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.
susan quisenberry says
Just used and needless to say did not cover will apply a second layer prior to 7 says. Is a top coat needed or recomended if so what type and how longer should I wait after applying the Rock Solid
Shea says
Hi Susan. A clear top coat is recommended to protect the color flakes and color coat, but it’s not a requirement. We recommend that you stay with RockSolid. No other clear top coat is known to chemically cure with RockSolid. You would need to let the color coat cure for a few days and then rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper first if you were to use a different brand.
Premchand Jonnala says
Hi,
I have a 3 car Garage and planning to do Epoxy coat. The regular 2and half garage epoxy kits available at local hardware stores come in 2 colors – Grey and Tan. But I also see another product called Rustoleum Professional FLoor Coating Kit in Tile Red Color. What is this product and how to use it.
Shea says
Hello Premchand. The standard Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield kits are a water-based, low solids, thin mil (3 – 3.5) epoxy coating. The Rust-Oleum Professional EpoxyShield is a solvent-based, slightly higher solids, slightly thicker mil (4 – 4.5) epoxy coating. It’s the better of the two choices. We are not the biggest fan of kits like these or RockSolid if you are looking for a high quality, long wearing coating that you want to last years without issues. We have an article here that discusses these type of kits. There are much better products available that you can’t get at home improvement centers that are a much better value for your money in the long run. These are an example. However, they are more expensive initially and we know that sometimes the budget is an important consideration.
John says
Can the rock solid clear coat be sanded and buffed to remove minor imperfections? Is there a process and materials list to do this? I am thinking about how clear coat on a car is wet sanded Ed and buffed to remove small
Irregularities and the restore it to full sheen using the buffer and compound
Shea says
Hi John. No, you cannot do that. Resinous clear coats are not like paint or similar to polishing a car. They will turn white and hazy if any type of heavy buffing, polishing, or light sanding is applied. If you want to renew a clear coat, you would degloss by sanding with 120 grit sandpaper or use a floor maintainer with a green scrub pad. Do a chemical wipe with denatured alcohol on a microfiber mop pad and then apply a new coat of clear to make the floor look like new again.
John says
Ok thank you for the information. I have a follow up question. Can the method you describe above be used for sectional or spot repair of the clear or are you required to clear the entire surface?
Shea says
Yes, you can do that for spot repair, John. However, something to keep in mind is that coatings do not blend like paint on a wall does. You will be able to see overlap marks for any areas where a new coating is applied over the old. You may want to mix a small batch and test it to see if you can live with the difference. If not and you have a few different spots that need attention, you may want to recoat the entire floor.
Jeff crane says
Hi , I have just finished a 3 layer coating on my shed floor and I must admit it isn’t the easiest product too apply? For example applying the top coat clear is almost impossible to see where you have been whilst rolling out and isn’t as self leveling as described. I have applied 2 coats of clear and still requires another coat or 2? So far I have used 9 satchels of clear and I am now considering looking into using maybe a polyurethane self leveling high gloss clear too finish the job off?
Shea says
Hello Jeff. Unfortunately you never really stated what your exact issue is. Why the multiple coats? Are you missing spots? All coatings are self-leveling to some degree. Self-leveling, however, does not mean that you can roll it on without precision and it just all kind of melds together for a smooth finish. Also, you said it is a shed floor. Is this wood you are applying it too? If so, how was the surface prepared?
jeff crane says
Hi , answering your question above the clear coat was extremely hard to apply over the initial first top clear coat and there for there were a couple of spots missed and it was still heavily orange peel effect even after a heavy 2nd coat was applied and it was on a concrete slab that was properly prepped with a pressure cleaned floor using Rock Solid floor etching that is provided and then 2 coats of porous primer prior too the base coat and flakes
Shea says
OK, that helps, Jeff. I believe your primary problem is that you are applying the coating too thick. Polycuramine is not like 100% solids epoxy that can be applied from heavy to thin. It consists of a formula that includes polyurethane (which does not go down thick). If applied too thick, you will definitely get the orange peel effect, possible roller marks, less gloss due to a cloudy look, and possible bubbles from outgassing of the small amount of solvents in it. If you want to fix the problem, you will need to sand an upper layer of the clear coat off and then reapply following RockSolid’s recommended coverage rates. They are fairly accurate for additional coats, just not the first coat on bare concrete. Have a second set of eyes if necessary to make sure you are not missing spots.
jeff crane says
Hi Shea , can polycuramine be thinned with EPOXY thinners for ease of application ?
