Failing DIY Paint Kit Removed and Coated with Professional Coatings
This two-car garage, located not far outside of Philadelphia, was in rough shape when STRONGHOLD FLOORS arrived. The concrete itself wasn't too bad, but the DIY floor paint kit that had been applied was peeling in dozens of places. The homeowner, Frank, had applied the DIY kit when he bought the house brand new five years ago.
Being a new construction, the concrete was in great shape when Frank applied the paint kit. Unfortunately, even though he followed the instructions and prepared the concrete as was recommended by the paint kit manufacturer, the coating still failed. Frank had spent days and $$$ applying the DIY coatings, only for the effort to be wasted. In just six months, the epoxy was already starting to peel.
Had Frank reached out to STRONGHOLD FLOORS the first time, he would have received a warrantied, long-lasting coating while not wasting his time or money on kits that were destined to fail. His story is a prime reason why we urge homeowners to reconsider applying DIY floor coating "solutions" to their garage floors. We even have a few blogs discussing DIY floor coatings:
Applying the New Coatings
STRONGHOLD FLOORS removed the old epoxy, prepared the concrete, and applied our coatings in two days. Removing old paint kits from concrete is usually simple for us, as our concrete preparation process is able to remove the epoxy paint kit while giving the concrete the appropriate scratch pattern necessary for our coatings to adhere to.
On day one, we removed the old paint kit, prepared the concrete slab, and applied our base coat - consisting of tan epoxy and Dauphin decorative chips - to the concrete. On day two, we applied our clear, polyaspartic polyurea top coat along with 46 grit aluminum oxide for traction.
Interview with Frank (Homeowner)
After the coatings were completed, we were able to speak with Frank and ask some questions regarding the coatings process and his satisfaction. Listed below are some of the questions (Q) we asked, and Frank's responses (A).
Q: What was your motivation for getting the garage floor coating?
A: We moved into the house five years ago, and the concrete was perfect when we moved in. We used [big box retailer garage paint kit] and after a couple of years, it started to peel up. We thought we did a good job applying it, we followed all the instructions, but it just wasn't durable enough, and it started to look ugly. We wanted to get it redone, and use a product where this wasn't going to happen again.
Q: How do you intend on using your garage?
A: We intend to use the garage like we had before. We have a two car garage. We usually keep one car in the garage. We have a freezer, our bikes, our kids' bikes, and storage for sporting stuff. It's just so nice having a floor that's durable and that we can be proud of.
Q: How would you rate our communication?
A: I thought the communication was excellent. From the first day, everything was explained, and then there were reminders via email and text message. [There were] plenty of frequently asked questions, and the process was described in detail. I wasn't surprised at all.
Q: How would you rate the finished product?
A: The finished product I give an excellent rating, because I was just so shocked by the process - from preparing the surface, to applying the epoxy, to the amazing selection of colors that were available. We're really happy with the color that we chose, and the [top coat] that went on top of it. I just didn't expect it to be as solid of a product as it is.
Q: What made you pick the color and blend that you chose (Dauphin decorative chips on tan epoxy)?
A: We picked the color and the blend together - my wife and I - based on the colors that were already in the garage and what we planned to have in here. We were super surprised - in a good way - by the assortment of colors and all of our choices, and we're really happy with the finished product.
Q: If you had the opportunity to work with STRONGHOLD FLOORS again, would you?
A: I wish we had a bigger garage or more concrete to coat. It was a great process, and we've recommended it already to our neighbors. We leave our garage door open for the neighbors to see, to walk by, because they were interested in the process too. We couldn't say enough good things about the company, the product, and the service. It's just excellent.
Before and After Video
If you're interested in seeing more pictures and videos of the finished product, as well as before shots, check out the video below, or view the pics. The video also includes some of the questions we asked Frank above.
