# 1-part epoxy vs. 2-part epoxy for the shop floor



## mziem (Apr 26, 2009)

This is my first post so I hope I get it right. I FINALLY have a dedicated shop all my own and I want to put an epoxy floor covering down. I went to the BORG and they have 2-part epoxy in a kit ($72) and 1-part epoxy in the 1 gallon can ($27).

1) What's the difference between the 1-part and 2-part?

2) Which one should I use for my concrete shop floor?


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## lilliputianfrivolity (Apr 4, 2009)

one part won't necessarily hold as well as two part
also - 2 part epoxies you can handle separately, until whenever you want you can combine the together after they have been applied.

now as far as the flooring?? tell me more about this. are you using one of those concrete in a can from the depot or do you have tiling. if it is tiling, find out what material it is made of.

you know what- heres what ill tell you,
what can the2 part do that the 1 part cannot? and also 2 part epoxies are always better in most circumstances

you know you want that expensive 2 part right? will the 1 part get the job done?


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

I can not tell you what the difference is.
I used the 2 part on both my shop and my garage.
On a par with a dust collector as the best thing I have ever put in my shop.
Works exceedingly well at helping to keep the floor clean.

You must make sure that you entirely cover the floor on the first application. If you have a little left over and see that you missed a spot if you try to cover that the next day it will not match colorwise, although it will still cover the floor.

I do not remember which brands I used but I got one at HD (shop) and the other (garage) at Lowes. The Lowes was easier to mix because of the way it was packaged. The "mixing bowl" was sized to fit a roller, not just a round can. Price was just about the same.

If you have fiberglass mixed in your cement you can not use epoxy covering. A friend found that out the hard way.

I got about 400 sq ft per kit.

Consider it like a tool. Buy the best that you can afford at the time otherwise you will be dissatisfied.

My $.03

Lee


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## depictureboy (Jun 5, 2008)

im curious why you cant use the epoxy on fg impregnated concrete? I would think the epoxy would be excellent for that since its basically the same thing as covering fiberglass on a kayak hull with 2 part epoxy…unless its not really epoxy and something else….but you can use polyester resin to do the same thing on a kayak…so I dont get it.


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

I would assume the epoxy would break down the fiberglass.


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## mziem (Apr 26, 2009)

Y'all are awesome! Thanks for the advise.

lilliputianfrivolity: As for your question about about my floor, It is a poured foundation concrete floor. I had the home builder make the shop when we had our house built. It's actually a detached "2-car garage" but, I refuse to refer to it as that. *It's like calling a Ferrari your "car".*

Mike


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## dustmaker (Dec 17, 2008)

I used the 1-part in my shop five years ago and it has held up very well. I used a Behr epoxy coating.


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## DaveHerron (Jan 21, 2008)

I used 2 part and can't be happier. I'll never own another garage without finishing the floor.

I had fiberglass added to my concrete on my last shop (it's a waste of money, by the way) and had to run the sander over it to knock down the fibers that came through the surface before I applied the 2 part finish. No problems.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I used the one part in my bathroom in the shop and it seems to be working out all right.

But it doesn't get heavy use. I just wanted something that I could mop easiely.


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## sIKE (Feb 14, 2008)

Most importantly is that your floor be absolutely clean. Put it this way. Work on cleaning the floor very well. Your done right? No. Consider it absolutely filthy and start again. Do this as many times as you can stomach. The cleaner the concrete the better it will adhere. From my reading and experience the two part epoxies have better adhesive qualities…


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## depictureboy (Jun 5, 2008)

interpim…that cant be right…2 part epoxy and fiberglass are a staple in making strip boats…


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

it's been some years ago, but I used to fix my surfboard with 2 parts epoxy , and it's made of layers of fiberglass.

I also build some hardshells (for mounting video cameras on helmets) made of layers of fiberglass, and 2 parts epoxy between each layer. definitely does not melt the fiberglass..

unless the epoxy used for flooring has additional ingredients in it?


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## douglas2cats (Mar 31, 2008)

Whatever you get, the color willl make a HUGE difference in the overall brightness or darikness in your shop. I dont have the best liighting so went with a white 2-part (Shield Crete). It really increased the overall brightness in the shop without making any changes to the liighting.


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## vegeta (Mar 10, 2009)

I used 1 part behr on the floor of my shop i have pix's on my home page if you go with the 1 part you can have it tinted any color you want


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## JimmyNate (Mar 24, 2009)

I used a concrete sealer followed by concrete paint and it worked great and was far cheaper than a 2 part epoxy system.


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## Woodchuck1957 (Feb 4, 2008)

This reminds me of an idiot I use to worked for, he is one of those profit off of everyone elses labor while he's the know it all slave driver. He and his crew went to a Ingersol-Rand manufacturing plant to coat a break room floor with two part Epoxy. They rolled on the first part, then rolled on the second part. Needless to say, the floor never dried and they had to wipe it all off, I doubt he had respirators for his workers. I heard the story from a friend of mine thats a painter, the story was confirmed by an employee at IR. I don't know how the guy makes a liveing, alot of decisions were poor, it's the reason I left.


