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.
———————————————————————–
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 accidentally Did one coat of Behr one part epoxy grey concrete paint. I used a primer first. I just realized I messed up and needed the 2-part epoxy..the first coat is 12 hours dry..can I apply the epoxy 2 part over the epoxy one part or do I have to start all over and strip paint etc 🙁 ????
Hello Daron. If you want to use the better 2-part epoxy, you will unfortunately need to remove the paint and bonding primer first to expose the bare concrete. The adhesion and performance of epoxy is limited by what it is adhered to. The best way to do this is by grinding the concrete.
i applied the 2 part Quikrete product 8 years ago to my garage floor. i’ve been very happy with it, but have a couple spots that have peeled. can I apply another coat of the same product right over the other or do I need to srtip the paint first?
You can Steve, but it still requires some prep. This article explains what needs to be done when applying new epoxy to an old coating.
So, can you recommend a few high quality products for my garage floor?
There are quite a few to choose from Josh. You could start by visiting some of our sponsors on the right side bar. We have done a few articles on product as well which you can look at here.
Floor looks great. I did everything wrong. Watched youtube before I bought the kit. Damaged the floor with muriatic acid. Spent a lot of time repairing the damage. The kit comes with citric acid. Follow instructions exactly, roll out paint thoroughly, do not try to stretch it out or you will have dull spots like I did. Called tech support they recommended recoating with clear epoxy within 48 hours . I recoated it and did another sorry job rolling and ended up with more dull spots. Called tech support about recoating. I had waited past the 48 hour window, had to sand with 60 grit sandpaper. Second coat of clear looks great, dried rock hard . Read instructions and don’t make my mistakes.
I have a two car garage, and its about 450 sq feet. As per my reading, Epoxy Kit and Epoxy Professional can cover about 400 sq feet which means 2 gallon is not enough unless I stretch. So I have a question, Can I do a two coats of Epoxy Shield 2 Part water based kit, which costs about 150$ for two kits [about 4 gallons] or single coat of Epoxy shield Professional which costs about 130$ for for two gallon but I need to stretch to cover 450 sq feet. Can you please suggest me which is the better option? and which option gives better coverage and looks?
Hello Raghu. It is not advisable to stretch the coverage rate of any type of epoxy. When you do, it is applied at less than the wet film thickness required by the manufacturer. You will end up with dull spots and inconsistent color due to the thin coats. Unfortunately you are stuck in that area of square footage that will require purchasing additional product in order for the coating to be applied correctly.
I would like to paint my 100 year old basement floor. I don’t have a moisture problem (did the plastic test) except for about 2 weeks every spring. I ground off the top layer to get rid of old paint and oil. Now, given that adhesion during those 2 weeks is my only major concern, should I use water-based or solvent-based epoxy paint? If water-based, is Rustoleum or Shield-Crete better? And if solvent-based then should it be the Rustoleum Professional or a brand that is closer to 100% solids. Thanks!
Hello Steve. Moisture is still a big issue whether you have it for two weeks or two months. If you apply a coating to a below grade slab that gets moisture, you run the risk of coating delamination due to the hydrostatic pressure that the moisture will create. We highly recommend applying a moisture blocking epoxy primer first or an epoxy with a high moisture blocking tolerance. Neither of the products you mentioned have that. You might want to read this article about Roll On Rock coatings. They have an epoxy (4195) with a high moisture tolerance that would be better suited for your purpose.
All of the examples I see show floors that are smooth. My Garage floor has a broom finish. It is rough, not smooth. Do I have to rent a floor grinder and make it smooth in order to apply the epoxy floor?
Technically you can still apply epoxy to a broom finish Bryan, but you would still need to prep the concrete with a minimum of acid etching. The problem with the broom finish is that it will reduce your coverage rate significantly and it still will not smooth the floor out with these type of thinner coatings. Also, the fine ridges of a broom finish can break off much more easily which can cause the epoxy to chip since it doesn’t have strong support. Our recommendation would be to grind the floor in order to get a more optimum coverage rate and better durability of your coating.
Bryan, I’m probably too late but if this is a garage floor or a floor that may become wet or damp you may want a toothy finish. I’ve seen Shiny floors in garages and auto auction houses and people slip and fall. One company actually did a clear topcoat and added a sandy aggregate to for customers to get traction under foot.
Do highly recommend commercial epoxy or if I do all the proper steps starting with the grinding of the concrete and buying local store epoxy kits?
If you want a coating that will last more than 4 or 5 years and be a better value for your money, then yes, we highly recommend it Eric.
Im going to use the Rust Oleum Epoxy Shield with some Anti Skid additive on the wood floor of my enclosed motorcycle trailer. Its a new trailer so the wood floor is unstained . Will this require any primer first or can I put it right on the wood.
