If you ask a person who has used a Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield or Quikrete garage floor epoxy paint kit to give you a review, you will get a different answer almost every time. Many people do not have kind words for these kits. They complain of the epoxy paint peeling up fairly quickly or of the coating itself wearing out in places. There are times however when Rust-Oleum or Quikrete don’t always deserve the bad reviews that they receive.
These kits of course are the ones you can purchase from your local home improvement center or online for $65 to $75. This one here is a good example from Amazon. They are water based, you generally have a choice of tan or gray colors, and they even have decorative paint chips to toss onto the surface. All of these kits will include some form of a citrus acid etch and cleaning solution for the concrete.
So why are so many people unhappy and bringing the reputation of these epoxy paints into question? The answer lies partly in people’s expectations, their lack of knowledge on how epoxy paint works, and the marketing of the paint kits themselves.
So why the problems with Rust-Oleum and Quikrete?
When the decision has been made to upgrade the protection and looks of the garage floor, some don’t want to break the bank or are on a budget which is understandable. When they visit their local home improvement store to see what paint is available, they may be advised on the added benefits of epoxy instead.
They are then pointed to the epoxy paint kits instead of the standard latex acrylic garage floor paint. Once they see the nice shiny picture on the box promising a beautiful epoxied floor that goes on with ease, they spend a little more money expecting the long lasting and durable coating that is advertised on the box.
The other scenario is the online shopper looking for a deal on epoxy floor coating products. They find great deals online for these epoxy garage floor paint kits with all the promises of a beautiful epoxy floor for less than half the price of other epoxy systems. They then make the purchase not really knowing what they are getting.
So, what are they getting? Both the Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield and Quikrete epoxy paint is an actual 2-part water based epoxy coating — one part is a tinted epoxide resin and the second part is a polyamine hardener. Both have approximately a 50% solids content by volume with the remaining being water. The water acts as a carrier agent for the epoxy and allows it to be applied very easily, just like paint and that is why they are marketed as such.
What happens, however, is this water base evaporates as the epoxy cures and what you are left with is just over 50% of what originally went on the concrete. Actual dry film thickness is approximately 3 mils for the Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield product and 2.4 mils for Quikrete.
————- Epoxy Review Update ————-
Due to the amount of questions we have received, we want to update this article to include the Valspar garage flooring kit as well. It falls into the same category as EpoxyShield and Quikrete. The Valspar product is a water based 2-part epoxy paint kit that cures to a dry film thickness of 1.5 mils.
Lowes generally carries this line, but you can find it here from Amazon and usually at a much better price.
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A better quality kit that is more expensive but doesn’t get as many bad reviews would be the Rust-Oleum Professional Series epoxy. The Professional series is solvent based instead of water based.
Best yet would be a higher quality epoxy that has up to 100% solids with no VOC’s to worry about. It’s more difficult to work with and you have a shorter period in which to do it, but when it cures, very little evaporates and what you have left is 100% of the product on your floor. As an example, epoxy paint is on average 2.5 mils thick when cured and 100% solids epoxy is 9 to 12 mils thick.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Rust-Oleum and Quikrete epoxy paint is a one coat product with a semi-gloss finish, where as commercial epoxy systems are a minimum of three coats with at least one of those being a glossy clear coat. This is what gives epoxy floors their shine and depth.
So as you can see, there is a big difference between a one coat product such as the Rust-Oleum or Quikrete epoxy and the much thicker and more expensive multi-coat system of commercial epoxy floors. You cannot expect to get the same protection, durability, and shine from these simple one coat kits that you do from a higher quality commercial product.
The big issue though is that many home owners are not aware of these differences in epoxy floors and expect the best from the lesser expensive kits.
This video is a good and honest evaluation of the typical DIY epoxy paint kits you can purchase from home improvement centers
Another problem is poor preparation of the floor when these kits are installed. This is probably the biggest mistake that is made. The pores of the concrete surface need to be exposed in order for epoxy to mechanically bond to it. This is called profiling the concrete. Rust-Oleum and Quikrete both give you a citrus acid cleaning solution to use on the concrete to help expose these pores, but the problem is that it’s not always effective. Many times you need something stronger such as muriatic acid to etch the floor.
