All prepartions were taken to the maximum.
After reading this article, I would like to apply the clear coating. You mentioned that I would have to sand it down. How exactly can that be done? With a machine or hands?
Would you recommed which clear coating to put on?
Thank you very much!
Hello Abdul. The quickest way to degloss the surface enough would be to rent a floor maintainer (not polisher) and go over the surface dry using a couple of green scrub pads. You can sand the corners and edges the buffer didn’t reach with 120 grit sandpaper. You can use and orbital sander or a pole sander to do this. The key is not to remove any of the coating surface, but instead to rough it up enough so that a new coating will achieve a mechanical bite. Once done, sweep / vacuum and then wipe the floor down with denatured alcohol on a microfiber mop pad. RockSolid actually has their own clear coat that you can apply. It’s best to stay with the same manufacturer if you want to maintain the manufacture’s warranty. Once you mix product, most manufacturers will not warranty issues. If you want something that is more abrasion resistant (longer wearing) and chemical resistant, you can spend more money and use a clear single-part polyurea or high performance solvent-based clear polyurethane (example here).
Thank you so much for your reply Shea.
Oh renting one of those things again from home depot? ? I am having nightmares about taking all the things out of my garage again.
As much as I would love to do it, i might just skip it right now.
Maybe I could redo it again when i have the energy and time to take everything out of my garage.
I am grateful for you to share your knowledge with us all!
How long should I let epoxy shield dry before I start applying my clear coat?
Hello Matt. Assuming you are applying the EpoxyShield clear coat, you will need to wait a minimum of 8-12 hours for the color coat to cure before applying the clear. This is temperature dependent. If you can press your thumb to the coating without leaving a print, then you are good to go. Rust-Oleum allows up to 48 hours to apply additional EpoxyShield coats before any further prep is required.
Hello. I have 2 gallons of PSX 700 my painter gave me to put on my garage floors. Can I add paint chips and a clear coat to this product? If so, what’s the best clear coat to use?
Hello Joseph. PSX 700 is a siloxane epoxy coating formulated specifically for application to steel. It can be applied to concrete, however, it states in the data sheets here that you have to use one of the specified primers. If you don’t it will not adhere properly. In addition, it states that the recommended dry film thickness cannot be achieved in one coat when being applied with a roller. This means two coats needs to be applied to reach the minimum 3 mils dry film thickness. Base on the spread rates, 1 gallon will cover 480 square feet under ideal conditions (rare). You didn’t state how many square feet your garage floor is. A clear coat can be applied, but it will not be compatible for a chemical bond since PSX 700 is not intended for clear coats. You will need to let it cure for 24 hours, rough up the surface via sanding, and then apply the clear coat for a mechanical bond.
Has the product sat for very long? If so, have you checked expiration dates? Based on the money you would need to spend for the high performance epoxy primer that is required and the fact that this product is primarily intended for steel, we would recommend considering a proper coating system that is intended for concrete instead.
I am applying epoxy shield. Video said dry to the touch but I will g ok ive it the 8 hours. Thanks.
Yes, dry to the touch will take that long. Epoxy does not dry like paint. The chemical reaction of mixing the two components creates a curing process that hardens the epoxy. How fast it cures is temperature dependent. If the concrete and or air temps are less than 60 degrees, it will not cure at all and remain wet and sticky.
Thank you for the reply. The garage is 400 sq/ft and the painter who gave it to me also gave me the recommended primer.
The product is only a few days old, I’d hate to see it go to waste.
You will definitely need to use a clear coat then. PSX 700 has excellent chemical and corrosion resistance, but requires PSX 700SG for the abrasion resistance (this is what reduces wear from foot and vehicle traffic). Color flakes can be applied into the final coat of PSX 700, but they cannot be applied too heavy since it is a real thin coating. Expect to lose some flakes during the sanding process when you degloss it for a clear coat. 120 grit sandpaper will be required. We would recommend a high performance polyurethane or polyurea clear coating.
Thank you very much. I really appreciate it!
These are great articles Shea, thanks! Somewhat of an urgent question here… I have a painter doing my floor who done a few of these epoxy floors but I’m still keeping my eye on him. We are using the Rocksolid gloss grey kit with the flakes. He put down two coats of this product, sprinkling the flakes atop the second coat. The plan from here is to put down the Rocksolid clear top coat mixed with the anti-slip additive however it looks like he didn’t quite understand this plan because I see he’s mixed it into the 2nd coat of the color which is now curing on the floor. The clear top coat is slated for tomorrow.
Will the clear top coat essentially negate the additive in the color coat just like it will the chips? Or do you think we’ll still get some texture through the top coat? Trying to decide if I have him mix more anti-slip into the topcoat and how much. Any thoughts?
Hi Al. Yes, the clear coat will negate the anti-slip media that is in the color coat. In order for it to be effective, anti-slip media must be used in the final coat.
