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Finishing a concrete basement floor
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:40 pm
by grumpy
Ok all you experts here. I have a finished basement (concrete floor) and the PO put tile and carpet down. Well the carpet is old and I have a pool table so don't want to do the carpet thing again. The tile comes up rather easy and the concrete is smooth and appears NOT to have had any sealer on it. I'm thinking of painting and need feedback of what works for you. I looked at the epoxy paint used in garages but I have approx 1400 sq. ft so that adds up to a lot of $$$. The floor has dips for 2 drains so wood is pretty much out. I'm needing a paint that won't be slippery when it gets wet and don't marr easily. Maybe I'm asking for too much but don't hurt to put feelers out. Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks Grump
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:10 pm
by Eugene
Used a product called "DryLok" concrete floor paint. $21.00 a gallon several years ago. Seems to hold up well. Available from local (Truevalue) hardware stores.
Suggestion. It might be cheaper to buy a 5 gallon container than individual gallon cans. Even if some never gets used.
Eugene
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:17 pm
by LiL' Red
There are several floor enamels that will work, just make sure you scrub the floor good with muriatic acid and wait to paint until it's absolutely dry.
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:42 pm
by Lurker Carl
If the concrete is dry with absolutely no water coming from the other side, paint adheres well and will last forever. However, if you get moisture thru the slab, the paint will eventually peel off. An easy to test for moisture penetration is to duct tape a 3' x 3' square of 6 mil plastic sheeting to the floor. If it's damp under the plastic after 1 week, just about anything you apply to that floor won't stay stuck for more than a few years. This may be why the floor tiles are coming up easily.
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:27 pm
by kinelbor
Lurker Carl wrote:If the concrete is dry with absolutely no water coming from the other side, paint adheres well and will last forever. However, if you get moisture thru the slab, the paint will eventually peel off. An easy to test for moisture penetration is to duct tape a 3' x 3' square of 6 mil plastic sheeting to the floor. If it's damp under the plastic after 1 week, just about anything you apply to that floor won't stay stuck for more than a few years. This may be why the floor tiles are coming up easily.
I like that tip Carl, so simple but very effective.
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:54 pm
by beaconlight
What Carl gave you is the same thing Pergo floors uses as a test on concrete floors. If you have water through the concrete nothing will stick for long.
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:39 pm
by grumpy