Some may not know John Winter from a half-decade and more ago, but John apprenticed with me between 2010/14. Well, given half a chance, we woodworkers might choose to craft-mentor those we come to know too, if we have the interests of others at heart, that is. Through three decades I have steered and trained…
Read the full post Winter Returns! on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Show notes coming soon.
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Almost all magazines do it! From the 10 best bike seats and riding gear to the 10 best nail clippers. We punch in the keys to find the information we need so we can buy into the item we are looking for, secure in the knowledge that we won’t look like fools if we can…
Read the full post Is it Helpful or No? on Paul Sellers' Blog.
In an hour I go from neatness and order to a scene of seeming chaos yet I feel settled in the build of shavings at my bench and feet. In the same one hour, I’ve carved and shaped the whole seat to my rocking chair, formed the two tenons connecting the back from to the…
Read the full post In An Hour on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Show notes coming soon!
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I do think I should thank the USA for all of the years I was welcomed to live within its borders–23 in total. I met such kindness there in the early years. Difficult times were always helped with unexpected kindnesses, love and care. These are difficult times for us all, of that there can be…
Read the full post Thanksgiving! on Paul Sellers' Blog.
If you have concrete as ugly as mine, and epoxy floor makeover might be just what the doctor ordered. My Denver, CO shop has concrete floors that have moved quite a bit over the years and as a result it developed high spots and cracks that became trip hazards. My brother in law Jay rented a diamond grinder and took down the most offensive spots, but what was left was an ugly mess of a floor. So I decided it was time to apply an epoxy floor coating.
By the way, this isn’t my first rodeo with epoxy. When I built the “Dream Shop” in Arizona, I wrote two articles about shop flooring choices and ultimately decided to go with epoxy as a base level of protection with black rubber mats in the work areas for additional comfort.
Below you can see the dramatic before and after:
Epoxy floor coatings are fundamentally similar to the epoxy we use in our shops as an adhesive or in epoxy pours. It’s a 2-part mixture that cures via a chemical reaction and bonds to the concrete providing an attractive and durable finish. Sometimes little chips (or other stuff) can be used as a broadcast medium that sit in the wet epoxy and provide texture and more color. After the epoxy dries, a topcoat can be applied for additional durability. That pretty much describes my floor: a light tan epoxy coating with a 1/4″ broadcast medium, with a polyaspartic topcoat.
There are a lot of things to consider if you plan to go the DIY route. First, you will want to research the preparation process and decide if you’re up to the task. Old concrete is usually worn, stained, cracked and damaged so you’ll need to fill the cracks and remove the stains. In order for the epoxy to bond effectively, the pores need to be opened up and you can’t have anything contaminating the surface. Most DIY’ers will do an acid etch. This involves applying an acid solution to the concrete and then rinsing it away. In my shop, this was a no-go because two of my garage doors are sealed shut so there’s nowhere for the water to go. Also keep in mind that acid etching isn’t a perfect process and isn’t nearly as effective as what the pros do: diamond grinding. The grinding abrades the top layer of the concrete, cleaning it and opening up the pores all in one shot. You can rent these machines if you’re adventurous but be prepared for a dust party. Even with proper dust collection these tools can produce oodles of incredibly dangerous concrete dust particles. A respirator is mandatory if you plan on continuing to use your lungs for a while.
After the prep work is complete, the epoxy is mixed and applied. While it’s not incredibly difficult to do this work, there are tools and techniques that help the process go smoothly and I’m sure you can find all of that info and gear online. But there’s definitely a nuance to the process since it’s not quite as forgiving as painting a wall. And remember, the fumes from the epoxy are brutal. Once again, a respirator is mandatory. Speaking of the epoxy specifically, keep in mind that the pros have access to a higher quality epoxy than the stuff we can get at home centers.
For me, the choice was obvious: I hired a pro. Between the challenges in preparation, the safety issues involved, and the fact that I want the coating to last as long as possible, I couldn’t justify going DIY.
