Now that the concrete surface has been thoroughly tested for moisture, cleaned and free of all paint, grease, oil and other foreign materials, abraded to a minimum of 5 mil through the use of shot blasting or acid etching, and all cracks and control joints have been filed, the garage floor is now properly prepared to receive a coating.  Areas that you do not want painted should be taped-off with painters tape (masking tape can be very difficult to remove, particularly after it has bee coated with paint).

Provide sufficient light, power, heat and working conditions to permit proper installation.  Some paints are affected by extreme temperatures and this may affect how they cure.  Check the manufacturer’s instructions on the appropriate temperature you can work within.

Make sure you have enough product to complete the job.  The rates of coverage will vary by manufacturer, but keep in mind that if you are applying two coats to make sure you have enough product on hand to complete the job.  For example, if the coverage rate of your product is 250 square feet per gallon per coat, this means that one gallon of product will cover 125 square feet with two thin coats of paint.

Some floor coating products may be applied directly to a damp surface, but in all cases standing water should be completely removed; check your manufacturer’s instructions to be sure.  If waterproofing is required, this will need to be applied prior to the base coat to manufacturer’s instructions to achieve an optimal 40 mil membrane to effectively seal out moisture from affecting adhesion of the flooring system.

Installation of a flooring system varies by product – users should consult the manufacturers specific installation instructions to achieve the best results.

STEP ONE:  SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Before you begin application of the epoxy coating, it is important to be reminded of the health and safety issues associated with these products.  It is common for people to be sensitive or allergic to epoxy-based products.  Exposure to epoxy may cause an allergic reaction, some which can be severe.  [As a general contractor I should know, I ended up being treated on two separate occasions after having multiple exposures to epoxy  – the result was similar to a severe case of poison oak and your bodies reaction can intensify with each additional exposure].

As a precaution against an allergic reaction, it is very important to read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that accompanied your product before starting your project and wear impervious gloves, splash proof googles, impervious body suit and a self-contained breathing apparatus.  If you misplaced the MSDS sheet that came with your product, you can search the database of companies and their products by visiting MSDS.COM:  http://www.msds.com/

In the event you react to epoxy, this resource might be helpful to answering questions:

http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/epoxy-allergy.html

Allow sufficient time for the installation of the flooring system.  At no time should the speed of project completion be allowed to detrimentally affect the application.  Allow for enough time to start and complete each step.

STEP TWO:  MIX THE PRODUCT

Most floor coating products, whether they are epoxy or another paint material, consist of a two-part system that needs to be thoroughly mixed before they can be applied.  If the the two-parts are not mixed to the exact measurements specified by the manufacturer or thoroughly mixed prior to application, the paint may not dry. Once a hardening agent (the catalyst) is added to pigment the product will immediately begin to cure and therefore cannot be saved and reused.

Mix the Catalyst and Paint

In a five-gallon bucket dump 1/2 of a gallon of the pigment followed by an equal amount of catalyst.  The easiest way to mix the catalyst with the pigment is to use a cage mixer (available from your local hardware store) that is attached to a hand held power drill.  Begin mixing at slow speeds and scrape the sides and bottom of the container to get the entire product blended properly.  Work your way up to full speed for a minimum of 2-3 minutes until both components are thoroughly mixed.

Epoxy has a consistency, much like honey, that is thicker than other paints.  Once the catalyst is added the product will begin to cure and it will become more challenging to work with the longer the paint is exposed to air.  Generally speaking, epoxy paint products tend to dry slowly than most paints and typically have a 45-60 minute window in which to apply them before they will become more challenging to spread or become unusable.

STEP THREE:  APPLY THE BASE COAT

The first application, the base coat, is the foundation for your coating and determines the long-term adhesion of the floor coating system. 

Pour approximately ¼ of a gallon of the paint onto the floor in a straight line 24” to 36” long, not in pile.  Starting in a back corner first, trim the edges and all vertical surfaces with a bristle brush.  With the area closest to the wall complete, move onto the main part of the floor using a foam roller attached to a long handle poll.  The few extra dollars to purchase a large 18” roller may be worth the additional cost as a 12” or smaller roller will take longer to complete.