A few drops of water on various spots of the floor can test this. If the concrete turns dark and immediately absorbs the water, then the concrete is profiled correctly. If it sits there without absorbing right away, the pores are not exposed and the epoxy will not bond well.
Poor profiling of the concrete is what causes the delamination or peeling of the epoxy paint within a few weeks or months. The pores of the concrete must be exposed and be free of all oils and dust. It takes more work to prep the floor than it does to apply the epoxy paint. Poor floor preparation is the cause of most bad coatings.
Can we recommend Rust-Oleum or Quikrete epoxy paint?
So, are the Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield and Quikrete garage floor epoxy paint kits truly bad? No, not necessarily. If you properly prepare your floor then you should be satisfied with the results as long as you are aware that what you are applying is not the same as a commercial epoxy coating. There are many people who have done just that and give great reviews about their floors.
For additional protection and a longer lasting floor coating, you can purchase an optional second coat of clear epoxy which will enhance the look and prolong the protection of the floor by doubling the thickness. The average life expectancy of these floors is 3 – 5 years before they start to show their age and even longer if you apply a second coat of clear.
Dollar for dollar, Rust-Oleum and Quickrete epoxy paint cannot compete with a commercial quality epoxy coating when you cost average your floor over years of service, but if you are on a budget, then these just might be the product you are looking for. In fact, there are actually more satisfied customers who have purchased these products and would recommend them again, than there are bad reviews. Just be sure that you know what to expect.
Hi,
I am wondering if I could use the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield on a concrete floor that has vinyl tiles. The tiles are firmly adhered to the concrete floor. If we prep the floor with 120 grit sandpaper and wash it clean, does the epoxy stand a chance to adhere to this type of floor?
Hi Rudy. Yes, the epoxy will adhere fairly well. However, you need to keep in mind that if the tiles have any type of pattern or relief cut into them, then it’s going to telegraph right through the coating. In other words, it’s not going to provide a smooth, seamless look. EpoxyShield is a low solids coating. Though it self-levels upon initial application, the wet film thickness of the coating shrinks as the water evaporates out during the curing process. It’s similar to what happens when you try to hide a blemish or nail hole when painting a wall. Once the paint dries, you can still see the defect.
Thank you.
I have a 20×20 shop out back that was here when I moved in. The problem is when they poured the concrete they didn’t put down a moisture barrier and the floor sweats doing temperature changes. Will this product keep my concrete floor from sweating. Thanks
Hello Chris. A moisture barrier blocks moisture from coming up from underneath the slab. Sweating is caused from condensation. Relatively warm moist air comes in contact with the cooler slab and condenses making it wet. I suggest reading our article here on sweating slabs. If your slab sweats, a coating will not prevent it since it will always be the same temp as the slab.
I am a professional painter and have used this product many times. Now that they put it in foil packs its crap.When l buy it l buy a 2and a half and a one car kit to make sure l have enough. The last 2 floors l have done have peeled and they don’t stand behind it. Also the clear coat that goes over it has hardened 2 on me in 10 minutes.The can gets so hot you can not touch it. I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER KIT OF THIS CRAP AGAIN.
I bought this product in June 2012 (2 packages) and stored the packages because life got in the way. I have not opened the boxes or cans but they sat in my basement storage room in temperatures around 5-8 degrees celsius (winter) and 8-20 degrees celsius (summer).
Is the product still good to use since sitting for 7 years?
Hello VF. Unfortunately it is way past the point being able to use it. 1 year is the usual shelf life, but you can usually get 1.5 years or so if it was stored well.
I’ve applied 2 part solvent based epoxy (Awlgrip, Interlux) using roll and tip for years. So I have some idea what I’m doing.
Brand new concrete inside a barn (was poured 8 months ago). Cleaned and scrubbed with the citrus. Let it dry for a week.
Temperature 80 degrees, humidity 60%, slab temperature not measured but probably around 70. Mixed Part A and B in separate bucket with electric paint stirrer for 15 minutes.
