Before AfterUsing a gel acid for
etching concrete on a concrete garage floor is an effective surface prep solution. For years contractors and do it yourselfers have been using liquid acid solutions to profile a floor before applying coatings.
The problem with liquid acids is that they are not only dangerous but are ineffective because they over etch the low spots in a floor and under etch the high spots.
A gel acid is rolled on the floor with a 3/8" - 1/2" nap roller and the gel stays where it is applied, it does not flow to low spots.
Gel acids are also excellent for removing rust stains from concrete like in the photo above at the Harborview Marina and Yacht Club in Baltimore Maryland.
Your can find complete information about the gelled acids and their uses by visiting
www.etchingconcrete.com
This project in Minneapolis is one of the
industrial floors in GF One Coatings extensive portfolio. The surface is approximately 2,000 square feet. A few years ago the floor was coated by an inexperienced applicator and the coating delaminated.
GF One Coatings ground the old coatings off the surface creating a perfectly level fresh concrete surface. All the impurities and bond breakers in the floor were removed.
Then numerous coats of a polyura polyaspartic were applied with non slip buildup through every level. A non slip floor coating was imperative for the owner a local cleaning company. The company parked their vans in the garage every evening and used the space to clean their vehicles. Creating a non slip coefficient that would not wear out was a critical factor for the safety of their employees.
The color is a light gray with a high gloss that refelects light and illuminates the building. The finished floor is easy to maintain with mild soap and water using a broom and squeegee.
You can reach Joe Sheehan, the owner at 651-748-5999 or visit
www.gfonecoatings.com
This project is a Minneapolis garage floor that started out in rough shape. The original surface had high spots causing water to pool and an improperly installed drain. The drain was higher than the surface preventing the drain from doing it's job.
Photos
- Top left - photo shows how GF One Coatings notched out the concrete allowing water to drain. That solved one problem
- Top right - shows a level they used to determine the floor was perfectly flat. They ground the surface removing high spots that are a typical problem in garages
- Lower Left - image where the owner is standing was a high spot. Water would travel beyond the high spot and settle adjacent to the wall. GF One Coatings removed the high spot creating a flat surface.
- Lower Right - shows how the finished floor can easily be cleaned and water that may get on the floor easily moved to the drain with a squeegee.
GF One Coatings specializes in
Minneapolis garage floor concrete repair and coatings application as well as industrial, retail, restaurant and dog kennels. For more information contact Joe Sheehan at 651-748-5999 or visit
www.gfonecoatings.com.
Garage Stud is a new online store featuring high quality interlocking floor tiles. The product line offers innovative designs, textures and colors for residential garages, workshops, stores, gyms and a host of other uses.
These floors are manufactured to be parked on by cars trucks and heavy objects. The patented designs are chemical resistant and simple to clean with a mop and mild soap.
They are ideal for making a softter surface than standing on a hard concrete garage floor all day.
For more information about ordering contact Rodney Fleming at 217-853-3275 or visit the web site at
www.garagestud.com.
I just launched
San Diego Garage, a local resource with information regarding the Southern California garage. The site features
Concrete Solutions concrete garage floor coatings, how to fix cracks and properly prep floors.
There is a section featuring custom shelves and cabinets. Finally the site has a page dedicated to everything you need for cars, trucks and motorcycles including links to discount auto insurance, lease trading, garage floor mats and everything you need related to the garage and what goes in it.
This is the first site of 50 planned in every metro market in the United States.
Based in Central New Jersey, Duraamen run by Victor Pachade is a manufacturer of stained concrete floor products as well as specialty coatings and moisture remediation products.
Products include:
- Perdure MVT - Moisture remediation for flooring.
- Perdure AO3 - Acrylic sealer for long term protection of hard surfaces including pavers, masonry, brick and Saltillo tiles.
- Perdure U45 & U46 - polyurethane with high abrasion resistance
- Perdure P70 - High performance advanced techology coating with fast cure and rapid turnaround for all concrete surfaces.
