garage insulation tips

[sardo_67]

ok new question....
garage floor coatings/paints/epoxy ideas and products, what have you guys used?
my floor was poured in like 1960, not coated or polished, rough, not cracking, some decent soaked in oill in 2 spots from cars.

so i don't need to grind it or use acid to open it back up to soak in the material, however i will need to really clean the oil spots, so i am expecting that.

garage will be used a lot for jeep and car work, grinding, welding, parking, small spot for a gym, the usual stuff, not a show room for things i don't work on so while i want it to look nice it's not a showroom.

i'd prefer something easy to roll on that will last, not looking for the color flakes as those make finding bolts and other dropped parts harder to find.


suggestions?

 

[semipro]

not looking for the color flakes as those make finding bolts and other dropped parts harder to find.

Smart - something I hadn't considered.
I've spent way too much of my life already looking for something I dropped.

 

[sportbikerider78]

ok new question....
garage floor coatings/paints/epoxy ideas and products, what have you guys used?
my floor was poured in like 1960, not coated or polished, rough, not cracking, some decent soaked in oill in 2 spots from cars.

so i don't need to grind it or use acid to open it back up to soak in the material, however i will need to really clean the oil spots, so i am expecting that.

garage will be used a lot for jeep and car work, grinding, welding, parking, small spot for a gym, the usual stuff, not a show room for things i don't work on so while i want it to look nice it's not a showroom.

i'd prefer something easy to roll on that will last, not looking for the color flakes as those make finding bolts and other dropped parts harder to find.

suggestions?

Make sure you don't have moisture egress into the bottom of the floor. That is the MOST important thing. After that, get it level and give it a good washing or bead blast and vacuum clean. It must be completely dry.

Only use 2 part epoxies.

I can't say enough good things about PPG products. I consider a good primer an absolute must to seal, level, and give the top coat of epoxy something to hold on to. It is almost impossible to get any lift (besides under grade moisture) when using a good primer.

This is a very good base.


Here is a pic I took of the base already down and the industrial conveyor gray going over the top of it. This was one of the may epoxy projects I did at work.



Final result.

1 base coat clear. 2 top coats colored.

 

[sardo_67]

where do you buy yours from? google gives me some info but no where to actually buy it

 

[sportbikerider78]

where do you buy yours from? google gives me some info but no where to actually buy it

You have to buy it through distribution or on the internet.

https://www.ppgpaints.com/store-locator

If that doesn't work for you, call Purcells in Syracuse, NY and ask them were to by in CT. They have been my go-to for all things epoxy. Great family business.

This is expensive stuff. It will be about triple the cost of a kit you buy at home depot. The primer is about the same price, but covers really well.

 

[peakbagger]

I think Sherwin Williams has a similar product line. They usually can sell the industrial stuff through the retail side with a lot less hoops to jump through. I have mixed my own in the past, most epoxy floor coatings are just standard epoxy for the primer with a coloring agent and diatomaceous earth filler in the top coats. If you want some traction they broadcast quartz sand in the topcoat.

Whatever you do is follow the safety rules when you apply it. It really doesn't smell nasty so some folks take shortcuts. They may be able to get away with it early on but they also can come up with sudden allergy to it and once you get it you can never work with it again without risking severe health effects. The usual recommendation is tyvek suits, rubber gloves, good ventilation and a respirator with the right type of cartridge.

 

[Ashful]

ok new question....
garage floor coatings/paints/epoxy ideas and products, what have you guys used?

I’ve done several, and the only thing I’ll use anymore is a high-solids two-part amine epoxy like epoxycoat.com. Go with the two coat system, clear over color, if you’re staying there any amount of time. You can sand out and redo the clear any time, without having to touch the color coat or flake. Make sure you get the griptex, or whatever they call their grip material (should be included in the clear kit). This stuff isn’t cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for.