Shea says
Hi Jeff. Technically it could be thinned, however, we highly recommend that you don’t. It’s a coating that provides for a thin dry film thickness to begin with. In addition, the biggest complaints about RockSolid have to do with patchy looking areas of less gloss and color due to too thin of a dry film thickness. This typically happens when the coating is absorbed by the concrete (which it should). Thinning the polycuramine would actually make the dry film thickness even thinner yet. RockSolid polycurmine allows for ample working time (pot life) and it doesn’t get much easier to apply for a coating. Thinning is typically only used for high solids epoxy that needs improved concrete penetration or to increase the working pot life.
Krupen says
Hello, First of all thank you for a vast amount of information for DIY folks like me. I’ve bought a Rust-Oleum rocksolid kit for my 2 years old garage floor. I’ve cleaned, etched and washed with pressure washer. I had a guy who is doing my patio who mentioned that I should use a base to deactivate the acid (Ammonia). I read on here the use of TSP to clean of white dust. this is the only place I’ve read about deactivating. Is this step necessary? Also the kit specifically mentions not to use muriatic acid and I read the inefficiency of citric acid in etching. It’s really confusing what would be the right thing to use. I just want to make certain before applying the Polycuramine product . So to summarize, Do i need to used base (ammonia) to deacitvate the acid? would it help to apply a bonding primer prior coating with polycuramine for even coating and better binding?
Shea says
Hello Krupen. You are asking some good questions. First off, only muriatic and phosphoric acid etching solutions for concrete need to be neutralized. It’s a critical step in the process. If not done, the acid can continue reacting from within the concrete. In addition, the coating will most likely delaminate as a result. The type of etching solutions that come in the Rust-Oleum kits (RockSolid included) is a citric acid etch. These etching solutions are used for a couple of reasons. The first and primary reason is because they are environmentally safe and it severely limits any legal action that may result from improper use. The second reason is that these type of coatings are typically thin in nature and do a good job of penetrating the concrete surface compared to thicker commercial quality coatings. We never recommend a citric acid etch for high solids and commercial quality coatings. Citric acid etch solutions are known for not performing well on very dense or extremely smooth troweled concrete surfaces. This is when people experience delamination issues with the DIY epoxy kits from home improvement stores. That is why a water drop test should always be performed after the concrete has dried in order to determine if the coating will get proper penetration. If a drop of water in various areas immediately turns the concrete a darker color and is absorbed in less than a minute, then you are good to go. If it beads or just sits there without much absorption, then more etching or a stronger etch is required.
RockSolid does not recommend acid etching as you have mentioned. There are a few reasons for this as well. Polycuramine does a very good job of penetrating concrete surfaces and rarely has complaints about delamination. It’s also expensive compared to other DIY kits. In order to keep kit costs down, we strongly believe that Rust-Oleum provided overly generous coverage rates in their data sheets that allows them to limit the volume of coating in order to keep costs in check. In addition, acid etching provides a more porous and rough profile. As a result, when RockSolid is used on an acid etched surface, the combination of the good absorption and overly generous coverage rates results in a very thin single coat which creates a patchy looking surface of poor color tone and loss of gloss. It essentially acts as a primer coat (AKA ugly coat). A second coat is required to correct for this.
RockSolid is a good performing coating for a single coat DIY kit on it’s own when it experiences the recommended dry film thickness. However, the biggest complaint about RockSolid is their very poor coverage rates which results in the fore mentioned conditions of gloss and color tone loss (recommended dry film thickness is not achieved). Acid etching only makes this issue worse. Bonding primers are latex concrete paint which is not compatible with resinous coatings and they do not adhere as well either. Resinous coatings require a resinous product (epoxy) that is typically thin for good penetration. The cost of such primers is as much (sometimes more) than the type of kit you are applying. That is why a second coat is recommend if you experience cosmetic issues. The Rust-Oleum Garage Floor Primer is a product that is formulated to only work within the Rust-Oleum line on sealed or previously coated surfaces. It is not recommended for bare concrete. In short, you are fine and can apply the RockSolid with the surface prep you done. If the coating has a poor look, then apply a second coat for the intended rich looking and glossy finish it should have.
Krupen says
Thank you so much Shea for the prompt reply. I am just debating weather to apply the rocksolid onto the garage floor. I live in ohio and the winter snow and salt from the car can take a beating on garage floor, and I am not sure at this point how long will the coating last and will actually make it more work later down the road. Any idea on the longevity of coating or maintenance to extend the longevity? Also, with the floor etched with citric acid, would it be better to prime, use quart or vinyl chips, and seal or use top coat? just trying to make sure which will be less maintenance in future :))
Shea says
As we stated earlier, Krupen, if you do two coats of RockSolid color, the first coat will act as the primer coat. There is not an actual resinous primer available that is intended for RockSolid, not does there need to be one. If you are concerned about color uniformity, gloss, and coating thickness when using RockSolid, then you should use two color coats. Also, just to avoid possible confusion, there is no such thing as a seal coat. All resinous coatings are a sealer. A clear coat is not a seal coat for the color coat. It is a protective coat for the color coat that locks in the color flakes and acts as the sacrificial coat or wear coat. This is why the last coat applied needs to be just as good or better than the color coat in terms of wear, abrasion, chemical resistance, and etc. If you do a total of three coats, it’s going to stand up just fine to your winters. It should last at least 4-5 years before showing it’s age.
