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.
KC says
I have just spent 9 hours grinding the surface of my garage. Do I need to etch as well? I’d like to save the drying time if at all possible.
I’ve used this in a 6000sf shop after grinding old flaking, epoxy off. After one year, only welding dropped heavy sharp parts (concrete chipping) and tires spinning on gravel (snow) has damaged it. No peeling. No hot tire pickup. It took roughly twice as much as indicated though and it IS SLICK when wet especially with road salt!!!
Shea says
Hi KC, anytime you grind concrete you do not need to etch. If you want to make it much less slippery, use an anti-slip additive in the final coat.
Ken says
Shea, I applied a first coat of RockSolid to my garage floor 2 days ago. As someone had stated above, the perimeter turned out great but there are areas towards the center of the floor that have no gloss. I applied the paint chips while doing the first coat because I didn’t know I would need a second one. Is my best option at this point to 1) apply the separate clear coat over the whole floor or 2) get another box of RockSolid and put a second coat on the entire floor? Also, what kind of prep work will I need to do before the next coat goes down?
Shea says
Hello Ken. The RockSolid coat goes on thin. The problem with that, as well as any coating that goes on thin, is that if you have porous areas of concrete and you are using close to the full coverage rate for the floor, the porous areas of concrete absorb more of the coating an it looks flat in appearance. The only way to fix it is apply a second color coat. A clear top coat will not fix it.
RockSolid states a recoat window of up to 7 days depending on temperatures. If you can get a second coat down before then, you should be fine. Same goes for the clear. If you are close to the 7 day window or surpass it, you will need to rough up the finish by sanding first before you can apply another coat. We talk more about how to do that here. Keep in mind with a new coating, you are just roughing it up a bit, you are not trying to remove any of the coating.
Jeff says
I recently used hot traxx epoxy paint on my garage floor after cleaning thoroughly I want a gloss sheen, but wanted to know if I can apply gloss rocksolid on top of the painted floor. I painted 2 days ago
Shea says
Hi Jeff. The Hot Traxx epoxy paint and RockSolid are two dissimilar product. It would require sanding your paint in order to get the RockSolid to adhere. Due to the thin dry film thickness of the Hot Traxx you would also risk sanding through the paint. Keep in mind that the Hot Traxx is the weak link between the two and you would still run a higher risk of hot tire pickup since it’s the Hot Traxx that is adhered to the concrete.
Eric says
Thank you for this great site. I am in the process of finishing my garage, and the floor is next. I would love for a professional to come coat my floor, but that is not in the budget. I was at Menards tonight and saw the Rocksolid, I am considering going that direction. I have a couple questions though.
1. My garage is about 875 sqft, and I Do a bit of work out there including welding, grinding, rolling floor Jack’s, and also have a motorcycle table lift. Do you think this would hold up, or is there a better product you would recommend? I just built the house 6 months ago so cost is a huge factor.
2. Being the slab is only 6 months old do you think etching will do the trick?
3. My garage floor is fibercrete, will that make a difference?
Any help would be appreciated, thank you.
Shea says
Hello Eric. One thing to keep in mind is that welding can burn the finish of ANY floor coating you choose depending on how close it is to the floor and the type of welding. It will leave black marks that you cannot clean out. Light grinding generally does not have an effect, but if you do heavy grinding near the surface, you do run the risk of burning the finish. Unless you stay with bare concrete, welding blankets should be used to protect any type of garage flooring from burns.
For the type of work you plan to use your garage for, RockSolid would not be our first choice. A single coat is only 3 mils thick when dry. For someone who only parks their cars in the garage and does light mechanical work and projects, RockSolid is a great product compared to some of the other less expensive DIY kits available. For what you use your garage for however, you will need a minimum of two coats for it to have a chance at standing up. At 875 sqft that would be 8 kits based on their maximum 250 sqft coverage rate.
