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rexg_gw

epoxy finish on basement floor

rexg
13 years ago

I want to put an epoxy finish on the basement floor in my shop area. Nothing fancy just something durable. Drywall is already up and the instruction says I need to clean floor with acid and then power wash. How can I do this without damaging the drywall. The house is 9 years old and the basement floor has never been painted or coated with a clear sealer of any type. I realize the floor needs to be clean of all grease before applying the epoxy finish but I do not want to damage the drywall.

Any Suggestions?

Comments (5)

  • grullablue
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the question....I recently posted (expansion joints/painting basement floor), and have been reading, too, that you should powerwash the floor prior to painting. Well, I, too, have drywall that could be damaged by splatter...and a furnace and other appliances that should not get wet! My floor is just like yours, not been painted or coated....

  • worthy
    13 years ago

    According to This Old House, power washing isn't a necessity.

  • hilltop_gw
    13 years ago

    I've done the epoxy on two different areas- our garage and in an enclosed stairway on an old house. Cleaning with the muratic acid etches the surface, but I didn't power wash either area. I just washed it good. The enclosed stairway I did was horrific, dirty and rough. I had removed old vinyl and cleaned it as best I could with the acid. The epoxy is still holding well. If you really want to protect the walls, just tape up some painters plastic.
    Be sure to put the anti-slip crystals or flecks on the floor to provide grip; otherwise if it gets wet it's really slick. The clear anti-slip crystals (can't remember the proper name) are prickly on bare feet and make cleaning more difficult. The flecks are quick and easy but make it more difficult to find small objects that you might drop (ie pin, button, screw, etc.)

  • earthworm
    13 years ago

    Power washing can handle 80% of the task. Much depends on the basement size and access and the power washer.
    Some water splatter will not hurt well painted drywall nor the heat unit.
    The drywall bottom edge should never touch the floor - I'd go for a 1" gap, at least.
    Have a helper dry things as you work. The anti-slip crystals.......definitely on the steps and concrete stairs. The flecks for the other surfaces...
    This is one good forum.

  • rexg
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I have a commerical floor buffer with several different scrub pads and considered using it with diluted muratic acid to scrub the floor and then mop several time with clear water. I could also use my dry/wet vac to remove the water. Would that handle the floor prep? Do I just clean the floor once with the acid or is this a multiple application process? I'm afraid that the power washer would give me more water then I could handle.