Something that we highly recommend if you are going to spend the money on three coats of RockSolid is to take a look at single-part polyurea. We have a very informative article on it here. RockSolid polycuramine is a residential quality coating. These single-part polyureas are commercial qualitiy coatings. They are easier to apply, they are almost twice as thick per coat, there is no color uniformity issues, and the cost is going to be close to three coats of RockSolid. The only requirement is that you will need to re-etch the floor with something stronger. One product that we like that is safe to use is Acid Magic. This product would work well for a single-part polyurea. Expect a system like this to last ten years or more in your environment. I hope our suggestion doesn’t create more problems for you 🙂
Krupen says
Thank you. I actually was looking at just scrapping the idea of applying rocksolid and using polyurea after I read this article couple days ago. Thanks for resurfacing it. So many options, so many possiblities. my mind is blown 🙂 :). Jokes apart, thank you for clearing my head and giving me directions.
Shea says
You are welcome. We list three different vendors in that article and we also list projects that were done by our readers. If you have any questions about any particular vendor just give them a call. Unlike companies such as Rust-Oleum, these vendors have actual experience with the product and provide good customer service in regards to questions and application procedures. They want your project to be a success.
Michael says
Hello, I have a two year old RockSolid Polycuramine floor in my garage. I did the install myself with two coats of color plus one coat of clear over the chips. The floor is beautiful, but never was as shiny as many of the pictures I see, it dulled as it cured. The durability and coverage has been very good and we have no issues except the gloss is a bit less than what it should be.
Is it possible to apply a wax over the top of the floor to increase shine? The garage doesn’t have cars going in and out as the one that is parked in the middle only moves two or three times a year.
Shea says
Hello Michael. The RockSolid color coat and clear coat are the same product. Tint is added to produce the color. The color coats do appear more glossy due to the reflectivity with the color tint added. It is possible to wax coatings, however, the wax actually tones down the gloss to produce almost a matte finish. It’s one of purposes for waxing a coating. It’s not something that you want to do for a garage floor though. Solvents can make a mess of the wax and creates some work to strip off and reapply.
Bob says
Hello – thanks for all the helpful information! If I were to grind-prep the concrete (against their recs) but then planned to apply two coats as you all recommend, would you recommend waiting to apply all the chips until the second coat Was wet or could I apply some during the first coat application?
Shea says
Hi Bob. You always apply color flakes to the last color coat. Any color flakes applied before the last color coat will just be covered up.
Bob says
And to clarify, in a situation like I described (concrete grind prep), you’d recommend two coats… is that 2 color coats or could the second coat be a clear coat? If the latter, do you recommend applying the chips to the color coat or clear coat or does it matter?
Thanks again for all your help – love the page!
Shea says
We recommend two color coats, Bob. The first coat will act like a primer coat. It won’t look very nice due to being absorbed more by the concrete. The second coat will not get absorbed and will have even color and gloss. You always add color flakes into the color coat, not the clear coat. The clear coat covers locks in and covers the color flakes to protect both the flakes and the color coat. I suggest you read our article on applying garage floor coatings to get a better idea of the procedures involved.
Karen Ampeh says
I bought a Rocksolid 2.5 kit and 10 bags extra chips, however, the rocksolid clear coat was not available in local store so I bought Epoxyshield clear coat, will the Epoxyshield clear coat be OK with the Rocksolid grey/chips?
Shea says
Hi Karen. We can’t positively say it is compatible, so we suggest you give Rust-Oleum Customer Service a call to ask. Something to keep in mind is that RockSolid clear is more clear than EpoxyShield clear. Epoxy actually has a slight tint to it when you compare it to other clears such as polyurethane or polyurea. It is not considered a “water clear” coating like the others are. Since RockSolid is proprietary blend of epoxy, polyurethane, and polyurea, it is more clear than the EpoxyShield. It also has a higher abrasion resistance rating which makes it more durable and longer wearing. If your local home improvement store is out, you can always order it here from Amazon.
Karen Ampeh says
Thanks. I called Rust-Oleum Customer Service yesterday but gave up after a very very long time on hold. I would much prefer the Rock Solid top coat but it does not look to be in stock anywhere in Virgina/Maryland. The contractor is prepping today and Amazon does not have a rush ship option, so I don’t see how I could get it this week. I did not know EpoxyShield was more tinted but that is not worrisome to me. Of course I would prefer “more durable and longer wearing” but i’m not sure I will be able to find Rocksolid clear this week.