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## depictureboy (Jun 5, 2008)

why didnt the floor dry woodchuck…where was the breakdown in the process?


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

2 part epoxy needs to be mixed properly (the 2 parts) in a bucket/container prior to rolling it on the floor… you don't just roll 1 part, and then roll the other… it won't mix, and the hardener won't affect the resin which will stay wet


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## RedShirt013 (May 17, 2008)

I have also read somehwere that if you are using expoxy floor coating in a garage, find the area where your car tires roll over repeatedly where you park before, and rough up the concrete floor with a belt sander. This is before and in addition to the acid concrete etcher that you need to use before applying the epoxy paint itself.

On the topic of drying, make sure you check the weather report to make sure the few days after you apply there's no cold spell. I believe the stuff doesn't catalyze and cure to full strength if it's below 10 degree celsius


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## depictureboy (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks purplev…I didnt get that from woodchucks story…I was thinking coats, not resin and hardener…


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Why would any one put fiberglass in concrete?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Why would any one put fiberglass in concrete?


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## decorativeconcrete (Sep 21, 2011)

1 part epoxies are are very basic application for any floor. It's basically a paint with a little bit of epoxy mixed into it. The additive in the paint is acrylic, which has a nice shine at first, but is susceptible to quick wear. It may hold up to light traffic, but more than likely it will need to be redone in the next year or two. The heat alone from your cars tires when pulling into a garage with 1 part epoxy will eventually or quickly wear it away (depending on the thickness/mil). One way to strengthen a 1 part epoxy is to apply the paint, let it dry, then apply a urethane top coat (reasonably priced).

2 part epoxies are mixed together. The application comes in different containers (resins + hardeners). The application is a chemical reaction that takes time to harden (unlike 1 part epoxy that just dries). 2 part epoxies are much stronger and have a much longer life.

When applying an epoxy, there are a few factors that determine the life of the flooring. Obviously, a 15 mil will be much stronger than a 2 mil application and will last longer - if the floor is prepped properly. As with many construction projects and tests in life, preparation is everything. If the floor is not properly prepped (grinding, cleaning, buffering, etc.), then no matter what type of epoxy you apply, it will not bond correctly. Also, the amount of traffic will have a big impact on the life of a floor.


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## jerkylips (May 13, 2011)

Topamax -

Fiberglass fibers are supposed to act like rebar, essentially - locking the concrete together & adding strength. Don't quote me on this, but I think that if you use the fibers, code allows you to skip the rebar. One advantage is that you don't have the risk of rust spots if rebar gets too close to the surface, etc. I've only heard good things, so I'm curious about the previous poster saying that it's a waste of money - unless his slab cracked..


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

The reason slabs crack is to big for temp variations and poor prep: ie, not properly compacting the soil below. I really doubt if re-bar will stop a slab from cracking.


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## sparks44pay (Jun 18, 2011)

Most concrete ends up cracking eventually. Reinforcement bar or wire adds strength and keeps the pieces from separating when it does crack. Some places add fiberglass to their concrete mix to help eliminate surface cracks. The best option however is to saw shallow grooves in the concrete to break up the surface area down and at stress points, so when it does crack hopefully the cracks don't continue to grow and spread. As for the epoxy, go with the 2 part mix. I put it in my garage 12 years ago and it still looks brand new, doesn't stain, and has no peeling or scratches. And I abuse it on a regular basis.


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

Concrete with "kitty hair" fiberglass additive is more stable, but still requires proper expansion joints whether for foundations, driveways and/or sidewalks.

The Behr 2-part is a great product and is better in several regards than the 1-part: It is more chemical resistant, is better for hot tire pickup resistance, and it is harder when fully cured.

A couple of tips: If you are having it mixed to one of the many colors, DO NOT have them to tint your batch(es) until the days just before your application. The box is square, so it can not be mixed on their shaker… you need to open it up as soon as you get home with it and stir it very well. The added pigments will clump and not mix well at all the longer you wait to stir it. Then stir it again really well just before you add the B part, then more after you mix the two together. Trust me, please.

The 2-part kit comes with an a concentrated concrete cleaner / etcher that must be used to prep for the product. I swept, vacuumed, scraped as needed, used the blower, damp mopped, let dry… and then I etched the surface areas. Then let it dry for more than 24 hours. The etched areas were noticeably rougher than the non-etched in the adjoining garage room… like going from 220 grit to 80.

Their lack of knowledge actually got me enough additional product (two kits) to do my other two garage bays. The first shop area turned out fine structurally and in all other ways except all the pigments would not mix in or break apart (we messed with it for hours), so I strained it through the paint sock and ended up with a medium gray instead of a light charcoal. I'm okay with it, but others may need the chosen color to come out right for them.


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