Basement Workshop Epoxy Floor Installation - Rocksolid Metallic

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The last time we checked in on my basement workshop was all the way back at the beginning of April when I posted about the new wall and sealed, exterior door that were installed, thus, creating the shape of the shop.  Then Spring came and all of my attention and time were focused outside on the garden and yard.  I left the shop empty and forgot all about my plans to finish the floors.  

Well, the recent run of super hot weather afforded me the opportunity to get back going on the shop and job #1 was finishing the floors.  I had, on hand, a couple of the Rocksolid Metallic Epoxy floor kits that I bought back in April when I was planning the shop build out.  Inside of each of those kits was a package of 'floor etch', which I got busy with.  Below, in the first photo, is after one round of etching the floor.  I did it 2x - just to be safe.  But, since there isn't a floor drain, I ended up having to saturate the floor (post etch) and then use a scrub brush to pick up most of the etch, followed by a good shop-vac'ing of the whole shop.

The prep on these epoxy floors is the most intensive part of the whole process and over the course of close to a week, I cleaned and etched.  And cleaned and etched.  Then, the floors were ready.


Because I had a choice, I, of course went with an orange floor.  Copper Pot, to be precise.  The Rocksolid kits claim that they'll go 100 square feet per box, but that wasn't my experience.  I ended up using four of them.  Yeah!  Four of them.  And my shop is NOT 400 square feet.  More like 225 total.   I also added a sacrificial topcoat (along with some anti-slip additive) because I knew that this shop floor was both going to be covered in saw dust (hence the anti-slip additive) and that it was going to take a beating (hence the sacrificial topcoat/clear coat in the first place).

Here's what one corner of the shop looks like now: 


I'm really happy with the color  (despite the coverage issues), but this project reinforced for me that when it comes time for me to do my garage floor in the epoxy system, it will NOT be a DIY job.  I'll be hiring it out to a professional. 

For the record, this is the second of these epoxy floors that I've done myself.  All the way back in February of 2011, I posted some photos of my DIY job in our first garage back in Elmhurst. 

But for my shop?  In the basement that will only really be accessed by me and the kids?  My DIY job is just fine, thank you. 

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