Shea says
Unfortunately, customer service for some larger companies takes some patience these days with everything that is currently going on.If you can’t get an answer from them soon enough, you do have some options. Menards carries RockSolid clear. You may want to check their shipping options. The issue with a different clear coat is the question of compatibility for achieving the proper chemical bond during recoats. No one that we know of has successfully tested for this with polycuramine and a different product. However, what you can do to ensure compatibility is to put down your RockSolid color coat and then let it cure for over 24 hours. After that, you can rough up the finish with 120 grit sandpaper or use a floor maintainer with a green scrub pad (much quicker). Sweep/vacuum up the dust and then do a chemical wipe of denatured alcohol on a microfiber mop pad. This will create a surface for a good mechanical bond of a different brand of clear coat. You could use the EpoxyShield or if you have a Sherwin-Williams near, we would recommend using their ArmorSeal Rexthane. It’s a single-component moisture cured polyurethane that is water clear and very glossy. In addition, it would provide better chemical resistance and wear longer than the EpoxyShield.
Karen Olowin Ampeh says
Thank you. I was able to find the Rocksolid top coat in stock at a Home Depot in another county and I went today and exchanged the the Epoxyshield kit for the Rocksolid kit I wanted in the first place. Looking forward to the results.
Shea says
Good to hear!
Karen Ampeh says
Got the primer, Rocksolid grey, and 10 bags of chips down today and it looks fantastic!! Tomorrow for the Rocksolid top coat, extremely pleased with it so far, floor is 500 square feet and one 2.5 kit was the right amount, I guess if not for the primer, it might have not been enough. There were quite a lot of flaws in the concrete but the chips makes them all look great.
Shea says
Great. We’re glad your project went as planned!
John Pearson says
I have just finished applying Rock Solid to my garage floor and must say that I’m very disappointed with the result. I have followed the instructions to the letter, using their acid etch, primer and grey topcoat, but have differences in colour, gloss variations and round black spots of the primer appearing through the topcoat during the topcoat’s curing process. I assume that’s why you get given specks to spread over the surface to conceal these, but I didn’t want that look so assumed I would get a nice even glossy grey finish without their use. Wrong!
I found the application procedure instructions to be poorly written. There is no mention of moisture content % after acid etching and washing prior to priming. I used a moisture meter to ensure the % was less than 8, as other products specify in similar circumstances. There was no time specified between primer and topcoats, I did allow two days though. I parked my wife’s daily-driver car on it 48 hours after topcoat application and a patch came off under each of the two rear tyres, The car had only been parked in the street beforehand, so they had no heat in them. Also, the car was wet from the rain and where water went onto the surface, the gloss disappeared and became matt. I applied the topcoat in two halves of my garage because I had to move my partially-restored classic car from one side to the other as it can’t go outdoors at this point of time. The grey colour is different on each half despite being bought from the same retailer, a week apart.
I subsequently found through experimentation with solvents such as Turps, Thinners and Acetone, that Methylated Spirits works as the perfect solvent for cleaning up any unwanted product. It also returned some gloss to the water marks after a good rubbing. Just don’t spill any on the finished floor or you’ll regret it. Of course , they don’t forewarn you of that.
I am contemplating doing a second coat in the near future after a good sanding, but having already spent A$500 on Rock Solid product to this point of time, I’m undecided.
Shea says
Hello John. What primer did you use?
Brian says
Hi, I installed the original RockSolid coating back in 2013. I used a gray base coat, a heavy amount of vinyl chips, and a clear top coat. While I’ve had a little bit of de-lamination where I didn’t get the sealer off completely, my bigger issue is that the floor has yellowed from UV. Is this because the product itself is susceptible to yellowing or was it and issue with the way I mixed or applied it? I’m considering re-doing the floor and don’t know if the RockSolid system would meet my expectations not to yellow if applied better or if the product itself will not meet my expectations and I should be looking at a more professional grade product. Thanks, great site!
Shea says
Hello Brian. The new RockSolid polycuramine formula with amber (yellow) as well. The reason is because it has epoxy in it. This article here explains why certain floors amber. You may want to consider a coating like this one here.
Danny kiker says
Will rustoleum rock solid garage floor cover bond to commercial oil base sealer that was used 14years ago?
Shea says
Hi Danny. If it’s a sealer that is on the concrete it will have to be removed via grinding first. If it’s an oil-based paint, then it can be applied to that with the proper prep. It will require sanding the painted surface with 120 grit sandpaper and then wiping the surface down with denatured alcohol before application. Just keep in mind that the new coating is only as good as what it is adhered to. If the paint peels from the concrete it will take the coating right with it.