We suggest you look at a new polyurea garage floor coating my Legacy Industrial called Nohr-S. Dry film thickness is 6 mils and it has a maximum coverage rate of 300 sqft. It’s a much tougher coating and is designed to stand up to abuse. We are currently writing an article about this product and it has us fairly impressed. They recommend two coats for best protection which would be total thickness of 12 mils. The best part is that it’s a 1 component product. Just mix in the can and go. The pot life is long as well so there is no rushing to put it down and it cures fast after it is applied. Cost for two coats would a little more expensive, but not much. Plus, you would get a professional floor system that is made for that type of work. Floor jacks and table lifts are not an issue.
Either way you will need to grind your garage floor. Acid etching would normally be OK, but the problem is your fibercrete. Acid etching exposes the small fibers in the concrete which will actually stand up and want to poke through your coating. The grinding levels them flush. Some people who have acid etched fibercrete have had to burn the fibers off before coating.
The other alternative is a great product called Rust Bullet, as long as you don’t mind a semi-metallic gray color. It’s extremely tough and as long as you don’t have a cure and seal product on your concrete, you don’t even need to prep the surface. You would need a minimum of 3 coats which would put you in the price range of the RockSolid product.
Brian says
Shea,
Great website; I am so glad I found it. I just purchase the Restore (rocksolid) kits from Lowes, based on the suggestion of the salesperson. I knew little about their differences until reading this article.
My Arizona house is brand new construction. My foundation is a post-tension slab that was poured around 2 months ago. Garage is 955 sq. feet (4 car). The garage concrete has a rather rough surface (looks like a broom finish). My main intent is not so much cosmetic improvement, but to make the floor easy to clean up. I work on my vehicles a lot. I would like to be able to simply mop up the spills without the concrete soaking up all of the liquids.
I etched the garage today and was preparing to coat it tomorrow but decided to wait until I come up with the best plan of action. Concrete is very clean obviously because it is new and had seen no traffic or spills so I think the coating should adhere well. The etching process went well, as I did it per the instructions. I bought 4 of the 1 car kits, but since this stuff goes on so thin I think I may need 2 coats. I am currently trying to figure out what my best option would be. I have come up with few:
1. Put down the 4 kits without the paint chips, buy 4 more kits and recoat within 7 days, adding the paint chips on the 2nd coat.
2. Put down the 4 kits with the paint chips, and then clear coat it within 7 days (if so which clear coat do I use?)
3. Find another alternative, if it would simply be cheaper to seal the floor somehow using a different product.
As I mentioned before my main concern is making the floor easy to clean with a mop or rag, which requires somehow sealing the pores of the concrete.
Thanks so much for all of the information you have shared here. I have learned a lot in the last few hours of reading.
Shea says
Hello Brian. One coat of the Lowes Restore coating is going to look patchy (dull looking spots mixed with glossy spots) and will go on even thinner due to absorption with a rough floor that has been acid etched properly. You will need a minimum of 2 coats just to achieve a uniform look. You could apply a clear coating after that if you like.
For less money you can apply 1 coat of a high solids, commercial quality epoxy that would be 3 to 4 times thicker than the Restore. Plus, it will last much longer and stand up to abuse better. Here is an example from our friends over at Garage Flooring LLC. You would need a total of 5 gallons to cover 955 sq.ft. Give them a call if you have any questions. They have great customer service.
Rod says
Hello – I purchased rocksolid kits to coat the floor in my new garage (brand new actually). Cleaning the garage floor I today noticed a sewage access drain (covered) that I cannot cover with epoxy.
Do you have any tips on how to go about circumnavigating this little piece and keeping the integrity of the overall system high? The drain in question is in the left most car port of our two car garage, if we split the garage into four quadrants it would be in the left, bottom (middle of the quadrant). Your advice is appreciated greatly!
Shea says
Hello Rod. We are familiar with these PVC sewage covers. Tape over the cover with good duct tape, making sure to let the tape run over the edge onto the concrete. Press the duct tape on real well. Once you do that, take a razor knife or blade and trim the tape around the cover where it meets the concrete. If you can reach the cover from the driveway, remove the tape as soon as the coating begins to set up. If you can’t reach it, remove the tape as soon as the coating has tacked up enough that you can walk on it. It may require the razor to cut some of the coating if it has gotten too hard. Repeat this procedure for any additional coats.
Rod says
Awesome thanks. I’ll be starting on this in the next day or so and I’ll let you know how it goes.