Applied with 3/8 nap roller. It went down beautifully and I was very pleased.
The next day… In the center of the floor are black splotches that are very shiny.
Very disappointed for the price, not understanding how it could separate like that after application.
Hoping I can paint over it with something else as the thought of sanding it off a 24′ x 14′ floor isn’t appealing!
Hello Alan. It sounds like a contamination issue of some sort. Separation is the typical reaction when that occurs. My concern is with the product that you are using. Most of the data sheets I could find for the brand support application to fiberglass, wood, steel, and fiberglass. Such smooth surfaces generally require rolling and tipping due to the smooth surface and the formula of the coating. It’s rare to require tipping for concrete applications. Do the data sheets for the product you are using support application to concrete substrates? If not, that could be the part of the problem. Regardless, if the epoxy has adhered well, you can apply the appropriate concrete coating over it. We would recommend using a floor maintainer with a 100 grit sandscreen to make quick work of it. You can hit the edges and corners using a pole sander. Wipe down with denatured alcohol on a microfiber pad before application.
I did my garage about four years ago. While it’s still holding up fairly well I wondering if in a year or two how can i apply another coating over the existing coat or will I need to strip off the old coat?
Hi Ronald. We have an article here that explains that exact procedure. As long as the old coating is still adhering well, you are good to go.
I use your product to do countertops. Are there any others out here that uses it for the same thing
Hello Eric. We don’t sell product. Are you referring to one of the examples of the garage floor coating kits in the article? Epoxy for actual countertops are 100% solids and of much higher quality that what is listed in this article. This is an example here.
I have used the Rustoleum Epoxy shield 2.5 Garage kit last week and I think it turned out pretty well, but I did make a mistake and ran the epoxy past the garage door and put paint chips that you can see from outside the garage which my wife does not like the paint chips, I was going to put on the clear coat and have looked at tinting the clear coat to hide the chips and darken the floor but I cannot find the tint additive available anywhere, would it be advisable if I went over the floor with a second epoxy shield coat to cover up the chips? Or look at another more expensive product from a paint suppler?
Hi Justin. The area that went outside the garage door is going to amber (yellow tint) due to exposure to U.V. light. You could coat over that area with a clear coat from Rust-Oleum, but it will amber as well (epoxy and polycuramine are not U.V. stable). You could apply a U.V. stable polyurethane or polyurea, but the epoxy underneath the clear will still amber even though the clear would not. The other option for the strip outside would be to rough it up with 120 grit sandpaper and then paint it with a latex acrylic concrete paint that is color matched. Latex will not amber. Since you are just driving over the strip and not parking on it, it will not peel from hot tires or be exposed to chemicals that will stain it. Of course the last option would be to grind it off to the bare concrete and then seal it with a penetrating sealer.
Would I be able to do a second coat with a U.V Stable Polyurethane over the whole garage floor? If so do you have any recomendations?
Yes, you can. Just keep in mind that it will not prevent the outside epoxy strip from ambering. Also, you will need to degloss and rough up the surface of the epoxy with 120 grit sandpaper in order to create a mechanical bond since you will be too far past the recoat window for a chemical bond. Most polyurethane for concrete coatings are high performance in nature and ordered from vendors online. You will not find it from a home improvement center. Here is an example of a very good product. If you have Sherwin Williams nearby, they sell a product called ArmorSeal Rexthane that is almost as good. Lastly, this is a good product from Amazon.
Help! My Rustoleum Epoxy floor covering is still tacky in about 25% of the area although we’re now coming up on 60 hours since applying. The puzzling thing is, the other 75% is totally fine and hard as a rock. Temperature has been with within limits here in Northern Virginia. A bit muggy, yes, but why then has the other 75% dried just fine? The area in question was covered using the same bag of mix as was used in other sections that are completely dry, and I kept moving so the problem isn’t ‘old’ mix. In fact, other areas I covered later with the same mix have also dried. I’ve had a strong floor fan blowing over it the whole time. What can I do?
