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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.
I did my garage floor 1 1/2 years ago and the color is starting to fade I cleaned it last week and i actually left a foot print with my shoe. I don`t understand what is happening. I was very pleased till now and I don`t know what to do.
Hi James. What epoxy product did you use exactly and what did you clean the floor with?
If you completely sand the concrete to prep the floor, can you just mop the floor with denatured alcohol, than start applying the product. Or you need to etch after cleaning with alcohol? Is etching only required if you don’t sand ?
Hi Anthony. You can’t sand concrete to prep for a coating. Concrete is too hard and sanding will not rough it up enough. You need to either grind the concrete or etch the concrete. There is no need to wipe down the surface with denatured alcohol if you etch. If you acid etch, it’s extremely important to first neutralize and then rinse well. If you are using a DIY home improvement kit with supplied eco safe etch, then all that is required is a good rinse. Just makes sure that the concrete has thoroughly dried for 24-48 hours before applying a coating.
Thank you for your reply Shea. I meant grinding sorry about that. Okay so when it comes to prepping. I need to clean the surface first with something like rustoleums cleaner and degreaser, let that dry, fill cracks, grind, and finally etch? Let that dry and start painting. Can I just start grinding the floor if it has no oil stains? I don’t want to waist a day waiting for the cleaner and degreaser to dry if I don’t have to.
Hi Anthony. If the floor doesn’t have any stains and is fairly clean to begin with (other than surface dust, etc.), then do any required repairs first and then grind. The grinding will make the repairs flush. Etching should not be done if you grind. Once the grinding is done, sweep and vac the surface and then apply your coating. What type of coating do you plan to apply?
I planned on using rustoleums rock solid product because it’s supposed to be kore durable than the epoxyshield professional product correct?
Than I’m going to clear it the next day, than clear it one more time with the anti skid additive. I just want to make sure it lasts 10 years at least. Two coats of clear I think should help.
What product do you recommend that’s better than a Home Depot product? Something more commercial probably a little more pricey but better product?
If you use RockSolid it’s going to require two base coats of color. The reason is that RockSolid goes down thin and the first coat is going to look patchy with many areas of poor gloss and color tone. This is because it will be absorbed more due to the open pores and profiling of the concrete. For the price you are paying for RockSolid, you can apply a commercial quality single-part polyurea coating for maybe a few dollars more. Unlike RockSolid, polyurea is U.V. stable and will not amber (yellow tint) when exposed to sunlight – such as your garage door being open. In addition, it goes down twice as thick per coat and it has a much higher abrasion resistance for longer life. I suggest you read our article about single-part polyurea here. We reference three vendors who all have good product. Currently, Garage Flooring LLC has seems to be the best value overall due to the amount of material you receive. That can change with sales though. In addition, these vendors provide good customer support and will help with any application needs or questions.
Used Rustoleum epoxy garage floor paint and am very disappointed. Many areas of discoloration are present. Followed directions very carefully.
Hi Dan. Discoloration is usually caused from one or two things – sometimes both. The first and most common is from not following coverage rates. Coatings can’t be stretched at all or they get too thin and discoloration results. The other is having concrete that is more porous in areas. Most of the DIY coatings you can purchase at a home improvement center are thin to begin with. If the concrete is more porous in areas it will absorb more of the coating which results in too thin of a coating. This is despite following the proper coverage rates. When either of these two things occur, the only way to make it look like it should is to apply another coat.
I bought Behr wet look sealer and it made it look much better.
Yikes… OK. The Behr wet look sealer is just a water-based acrylic coating. It does not hold up well in an automotive environment. Hopefully you won’t have any issues with it anytime soon.
I talked with the representative and was told this is designed to go over epoxy garage floor coating.
Yes, technically it can go over epoxy or paint. It doesn’t mean it’s the correct product to choose though for your floor coating project. Unfortunately, many of the representatives for the national brand companies that sell DIY products only know what will work with the product they carry. They don’t have first hand knowledge of the proper type of coatings to use for particular projects and as a result, they ultimately provide bad information for homeowners. For future reference, whenever applying a clear coat to an epoxy coating the clear coat should be of same quality or greater in order to protect the color coat and keep the same or improve better overall performance of the coating. You would have have been much better off to apply the Rust-Oleum clear epoxy. Acrylic coatings are much less durable than epoxy, particularly water-based. As a result, the acrylic clear will wear faster and have inferior chemical and stain resistance as the colored epoxy, thus downgrading how well the surface will perform. Hopefully it will do OK for you in the short run.
Could I use garage floor epoxy on a bar top in my basement
Hi Marc. It depends on the bar top material, what you expect the epoxy to do for you, and what percentage of solids garage epoxy you had in mind. There are 100% solids epoxy specially formulated for bar tops only. Many garage floor epoxy kits do not have a high enough solids content to just pour it out on a bar top.
Hi, Marc, thanks for your time and trouble in advance. I ripped up carpet and prepared the slab of the concrete floors in my living/dining areas 23 years ago with solid guidance from a pro: Muriatic acid, cracks/nail holes filled and sanded, then a base layer of epoxy, then faux marbling, then a clear layer of epoxy on that. I used a two-part epoxy resin product made by Coronado, and it’s held up remarkably well, only dulled a bit over the years. I’d like to clean, lightly sand, and wipe with denatured alcohol, then apply a fresh coat of epoxy to bring back the gloss but can’t find the same product on the market. What would you recommend? I can send a photo if you’d like.
Hi Kim. We are assuming this is indoors? If so, we would recommend using a 100% solids epoxy clear coat. 100% solids does not have the solvents in it as a carrier agent that can create VOC’s and bad smells. It’s also very glossy and goes down thick. Just be aware that you have an approximate 30 minute pot life. Another good option for indoors would be one of the newer high-performance water-based polyurethane concrete coatings. They are easier to apply. Though thinner than epoxy, they actually will wear better. This is an example.