Matt B says
I’m getting ready to apply Rocksolid to my garage floor. My garage floor previously had an old chipping paint coating on it. I rented a floor maintainer with a coating removal tool on it and used that to get all the paint off my floor. I then pressure washed the floor, sprayed on a desgreaser, then pressure washed it again. Having done all of that, do I still need to etch the floor? Or after using the paint grinder and pressure washer should the concrete already be prepped enough? The concrete does absorb drops of water when I tried the drop test.
Shea says
Hi Matt. No, you do not need to etch the floor. The grinding for RockSolid was more than sufficient. In fact, we highly recommend that you apply 2 color coats. The reason is that RockSolid is a thin coating to begin with and it penetrates concrete well. When applied to concrete that has been profiled via grinding, the concrete absorbs more of it (good thing for adhesion) and the first coat ends up way too thin. This results in a loss of color tone and gloss. RockSolid even states in their data sheets not to grind if you are dealing with bare, unsealed concrete.
Clay says
I recently put down the Rock Solid Polycuramine on my garage floor, followed by the polycuramine clear coat… I had intentions of putting a second coat of clear over it but after reading about how it can yellow over time… I ordered the rustoleum polyurethane clear coat to put over it… Fastkote I believe it is called.
My issue is.. I don’t think the polyurethane is going to arrive inside the 7 day window. The floor has a little texture from flakes.. how necessary is it to sand the garage floor prior to putting the polyurethane down? (I can come up with 18,000 things I would rather do than to sand my entire garage floor)…
Or do I put another coat of polycuramine down to buy myself another 7 days to do the polyurethane? (Although I was hoping to not have to buy more product)
Thanks!
Shea says
Hi Clay. A second coat of polyurethane will not do much other than delay the yellowing process somewhat. While the polyurethane will not yellow (amber) the polycurmine clear under it will. The polyurethane does not act as a U.V. sun screen so to speak. This article article about yellowing will explain more. Also, the 7 day recoat window is for polycuramine to polycuramine (RockSolid) only. It does not include other products. You would need to rough up the clear coat first regardless.
Habib A Balian says
HI. I have a coat of epoxy garage covering that I put down about 11 years ago. Not sure of the exact product that was used, but it was a DIY garage kit at the time. It has finally chipped in one area and generally faded so it is time for a new coat. What product should I use over the old? Rock solid or Epoxy Shield? Do I acid etch the old coat or only the bare concrete that has chipped? Any other prep I need to do? Thanks again for all your help.
Shea says
Hi Habib. RockSolid provides for a much glossier finish and longer wear than Epoxyshield. You can’t acid etch coatings. Etching only works on bare concrete. You would need to rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper. We have an article about recoating old epoxy here.
Habib says
Thanks for the info. Couple more questions.
1. Will rocksolid therefore last longer without fading chipping, etc?
2. Because it is more glossy, will it also be more slippery? Too slippery for a garage?
3. Do I put a clear coat of some sort over the paint chips? Is that included in the box or is that extra?
Thanks
Shea says
1) Yes, it will last longer and does not fade. However, like all coatings that have epoxy in it, it can still amber (yellow tint) if exposed to direct sunlight or strong indirect sunlight for periods of a time. This article explains more.
2) Typically, the more glossy a coating is the more slippery it can be when wet. Too slippery is subjective. If you live in a climate where it doesn’t rain as much and you are not bringing water in with your car, then it’s less of an issue. If you anticipate that the floor will be wet often or often enough, then you should consider an anti-slip media. The anti-slip media always goes on the very last coat, which ever it may be – color or clear.
3) A clear coat is always recommended. It protects the color coat and color flakes. RockSolid clear includes an anti-slip media in their Clear kits.
Habib says
Thanks for your help.
Patrick T Johnston says
I am very familiar with 100% solids epoxy and what materials I can cover. It’s very versatile. I have a client laundry room in their RV park. It is wood framed and wood subfloor. I intend on laying hardie backer over the floor and start my coverage process. Can I use your product over the hardie backer? If not I’ll go ahead and return the kits and stick with the epoxy systems I’m used to.
Shea says
Hi Patrick. No, we do not recommend using Rust-Oleum RockSolid over Hardieboard. It’s far too thin compared to 100% solids epoxy and cannot be applied in one thick coat like 100% solids epoxy either. In fact, it’s not recommended to apply coatings over bare Hardiebacker for a variety of reasons, but 100% solids epoxy would be the product to use if you did.
