r/epoxy • u/Lunchinpark • 1d ago
Full Flake System - First Install
First time poster in the Epoxy community and I’ll try to make this short. I am taking a leap of faith after losing my corporate job and starting my own epoxy flooring company. I have the business experience however I do not have the epoxy flooring experience outside of a certification course I took about 9 months ago. I used my garage as my first install.
As you can see, there was a DIY Rustoleum coating that was showing its age. I used a planetary grinder and handheld grinders for the edges to create an open surface(3rd pic) for the epoxy base. I did a full flake of Torginol Stony Creek color. I let that cure overnight and applied the polyaspartic top coat the next day. I had a few rookie mistakes which were all good learning lessons.
Mistake 1: I used the entire 3 gallon kit that is rated to cover 300 sq Ft on my 200 sq ft garage. The base was laid on thick however it was used within the manufacturer’s recommended work time. The flakes went on well and scrapped off well. I used all of the top coat. Everything was even after squeegee and rolling.
Mistake 2: I didn’t pull the tape off while the epoxy was wet and it was a pain to get off. I scored the bottom where the floor and trim meet however you can see the blue tape. I’m thinking I should caulk the edge of the floor and trim to ensure no moisture gets under the coating.
Mistake 3: the edge where the garage door meets the floor looks terrible. The epoxy blend through and I have some top coat drops there.
Overall, I’m happy with the results but will take these lessons to improve for when I find customers. Does anyone have recommendations or tips on how to fix said mistakes? Or maybe you have tips in general for a first timer taking a leap of faith!
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u/not_benkenobi 1d ago
What made you pick this business?
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u/Lunchinpark 1d ago
A few reasons! I started to noticing demand in my area (DC Metropolitan area) and not a lot of companies doing honest/solid work. I looked into franchising and that fell through so decided to start something myself. Also, the certification course I took solidified how much I enjoy working with my hands. On the business side, I liked seeing the profit margins and low barrier of entry.
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u/MP5s_R_Addictive 16h ago
Since you're in the DC area if you need another test subject I'm building a house in Nokesville which should be done in December-February and by spring it will be ready for a coating. The house has a 4 car attached garage. I have an idea for it as well. Feel free to message me if interested. I'm not opposed to helping as well I did coat my garage years ago and it still looks good.
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u/AriseChicken 1d ago
"there was a DIY Rustoleum coating that was showing its age."
or just being itself.
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u/Jreez 1d ago
When you’re done throwing the flake and after your top coat, Leave the garage door slightly open so it cures with nothing touching it.
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u/Lunchinpark 1d ago
Good call! I had the door closed. Would you suggest using channel locks to keep it slightly propped open?
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u/sarahm39 1d ago
Good work! Welcome to the industry! A few more jobs under your belt and you’ll start to gain some confidence.
For the door, I just pull the door off the motor, prop long screws into the door rails on both sides (pointy side down), and manually pull the door down to gently rest it on the heads of the screws! Works like a charm and you don’t have to go back later to pick up equipment, just tell the customer about the screws and to push the door all the way back up onto the motor once it’s cured!
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u/kc_midwest 1d ago
couple nails or screws will hold it. recommended to stop coating so it about an inch from underneath the door. nobody needs it to be exactly underneath the door or outside for that matter
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u/Dense_Entertainer_95 1d ago
I’ve been installing floor professionally since I was 17 in South Florida. Let me know if you have any questions! Feel free to dm.
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u/notfrancie 14h ago
It looks really nice overall. Stoney Creek is popular and a good choice. Skip the tape or pull when it’s wet. I’d say skip it, squeegee up to the walls and learn to cut in on cleats. Especially if you are doing it yourself.
Be careful rolling all the way to the edge. You may want to cut it in until you are more comfortable. Keep acetone and a few rags right by the garage door and wipe it up quickly. Dab don’t scrub. Grab a multitool and a diamond blade and zip those edges. It’s really not bad at all. You will get the cleanest look with cutting a key way. Easy mode but not necessary.
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u/Lunchinpark 13h ago
That’s a great idea! I didn’t cut in on this one and I definitely felt that! I’ll grab my multitool to touch up the edge. Would you suggest taping up to the garage seal to get a crisp edge to cut in?
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u/TRBO17 1h ago
Mistake #1 isn’t a mistake as long as you have enough flakes. The flakes will settle and the epoxy will leech upwards, so as long the thickness is uniform and you have some more flakes to keep broadcasting on the “shiners”, you won’t have any issues.
Mistake #2 is definitely a common one. Pulling it once you’re don’t rolling out your coat is better, but once you get comfortable enough, you’ll be able to cut the edges in with a brush and not need the tape on the walls at all.
Mistake #3 is my time to shine! Painters tape (if that’s what you used) won’t work on the rough broom finished concrete. My trade secret is to use Gorilla Tape, but then run a thin bead of epoxy crack filler along the inside where the floor meats the apron. You can use your finger, or what’s even better is a silicone/rubber caulk finishing tool. You can also leave the tape for the duration of the coatings, because it’s strong enough to come off in one piece if you score it first.
*Another trade secret for your apron issue is to have an oscillating multi tool with a carbide grout attachment. Since it oscillates rather than spinning (like a grinder) you can run it along your drips in the same direction as the broom finish, to essentially grind them out while maintaining the texture of the concrete.
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u/Turtleengine_96 1d ago
Looks great tbh