Garage Floor Epoxy Over Old Epoxy: A DIY Job Under $400
The short version
Mr. Build It cleans, degreases and pressure washes the concrete floor of a two-car garage in a new house, then rolls on a two-part epoxy and scatters flakes. The existing floor already had an older epoxy coating, so he skips the concrete etching step. He says the job cost no more than $400 compared with $3,000-$5,000 quotes his friends received, and that the floor could be walked on after 12 hours and driven on after 24.
Full written account
Mr. Build It coated the floor of a two-car garage in his new house with epoxy in a single day, spending no more than $400 by his account, while friends had been quoted between $3,000 and $5,000 to have the work hired out. The job opens the garage and workshop setup in the new house, and he says the floor needs about 24 hours to cure before tools can be moved in.
Preparing the slab
The garage is a classic two-car garage with a 24-foot-long workspace and a through garage door. He starts by sweeping, then degreases the floor, applying the degreaser with a watering can. The product's directions call for full strength on tough stains and a dilution for general cleaning. While scrubbing he finds wood glue left by a previous owner and says to chip off anything stuck to the floor so the epoxy does not cover it. After the degreaser sits a few minutes, he uses a pressure washer, then squeegees the floor and makes sure it is dry and free of dust and debris.
Skipping the etch
The kit is a Rock Solid product, which he had not used before. It is sized for a two-and-a-half car garage, so he bought two boxes. It normally contains bags of concrete etching, bags of epoxy, directions and textured flakes. His concrete was already sealed with an earlier epoxy from 2005, with some parts chipping and others faded. The directions say not to apply the concrete etching directly to painted concrete, because it produces an acid and a chemical reaction, so he skips it and rolls the epoxy on instead.
Applying the epoxy
He does the corner barriers first, using a roller for the sides and a brush for the top. The two-part resin comes in separate bags, A and B, which he kneads together. He uses tape for clean transition cuts so the product does not reach the driveway. A helper, Tyler, comes to assist, and they roll the resin and sprinkle flakes. The instructions suggest working in about 10 by 10 sections at a time.
Curing and cost
The next day the floor can be walked on. The instructions say 12 hours before walking and 24 hours before driving, but he advises reading the label, since timing depends on humidity and the temperature of the concrete. He puts the total at 400 dollars for double the amount of epoxy, and says a small garage could get by with about three.
Questions this video answers
How much did the garage floor epoxy cost?
The creator says he spent no more than $400 on double the amount of epoxy in the kit, and that a small garage might take about three.
How much were the professional quotes?
He says friends were quoted between $3,000 and $5,000 to have it done.
Why did he skip the concrete etching?
The concrete already had epoxy from 2005, and the directions say not to apply the etching product directly to painted concrete because of a chemical reaction.
How long before you can walk or drive on it?
The instructions he followed say 12 hours to walk and 24 hours to drive, but he says to check the label because humidity and concrete temperature matter.
How was the epoxy applied?
He did corner barriers first, then rolled on the resin in roughly 10 by 10 sections and sprinkled flakes.