So the Chief comes up to me and asks if I would like a little OT project. Sure Chief, what is it? Paint the apparatus bay (where the Truck, Engine and Rescue sit). So I need some ideas on what kind of paint to use, how to apply etc. The thing I’m worried about is pull-up. Most paints that I have seen are usually made to have over 60000 lbs sittting on it. A little help would greatly be appreciated.
Jeremy
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Replies
Consider concrete stain instead of paint.
Sherman Williams has a concete stain that I have had good luck with.
As with paint, you will have to clean the floor of all oil stains.
Terry
I think the hard part will be cutting in and getting the paint under the tires of all those vehicles.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Most any paint you can buy in a store needs weeks to cure before you can park tires on it. For commercial jobs, one of the most durable finishes is polyurethane. But the high quality polyurethanes are expensive. Installation technique is critical, too. Usually you need to strip the floor bare, degrease, acid etch, dry thoroughly, prime, and paint. Then you can't drive on it for a week.
Here's one company whose products I've used in a manufacturing plant. It may be too much for your budget, but if you want a paint that really will hold up, it needs to be a properly applied commercial coating. You can apply it yourself, but you have to do proper prep.
http://www.tennantfloorcoatings.com/index.asp
Hmm, I'm pretty sure that the Chief won't appreciate the rigs sittng outside for weeks, especially with winter coming. That tends to freeze the water. Budget usually isn't that big of a deal, as long as I can sell them that it will last. We had a boyscout come in and do a coating to earn his eagle scout. Left the trucks outside for a week, pulled them in, and the first run ripped up a 5 foot long section from the rear duals.
Go with a epoxy floor finish. I have had it installed in industrial applications and it will last if properly applied. I am not certain if you are going to be able to get your hands on the good stuff and apply it yourself. The guys that applied it for me always used a shot abrader that left the floor in perfect condition for applying a finish. Sandblasting the floor may work prep. I forget how the epoxy is applied.
Once the floor is finished something like a fire truck sitting on it would be no big deal. At work we drove forklifts on the floors all of the time and they also had battery acid on them 100% of the time.
What ever you do, don't use paint. Old concrete with some oil stains looks better than a floor with pealing paint. I once worked in a hanger where I could tell everywhere a creeper had ever rolled and the oil dripping from the radials ate the remaining paint.
Epoxy can work but has it's down sides two. I've had experience with epoxy in three manufacturing plants.
Epoxy is applied as a two part mixture and sets up like any epoxy with which you are familiar. It results in a fairly thick floor coating, perhaps a tenth of an inch thick.
It's very resistant to any chemical damage. With a proper crack filler applied first, it is very good at covering over damaged, rough, nasty areas of concrete. When properly applied to a clean, dry, properly roughed-up substrate it will adhere well. But, if there is any grease or moisture in the concrete it will come off in big sheets. Also, because of it's thickness and softness, it's easily gouged. Fork trucks dragging pallets can make deep gashes in it with no trouble at all. Epoxy also does not hold a shine, so will look dull where foot or vehicle traffic is after a short time.
Epoxy paints (as opposed to industrial floor coatings) don't share these drawbacks because they are not much thicker than ordinary paint and don't have a gloss to begin with.
With whatever you choose, pay attention to how non-slip it is. That's particularly important in your application because you'll be rushing around on wet floors, I imagine.
Look into Rexthane from herwin Williams...
It's used on airplane maint hanger floors....
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It's been a few years since you posted but I'd really like to know how this worked out! Sometimes it's just better to hire professionals! We used Engine Bay Floors for ours.
There are different types of paint available, but it will take a week to cure while painting. So if any emergency situation occurs, we cant utilize the truck facility. It is better to use any polyurethane, which makes a better cure within a week.