Rod says
One final question (for now). I’ve seen videos of people walking on epoxy as they install it, can this be done with the rocksolid product? Or is it no recommended?
Shea says
Yes it can Rod. You just need to wear a pair of spiked shoes.
Rod says
Would golf shoes work?
I’ve also learned something new that could be helpful. If using rocksolid clear coat be sure to confirm that the product is not expired – especially if purchased from a store. You can call the 800# on the back of the box and read the serial number off the package before rolling it out. This only pertains to the clear coat, the undercoat does not have an expiry date.
Shea says
Yes, old metal spiked golf shoes will work Rod. Great info on the expiration dates.
Darrell says
Can I use rock solid to recoat a rock solid floor I finished a few weeks ago
Shea says
You sure can Darrell. Since you’re past the 7 day recoat window for the RockSolid polycuramine, you will need to rough up the surface first with 150 grit sandpaper before applying another coat.
Rob says
Do you suggest using muriatic acid to etch the floor instead of the citric acid that comes with the polycuramine coating? I want to be sure I prepare the floor as best I can before applying.
Shea says
Hello Rob. You will get a better surface profile with the muriatic acid than the citric acid. They use citric acid because it’s safer, but it’s not as effective. If your concrete is older with a worn surface that isn’t smooth, then the citric acid will work in most cases. However, if it’s newer concrete with a smoother surface, the muriatic is best.
Andrew says
Great write up. I just finished my basement floor using a two-car garage kit from Rocksolid. Looks good as of now, I’m hoping it holds up as promised. I want to add a clear coat, and here’s my question: can I use an epoxy or polyurethane top coat over the polycuramine or do I HAVE to use a polycuramine top coat? I already have a gallon of polyurethane and I’m hoping I don’t have to spend another $200 to buy the specific polycuramine clear coat. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Shea says
Hi Andrew. You don’t have to add polycuramine for a clear top coat. You can use epoxy or polyurethane. A good polyurethane is going to give you the best abrasion resistance, clarity, and U.V. resistance compared to epoxy. Do not use polyurethane from home improvement centers however. They are designed for wood floors only and are not compatible for concrete coatings. Polyurethane coatings for concrete are usually purchased from commercial vendors online or at concrete supply centers.
You will need to scuff up the surface first with 150 grit sandpaper and then wipe down with denatured alcohol before applying an additional coat since your previous coats are already cured.
Ed says
Can you recommend a specific polyurethane /provider that will work well with aluminum oxide anti slip aggregate as a topcoat over a Rock Solid floor with flakes? I’m having trouble finding data on product compatibility. Current outside temps are around 40-50 deg but I can keep the interior air temp up to 80 and floor temps in the 60s with a blast heater. Thank you
Shea says
Hello Ed. Most manufacturers will not list compatibility of their product outside of their brand. Where you need to be concerned most with compatibility is when you are trying to achieve a chemical bond by applying Brand A over Brand B during the curing process. If the RockSolid floor has already cured, then a polyurethane top coat would be compatible without issues. You will need to degloss the coating in order for the polyurethane to adhere properly however. Do this by roughing it up with some 100-150 grit sandpaper, sweep or vacuum up the dust, then wipe the floor with some denatured alcohol applied liberally to a lint free towel. Remember, you are just roughing up the surface, not removing any of the existing coating. The aluminum oxide can mixed into the final coat of polyurethane.
We recommend contacting Garage Flooring LLC or Legacy Industrial about the polyurethane. They both sell various formulations based on your needs. Plus they are experienced in application techniques and can answer any other questions you may have.
Ed says
Thank you. My floor has not fully cured yet since I just put it down Friday night and I should have 7 days according to the manufacturers instructions.
Is it advisable to try and take advantage of a chemical bonding or wait until it’s past that point and go the sanding route?
Shea says
Keep in mind Ed, that 7 day window for a chemical bond is for applying polycuramine to polycuramine. It’s not necessarily a window for applying a completely different product which polyurethane is. We recommend checking with both manufacturers first before you attempt a chemical bond. You will be safe regardless however if just wait the 7 days and rough up the surface.
