Monday, March 4, 2013

Garage Epoxy - Part 9 of 10 - Applying Acid Etch

Carl washing the floor
By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
Acid etch packages 1 per box 
Acid resistant coveralls
Acid gloves, rubber boots 
Electric commercial polisher 
Rustoleum® Epoxy Kit (1-Gal. semigloss 2-Part Epoxy Garage-Floor) 
Electric fan (2)  
Face shield (safety glasses) 
Floor buffer scrubber pads (2)
Leaf blower (high capacity)  
Power washer

Rue Phon hired my repair service to clean up a rat mess. He owned a beautiful home overlooking Azusa Hills, California. This post shows my partner Carl will be helping me solve the problems with this job. 

This post shows the seven steps to apply the acid etch to the garage floor.

According to the Rust-Oleum® Epovy shield Garage Floor Coating website the products creates quality surfaces. It protects against gasoline, antifreeze, motor oil, salt and hot tire pick-up. The kit includes 2-part water-based epoxy coating concentrated cleaner, decorative vinyl chips, stir stick, detailed instructions and an instructional CD video.

Before mixing the acid in water, be safe wear acid resistant gloves and safety glasses to protect your eyes. I like using a face shields, my safety glasses seem to fall off my face, the face shield is held by my head so the shield stays down and protects my face. All of these supplies can easily purchased at any hardware store. Carl is using orange coveralls. It's wise to wear acid resistant coveralls before the acid is mixed. No matter how careful you are with the acid, some small specks will eventually spray on your clothes. When the clothe are washed, you will find little holes in your jeans and shirt, so using the coverall will protect your clothes and your skin.

Step 1:  Mix acid etch packages, usually usually then spread over part of the floor as a 4′ by 4′ square. 
Step 2: Above right fig.1 shows Carl using the commercial floor polisher with a new scrubber pads pad in combination with the acid etch to remove the dirt and debris from the cement floor. Use the bug spray and mix the acid package with clean water and apply to the floor area, In fig.2 shows the floor turns white, that the acid working itself into the concrete floor.
Fig.1 Carl etching floor
Fig.2 Acid working 
on cement floor
Tip: Purchase 2-scrubber pads, one for the degrease chemicals and the same one for the acid etching. The other new scrubber pad will be used in the clean up phase of this post. Above right Carl is wearing acid gloves, and rubber boots for protection from the acid etch.

Step 3: Fig.3 shows a leaf blower was used to dry the cement after the first pass. This took at least a few hours and a good time for lunch. Fig.4 below shows the floor was dried it looked like this. The large white swirl marks indicate that the floor needs another round of cleaning. The dirt and debris is caught inside the swirls.


Fig.3 Blower to aid 
 in drying the floor
Fig.4 Floor mostly dried

Step 4: This will be the second pass at the floor. No acid was used during these passes at the floor, the goal was to remove the white swirls off the floor. Fig.5 shows Carl is working the floor polisher on the garage floor. Fig.6 shows the floor is clean and ready to be dried for painting.



Fig.5 Carl using polisher
on garage floor
Fig.6 Floor Clean

Step 5: Fig.7 and fig.8 shows the air dryers are being used to dry the floor.
Fig.7 Heaters to dry floor
Fig.8 Box heaters

Step 6: Fig.9 and fig.10 shows the floor is ready to be painted.
Fig.9 Floor ready to paint
Fig.10 Floor ready to
apply bonding agent

Step 7: When you do a complicated job like this one, the more you read everything the company provides the better you can handle the job. Rustoleum® website has documents, a glossary that will explain the terms used in the documents, and a video library, that answer all your questions. For ease of use click on the links below

Garage Epoxy:


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    Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-

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