Arnell Irons says
Hey I’m having the worse time with this Polycuramine. Followed instructions to the fullest. My garage is 720 sq. ft. They used the 2.5 car garage kit dark grey. It has a 5 x 5 bathroom in it. The bathroom looks great and is dry and gloss. The garage in the back is dry but dull, the center is gloss but not dry and the front is dry no gloss. My guy said it would have to be grind up and done again in the summer. However it hasn’t been below 50 or above 75 here for the last few weeks. He has added the chips also but no clear. Before I grind all of this up is there anyway to fix it. Can I light sand it, clean and reapply another coat and hope it will dry? I need any help I can get. I don’t want to waste all the money I spent on the product without at least trying to save it. thanks.
Shea says
Hello Arnell. How was the concrete prepped, how many kits were used, what was the temperatures during the application and after, and how long has it been since applied?
Arnell says
yes it was pressure washed 3 times and degreased by me. Then pressure washed a etch by the installer. It was around 65 on installation but the temperature dropped in the 50’s at night for a few days but it’s been 70’s for the past few days and it was installed on 10/21/20.
Shea says
And how many kits where used and where in relation to the floor?
Arnell says
They only used the 2.5 garage size kit.
Shea says
OK, that helps. I’m guessing that the person who installed this didn’t read the instructions? RockSolid polycuramine is a thin coating to begin with and a 2.5 garage floor kit will only cover 500 square feet if all the conditions are perfect. Your garage is 720 square feet and you didn’t state if that included the bathroom or not. The coverage rates of coatings cannot be stretched out – period. For the first coat, coverage rates should be reduced 10-15% depending on how porous the concrete is. So for your garage, that would be about 450 square feet at best for the one kit. That is why most of the floor looks dull. If the coating does not obtain a minimum mil thickness for the first coat, then the concrete color underneath is going to bleed through and create a dull matte finish.
The floor being tacky in some areas and not in others is an indication of poor or inadequate mixing of the two components. 2-part coatings do not dry like paint. The two parts when mixed together create a chemical reaction to cure and get hard. When a coating is not mixed correctly and then rolled out onto the floor, you end up with areas that cure and areas that don’t. Sometimes applying another coat will help activate the tacky areas to cure. However, we recommend that you contact Rust-Oleum to discuss. If they agree that it may fix the issue, then you will need to sand the entire floor with 120 grit sandpaper first. It will require wiping down the surface with denatured alcohol or similar after the sanding. A floor maintainer with a green or black scrub pad will do the same job as the sandpaper and would be quicker. Regardless, you will need a minimum of one 2.5 kit and one single car kit to cover that much square feet.
arnell says
thank you so much I will try this and let you know results.
Erika Kurtz says
So I just installed the Rocksolid Silver Bullet on my garage floor. I did all of the prep work and my concrete guys did the coating, since after 50 hours of prep I wanted to die! I am having a couple of different issues I am hoping you can help me with.
1. I am not happy with the finish they left the floor in on some areas. They left hard rock like chunks about 1/4″ or higher in some areas…..Im guessing they did not mix well enough and left globs of the material?! Same for a few pine needles that blew in and got stuck before the coating dried all the way….What is the best way to sand or scrape them down before I apply a second coat to try to fix this issue?
2. They left an area of un-coated concrete around the perimeter of the floor. When I do my second coat can I just use a brush to fill in this area if I can’t get in there with the roller?
3. My garage floor was super old and super grease stained and even though I de-greased and cleaned and scrubbed it for over 50 hours, there are one or two little spots in the coating that still feel a little greasy. The coating seemed to stick fine to the concrete but it feels a little oily to the touch. Can I just clean over top of the coating with de-greaser before applying the second coat to try to get the last of the oil out? It never ends!
4. There is one area in my concrete in the corner that is VERY bumpy (the rest is smooth). No idea why or what caused this or if it has always been this was since it was poured 100 years ago. Obviously it still looks and feels bumpy with the coating on top….I kind of thought my concrete guys were going to grind it down before coating to smooth it out a bit. Any hope that the second coating will fill in and smooth this out? Any options at this point to make it smoother or is it best just to cut my losses and deal with the bumps?
Who would have thought that this would turn into the 100 hour project….
Shea says
Hi Erika. I will try and answer your questions by the number.
1) Try using a paint scraper to remove the chunks and pine needles. If the coating is still fairly fresh they may scrape away. If not, you will need to aggressively sand them with 40-60 grit sandpaper. RockSolid allows up to 7 days for a recoat. If you go past that window, it will require deglossing the entire floor with 120 grit sandpaper before you can recoat.
2) Yes.
3) If there was oil on the surface of the concrete the coating would have repelled those areas and formed fisheyes. These are spots were the concrete is still exposed due to the coating repelling the oils or contaminants. If the coating is adhered, then what you are feeling is not oil. It cannot migrate through a coating. Is it tacky feeling or do you get a residue on your fingers?