- Endura - High performance epoxy coatings for garage floors, commercial kitchens, industrial flooring. 100% solids, high impact and chemical resistant.
- Sgraffino - decorative skim coats, can be stained and dyed.
- Pentimento - creates a high polished look. Unique high end finish for homes and commercial properties.
- Concrete Dyes - full line of stains and dyes
For more information about Duraamen or if you need a skilled professional contact Victor Pachade at
1-866-835-6595 or Visit
www.duraamen.com 
Project completed by Garage and Beyond -
1-866-568-5611Duraamen is a New Jersey based manufacturer and distributor of high performance epoxy floor coatings.
The most recent addition to their line is Lumiere metallics. Metallics are a "Green" alternative to concrete floors stain and ideal for commercial and residential applications. The project featured at the top was completed by Garage and Beyond of Englewood New Jersey who specializes in metallic decorative flooring.
Duraamen is also a national distributor of Endura, a high performance epoxy/polyaspartic system which can be applied in two days and in service the third day depending on floor size.
The Endura system is a superb seamless flooring option for residential garages, industrial warehouse flooring, commercial kitchens, restaurants and retail stores.
For your
New Jersey Epoxy Floor application and supplies contact Victor Pachade at
1-866-835-6595 or
www.duraamen.com
Before AfterMetallic epoxy coatings are hot! This project based in the Hoboken New Jersey area (right across the river from NYC) looks similar to a stained concrete floor.
Garage and Beyond based of Englewood NJ has developed a specialized skill using metallic epoxies that come in a variety of colors. This one was applied over an old very porous marble tile that the owner was planning to remove.
Fernando Franco owner of Garage and Beyond provided an ideal, cost saving solution. Rather than remove the tile they were able to apply the epoxy right over the surface. To add another degree of customization, custom hand drew, saw cut and grouted the sunbursts.
The final project saved considerable time and money time over removing and replacing the tile. Looking for a solution to your flooring issue? Contact Fernando Franco at
866-565-5611 or Visit
www.garageandbeyond.com
Picataway New Jersey based Wine Chateau recently chose a metallic epoxy rather than staining concrete floors in their flagship location.
Wine Chateau.com is an online retailer of fine wines in addition to their brick and mortar retail stores.
They chose the metallic epoxy for a few reasons. First they wanted an environmentally friendly product applied to their floors. Second they needed a durable seamless surface that would handle excessive foot traffic and was easy to clean without dirt and bacteria growth. Finally they wanted a unique decorative surface.
Metallic epoxies have a varied look like stained concrete but with tremendous depth. Garage and Beyond based in Englewood New Jersey was the applicator.
Contact Fernando Franco at 1-201-304-3606
www.garageandbeyond.com
This project was completed for a chocolate retailer in the Philadelphia area with custom concrete floors stain to match their image. A water based epoxy sealer was applied which intensified the color adding a durabale high traffic protective coating.
The floor was resurfaced with Sgrafino, a thin decorative concrete overlay applied at about 1/16th inch thick. Sgraffino comes in a white or gray fine concrete mix and in this case was colored with chocolate brown using water based dyes.
Sgrafino produces a slight texture similar to sandstone. Unlimted colors can be achieved by adding iron oxide colored pigments, topical water based dyes and stains or a combination of both. Patterns can be created with decorative saw cuts or strapping tape. For added customization graphics can be applied like in the photo below of a southwestern style carpet that is stained into a Sgraffino surface.
For more information contact Victor Pachade distrutor of the products used in this project at
www.duraamen.com.
Custom grapihics are available at
www.surfacegeltek.com 
In this project Minneapolis garage floor expert Joe Sheehan of GF One Coatings completed the resurfacing of a 10,000 sf floor outside Oklahoma City with David Owens a local concrete coatings professional.