 

[sardo_67]

made a ton of progress on this since the last post, walls were insulated, sheet-rocked and painted, extra cross ties were added to the roof for small loft storage area, tiny wood stove, few other things.

now for ways to seal up my garage doors, i am going to get new rubber stripping to put around the outside of the doors, however i am not sure what to put on the doors themselves for insulation, they don't seem to be very well insulated if at all. previous home owners just put doors on because they needed them.


older pic before it was 100% and the tools added but you get the idea, there is a 60k BTY Modine heater on the right corner hiding behind that hanging lamp

 

[Dobish]

made a ton of progress on this since the last post, walls were insulated, sheet-rocked and painted, extra cross ties were added to the roof for small loft storage area, tiny wood stove, few other things.

now for ways to seal up my garage doors, i am going to get new rubber stripping to put around the outside of the doors, however i am not sure what to put on the doors themselves for insulation, they don't seem to be very well insulated if at all. previous home owners just put doors on because they needed them.

buy a new door that is insulated.

 

[sardo_67]

buy a new door that is insulated.

hahah dammit, i was thinking that. The add on insulation really is that crappy?

 

[Dobish]

hahah dammit, i was thinking that. The add on insulation really is that crappy?

you will have much better success, and it is less likely to fall off with constant movement. Is your door a section door, or a single unit*?

*i see now it is a sectional door. Just get a new one.

 

[sardo_67]

you will have much better success, and it is less likely to fall off with constant movement. Is your door a section door, or a single unit?

it is a sectional unit, typical 4 or 5 aluminum panels. i was thinking of getting the roll kind then attaching to the garage above the door then rolling it down when needed as i am not constantly opening/closing the doors, at this point it's mostly a work shop not where we part our DD cars.

i am not looking to make my garage like R900 or something crazy then heat it to 80* with 1/16th a cord of wood lol. just cut some of the easiest and basic heat loss areas, i know my roof is going to cost me the most right now as it isn't insulated however i know if i have gaps that should be addressed first.

 

[Ashful]

Geez, I just have a bunch of T8 fixtures in my shop. That Tiffany lamp is too classy for my joint.

Agreed on just replacing the doors, if the insulation in the existing door is not sufficient. You can do the heat loss calc’s, to determine the time to amortize the cost, if you can make an educated guess at the R-value of the old door.

A note on garage door R-values, all manufacturers play the same useless game, the quote the R-value of the center of a panel. This does nothing to help you determine the overal R-value of the door, which is interrupted by hinges and other structure, but it is what it is...

 

[sardo_67]

Geez, I just have a bunch of T8 fixtures in my shop. That Tiffany lamp is too classy for my joint.

Agreed on just replacing the doors, if the insulation in the existing door is not sufficient. You can do the heat loss calc’s, to determine the time to amortize the cost, if you can make an educated guess at the R-value of the old door.

A note on garage door R-values, all manufacturers play the same useless game, the quote the R-value of the center of a panel. This does nothing to help you determine the overal R-value of the door, which is interrupted by hinges and other structure, but it is what it is...

hahahaah, it's actually a crappy plastic one from the 80s. it was in the kitchen of the house when i bought it then my buddy pulled it out and just tied it to a rafter in my garage as a joke, finally threw it out a few months ago.

i'm not going for a cost savings here, just a comfort while i'm working in there factor lol.
i will look into the doors when i get home, probably going to drill a small hole in the center to see if they are even foam filled, it they have foam insulation then there isn't anything else i can do other than add insulation and close up any gaps no?

 

[semipro]

The air sealing of the garage door is more important than the thermal insulation. Some brands/styles do this much better than others. Sealing between panels and at the bottom is straight forward. The sides can be tough though.

 

[Ashful]

The air sealing of the garage door is more important than the thermal insulation. Some brands/styles do this much better than others. Sealing between panels and at the bottom is straight forward. The sides can be tough though.

I did the sides and tops on all of my overhead doors with this:

Looks like this, when installed:

But avoid the trailer park look, and at least spring for the white ring-shank nails, so you don't start with black dots and end with rust streaks, like this guy will have.

 

[sardo_67]

I did the sides and tops on all of my overhead doors with this:

View attachment 234773

Looks like this, when installed:

View attachment 234774

But avoid the trailer park look, and at least spring for the white ring-shank nails, so you don't start with black dots and end with rust streaks, like this guy will have.

yep that is what i was planning on adding as well before the insulation, the stuff on that i have on there is old and some has cracked off