garage floor / epoxy fail?

2 years ago

We had our garage floor refinished/epoxied within the last two weeks.

On Mon Nov 20th they cleaned the floors (pretty sure with just a pressure washer but not completely sure as I didn’t see the work in progress)
Nov 21st they applied the base color and one coat
Nov 22nd they applied the second and final coat epoxy
I questioned the final application because there were some areas where the floor had a smooth coat and others that look more like there was just a thin layer of gloss paint on it - but he said it was OK and everything was applied to the exact specifications.

I was told they used a Sherwin Williams product but also not sure which - based on my blurry security camera footage, it may be Armorseal Rexthane I (which I don’t think is technically an epoxy but is a hard surface coating)

We waited 10 days (today, Dec 1) to move anything in. We moved in an empty garage cabinet (maybe 50 lbs max) and while we were careful not to scrape it against the floor, there was some contact and scratched up the floors and started flaking. I can use my fingernail and easily just flick off more around these areas.

My question: was this our fault for the abrasion caused by the cabinet legs or is this an issue of improper application and therefore product isn’t able to hold up as designed?
Considering this is for garage settings and this wasn’t caused by something even remotely as heavy as a vehicle, I’m very surprised to see this.

(Before you comment on the pictures, we know the fleck was applied too heavy and the contractor fully admitted that but what was done was done at that point)

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Comments (8)

millworkman
2 years ago
Those type of products never seem to hold up well. You need to find out of the exact prep instructions were followed as well as the application instructions. That and exactly what product you have on the floor would be a starting spot to find out the issue of sticking.
HU-178658043
2 years ago
I never found pressure washing or acid etching to be adequate prep on an old surface. The coating always failed the first few months. Then I cleaned by using an abrasive pad on a buffer and a TSP solution. It worked for several years with high traffic.

YMMV
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PRO
G & S Floor Service
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Whether you are prepping for paint, epoxy or self-leveling. Concrete surfaces need decontaminating and grinding for proper adhesion.
PRO
Strawberry Patch Designs
2 years ago
We had to grind our warehouse/mini showroom to get epoxy to stick correctly.
Ally De
2 years ago
I used a reputable company to "polyurea" my garage floor, and they ground the concrete before they started adding anything to it. They also took moisture readings to ensure it was suitable as well.

The company I used was not cheap. But they've been in business for decades and they give a lifetime warranty on the floor. I chose them after several neighbors used them and were pleased with their floors. I looked at their floors in person, and not one showed any signs of wear - and this was after years of use.
fnmroberts
2 years ago
I’ve known too many who have experienced epoxy failure, Especially when coating older floors either professionally or DIY.

Therefore I installed vinyl garage flooring as 12x12 tiles. There are several brands, this one is Race Deck.
PRO
Charleston Slab Co
last month
That doesn’t look like normal wear to me. If you can actually lift or flake the coating with your fingernail after 10 days, I’d be questioning how well it bonded to the concrete. Prep could definitely be part of it, but moisture or the way the coating was applied/cured could also cause problems. I’d ask the contractor exactly what product they used and how the floor was prepped before letting them just touch up those spots.
millworkman
last month
" If you can actually lift or flake the coating with your fingernail after 10 days, I’d be questioning how well it bonded to the concrete. "

Charleston Slab Co TWO year old post...........................