Adam says
Hi,
I’ve been reading these posts for the past hour and have learned a lot. Thank you for all the great info.
I have just recently installed a Rock Solid Color System in a bedroom in my basement. It’s my first one. I love the way it looks and how easy it was to install. However, I feel like I may have went too thin with the roller as there are some spots where I can see spots of concrete. There are also some areas where it seems less glossy than the rest. Its been three days since I installed it. I rented a floor grinder as my prepping the concrete tool which is way more effective than chemicals in my opinion. I also noticed a few bubbles pop up. My question is this, can I roll another color-coat over the top to cover the few bare spots without fear of the colors blurring and will this help make the floor appear more glossy? I’m hoping for answers/tips/advice asap so that I may be able to re coat before the 7 day period is up. ANY advice is appreciated as I intend to complete the entire basement with this product. Another bedroom, living room, bathroom and laundry room. Thank you for your time.
Shea says
Hello Adam. The short answer is yes. The RockSolid kit was designed with acid etching in mind. Since you did a professional concrete prep by grinding, the concrete surface became more porous and absorbed more of the coating. This is not bad by the way, it’s a good thing as it creates a better bond and the first coat acts like a primer coat. Applying another coat will create much better color consistency and gloss. If the area where the bubbles where created is bumpy, just take some 150 grit sandpaper to it before you apply the second coat.
Adam says
Thank you so much, that was the reply I was hoping for!
Adam says
So I applied the second coat 2 nights ago. It has made a huge improvement. It looks a lot better…from a distance. It’s definitely shinier and the color improved, but up close it appears that the clear coating part of it didn’t self-level? It’s not smooth like I was anticipating. It’s difficult for me to explain and I’m sure there’s a word for it, but throughout the entire floor it’s like the clear coating didn’t spread to cover the floor evenly leaving areas of the floor feeling rough. There also seems to be tiny bubbles/bumps throughout as well. This is in a room in my basement. It’s about 215 sq ft. Box says it’ll cover 250 and I realize that by grinding the concrete for prepping, the concrete will absorb more of the product. Which is why I laid the second coat. I hope I don’t need to apply another coat to get the smooth, shiny, flat look that I’m looking for. That’ll start to get expensive. I just wish I new what I did wrong, and how I can fix it. Anyone with the same issue? Please fill me in. Thanks.
Perhaps in-floor heat affects it somehow? We leave it set at about 67 degrees.
Shea says
Adam, you didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, though it’s hard to critique a floor without seeing it in person. The bubbles can be caused by over rolling or rolling too hard. However, the real issue is how thin the polycuramine goes down and it does not like going on thick. It can bubble if it does. This really limits the self-leveling aspects of this product. High solids epoxy is much better for that. Keep in mind, it takes some work to get that glass smooth look that the pros get. It usually involves sanding the previous coat with 100-150 grit sandpaper to make the surface as smooth as possible first.
Adam says
Do you think that if I sanded it down smooth and laid a coat of polyurethane it would improve all the voids that are missing? There are rough looking dull patches all over the room? I don’t expect it to be perfect but there is definitely room for improvement. Would I be better off attempting a third coat? Maybe I should have hired it out, but that goes against my DIY background, ha.
Shea says
Polyurethane isn’t going to improve the dull voids Adam. Those are usually a result thin application of the color coat. It could be from the coating not getting rolled correctly or rolled too thin in areas. We recommend giving RockSolid’s customer service a call and tell them what you are encountering. We’ve found that they have offered free kits to fix issues. And yes, if you apply a third coat, give it a sanding first to smooth everything down. Wipe it down with some denatured alcohol applied generously to a towel to remove the fine dust and then you will be ready to go.
Marshall says
Hello all, I’m curious if anyone has tried this in doors in a “main” area of the house, not just a basement. Right now I have horribly ugly ceramic tile that I need a reasonably priced solution to. I was thinking this might be a cool look throughout the house and would be much cheaper than anything else. Anyone else try this and have any luck? Thank you for any help
Bruce says
According to the RockSolid instruction sheet it says not to use muriatic acid as it opens up the pores too much. Above in the comments and elsewhere on this site you still advocate using muriatic acid as an etching agent. Please comment. BTW great site. You’ve raised more comments and questions to myself than I could ever think of.
