Epoxy floor went wrong when I didn't dry the concrete enough first

I was doing my garage floor in Phoenix back in March. Read all the instructions, prepped the surface, even did the acid etch. But I guess I didn't let it dry long enough after the last rinse. Laid down the epoxy and within an hour it started bubbling up in spots. Had to stop halfway through and scrape it all off while it was still tacky. Lost about $120 in materials. Has anyone else had moisture issues with their garage floor coating?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannah32023d agoTop Commenter

Yeah moisture meters are a lifesaver, I use one every time now after the same exact thing.

claire_grant3423d ago

The bubbling is almost always a moisture thing, I've been there. That acid etch rinse is the killer because it soaks way deeper into the concrete than you think, especially in a garage where the slab sits right on the ground. I started using a moisture meter from the hardware store before I even mix the epoxy now, it costs like $30 but beats scraping off $120 of tacky goo. Also if you're in Phoenix the humidity might be low but the slab can still be cold and damp underneath from the ground, so give it a full 48 hours of dry time after that rinse, trust me.

brianm6623d ago

That "cold and damp underneath" thing you said, yeah it's the same reason why your basement floor always feels cold even in summer. The ground just holds that moisture like a sponge no matter what the air is doing above it. I swear half the problems with garage floors come down to people forgetting their slab is basically sitting on dirt that never fully dries out.