Blatman Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 As per the title, my (rented) garage floor is made of concrete and very dusty and with the de rigeur oily patch. It is "unfinished" in so far as there is no screed or levelling of the surface. I want to seal it to try and prevent some dust but I'm not going to (check, not planning to) skim it or screed it or paint it, unless that's the only way. I want to seal it and then put down something like this: https://www.garagefloortilecompany.com/collections/floor-bundles/products/red-black-x-joint-13 The not skim/screed thing does not include a few inches just inside the garage door to which I would like to affix something like this: https://www.toolstation.com/stormguard-garage-door-threshold/p15901?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=554469102870&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmeKQBhDvARIsAHJ7mF7FcnKu2O02yStDF-YStlmmwE-mAv6Lyrge5uMSYpTTWlNs0e7dJ-4aAjm5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds to keep out debris and possibly water when the levels rise during BIG downpours. I appreciate I'll never get it water tight but I'd like a go a being King Canute just to see what it's like. All on-topic suggestions gratefully received... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIY-Si Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 I can't help with the levelling aspect, but that sealing strip is what I have under my roller door. It only really works if you are able to seal it properly to the floor. The shape of it will flow water away from the door, but you need to stop it coming in under the strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 51 minutes ago, DIY-Si said: I can't help with the levelling aspect, but that sealing strip is what I have under my roller door. It only really works if you are able to seal it properly to the floor. The shape of it will flow water away from the door, but you need to stop it coming in under the strip. That's what I was hoping. Trouble is the floor is rough enough that it won't seal unless I can put a flat strip screed under it, I just need to know the best, or most practical way of doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinten Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 I have a rubber D strip that sits on the bottom of the garage door, just like you may have one on the sliding shower cubicle door, which seals the door and floor perfectly, but leaves a nice flat surface to push the car into the garage. Inside my garage I have block paving (as it started out as a carport underneath the house), but I stuck similar tiles like the one from your link on the floor with as only preparation to sweep the floor before putting the tiles down. The tiles deal with an even surface reasonably well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 CT1 is a great all round sealant and great for going under thresholds..it is so much better than standard silicone... I have an oak threshold about 20mm tall and 80 wide and was originally getting water under it despite loads of silicone. Took it up and used CT1 and sorted it. Same in fact around shower screen I have heard that the D shape rubber strips work ok as well.. Why don't you want to paint the floor to seal it? I would have thought a thin coat of cheap floor paint would sort the dust out You can buy clear floor and tile sealer. I did this on my front terra cotta porch and it was crap... Just pealed off..so wouldn't use that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 My floor was very dusty and I tried lots of different things to paint it and seal it, none of which work long term as it just broke up again. eventually I just got a cheep roll of Lino and that’s work perfectly for the last 10 years. It’s hard wearing, waterproof and can be swept easily. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim RS Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 Because the surface is very dusty the only way to get a good surface for a sealer to work is to remove that top layer. The way we used to prepare was to either grind mechanically or acid etch using brick acid (hydrochloric acid) to remove the "fines"(dust) and expose the aggregate. With this done other treatments could be applied i.e. sealers, paints, adhesives, that would be then firmly attached to the concrete. If you go the cheaper acid route use a good quality acid etcher (aim to get as close to 25% acid) and follow the safety instructions closely as this stuff is pretty harmful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 I guess it depends how big, how nice you wabt to make it, and how long your going to be their. Not an expert, and haven't seen or used an acid prep. Do you have water onsite or is it a lockup type setup? I think if it was me I would get a rotary wire brush on an angle grinder, skim over the surface and remove the very loosest worse fines, sweep it well, and theb slosh a load of generic water based acrylic concrete sealant over it and see how that goes. That and keep a brush handy. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 It's a rented garage and I've had it for over two decades and fully intend to have it for some years to come. The driving factors are that I want to balance cost/effort against the fact that it's not my property. And no the landlord won't do this sort of remedial work. I do have access to water on site but no electricity. The ease of finding a product that I might be able to mix and slosh in there without having to meticulously prepare the surface with tools or whatnot is very appealing and as far as I can tell, non-existant. BUT if there is something close, over which I could throw a sheet of vinyl/lino and then put the floor tiles on top of that, that would be great. The only other option I might consider is actual ceramic garage floor tiles but again surface prep is probably going to be my downfall, as well as cost... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim RS Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 As with any worthwhile job preparation is everything, a couple of hours or so and a few pounds spent will pay dividends in the long run. Wouldn't expect to just paint straight onto an unprepared bit of bodywork. Watco do an acid based floor cleaner that works very well and is relatively safe, won't need a lot to do a garage floor and as you've got mains water can be easily rinsed away. Once dry a low viscosity sealer should stabilize the surface from further dust, then cover with flooring of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamperMan Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 On my limited 2 garage experience... Here's my two pence worth. Personally I hovered the floor really well to get the dust up. Then thinned the garage floor paint.. I can't remember what with. Probably something I found at work. The idea being that rather than the paint just sitting on the concrete it would sink into it.. A roller job and really work it in. After that was reasonably dry I rollered a proper coat on. The first time I did this the weather was a bit cool and rather than it taking 24 hours it took most of a week to dry meaning I had my stuff out the garage for longer than planned. The second garage I did half one week then moved everything to do the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boombang Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 My last house had a very dusty garage - even sweeping it brought up more dust. Like others I vacuumed it (borrowed a neighbours workshop Henry type thing). I then diluted PVA with water about 1:2 ratio and poured it liberally on the floor - this was then spread using a broom and left to soak in for a weekend. This worked for years of dust free usage before we moved. My mum's garage floor was dusty and breaking up a little in the middle. I partly solved it by accident by knocking over a tin of high build cellulose primer. 10 years on it's pretty solid still! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 I helped my friend do his with some no nonsense stuff from screwfix. just did a token hoover with a henry and slapped it on with a roller and brush. took longer to empty the crap than the painting. its held up well tbh and he was happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 I'm not expecting to do zero prep. There is no electricity so hoovering the floor is out. My floor sounds like Boombangs where sweeping the dust is never ending. I have spent about 10 hours sweeping a 15 sq meter garage and it's as dusty now as when I started... So I think I may try the acid cleaner followed by a diluted PVA mix to start with and see how I get on, unless someone has the holy grail of a pour-on-to-any-surface solution (no pun intended) that might work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIY-Si Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 Whilst it didn't take loads of prep, the Watco liquid DPM I used in my garage was pretty easy to apply. It creates a waterproof surface that you could then cover however you want, ie lino, foam tiles etc. I used self levelling and commercial floor paint, but I don't intend doing it again so wanted a pretty good finish. It was this stuff. It goes go off in an hour, but it's good stuff. Sticky, nasty stuff to apply but great once its cured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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