Apply the First Coat using a Foam Roller

Work in small section of about 30 square feet at a time by dumping out ¼-gallon of the paint product directly onto the floor across an 8-foot section or so.  Make smooth, uninterrupted rolling motions in one direction, going up or down to complete a section and then reversing directions left-to-right for full coverage.  This “crosshatch” method of rolling from left-to-right and then overlapping your work front-to-back is recommended to give optimum coverage.  Work at a steady pace being careful not to spin your roller too swiftly or you may splatter paint in area you don’t want it to fall.

STEP THREE:  ALLOW THE FIRST COAT TO DRY COMPLETELY

Maintaining good airflow through the use of circulating fans and keeping doors open will aid the drying process and dissipate the odor from these products which can be strong. 

Allow the flooring system to dry overnight before you apply the second coat, which will be the basis for our next article.

Filed under: Do-It-Yourself (DIY), Garage Flooring by Chad Haas
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These Cracks will need to be Repaired Before a Coating can be Applied

Now that your concrete garage floor has been cleaned and prepared to accept a coating, the next step is to inspect the surface for indentations, holes and cracks.  A certain amount of cracks appearing on garage floors, due to drying shrinkage, movement or other causes, are to be expected and are unavoidable.  

Although cracks seldom cause problems, they are unsightly and must be filled prior to application of a floor coating otherwise you risk having the defect project through the surface of the coating or may affect adhesion of the coating to the floor in areas where cracks are present. 

Fortunately, there is an easy way for the do-it-yourself homeowner to permanently repair crack damage efficiently and effectively. 

STEP ONE:  CLEAN THE AREA AROUND THE CRACKS 

To begin repairing cracks, you will need to clean the area around the damaged area.  This is a time consuming task, but is actually the most important step in the process.  Unless the area surrounding the cracked concrete is clean before you begin the patching and repairing process the patching compound will bond to dirt, instead of the concrete. 

Depending on the size of the crack, use a wire brush or an angle grinder to remove all loose concrete and brush out any other bits and pieces of dirt and loose objects. 

STEP TWO:  WIDEN THE REPAIR AREA 

This step might seem contrary to common sense, but you need to remove some of the concrete area surrounding the crack and widen it. This step is necessary because the concrete right surrounding a crack is inherently weaker and may not provide a good bond to the sealer. 

Take an angle grinder and remove a small amount of the unsound concrete. 

STEP THREE:  CLEAN THE REPAIRED AREA

Clean the floor by vacuuming all of the dust from the floor.  Here again, unless the repaired area is clean and free from dirt and contaminants, the patching compound will bond with those objects, instead of the concrete. 

Do not use water to clean the floor as some compounds can take longer to cure or will not adhere to a surface that is damp.  

STEP FOUR:  APPY THE PATCHING COMPOUND 

Now you are finally ready to apply the patching compound.  There are a wide variety of compounds on the market that are manufactured to seal cracks in concrete, from self-leveling repair kits, to Quikrete to Bondo (yes, the same compound used in automotive body repair).  Deciding which compound is best for a job should take into consideration the ease to which the product works, the budget for the project, the size of the cracks, and the availability of the product.

Mix a small amount of the patching compound per the manufacturers’ directions.  Some patching compounds have fast cutting times, so it’s recommended that you work in small section of the repair area until you feel comfortable with the pace at which the compounds sets.  

A flexible putty knife or steel trowel works well for this procedure.  Apply a minimum of filler so that the cracks are covered and a small amount of the compound rises slightly above the surface of the repaired area.

STEP FIVE:  ALLOW THE PATCH TO CURE/SAND  THE EXCESS MATERIAL

After the concrete patching compound has hardened, remove the excess material.  Slowly grind the excess material using an angle grinder or hand sander supplied with an 80-grit disc until the repaired area is flush with the surrounding concrete. 

 

 JOB LIST  OF PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROJECT

1. Wire Brush
2. Angle Grinder or Hand Sander
3. Concrete Filler
4. Flexible Putty Knife
5. Broom and Dust Pan
6. Shop Vac
7. Hearing and Eye Protection

Filed under: Do-It-Yourself (DIY), Garage Flooring by Chad Haas
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BEFORE: This garage floor will have to be cleaned before work can begin.

As described in an earlier blog article, a clean concrete surface is a critical factor to ensuring that your garage floor coating can bond properly.  When coatings are applied to concrete floors, the surface must be clean, free of contaminants and abraded to obtain maximum adhesion.  