Shea says
Hello Bruce. You ask a great question. We believe that RockSolid doesn’t like the use of muriatic acid for exactly the reason they state. Because of the better wetting characteristics and the thin dry film thickness, a more porous floor has a tendency to absorb more of the product. This is ideal for the best bond possible, but it can create a spotty looking matte finish in areas when only 1 coat is used. This happens when there is not enough dry film thickness in areas where it penetrated more into the concrete. The best solution when this happens is to apply a second coat. This not only gives great color uniformity, it also creates a more durable and thicker coating.
The RockSolid Safe Etch they recommend does not prep a concrete floor nearly as well, though they state it should be fine for their coating. It does seem to work OK for garage floors that were finish troweled by hand. Since it doesn’t create as porous a surface, the finished outcome is much nicer, though you are not getting the best bond possible. However, it doesn’t work well for very smooth floors and machine troweled floors since the surface is much denser. If you only want to apply one color coat, you can always use their Safe Etch and do a water drop test. If the water is absorbed quickly by the concrete then you should be OK. If it sits there for a while, then you will be better off with a stronger etch solution.
Bruce says
Thanks Shea. I will be building a new 24 X 24 shop/garage so it will be new concrete. I guess I should ask the contractor to hand trowel. Didn’t realize there was that much difference in troweling results. Looks like a two coat application will cost me about $400-$600 depending on the coverage I get. Guess you don’t get what you don’t pay for. Thanks again.
Shea says
Most concrete contractors hand trowel for such floors unless you asked for a machine troweled finish. Check your quote. It’s a more costly process that provides a very smooth surface. Just make sure they don’t apply a cure and seal or it will have to be removed before a coating is applied.
Nancy says
I would like to use the Rocksolid in my main house over laminate. Can this be done?
Shea says
Hi Nancy. More than likely, yes. We recommend you contact RockSolid though first to verify. It will require sanding the laminate first though in order to provide enough bite for the coating to adhere.
Linda says
I am considering purchasing the RockSolid kit for my basement. We have a 60 year old house and we used a floor grinder to prep the cement. I would like to put down the chips. Do we paint the floor with the first coat, then within 7 days, sand the floors and use denatured alcohol and paint the second coat and at that time put down the chips. Then follow it up with the diamond coat clear? just a little confused on the cleaning needed prior and the steps to complete the project.
Shea says
Hi Linda. The color coat goes down first with immediate application of the color chips. It helps to have someone toss them in as you go. You can apply the second coat (clear for example) within 8-10 hours of the first. If you can press your thumb onto the coating without it leaving a print you are ready to go. RockSolid says you have up to seven days to put down an additional coat. You would only need to rough up the surface with sanding if you go past the 7 day window.
Since you prepped the floor via grinding it should be clean. Just make sure there is no concrete dust remaining on the floor. You can damp mop if necessary, just make sure the surface is completely dry before applying the first coat or water vapor escaping from within the concrete will form bubbles in the coating. You may need to apply 2 color coats however since the first will penetrate well into the concrete and may not achieve good color uniformity throughout the floor. If you elect to do two color coats, apply the color chips in the second color coat.
Linda says
One last question – how stinky is it? We have a very young child and I need to know if we need to find an alternative place to stay until the odor decreases.
Shea says
It’s low odor and VOC free Linda.
Dan Baker says
I have used muratic acid to etch a garage floor that is 12 years old. Do I need to neutralize the acid before I apply the Rocksolid product? They include a citrus based etch but I have already used the acid and am not sure what proper steps to take to now apply the product. I have a power washer available and can use that or baking soda if necessary. Also, after the cleaning process, how long must one wait to allow the moisture content to be low enough if fans are used to dry the concrete?
Tahnks so much for your help.
Shea says
Hi Dan. If you used muriatic acid then you definitely need to neutralize it. Baking soda works well. Just be sure to rinse liberally there after. You can read our article about acid etching which covers neutralizing. Fans will quicken the drying process. Just remember that it has to dry from within as well as on the surface. If moisture is still escaping from within the concrete it will form bubbles while the first coat is curing. You need to wait at least 24 hours. Longer if the humidity is higher.
