Personal experience putting an epoxy coating on a shop floor. In about 1987 I had a new shop space constructed. 4,000 Sq feet of an 8,000' metal building. I did not own it, was on a long term lease. The site had been low land and been filled with about 4' of compacted clay. About 25' from a major drainage ditch. As soon as the building was fully enclosed and most work completed, I scrubbed the concrete with Trisodium phosphate, rinsed twice and used shop vac to pickup the excess water. Then I washed it down with dilute HCL, rinsed and vacuumed. Let it dry a few days and then using an a large paint roller applied a coat of Pittsburg Paint Co, two part epoxy in light tan. The next day I did the same, a 2nd coat.
The surface was slightly slick initially but that went away with normal use. 38 years later, there has been no peeling and most of the area is still OK. the heavy traffic areas have worn through. Steel wheeled shop carts have been used on it the entire time. I've had several additions done to the building and along the way purchased it. I maxed out the site @ 25,000 sq. ft.
Unfortunately one small office area got any additional floor coating. It was done by someone else with urethane and did not hold up well. Most likely from poor surface prep. There was always a rush to get the additions into production. I wish we had taken the time to also coat them in epoxy. It is so much easier to keep clean. The lighting is better because of the reflectiveness of the surface. Oil doesn't soak in.
The building is a ridged frame, 80' clear span. 18' side walls, 4" fiberglass insulation, 8' high white finished steel liner, 2 loading docks. two of the additions have translucent skylights (very affective lighting.) The last addition has large windows located high above the floor for natural lighting. There are 5 OH doors. (+ two dock doors) 3 of them only there to allow lots of air circulation through the shop. The main OHD is 16 x14' high. Allows semi's to back in when flatbeds need to be unloaded in ****ty weather. That area is normally the main corridor for the forklift loading of 14' high racks.
What would I do differently if starting over and now having hind sight? More insulation but the original building manufacturer would only allow a max of 4". Actually I'd do a concrete wall panel system with foam core now. Very little difference in cost and much more durable. The ridged steel frame intrudes into the interior space a considerable amount. I'd use more skylights and high windows. Higher quality OHDs were used on the last addition (steel on both sides and foam core.) Much better. Roof or high vents on the walls to dump heat in the summer would have been a good idea. Having OHDs on opposite sides of the building has helped a lot with heat dumping and ventilation. Heating is radiant overhead gas and is OK. Original power was 500A 3 phase Sq D I line @ 208V (city will not provide 220/240 because of the loading on their system) We've had to add transformers for 460V & 380V equipment power. Also had to add additional main panels. If I had it to do over I would have done buss bar distribution.
I'm retired and lease the building for a nice income. There are maintenance costs that come in jumps. Triple net leases.
The surface was slightly slick initially but that went away with normal use. 38 years later, there has been no peeling and most of the area is still OK. the heavy traffic areas have worn through. Steel wheeled shop carts have been used on it the entire time. I've had several additions done to the building and along the way purchased it. I maxed out the site @ 25,000 sq. ft.
Unfortunately one small office area got any additional floor coating. It was done by someone else with urethane and did not hold up well. Most likely from poor surface prep. There was always a rush to get the additions into production. I wish we had taken the time to also coat them in epoxy. It is so much easier to keep clean. The lighting is better because of the reflectiveness of the surface. Oil doesn't soak in.
The building is a ridged frame, 80' clear span. 18' side walls, 4" fiberglass insulation, 8' high white finished steel liner, 2 loading docks. two of the additions have translucent skylights (very affective lighting.) The last addition has large windows located high above the floor for natural lighting. There are 5 OH doors. (+ two dock doors) 3 of them only there to allow lots of air circulation through the shop. The main OHD is 16 x14' high. Allows semi's to back in when flatbeds need to be unloaded in ****ty weather. That area is normally the main corridor for the forklift loading of 14' high racks.
What would I do differently if starting over and now having hind sight? More insulation but the original building manufacturer would only allow a max of 4". Actually I'd do a concrete wall panel system with foam core now. Very little difference in cost and much more durable. The ridged steel frame intrudes into the interior space a considerable amount. I'd use more skylights and high windows. Higher quality OHDs were used on the last addition (steel on both sides and foam core.) Much better. Roof or high vents on the walls to dump heat in the summer would have been a good idea. Having OHDs on opposite sides of the building has helped a lot with heat dumping and ventilation. Heating is radiant overhead gas and is OK. Original power was 500A 3 phase Sq D I line @ 208V (city will not provide 220/240 because of the loading on their system) We've had to add transformers for 460V & 380V equipment power. Also had to add additional main panels. If I had it to do over I would have done buss bar distribution.
I'm retired and lease the building for a nice income. There are maintenance costs that come in jumps. Triple net leases.