You can apply it right to the wood Ken. Just hit the surface with some 80 to 100 grit sandpaper first. Do not stretch the coverage or you will have inconsistent color and thickness since the wood will absorb some of the epoxy.
Hi there!
I am looking something better than epoxy, any suggestions?
Polyurea or Polyaspartic. Which one is better and cost effective?
And where can I find that type of paint?
Thanks
Hello Alex. Polyurea and polyaspartic product is going to be more expensive that epoxy. Also, there are times when a good quality epoxy system will provide better performance than a polyurea and vice versa. The answer depends on how you plan to use your garage, what type of chemicals it may encounter, your time schedule to apply it, and what your budget is. Some systems are a combination of epoxy and polyurea coatings. You won’t find the high quality products at a home improvement center. Most are purchased online from floor coating vendors that specialize in concrete floor coatings. A good start would be Garagecoatings.com, Legacy Industrial, and Garage Flooring LLC.
I applied the Rustoleum gray garage floor epoxy paint & not happy with the color. Is it Ok to apply a second coat without any prep work using same product but change to Tan within 24-48 hr limit & have it cover sufficiently & be OK?
Yes it is Tim.
The one side of my double garage where my classic car sits never gets wet . The other side where my every day driver sits and does get wet is where the epoxy paint is peeling. This product if great if you keep it dry!
Hello Peter. It’s more likely a result of the effects of hot tire lift from your daily driver. I assume your classic doesn’t get driven as much.
My garage floor is brand new and has never been driven on. I has washed the floor and removed all dust. Does the concrete still need to be etched with the provided acid wash?
Yes it does David. The main job of the etch is not to clean the concrete. The etch reacts with the free lime in the concrete to break down the smooth surface and open up the pores of the concrete. This allows for the epoxy to penetrate the surface and get good mechanical adhesion. This is especially important for new concrete. If you don’t etch the epoxy will start peeling in a matter of weeks or months. Especially under the tires.
Hi there, thank you for the helpful post. I have 1 part epoxy paint applied to my concrete floors. Do I need to strip the paint in order to install 2-part epoxy?
Thanks!
Hi Marcos. Yes, you will want to remove the 1-part epoxy paint before applying a 2-part epoxy. Grinding will remove the old paint and prep the concrete at the same time.
Hey Shea,
About six years ago I did my driveway using Kwikrete. I think it was a two-part epoxy that required a Toluene thinner. It worked very well. Now it’s time to repaint. My question is: If I reapply with Quikrete, what prep will be required? Will I have to re-etch with muratic acid, or can I just prime and do a color coat?
If it was a coating William, what you will need to do is clean it well and then rough it up with 100 grit sandpaper. This will provide the mechanical bite necessary for a new coating to adhere.
Hi there, I used the Rustoleum Epoxysheild and followed all the directions exactly but ended up with two different shades of grey between the three different kits that I purchased. I also threw down the textured flakes so now reprinting it so not really an option unless I try blending in the affected areas. I am afraid however that if I try blending I may just make it worse. Is there something I could have done different to ensure the same shade throughout?
Hello Myke and great question. Whenever it requires mixing more than one batch or kit of the color coat to cover the entire floor, it’s always recommended to mix all containers of the Part-A colored resin together first. This will ensure color uniformity. You would then mix each required batch separately in it’s own mixing bucket. For example, if each kit contained 50 ounces of Part-A resin, you would pour in that amount from your premixed colored resin into the mixing bucket and then add the Part-B hardener from one kit and mix accordingly. Never mix more than one kit amount at any given time. This additional volume will accelerate the curing time immensely due to the thermosetting properties of epoxy and you will not get it applied in time. Also, don’t use the same mixing bucket or container over. Use a new one each time.
I put rust-oleum epoxyshield on my garage floor and I followed all the instruction on preparing floor. when it dryed one side dryed it was perfect but other side did not dry and was tackey. what went wrong?
It sounds like something went wrong with the mixing Dale. How long has it been down?
What is the best brand polyurethane topcoat to apply over a Quikcrete 2-part epoxy system? I saw some bad reviews of the Rustoleum product. Thank you.
Hello Thomas. There are many products out there that are good, but you can’t purchase them from a home improvement center. They need to be ordered online from flooring vendors. For example, this one here by Legacy Industrial is a commercial quality product that performs well. You have a choice of them from here as well.