If you have the budget and means, the easiest thing to do is to get the tools out of the shop completely. That means you need either a safe covered storage area or you’ll need to rent something like a POD. In my case, I don’t have the storage area and a POD was out of the question because they’re not flush with the ground. Many of my tools weigh in excess of 500 lbs and getting them up a 6″ step is a daunting task. So I opted to break the project up into two phases. This extended the total length of the project and required me to move my tools a total of THREE times, but in the end it worked out just fine. Thankfully, it’s Winter right now and it wasn’t difficult to find a flooring company willing to break the job up into two parts. It was also fortunate that I have a tool:space ratio that allows all of my tools to fit in one half of the shop when arranged like Tetris pieces.
A lot of folks will dismiss an epoxy coating as merely aesthetic. There’s no doubt it really dresses up the space nicely, but there are functional reasons for an Epoxy Floor Makeover. An epoxy floor is very easy to clean, whether by vacuum or broom. Since the surface is sealed, the floor is stain resistant and spills are easy to clean up. And because the floor is lighter in color and slightly reflective, the space becomes brighter and more inviting. Also consider that an epoxy floor coating with no additives can actually be quite slippery and hazardous. But with the addition of broadcast medium and grit, the floor takes on more of an “anti-slip” quality. Finally, while I don’t have plans to move any time soon, an epoxy floor can help boost resale value.
I’m sure this is something that will vary dramatically depending in the company, the region, the materials they use, and maybe even the time of year. In my case the price was about $4.75/sq ft. Obviously if you go the DIY route it’s going to be much cheaper but make sure you factor in the potential equipment purchases and rentals.
In the end, I do feel an epoxy floor coating fits firmly into that “luxury” category. It is by no means a necessity. If you’re setting up a new shop and the budget is tight, I’d rather see you get the tools you need instead of improving the shop floor. But when the budget is there and your tool needs are satisfied, an epoxy floor coating can be a real nice shop upgrade.
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. . . I remember it well! I was walking down the hallowed halls of the White House to the Cabinet Room to place my credenzas against the end walls on either side of the door that led to the Oval Office. The place was a buzz of activity as people moved decisively from place…
Read the full post 12 Years Ago. . . on Paul Sellers' Blog.
When I show a picture of what seems the chaos of my workspace it’s not to say this is how I work or indeed to justify others in their untidiness, it’s simply to say I have been exceptionally busy making and that I have had just about every hand tool in the shop out and…
Read the full post Orderliness Without Excuses! on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Show notes coming soon.
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I don’t know about you but this year started with deep concerns and the chasm of disappointments seems to have deepened in just a few days into2021. It’s not us, the working people with boots on the ground that create the stir but those at the so-called top that stir up the unrest in our…
Read the full post The Year Begins on Paul Sellers' Blog.
My birthday week was wonderful and thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday greetings to warm the start to my seventy-first year of life. I never imagined I would live until this wonderful age and for one reason only: At 35 years of age I was told by a consultant that I had about 18…
Read the full post Off My Rocker on Paul Sellers' Blog.
. . . when we start work again, so I’m back in the saddle! You have to imagine that this is Monday 4th January 2021 because I wrote it and was about to post it but my site got hijacked so they could tell you it was my birthday! The new designs in furniture for…
Read the full post The New Year Begins . . . on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Today we are celebrating Paul’s 71st birthday! The team would like to thank Paul for continuing to inspire us every day with his love of woodworking! We can’t wait for all the exciting things to come. Please join us in wishing Paul a very happy birthday in the comments.
Read the full post Happy Birthday Paul! on Paul Sellers' Blog.
I don’t really live in the past too much. The future seems always to hold ambition, something to aspire to achieve that has not yet arrived; perhaps a skill, a piece to be made, an idea for something future-born. What is it that motivates our rising to get up from our beds when we wake…
Read the full post What Can I Do About it? on Paul Sellers' Blog.