The owner, a local entrepreneur, had a steel building built out for his expanding auto collection. Joe Sheehan organized and ran the project to ensure the floor was perfectly ground smooth, all cracks filled and floor resurfaced to showroom quality that will last years.
The owner chose the One Day Floors polyaspartic system for the following reasons:
- Quick Application - rapid cure enabled floor to be completed in 3 days.
- Non Slip Floor Coating - non slip aggregate built into each layer not just the surface coat. Exceeds OSHA and ADA non-slip guidelines.
- Non-Yellowing - polyaspartics don't yellow providing a surface that looks showroom condition for years
- Moisture Proof - One Day Floors polyaspartic coatings don't just stick to the surface, they absorb into the concrete becoming part of the floor and a moisture barrier.
- Recoating Ability - polyaspartics can be lightly sanded, resurfaced and put back to use years later if they wear.
- Ease of Maintenance - polyaspartics don't trap dirt and are easy to maintain.
- Warranty - Long Term Warranty provided.
Joe Sheehan, owner of GF One Coatings, is based in Minneapolis providing concrete repair and resurfacing locally for residential garage floors and commercial projects. He travels nationwide working on commercial projects with his rapidly expanding One Day Floors network.
Joe can be reached at
651-748-5999 or visit
www.gfonecoatings.com
San Diego based Concrete Solutions has a two day concrete garage floor coating system available in a pigmented or clear coat.
Ultra Surface color system can be applied with or without a topical epoxy moisture barrier. A clear coat can be added over a stained concrete floor opening up the opportunity to create an artistic decorative floor with an extremely durable non-slip finish.
The clear system can be used on a garage floor and withstand the abrasion of hot tires, chemicals, dirt or sand. It's also a superb system for high traffic retail stores, restaurants, commercial kitchens, air plane hangars or warehouses.
Concrete Solutions provides training or you can purchase their instructional DVD on the website
www.concretesolutions.com For additional information or for the appropriate contractor for your project contact
Gerry Sadler at
619-987-4721
This is a concrete garage floor restoration completed in the Minneapolis Minnesota area, the kind that GF One Coatings completes 3 times per week all year round.
With the right equipment, experience and armed with a One Day Floor polyaspartic coating, many of GF One projects are completed in one day.
The process starts by grinding the concrete and removing old coatings. Cracks and chips in the concrete are filled. The surface preperation is the most important. Once the floor is ready which typically takes 4-6 hours for a 2 car garage, the coatings are applied.
Polyaspartic coatings have a rapid cure process typically drying in about 1 hour. This allows for 6 hours of surface prep and 3-5 hours for coatings application. It sounds easy but requires a large expense for the proper equipment, years of grinding experience to get good and the right coatings. What you don't see is late nights fixing equipment so they are ready for the next days job.
For information about restoring concrete garage floor surfaces with a polyaspartic contact
Joe Sheehan at
651-748-5999 or visit
www.gfonecoatings.com
In this project in the Stowe Vermont area, Jake Loeffler restored a concrete garage floor with a combination of surface grinding and a polyaspartic coating.
The 600 square foot floor had an inexpensive epoxy coating applied which delaminated within a year. Jake, the owner of Garage Outfitters of Vermont, grinded the floor with his dustless vacuum system to a smooth level surface. The grinding process removed the old coating and removed the thin, top layer of concrete. This opened up the pores of the concrete allowing the first polyaspartic coat to absorb into the floor.
Then decorative chips were added followed by the top coats with abuilt in non slip aggregate. The final product will not delaminate and is resists de-icing salts, hot tire wear and chemicals while waterproofing the concrete.
Garage Outfitters of Vermont provides concrete restoration on garage floor, industrial and commercial floors statewide. Jake can be reached at
802-777-3343 or visit
www.garageoutfittersvt.com
Garage Outfitters of Vermont resurfaced this dog kennel floor with a polyaspartic coating in Milton Vt.