Hi. We placed rustoleum two part coverage on our garage floor which turned out amazing. We decided to go ahead and add an extra clear coat coverage but when it dried it showed roller marks. We tried to fix this issue again with another coat of clear and ended with even more roller marks. Each application was with 24 hours. What can I do to solve this problem and what am I do differently in the future to prevent this. Just to add it’s only at an angle when you and see these roller marks. From above it is all blended equally
Hello Dean. The key with clear coats is not to stretch the coverage rate and to back roll in order to get the best results. Roll a 4’x4′ section in the typical “W” fashion with the up and down strokes. After that, back roll 90 degrees (side to side) from the direction you started. Backrolling consists of placing the roller at the top and pulling it near you without pressure. Lift up the roller and place it at the top again and pull towards you and so on. Don’t push the roller back away from you. Backrolling like this helps to reduce roller marks and distribute the epoxy evenly. If you plan on applying another clear coat, be sure to rough up the surface with 100 grit sandpaper first and knock down any ridges that may have been left by the roller. This will degloss the surface in order for the epoxy to adhere with a mechanical bite.
I have a 21 year old concrete floor in my 2 car garage that I’m looking to apply the Shield-Crete Epoxy to. As far as preparation is concerned there are cracks in the floor and there is a lot of pitting as well. What will I need to do to fix these problems to prep the floor properly before applying the epoxy? And if there are any other suggestions/recommendations you can make I would appreciate all & any advice from you. Many Thanks!
Hello Bob. You will definitely want to repair those if you want a smooth look. The epoxy will not fill it in. We have an article about repairing pitting and spalling here. You can learn about crack repair here as well. Once you make these repairs, you will need to grind them flush to create a smooth transition. After that, you will need to either etch or grind your concrete before applying the epoxy. Once you do that you will be ready to go.
I have a 2 car garage that was painted about 15 yrs ago. I power washed the floor and used 60 grit sand paper on the old paint. There is no flaking of the old paint but some areas have worn down to the concrete. The area has been thoroughly cleaned. Is there anything else I need to do to insure good adhesion for the Rust Oleum Epoxyshield Garage Floor Coating Kit. Or do I need to remove all of the old paint.
If you’ve done all that and the paint is not coming up Ronald, then you are fine with that if you are just applying the EpoxyShield.
Same question as Dale Smith on June 14. One kit did 1/2 floor. Second kit did other side. It has been 24 hours. I can walk on one side. The other side is tacky and that is the first side I did.
Yes, it may be the mixing Gregg. Many times if you apply another coat, it will help to activate the curing process in the tacky coat. If it was a Rust-Oleum product that you used, we suggest contacting Rust-Oleum customer service and tell them your problem. They provide fairly good customer service and have on many times sent customers a free kit to remedy the problem.
We had tacky spots for over a week, then I sprinkled baby powder on the area waited about 10-15 minutes rubbed it lightly took the tackiness away.
I painted our 600 Sq Ft garage floor about a year ago and it’s as good now as it was when I first painted it. But I have areas that are shiny and areas that are dull.
I’m wanting to go over it again with another coat. I’ll clean, Pressure wash and
scuff it up a bit. Will that be enough prep work.
Thanks in advance
Yes John, you are right on track. Pressure washing may be overkill, unless you floor is extremely dirty. You just need to clean the gunk of the surface and then rough it up with 100-120 grit sandpaper. This article explains the procedure.
I have a 17 year old garage floor with some oil spills and tire dressing etc. I have done my best clean this using solvent and CLR. Now I would like to apply a Rustoleum epoxy paint. Is the etch provided good enough to provide adhesion or would you recommend sanding the floor first then etching? What grit paper would you use if you think sanding is a good idea?
Hello Gregg. The etch provided by Rust-Oleum is an ECO friendly citrus acid etch that is not real strong. For standard concrete without much issues it etches the surface just enough for the low solids epoxy to adhere. One issue you may have is the tire dressing. These are silicone based and tend to seal the concrete. After you etch, we suggest you do a water drop test on those spots as well as the oil areas after the concrete has dried. If the concrete immediately turns dark and starts to absorb the water drops then you should be OK. If the water just sits there then you have more work to do. You could either do a more aggressive muriatic acid etch, or you can grind the concrete. You can’t sand concrete as it will tear up the sandpaper real quick.
I have a puppy room in my house and I’m wanting to use the rust oleum kit so that it’s easy to clean the puppy mess. I can’t etch and rinse it good or I’ll have water in my house. Are there other options, maybe a concrete paint that will keep urine and such from absorbing into the concrete?
Hello Katie. Paint will not seal the concrete like epoxy does. It will stain and allow liquid to slowly seep through. If you have a wet vac, it’s really not that difficult to etch. The etching/cleaner that Rust-Oleum provides is ECO friendly and has no fumes. You can apply it to your concrete with a watering can and let it do it’s work. Use the wet vac to soak up the liquid after it has sat long enough. Apply fresh water, mop it around to rinse, and use the wet vac again. After a couple of rinses the etching will be done. Since the room is in the house it will take a few days to dry thoroughly. Using a fan will help. The concrete needs to be dry within as well as on the surface before you apply the epoxy.