Tim Mahony says
Hi Shea- hoping you can help me. I just got through with 1/3 of my garage and stopped. Yesterday I etched the floor and hosed it off twice and let it dry for 24 hours. It’s a new house/garage (6 months old) Today I applied Rocksolid along with the decorative paint chips on a total of 1/3 or so of the garage when my wife stopped me and pointed out that the finished areas seem to be cracking. Obviously the paint is still wet but the paint appears like there are several tiny cracks thoughout. Little veins running through to ensure painted area. Like I said I already applied the paint chips. What should I do? It’s out there drying right now with hundreds of little cracks/veins/hairline fractures through out. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
Shea says
Hello Tim. It’s hard to tell without seeing something like that in person. It almost sounds like it was stretched too thin upon application (pressing to hard on roller) or you had some sort of defect with the roller. At this point there isn’t much you can do except let it cure overnight and then visually inspect the floor when you can walk on it. If it’s from either of those scenarios, you can always apply another coat. RockSolid allows up to 7 days to recoat.
Tim Mahony says
Ok. Being that this section already has the chips on it how big of a problem is that gonna be to apply another coat? Can I just paint over them? Will it look ok if I paint over them? I can send you a couple pictures if that would help you?? Thanks.
Shea says
Yes Tim, you can just paint over them and then apply more chips. Lightly scrape the floor first to remove any chips that may be loose or sticking up in the air. You can send a pic through our contact page if like. Have you had a chance to inspect the floor? Also, you may want to contact Rust-Oleum customer service and tell them about your issue as well. We’ve heard many reports from our readers of Rust-Oleum sending out new kits to help with issues.
Sam says
HI,
I just bought the metallic kit, which comes with a silver bullet stain. However, I would like to use a different metallic stain color with this coating, can I use another brand of metallic epoxy stain to color this coat or is there something special or different about the metallic stain that they include with the kit?
Shea says
Hello Sam. RockSolid offers 4 different colored tint packs for their product. It’s designed to work specifically with the polycuramine clear and you should not substitute a different manufacturer’s product.
Joe says
I am closing on a new build home in a couple days. The garage concrete has been power washed by the builder. Do I still need to use the acid supplied in the kit, or can that step be skipped?
Shea says
You have to acid etch at a minimum Joe. Prepping the concrete properly is the most important step of the entire process. Poor prep is the number one reason for coating failure.
Bob cunningham says
Hi
Can rock solid be applied over exposed aggregate?
Thanks and Regards
BOB
Shea says
Hello Bob. RockSolid is a poor choice for application to exposed aggregate. You would need a high solids epoxy, possibly with a sand slurry, to create build that is thick enough to fill in all the voids and self level – and that would be the first coat. After that a color coat of your choice could be applied.
Lauren says
Hello,
I was planning on using this product for a client who currently has a coating of a common garage floor epoxy kit sold at major home improvement stores.
Is it safe to use polycuramine over existing epoxy? If so, do you reccomend rouching up the surface first? It seems to already have some grip/texture on it.
Thank you!
Shea says
Hi Lauren. Yes, you can apply the RockSolid over the existing epoxy. It requires cleaning the surface of the existing epoxy and then roughing it up with 100 grit sandpaper in order to provide enough bite for the RockSolid to adhere properly.
Patrick says
I am planning on doing a heavier broadcast of flakes than is included in the kit to cover up all the imperfections in my 25 year old garage. Any problems with closer to a full broadcast of vinyl flakes?
Shea says
Hello Patrick. A heavy broadcast of chips should be fine as long as you don’t broadcast to full refusal. The RockSolid coating goes on much thinner than the typical epoxy coatings that are used for full broadcast applications.
John says
HI Shea – Great Article and I love reading the comments. They are very helpful. I have a roughly 775 square feet 3 – car garage that I want to start working on. The garage will be used simply for parking my car, motorcycle, and doing some light auto work, along with storage. I’m debating between choosing the RockSolid Polycuramine, Legacy HD Garage System Kit, and the Epoxy-Coat System from Lowes. Unless you have a better and less expensive alternative.