Hello Nelson. Did you mix the coating in a bucket and then scrape the sides to get more of the coating onto the floor? If so, the coating that has stuck to the sides generally is not mixed well and as a result will not cure properly. Fans don’t help since curing is a chemical process. Coatings do not dry like paint does. Applying another coat will sometimes provide enough catalyst to activate the cure process. Before you do this, we recommend contacting Rust-Oleum customer service. They have a good reputation for helping customers and can determine the best course of action based on a few questions they will ask you.
Thank you for your response to my situation. In answer to your question, I was using the Rustoleum product in the double bag, where we pour out a ribbon directly from the bag, so there was no bucket. After looking on line at several youtube instructional videos I accepted the grim news that there is “nothing you can do” about a tacky surface that refuses to dry other than to REMOVE it. Arggh! I actually tried to do that — what a MESS! So here I sit, telling you and others on this blog that I’ve gone and purchased those flexible interlocking tiles that Lowe’s & Home Depot sell, and will be covering the entire floor today.
Yes, removing it is never fun. Just as an FYI, be careful about what information you pick up about coatings when searching the internet. There is a lot of wrong info out there and is one of the main reasons we started this website. Did you ask Rust-Oleum about coating over it to activate it? Good luck with the tiles and we hope things work out well in the end 🙂
We painted our 28 x 40 garage floor with the rustoleum rocksolid product which needed 2.5 kits. It is very noticeable where each kit left off. You should have a cutline or plan as many have said colors do not match. Also after product has dried it looks like it separated from the rustoleum flakes. Disappointed for all the work and cost.
Hi Norm. We have an article here that discusses how to ensure color match when using more than one kit. The coating will separate a little from the flakes. The reason is that it’s not 100% solids. There is some evaporation of solvents as the coating cures. This causes the thickness of the coating to shrink. That is why they state a wet film thickness and dry film thickness. You can apply a clear coat to protect the flakes and the color coat.
Thanks for the reply. Is there a paint, caulk, etc product that will go over RockSolid once dry. It really accentuates the cracks as the color pulls away.
That is why proper crack repair ahead of time is so important, Norm. You can apply a caulk, but all that will do is highlight those areas even more. You can’t apply a paint since all it will do is shrink up (a lot) as it dries and will not fill the crack. Unfortunately, if you want to hide the cracks it will require applying the proper crack repair filler, sanding, and then applying a new coating.
I have an older basement, the concrete floor had previously been painted but it has been chipping. I have scraped the loose flakes, vacuumed and washed the floor in its entirety, and today painted with Rustoleum Garage & Interior Floor Primer. I’m wondering if I’m now in a position to apply the epoxy, and have it adhere properly?
Hi MDC. According to the data sheets, you need to wait between 24-48 hours before applying a recoat of epoxy.
Hello, I am planning to cover my 2-car garage with the Rustoleum Professional epoxy kit. My garage floor is quite old and dirty, and (I think) has some kind of existing coating on it from the previous homeowners. I’m not sure what it is, but water beads up on the surface rather than soaks in. How can I determine what sort of coating is on it? Can I power wash it off, or use some kind of chemical solution? I know the foolproof answer is “grinding” but that sounds like a pain and expensive and I’d rather avoid that unless absolutely necessary. Thanks so much for the great information here!
Hi Shane. To be honest, we don’t know of one good example from someone who was successful with doing so and didn’t regret it. Trying to figure out what type of coating is on your concrete and then going through the messy and labor intensive process of cleaning the floor and chemically stripping the coating, is much more of a headache than just grinding it off down to the bare concrete. Grinding also preps the concrete for the coating at the same time. Chemical strippers work slow, they are sometimes expensive, and some are noxious depending on what you are trying to remove from the concrete. It requires a lot of scraping and washing, plus a place to dispose of the liquid remnants if they can’t be washed down the gutter. If you were to chemically strip it off, it still requires acid etching afterwards as well. This is why it’s always advantageous to grind when removing a coating. We would recommend renting a 10″ Edco concrete grinder from Home Depot or your local equipment rental. They are easy to run, they come equipped with a vacuum attachment, and the work well at removing old coatings.