4) RockSolid is not a thick coating and it’s not 100% solids. As a result, it’s not going to smooth out rough areas of concrete. What you can do before applying a second coat is to sand that area as best you can with 40-60 grit sandpaper to try and smooth out some of the roughness without removing the coating down to the concrete. Go a little bit heavy with the application in that area and try not spread the excess coating out too much when doing the required circle movement with the roller.
Erika Kurtz says
Super helpful! Thank you so much!
As for #2, when I run my hands over this one spot in particular it feels greasy….oily….unlike the rest of the floor…and I’m pretty sure it left a greasy slippery residue on my finger. But the coating is definitely fully covered on the floor. So just don’t worry about it?? The floor definitely looks more dull in this area and not shiny like the rest of the floor. Just not cured as much as the rest of the floor yet?? Thanks again. SUPER HELPFUL. Trying to save this project! Erika
Shea says
Unless there is an actual oily residue, there is no need to worry. What you can do though is wipe down the area with some denatured alcohol on a microfiber pad.
Erika Kurtz says
Last question I promise! So if I do have fish eyes in some places what is the best way to fix them? Should I just lightly sand them before I do my second coat over the whole floor?
Also one other question I forgot to ask in the beginning. I had my concrete guy fill the cracks with epoxy for me and grind them down. When he was done some of them were black in color and sand-like and crumbly. I am guessing there was oil deep in some of these cracks which is why those repairs did not harden. So I scrubbed them clean and removed all of the lose material for hours. My concrete guy was supposed to re-fill the cracks that did not take 100% the first go around and grind them down again before applying the Rocksolid coating but alas I am sure you can guess when I got home and looked at my floor, half of it is smooth and the other half has half filled, pitted cracks. So my question is, is it too late to do anything about it now before I do the second coat. Can I still fill them with epoxy and sand them down even though it always has one cost on it? Not sure if I should just give up on it and deal with the pitting at this point! Thanks again. After all this time and money I really want to see it through well! Erika
Shea says
If the fisheyes are small, sometimes they can be sanded and coated over. However, if there are quite a few in an area then the coating should be stripped to the bare concrete and the contaminants removed from the slab properly. It sounds like your concrete would have been a good candidate for an oil stop epoxy primer. Unfortunately, home improvement stores do not carry the quality commercial products that you can get from online floor coating vendors.
The cracks really should have been taken care of before the first coat went down. If you fill them now they will look better once the coating is applied, but it’s not going to completely hide them. The reason is that you will have two coats of RockSolid surrounding the cracks and only one coat over the cracks.
Erika Kurtz says
Ugh I wish I had known about the oil stop epoxy primer beforehand. My floor was basically covered with thick black tar like oil in several spots. I dont know who parked in there or what they did to the floor but it was a mess and I spent days on end scraping and using a wire brush with Krud Kutter and pressure washing, maybe 60 hours…..I THOUGHT I had it clean….ugh. I dont think I have it in me to start over. There are too many spots.
What does the denatured alcohol do?
Erika Kurtz says
Can the same epoxy you use to fill the cracks be used to smooth out areas of super bumpy concrete? Just spread on top?
Shea says
No. The only epoxy that is going to do that is a 100% solids epoxy coating that is applied with a gage rake.
Shea says
Denatured alcohol will clean up the fine dust left behind after you vacuum and sweep from the sanding. In addition, it helps to degloss and remove any other residues that would interfere with adhesion of the coating.
Arnell Irons says
Shea to address the problem I had before of the polycuramine not drying and being sticky. Well its fixed now. Hope this helps. I taped off the parts that were sticky and put down floor stripper and let it set for a hour or so. I took a scrapper and scrap the topcoat off. I then clean with mineral spirits. It was still a little sticky so I rented a square floor sander and sanded the entire floor. I then clean twice with denatured alcohol and let dry for 24 hours. I bought another kit and redone the entire floor over the first epoxy making sure to mix bag for about 5 minutes and mixed every time I needed to pour. It dried over night and I put clear coat on it a day later. it looks great hope this helps. I’m not sure if all of this was needed but this is what I done. What I did learn was if you try to stretch it your project will fail and that goes for clear coat too.