The project was completed in two phases. The first phase was completed as a test to see how well the floor would hold up. The owner put the toughest dogs in the completed area and used the harshest cleaners.
Turns out that this is the only kennel in the area that didn't get shut down for bacteria growth. As a result the owner had Garage Outfitters back to complete the rest of the project.
One of the main reasons for prevention of bacteria growth is that polyaspartic coatings will scratch with a straight line as opposed to coatings that get frayed edges when scratched. Frayed edges trap dirt and bacteria. Straight scratches enable dirt and bacteria to be easily cleaned and keep the floor looking new for years.
Contact Jake Loeffler for more information at 802-777-3343 or visit the website
www.garageoutfittersvt.com
Amber on White Amber On GrayConcrete stain colors are not like choosing working with paint. When you pick a pant color chip and paint your wall you get exactly what you chose.
When working with stain and dyes on a concrete surface you get varying shades of your chosen color.
For example- the color amber above produces vibrant shades on a white concrete surface vs. a gray surface. The results are similar but depend on your original canvas.
If you are applying on existing concrete, your final result likely will not match exactly like on the color chart. Expect some variation and you will not be disappointed. Stains create a lot of color fluctuation. Your floor will have high spots and low spots. Stain will pool in low spots and become darker than high spots.
Stains are applied with a garden style pump sprayer. As pressure in your pump decreases less stain is applied. This process created along with natural inconsistancies in your concrete create variation through out your floor. Variation is the beauty of concrete stain.
To view color charts visit the Duraamen website.
www.duraamen.com
Concrete Solutions based in San Diego holds 6 classes throughout the year teaching how to stain concrete floors. Classes are held at their facility in Las Vegas.
Each class is two days teaching floor prep for acid staining, protecting walls from damage during the process, tools, techniques, graphics and sealing.
Concrete Solutions is one of the largest decorative concrete manufacturers and distributors in the country with an impressive network of applicators worldwide.
Visit
www.concretesolutions.com to register or contact Gerry Sadler at
619-987-4721
When learning how to acid stain concrete adding customized graphics to enhance your result is worth considering.
Graphics, or Flattoos, is a process that Surface Gel Tek of Mesa Arizona developed using their gelled acids.
The process is to stain your floor then apply a Flattoo (graphic) to your surface. The Flattoos can be custom designed or chose a predesigned image in their extensive catalog. Flattoos can be any size. Large graphics are assemled on your floor like putting together puzzle pieces. Flattoos have an adhesive that sticks to concrete and flows smoothly with the contour of an imperfect surface.
One the Flattoo has been applied gelled acids are applied pulling the acid stain out of the floor. If the gelled acids are left on for a short time and removed you will have an antiqued finish. If you leave on for 10-15 minutes the acid stain completely lifts off the floor. Then you can apply colored dyes or stains to creatye your image.
The Flattoo process adds a unique result to your floor and it is easy and fast depending on the size and complexity.
Contact Tamryn Doolan at 480-970-4580 or Visit
www.surfacegeltek.com
Applying Polyaspartic to Concrete Dyes Finished With Exposed Aggregate
Joe Sheehan of GF One Coatings has numerous decorative options for a Minneapolis garage floor.
In this project Joe ground the concrete to a smooth level finish with his diamond grinding and dustless vacuum system. The grinding process also removes all blemishes and reveals cracks that initially were naked to the eye.
Once the floor is ground and repaired Joe and his GF One Coatings team applied concrete dyes with a polyaspartic top coat.
As you can see from the photo the polyaspartics intensify the color. Once the coating dries the color settles down but remains rich.
You can read more about the GF One Coatings processes in their Case Study section at
www.gfonecoatings.comJoe Sheehan
651-748-5999
It's also very important to understand the surface you're working with. Every concrete floor is different and no two floors will ever be the same. There are many factors that create inconsistant concrete. Temperature, dry time, mix from batch to batch all contribute to an inconsistant floor. As a result, your stain colors will vary.
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