Shea,
Great info here. I have just purchased Rustoleum ROCKSOLID Polycuramine in Metallic blue. i will be doing two full coats. The concrete is brand new and i don’t fancy doing the floors again in my lifetime (i am 50). I note you recommend the Rustoleum clear which is effectively the same epoxy without colour but also note this epoxy is not UV resistant. Apart from the VOC issues with a solvent based clear PU is it reasonable to assume that this type of clear coat will provide the most long lasting floor finish? I am a do it once kinda guy. 🙂
One other question if i may. As my garage is basically four cars i was hoping to complete it in stages (that will be greater than 48 hours between areas). Can you blend the product as long as the area already cured is sanded with 120 grit for adhesion or are you better to make a hard line?
Thanks Mark
Hi Mark, applying a U.V. stable polyurethane or polyurea clear coat will increase the wear resistance and scratch resistance. It will also prevent the clear coat from ambering (yellow tint), but it will not prevent the RockSolid polycuramine metallic coat from eventually ambering. This article here explains more.
As far as doing the job in sections, coatings do not blend like paint does. Roller overlap marks will be very obvious as will taping off a hard line. Only natural borders such as contraction joints will work when doing sections at a time. Otherwise, if your floor has no joints, you will need to do one continuous coat while making sure to keep a wet edge going the entire time.
I have a few questions on my upcoming DIY garage project.
If I grind the concrete do I still need to use a degreeser or acid etch?
We plan to use shield Crete epoxy from Sherwin Williams. The store guy says a clear coat is not needed – Sherwin Williams also carries a shield Crete clear epoxy coat. He says it’s optional as both are 2 part epoxy (one that can be colored abd other clear abd we need one or the other). Thoughts?
If I use Sherwin Williams shield Crete epoxy, what top coat do you recommend using adding it’s needed?
This is for an indoor garage with largely foot traffic, light car traffic for parking
Hi LS. Any degreasing should be done before grinding. Once you grind there is no need to acid etch. Grinding provides a better profile than etching does. Are you going to apply the standard water-based Shield-Crete or Shield-Crete XL?
Thanks for your prompt reply. I was only aware of the standard water based shield Crete.
Should I consider the XL? Can you help me understand the benefits and if I were to use XL, do I need a top coat?
The standard Shield-Create is a thin solids, water-based epoxy coating with a semi-gloss finish. It’s very similar to Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield and others. This article here explains more about these type of kits. The grinding produces a more porous profile that will reduce the coverage rate of this type of epoxy and possibly create thin spots with color contrast issues. We would recommend either reducing the coverage rate so that it goes on a little thicker or do two color coats. If you park a car on it, chances are that you will eventually have hot tire pickup issues. A clear coat helps, but is not a guarantee that it wont’ happen. This type of coating is fine for foot traffic and will last quite a while if that is all it sees. Epoxy color coats do not require clear coats, but it’s highly recommended for the all the reasons we state in the article – particularly if you plan on using color flakes.
Shield-Crete XL is a 100% solids (98% +/- 2%) commercial quality coating that would be over 3x thicker with a very high gloss. Grinding of the concrete is preferred. You would not have issues with hot tire pickup or color uniformity due to the grinding. Again, a clear coat is not required, but recommended for the aforementioned reasons.
Thankyou! I spoke with a SW rep on top coat. This was their suggestion:
“ We do have better two part top coats that are clear, that will lock in the flakes that are sold at that store. It’s called Clear Protect 2part self leveling clear. I have attached a data sheet for that product.
https://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=HC&prodno=50.17045B&doctype=PDS&lang=2”
Question:
Do you have experimented with this as a top coat for either water haves shield Crete or shield Crete XL?
Also, from the datasheet it reads that I can use this product alone (no base epoxy needed) as the only thing that goes on a concrete garage floor that has been grinded.
Thanks for your tone in helping us through this decision making process.
That will work fine. It’s similar to the Shield-Crete XL. If you plan on parking cars in the garage, we would recommend a high solids base color like the XL or the product you just listed. You won’t have to worry about hot tire pickup. Also, both of those products will have a high gloss (if important) compared to the water-based standard Shield-Crete.
Thankyou very much. Based on your helpful feedback and other content I have read in your site I am now tending towards using H&CTM CLEARPROTECTTM 2-PART SELF-LEVELING EPOXY CLEAR COAT
I have these two final questions:
1. We plan to not have a base color epoxy. Meaning we will bring the concrete to 120 grit and use H&CTM CLEARPROTECTTM 2-PART SELF-LEVELING EPOXY CLEAR COAT directly on top. Apart from the looks, is there any benefit of using the color base first (we would like to limit our spend)
2. Do we need to add anti skid (shark bite etc)? The data sheet for the H&CTM CLEARPROTECTTM 2-PART SELF-LEVELING EPOXY CLEAR COAT does not recommend any anti skid
3. By any chance do you have any pictures of how the floor might look if we use H&CTM CLEARPROTECTTM 2-PART SELF-LEVELING EPOXY CLEAR COAT directly over concrete after grinding?
Again appreciate all your help!
Color in coatings are purely for decorative purposes and does not alter how a coating performs. Clear over bare concrete will slightly darken the concrete and will look similar in color as it does when wet. Unless you plan on the surface being wet from time to time, you shouldn’t need to apply an anti-slip additive. It will be slightly slippery when brand new, but the microscopic scratches that it develops with traffic will make it less so. If you check out our article here about polyurea coatings, you will see an image of a garage that was done in a clear only.