<VV> Garage Mahal Update

[Bob & Kathy Gilbert]

Hi Bob,

Did you consider ordinary linoleum over the concrete?

Bob
 

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of vairtec at optonline.net
Sent: June 2, 2005 9:48 PM
To: virtualvairs-corvair.org
Subject: <VV> Garage Mahal Update

Some time ago, I solicited information and opinions from the group on
industrial-quality (or professional race-shop quality) garage floor
coatings.

This because my wife and I were buying a new home and I knew that my only
chance to have the garage of my dreams was to do it after the closing but
before we moved in.

I received a number of informative replies -- thank you to all.

In the end, I got three quotes from three very different vendors.  One was
just an ordinary painting contractor who claimed to have experience with
industrial floor coatings.  One was a specialized industrial facilities
restorer.  And one was a business catering to car-guy garage owners.

Interestingly, the business catering to car-guy garage owners hedged on the
subject of brake fluid.  Brake fluid, they said, would attack their coating
if not wiped up right away.  This, combined with their
not-the-highest-but-not-the-lowest price, knocked them out.

The specialized industrial facilities restorer had what were clearly the
best products, but their price was twice the next lowest figure.  That price
put them out of reach, despite my conviction that they indeed knew what they
were doing.

The ordinary painting contractor won, not only because he had the lowest
price but also because he provided informative material data sheets for the
products he was going to use, and because he assured me that the floor would
be shot-blasted before coating.

A subcontractor did the shot-blasting, and he did my garage on a weekend
because his regular gig is blasting and polishing the floors in everything
from big factories to the "big-box" stores.  As it turned out he is a car
guy, too, with vintages Chevies, and so he took a special interest in my
job.  It showed.

The painters then appplied three separate coats, a primer and two top coats,
on three consecutive days.  I then allowed a full week for curing, and I am
well-satisfied with the results.  My garage now has floors as nice as the
NASCAR shops, and it's a durable coating -- none of this hardware store deck
paint crap.  Even Sue oohs and aahs at it.

The product was a Sherwin-Williams industrial epoxy, impervious to all the
nasty chemicals that might befall a garage floor, extremely wear-resistant,
and UV-stable as well.  This last point was important to me as the new
garage has sunny windows and the overhead doors face south.

As with any paint job, the finished product is both a reflection of the
surface and only as good as the preparation.  A glass-smooth finish is
possible, but my older concrete floors were somewhat textured and so that
texture now adds a measure of grip to the floor.  Had I asked to have the
floor polished by the shot-blaster I could have had a mirror-smooth finish,
but I probably would break my hip walking around the car.

I was able to choose my color from a palette of at least 90 colors.  I went
with a simple grey, but kept it very pale so as to further brighten the
garage.

The first vehicle I put in on the new floor was the '64 Rampside.
Remarkably, the floor is so clean and bright that even without turning on
the lights in the garage I could see clearly all the way under the truck.

A friend in my local club did his garage floor in a similar fashion about 8
years ago, and his floor has held up nicely.  So I am optimistic about the
durability of my floors.

An added bonus:  This new house has enough garage space (five bays) that I
am going to be able to give up the rented garage and keep all the Corvairs
at home!  I'm not entirely sure how I pulled this off, but somehow Sue
endorsed the idea of moving to a house that has fewer rooms and more
garages!

--Bob

Robert W. Marlow
Vairtec at optonline.net
 _______________________________________________
This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are
the property of the writer, please attribute properly. For help,
mailto:vv-help at corvair.org This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of
America, http://www.corvair.org/ Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
Change your options: http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
 _______________________________________________