Oily concrete

[chris.richard]

I'm working on the floor of my garage, which is old bare concrete that has had oil dripped on it for decades :( . I've got a bottle of oil stain remover, but before I start, what is the best way to clean concrete so that it'll take a floor paint?

[strat6v]

Degrease then seal with some 50/50 water pva :confused:

[catswhiskers]

What about a soak and wash with brick cleaning acid?
Not too agressive but should penetrate the surface sufficiently.

Mick

[strat6v]

Use some of that 2 pack floor paint instead of the crap from the diy outlets. Sticks well and doesn't come off after a couple of months.

[Arthur]

Stiff scrubbing brush and a jug of Patio Cleaner.
Once dry, it's a hands-and-knees job with a stiff brush and much stippling action. Use International garage floor paint - in my experience, it just doesn't come off. Usage is economical as well - I bought 10 litres (2 cans) to do one double garage floor some 10 years ago. I'm on my third double floor now, and have almost used the first can.
Oh yes, in summer its walkable-on in 3 or 4 hours. Winter, it may take 12 hours or so.
Far better to put a thin coat on, and double it up if required, than to try for a thick coat. (first coat over concrete is a bugger - second and subsequent coats are easy).

Arthur.

[Sando]

Not sure about the cleaning the oil stains bit, but I use Cellulose thinners for most cleaning jobs. Bit harsh, but a big drum for about a fiver more than a 5 litre can made sense.
......and along those lines, Army surplus depot near us (Anchor surplus) does 25 litres of garage floor piant for £45. you could do about 3 double garages with it...Battleship Grey, Red or florescent orange.... I did see an orange floor once but it was just a bit too bright! :eek:

Rob

[strat6v]

I used some 2 pack grey paint. Two coats used about 7.5 litres and was applied by roller. There's been no peeling of the paint anywhere and its stood up to some abuse.

I don't know if this type of paint is available anymore due to volatile additives :confused:

[CorseChris]

I don't know if this type of paint is available anymore due to volatile additives :confused:

New EEC directive on floor paints. Weak mixture of flour and water is allowed, provided the flour is fair trade and organic, and the water has been recycled/reclaimed.

[jadefarms]

If anyone wants to make their own flour I have plenty of wheat.... :D

[Steve Poole]

Morning Chris, enjoy your caribbean break? Nicely relaxed with a hint of tan?
Johnboys holding an open day on the 24th Nove, wondering if you were travelling northward that saturday..... :p seriously though, i would be a good chance to meet up and have that beer/tea!

Steve

[Bob]

I've used a paint in the studio called Floortred by a company called Johnstones/Kalon,
I've over painted oil stains here about 18 years ago and it covers well. However if you stick tank tape to it and leave it for any length of time it will come away on the tape, but normal wear and tear it does well.

Bob.

[CorseChris]

Can't recall which floor paint I used on my garage, but it's coming off :(

Steve, very slight tan, didn't enjoy it that much overall TBH. I've seen the thread, might toddle along if time/weather/inclination allows.

[Steve Poole]

Sorry to hear that Chris, its usually the return home that has people feeling the blues! Think unless the mighty one has something planned i will be at Johns as i still want to gander at both marques - so many questions :)

Steve

[strat6v]

I think Chris is jinxed if he visits my place steve, cooked engine last time i believe :eek: Maybe you could drive and Chris can navigate :D

[Steve Poole]

As long as its a strat im driving :p though he can drive my mondeo if he likes :D :D

I'm hoping for a spin in somebodys car :p - would be nice to know what they feel like. (This is thinly veiled and really poorly disguised plea and paints a picture of a man in need of a dose of adrenalin - spare underpants will be brought & the smell is nothing that fabreeze can deal with) ;)

Steve

[chris.richard]

As long as its a strat im driving :p though he can drive my mondeo if he likes :D :D

I'm hoping for a spin in somebodys car :p - would be nice to know what they feel like. (This is thinly veiled and really poorly disguised plea and paints a picture of a man in need of a dose of adrenalin - spare underpants will be brought & the smell is nothing that fabreeze can deal with) ;)

Steve

OI! This was supposed to be a thread about getting stains out of concrete! :p

[CorseChris]

Keeping on topic. Oily concrete.

Right, back OT.....good point John, don't fancy busting my new motor just yet so I'll give your gathering a miss ;)

[John]

OI! This was supposed to be a thread about getting stains out of concrete! :p
Chris,
why don't you get Alex Salmond to nationalize it? :)

[Steve Poole]

OI! This was supposed to be a thread about getting stains out of concrete! :p


When they did our factory floor they agitated the floor with a scrubbing machine and degreaser, then steam cleaned it, allowed it to dry thoroughly & then painted it in a two - part industrial floor paint (necessary precautions re breathing app should be observed). If you were our side of the border you could borrow the scrubbing agitator from me but you can hire them - rotary brush (youve seen the floor polishers in office blocks - its one of those with an agitating brush). You can buy from most industrial merchants strong degreasing fluid and most industrial steam cleaners will take a cleaning fluid which does the same thing. Full heat and steam away. Most important is to allow to properly dry. The first part of the floor paint is a sealer & basecoat and you should use a brush rather than a roller to make sure the pourosity of the concrete is dealt with. Second is finish coat and this can be applied as many times as you feel necessary to get that just painted, ooh i can see my own reflection - look! Our factory floor was painted around 19 years ago and has stood up well. Whatever modern paint you use its life and end finish will depend on the sealing part of the prep. They used to burn oil off springs here and the floor was a real mess but the above did the job and it ha been a lovely shade of battleship grey for years! I hope this is on thread enough for you Christopher :D :D

Steve

[chris.richard]

Thanks Steve!
It's getting the balance of desirable finish/ can I be arsed that I need to find!
I've scrubbed with cleaner and pressure washed twice, and it still looks cosmetically poor. Tempting to just seal with PVA and then paint. It can only improve it! :rolleyes:

[Steve Poole]

You could of course use a floor leveling screed solution (probably like whats under your kitchen floor) and then tile it & seal it! Very nice! :D :D

Steve

[strat6v]

If you use the all singing and dancing floor paint it may seal the surface anyway. Try your local paint specialists or good builders merchant, its not the sort of stuff that b&q keep. Mines been down eight years, had engines and boxes, concrete blocks etc dragged across it and has never marked or peeled. Cheaper in the long run ;)