OT Sealer for concrete shop floor

Robert in Md. · Apr 29, 2014

Looking for recomendations for a simple shop floor sealer. Floor poured about 6 months ago.
Tired of looking at oil spots from leaking tractors moving in and out and looking for easier floor sweeping. What about Thompsons clear multi-surface Waterproofer or Eagle sealer? Really don,t want to mess with 2 part Epoxy.

Thanks

David G · Apr 29, 2014

I have not seen good results with epoxy in shops.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 29, 2014

Once you get oil stains, it is tough to get anything to really stick.. The pro floor finishers often use a machine to bead-blast the concrete before applying paint/epoxy.

C. Amick · Apr 29, 2014

I was going to seal mine, but I couldn't find anything petroleum/oil resistant. The sealer will keep the concrete dust down, though.

Brad Buchanan · Apr 29, 2014

Hey Robert.

I have the same problem in my shop and was looking at various solutions.

My floor is 40' x 60' so price is an issue.

After much consideration I am going with what Old from this site recommended, Sodium metasilicate or water glass.

I want to make my floor less apt to absorb oil or other things while not making it too slippery (it was power trowelled very smooth).

If you are interested I found found a manufacturer that sells direct

Scott 730 · Apr 29, 2014

You already waited too long if there are oil stains. We use a cure and seal product immediately after final troweling.

T.C. in Tx · Apr 29, 2014

I sealed the floor in my shop a few months after it was finished. I believe the brand was Sheplers. It came in 5 gallon buckets and I used a roller to apply 2 coats.

It is not resistant to gasoline. Oil an most other petroleum products do not dissolve the sealer so you can just clean it up. I found that WD 40 is the best cleaner for oil after you get the liquid up. Just spray it on and wipe it down.

Yes, some stains are visible both from before the seal and after. But what the heck, it is a shop!

fixerupper · Apr 29, 2014

I was successful putting epoxy paint on a 43 year old garage floor but it took a bunch of prep. I started out with two hours of pressure washing with 4000 psi @4 gpm with hot water and rotary nozzle. The garage turned into a sauna by the time I was done. I held the nozzle two inches above the floor and covered every inch slowly. Then I scrubbed with a commercial detergent followed with another pressure washing. After that I walked away for three hot summer days before testing for moisture by taping a square sheet of plastic to the floor and looking to see if there was moisture on the bottom of the plastic the next morning. There was moisture so I waited two more days before it was dry enough to paint. That was three years ago and no paint has popped or stuck to the car tires.

I'm not promoting epoxy for your building. I am just saying it can be done with an old oil stained floor if you are dedicated enough. Jim

Billy NY · Apr 29, 2014

They make good products for concrete. I've had luck using gumout on oils stains, make sure the area is well ventilated and there is NO open flame. I spray and blot, pat the area with shop towels, then discard into the burn barrel for immediate incineration. It worked well on the old garage floor here, I could not see the stain afterward.
Euclid Chemical Company

Joe in the snow · Apr 29, 2014

About 4 months after we finished our building we sealed the floor with 2 part epoxy, Rustoleum I think. Prepped it with a mild acid solution, rinsed, let dry then applied one coat of the epoxy. It has held up well so far. This was simpler and cheaper than I expected. Read and follow instructions. Joe

dustycoal · Apr 30, 2014

I wash the floor with hose and broom and used 5 gal of floor wax at the large truck garage I worked at 20 some years ago, wax it every time I washed the floor, over time it shined and was so easy to keep clean. Was always asked how I keep the shop floor so clean. Seen other shop where they painted and sealed and it always looked bad because metal wheeled jacks and stands eat into it.

Hobo,NC · Apr 30, 2014

I wipe the oil up with a rag, pour a little varsoil on whats left and use a mop & bucket... Speedy dry is banned in my shop tho I do keep some in-case of a large spill then its applied and got up immediately :!: ... I Hate Speedy-Dry :evil:

I sealed mine the only thing I have seen that will mess with it is GAS... Gas turns it to a dirty glue... The sealer will ware off in time...

Pops1532 · Apr 30, 2014

The time to seal concrete is before it gets stained.
You're going to need to clean up those stains as best you can. Maybe use M.E.K. or lacquer thinner.

Go to a paint store, not a Lowes or Home Depot. Tell them you want Gym Sealer. If they don't know what gym sealer is you've got the wrong store. Mix it 50/50 with paint thinner and roll it on. Give it 3 coats, being sure to let it dry between coats.
You can give it a top coat with less thinner.

Make sure you turn off pilot lights, and be sure you have good ventilation!

Anonymous-0 · Apr 30, 2014

Epoxy is the only way to go

Did mine 4 years ago one coat and its holding up real well

No hot tire pickup and you can just wipe up gas, oil, etc. won't absorb into the epoxy coating. Even survives scraping the floor with a bucket loader

Looks like its starting to wear but it's 4years later and taking the abuse

Sweeps easier and you can wash it like a normal internal floor

Since the water isn't absorbed into the concrete it drys faster after you squeegee water

Paint wax or sealer. -- your just kidding yourself as none of them will hold up.

OT Sealer for concrete shop floor

Robert in Md.

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David G

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Anonymous-0

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C. Amick

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Brad Buchanan

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Scott 730

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T.C. in Tx

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fixerupper

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Billy NY

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Joe in the snow

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dustycoal

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Hobo,NC

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Pops1532

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Anonymous-0

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