Shea says
Fantastic, Arnell. We’re glad you were able to fix the issues you had. Your reply here will certainly help those that are reading up for tips. You are correct about not stretching coatings. It’s one of the top two common mistakes made with DIY applications.
brian stauss says
Just put RockSolid gray down on my new garage floor (6 weeks cure time on the concrete). I have the glossy, not glossy areas due to inconsistent thickness, I think due to the “broom brush” finish on the floor. Planning to put a second coat down, but first some questions. I have bubbles in this first coat. They appeared within a few minutes after rolling the product on. I tried rolling over them to pop them but they come back. It’s not everywhere on the floor but it’s in many many places. Some bubbles are as big as nickel. I “think” it is because I used a big box epoxy roller cover instead of the provided foam roller. The foam roller would not roll on my floor. I think the epoxy roller is introducing air into the product as it is laying it down. Once dry, I can burst the bubbles which leaves a crater. So, what’s the best way to get rid of the bubbles? I’m considering a floor polisher with maybe 100 grit – it shouldn’t take much to knock down the bubble and flatten the crater somewhat. The second coat, applied with the foam roller, should self level enough to provide a consistent gloss and fill in the craters. Second question – I need to add the anti-slip compound to the second coat as the floor will be very slippery when wet. How do I do that given that it comes in a pouch? Is it okay to pour in a bucket and add the anti-slip, then carefully stir by hand so as to not introduce air? Last, I may not be able to put the second coat down for 10 days after the first coat. will the second coat stick? I’m thinking it will, given that I’m roughing up the surface anyway with the polisher. Thank you – this forum is awesome!
Shea says
Hi Brian. From your description of the bubbles, you either had floor contamination or did not let the concrete dry long enough before application of the RockSolid after you etched. Bubbles would not reform if you didn’t have one of those two issues present. The roller should not produce bubbles like that. Use a few 60-80 grit sanding screens with the floor maintainer. You usually need to drop down 20 grit or so with sanding screens to get the same performance as sandpaper.
RockSolid provides instruction for the anti-slip. Once you mix the pouches appropriately, the contents are poured into a separate mixing bucket and then the anti-slip media is mixed in. A jiffy mixer on low speed works well. Pour the contents out onto the floor in ribbons for the designated area of coverage. Do not stretch the coverage rates. This is the number two mistake of DIY applications.
Yes, because the entire coat is roughed up you will be able to apply the second coat outside the 7 day recoat window. Deglossing and roughing up the surface is standard procedure when applying additional coats outside the recoat window.
brian stauss says
Thanks for the advice, Shea. Planning to sand and recoat this weekend.
William says
Thank you for the plethora of informational and knowledgable responses. This has been a great help. I’m heavily torn between going the more affordable route with Rock-Solid, Using a 1-part Polyurea like Nohr-S, and getting a 2-coat system.
I have a few questions I hope you can help with:
1) I assume any type of flake will work in conjunction with any of the floor coating systems mentioned, is my assumption correct?
2) What are the qualitative differences between the 1 and 2 coat Polyurea systems? Will I see a major difference in longevity and toughness from the 2-part systems?
Thank you!
Shea says
Hi William. Yes, any type of color flakes for coatings will work with either one. There are many qualitative differences between the two coatings. Here are a few examples.
One coat of single-part polyurea is going to be approximately twice as thick as one coat of RockSolid. Single-part polyurea is U.V. stable and will not amber (yellow tint) when exposed to direct sunlight or strong indirect sunlight. RockSolid is not U.V. stable and will amber in those conditions. Examples are garage doors that remain open for periods of time and allow sunlight in. Using the data sheets from All Weather Floors polyurea as and example, their polyurea has an abrasion resistance rating of 12mg. RockSolid has an abrasion resistance rating of 40mg. Abrasion ratings help to determine how well a coating will wear and stand up to abuse as well as compare to other coatings. Lower is better and the difference is exponential. Single-part polyurea is going to last years longer than RockSolid.
John Price says
I presently have Behr Waterproof Stain and Sealer on my garage floor it looks good with no problems except tire wear and lack of that glossy look what would need to be done to use you product?
Shea says
Hello John. The Behr product is an acrylic coating that is a stand alone product. It is not intended nor designed for a different coating to be applied over it. In addition, RockSolid is a polycuramine resinous coating and is not compatible with it.
Dylan says
Hi,
I plan to do our garage floor this weekend. I have purchased an epoxy floor kit (dymark) as they had our preferred colour however they do not have a clear colour as an option.
I’m wanting to use the rocksolid polycuramine clear coat to use as the final so I’m just wanting to know if this will be ok given the final coat is done within the recoat time?
Mixing expoxy and final coat with polycuramine?
Shea says
Hello Dylan. RockSolid polycuramine is not an epoxy. It’s a proprietary mixture of polyurea, polyurethane, and epoxy. It has not been officially tested for compatibility with other epoxy products in terms of achieving proper chemical adhesion when applied during the recoat window of the epoxy. We would recommend that you find a clear epoxy product instead. If you still want to use RockSolid clear, then it will require that you let the epoxy cure for a few days first. You can then rough up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper to degloss the finish enough to provide a mechanical bond. Wipe it down with denature alcohol or equivalent, then apply the RockSolid clear coat.