Hi Shea, I really appreciate your effort keeping this discussion forum alive. I have a question. I purchased and applied Rustoleum EpoxyShield in my workshop and am now going to do my garage. My workshop and garage are 6 months old, never used. My concern is that the painters never used dropcloths and sprayed the baseboard all the way around with about 4 inches overlapping on the concrete. I etched the entire floor including the painted 4 inch strip. I though that I’d be ok not stripping the over spray paint because its in a not-traffic area. Am i going to have peeling in a few years? I’d like to not have to strip the over spray in my garage before I do it. Your thoughts?
Hi William. Etching does not do anything to paint. It only works on concrete. What you need to do is sand those painted strips with some 60-80 grit sandpaper. This will rough up the paint enough for the epoxy to take hold. As long as the overspray is adhered well, you shouldn’t have any problems with peeling since it’s a non traffic area.
Thanks, i was hoping you’d say that. Another question. I actually have 3 different areas that i want to cover. 1 a workshop, 2 a garage for motorcycles and bikes and a garage for 2 cars. How important is it that i now apply a top clearcoat?
Clear topcoats are not required, William, but they are recommended. This article here explains why.
Hi, my garage floor was painted by the previous owners. I would like to do the epoxy floor, but am concerned that whatever solution I choose, it will not stick because of the old paint? It is wearing in places and seems as though it was not done correctly. What do you recommend for preparation and what type of product would work best in this case.
Hi Jeff. Whenever an older coating is suspect, it needs to be removing via grinding. If not, then the new coating may just peel up with old. We have an article here about grinding. For removing coatings, we recommend using the 10″ Edco grinder.
HI I used the Rust Oleum professional epoxy from Menards almost 20 years ago on a 60×40 service shop. I don’t believe the name of it at that time was professional Rust Oleum. I know it was about twice the money then the garage coating and came in two parts. Both were gallon size containers. I see they now have a gallon and a smaller container for the reactor. After 20 years it has not peeled anywhere!
Very slight fading and it has had heavy use. I believe the prepping with Muriatic acid and the fact it was new concrete were the big factors in its durability. Also waited 2 months for complete cure of the cement before application.
That’s great to hear, Gaige. Most likely it was a high solids or 100% solids epoxy.
Just purchased a house with a garage floor that has a previous coating, probably black-colored epoxy, but showing significant wear now. Do I have to grind the whole floor or is there another product that I can use to prep the existing epoxy floor?
What kind of epoxy kit or quality coating system do you plan to install?
Anything but the big-box retailer systems, so probably Legacy Ind. , Armor, or Garage Flooring products because of your website recommendations.
OK, here’s what you need to consider. Do you know if it was a quality epoxy coating that was applied (pro installation for example)? If so, and it just looks worn without bare spots, then you can prep the current coating degreasing, roughing up the surface with 120 grit sandpaper and then wiping it down with denatured alcohol. However, if the coating looks sound (no peeling or bare spots), but you don’t know the quality, then you are gambling with the long term durability if you coat over it. Your coating system is only as good as what it is adhered to. If the epoxy is a low quality box store product, then a nice coating system applied on top is going to be susceptible to how well the box store coating is adhered. If the coating is showing bare spots in places and/or the edges of those spots can be scraped up with a little work, then we would recommend grinding to remove the old coating and apply your new system to bare concrete.
Thanks. No idea since the previous owner was here 20 years and is long gone now. I Will share a photo later, but for the most part it shows some tire pick up in the usual spots but not too bad given that it could be 10 -15 yrs old.
I’m painting a car wash. What products would work best for the floor that’s wet all the time???
Hi Nick. The big issue to be aware of is how slippery the floor will be when you apply a coating that will be used in this manner. Water on coatings is slippery enough, but the addition of soapy suds on the surface will make it like walking on ice. Another issue is U.V. light. Epoxy will amber (turn yellow tint) and deteriorate after a while. It’s an indoor coating only. If this is outside at all, you will need to use a commercial quality polyurea or polyaspartic coating with a course aluminum oxide anti-slip media mixed into the final coat.
Hello,
I just had a 6000 square feet of my sign warehouse painted with Rustoleum 9100 series. Not sure how long it will last but the finish product looks amazing. I am happy.
Hi Abie. Rust-Oleum 9100 is not an inexpensive DIY coating. It’s a commercial quality, high solids coating that is designed for coating metal and concrete. It’s not uncommon to use in warehouse environments.
Hi. I am actually redoing my concrete kitchen floor. 8 years ago, I put down garage paint with acrylic clear seal over the top. I am now looking into getting a kit of the pro series expoxy shield from rustoleum and buying vinyl flakes from a concrete supply dealer. Rustoleum only has a few options for flakes so we are going elsewhere for that. I always assumed I would need to remove the old clear seal as a part of surface prep. However, rustoleum has a product out now called Concrete and Garage Recoat Primer. It claims that it can be put down over previously sealed concrete, with no sanding or grinding required. Do you think this would serve as a suitable option that I can then put the expoxy shield down on top of?
Hi Jamie. If you are staying within the Rust-Oleum line, then it is a viable option. We discuss that exact product here.
Can I paint over old dried carpet glue with epoxy paint and will I need the solvent based paint?
Hi William. We received you other messages as well. No, you cannot apply paint or epoxy over mastic. It will not adhere well. If you want to do it right, you need to remove the mastic first via grinding or chemical stripping. If you want to apply epoxy, the concrete needs to be prepped properly via etching or grinding. Grinding would remove the mastic and prep the concrete at the same time. Etching will not remove mastic.