Also, is 2 coats and clear coat recommend for either of these products? I want to have a long lasting finish that is durable in the dry and ever changing Colorado weather.
Shea says
Hello John and thanks for the kudos. The products you mentioned have varying degrees of durability depending on the system of products used. The RockSolid kit is a step up from the typical DIY home improvement epoxy kits that are available today. You may or may not require two color coats depending on the porosity of the concrete after it is prepped. Because RockSolid goes on thin, it can occasionally create a color uniformity issue that requires a second coat. A second coat regardless will provide more durability and a coat of their clear will help to protect the color coat.
The Epoxy-Coat kit from Lowes is a 100% solids epoxy as well as that from Legacy Industrial. These are commercial quality epoxies with a single coat dry film thickness 3 times that of RockSolid. In other words, a complete 3 coat application of RockSolid, as described above, will only be as thick and not as durable as one coat of 100% solids epoxy. The Epoxy-Coat kit from Lowes may or may not offer a clear epoxy top coat to cover your color flakes. An epoxy clear is not the best choice for a clear coat. We talk more about clear coats here.
The Legacy Industrial kit offers a primer as well as a high performance clear coat option. If a primer and high performance clear is used, you would have the same type of floor as what the professionals use. We recommend pricing each out John to look at total cost. In the long run, the better quality systems always have the best return on the dollar. One other alternative that is getting great reviews so far is Nohr-S by Legacy Industrial. It’s most likely the easiest to apply and will give similar performance to a professional system.
Randy says
Should you use an anti skid product with the Rocksolid? How slippery is it when wet?
Shea says
It can get slippery when wet Randy. It’s not too bad however. If you live in a wet climate and anticipate wet floors much of the time, then yes, it would probably be a good idea.
brian says
I plan to install the rock solid, but did not read prep instructions before I sealed the concrete with primer/sealer (after pressure washing).
Can I go forward from here and install the epoxy ?
Shea says
Hello Brian. Generally you can’t go on without grinding the surface first. However, we recommend contacting Rust-Oleum first and tell them specifically which type of sealer you used to get guidance where to proceed from here.
Ryan says
Hey Shea, i’m looking to apply the Rocksolid coating on my garage floor. I have a couple of concerns about the etching solution. After I am finished etching, it’s instructed to wash the solution down a wet driveway. My concern is that my driveway has a clear seal that was applied last summer. I worry that the etch will leave stains on the driveway and partially take off the cement sealant. Can I just vacuum up the etch solution instead of running it down my driveway? Also how long should I allow the etch solution to dry before I can epoxy. Can I wait a week between the etching process and the Epoxy process?
Thanks for all your help!
Shea says
Hi Ryan. Making sure the driveway is wet before you wash it down is the key. You should not have any issues. Plus, the sealer should not be affected. The acids in the etch compound react with the free lime in concrete. When the concrete is sealed, the etch can’t react. You can vacuum up the solution first before you rinse it down if you like. Either way, make sure the driveway is wet before you begin the process and before you rinse. Rinsing is extremely important. The longer you wait to allow the concrete to dry the better. There really is no time limit as long as the concrete remains clean and dust free.
Ryan says
Thanks for the quick response! This is good to know. I purchased all my supplies to start the etch this weekend. I will plan to wait about a week for this to dry. Do I really “need” a clear coat on top of my existing coat? It almost double’s the price of the floor. I don’t plan on putting heavy traffic or chemical’s on my floor. Just your day to day mechanic’s and wood working. I was hoping to put down a heavy broadcast of flakes but noticed that the box requires a clear coat for a heavy broadcast of flakes.
Shea says
You don’t have to put a clear coat on the floor Ryan, but it does have its benefits. It will make the floor more durable as well as protect the color coat. If you don’t do a clear coat you will lose a small percentage of your color chips since some will not stick as well and can break away from driving over them and walking on them. It’s usually not a big deal. You do need to add a clear coat for heavy flake coverage however. If you don’t, a heavy percentage of flakes will come loose in high traffic areas and look patchy. Plus, the floor will loose most of its gloss and be difficult to clean due to all the nook and crannies that the flakes create.