 

For many new garage floors or light-duty coating installations, simply cleaning the concrete with a detergent and scrubbing the surface with a bristle may be an appropriate enough to prepare the surface for a coatingFor heavy deposits of contaminants or laitance, more aggressive methods, such as acid etching have become a fairly popular method used to remove laitance, grease, oil, and other penetrating contaminants.  

The latter technique involves applying a solution of an acid solution diluted in water and applied directly to the concrete.  Since concrete is alkaline, a reaction takes places, in the vigorous formation and release of gas bubbles, when the strong acid solution comes into contact the alkaline cement.  The residue is then rinsed with fresh water.  When done properly the concrete surface will have a texture similar to sandpaper.  

Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid is the most common acid used to etch concrete, but other acids such as sulfamic, phosphoric and citric acids may also be used.  Citric has the advantaged of being biodegradable and easier to discard.  Some municipalities have banned hydrochloric acid from being discharged into the environment and sewer systems and it is important to check with your local water authority first before beginning this process.  Muriatic should not be used where chlorides are prohibited. 

The success of this method is dependent upon the depth of penetration and viscosity of the contaminant, the permeability of the concrete and the duration the surface was exposed to the contaminant. 

Effectiveness of acid etching is also dependent upon whether the surface was cleaned well enough, if the surface was adequately rinsed and the strength of the acid solution. 

This article will describe the proper procedures association with cleaning and altering the surface profile of concrete through the use of acids to provide a contaminant-free surface prior to the application of a coating.  

If after acid etching the floor according to these procedures the presence of curing compounds are known or suspected, steps must be taken to remove them or clean the concrete through the technique of shot-blasting rather than acid etching.  If areas of the floor bead water or have a smooth surface, its possible that even well adhering coatings may fail unless contaminants are thoroughly and aggressively removed. 

ACID ETCHING PROCEDURE

Pre-Surface Preparation – Before the acid etching process can begin, the concrete surface must be free of all dirt, oil, grease, wax, dust, release agents or other penetrating contaminants (see “STANDARD PRACTICES TO CLEAN CONCRETE SURFACES FOR A COATING”). 

1.  Pre-Wet the Concrete Surface 

The concrete surface shall be wetted prior to applying etching solutions. Using a hose with a fine spray nozzle apply water uniformly across the concrete until the surface is wet but no standing water is present.  The concrete should remain wet until the acid solution is applied.  

Use a fine spray nozzle apply water uniformly across the concrete until the surface is wet.

2.  Prepare the Acid Etching Solution 

The concentration of the etching solution will vary depending on the manufacturer of the acid and the desired concrete texture and level of etching that is to be achieved. 

Use an acid-resistant container, such as a polyethylene sprinkling can, for use in mixing and applying the acid solution.  Pour the contents of the muriatic acid into the container and add fresh potable water to reach a required level to adequately etch bare concrete.  

3.  Test the Acid Solution for Strength 

Uniformly apply the diluted etching solution to a small test section where the surface is wet.  Bubbling should be immediately evident.  If the test area fails to vigorously bubble, this may indicate a need to increase the concentration of the acid solution.  Add slightly more acid to the diluted solution as required until a strong bubbling action is observed in the test.  This will confirm the amount of acid concentration needed for the project.  

If the concrete does not bubble or if water floats on the surface, this may indicate the presence of grease or oil contamination, or both, curing compounds or sealers. 

Your acid solution should vigorously bubble when it comes into contact with concrete.

4. Uniformly Apply Acid Solution to Floor Surface 

Uniformly apply the diluted etching solution to the surface being careful not to pour the acid on the concrete in one area.  Acid spread in this manner will be partially spent and will not yield uniform results.  Using a plastic sprinkling can help broadcast a more uniform application of the acid solution. 

The acid solution will begin bubbling indicating it is reacting to the surface layer of concrete.  Any areas failing to produce the bubbling action would indicate the area has contaminates that are preventing the acid from reaching the concrete.  It will be necessary to properly clean and re-etch or prepare these areas by mechanical means.  

Spread the acid solution uniformly across the concrete surface.

5.  Scrub Thoroughly with Brush 

The acid solution should be scrubbed thoroughly with a stiff bristle brush or a floor cleaning machine with a Nylo-Grit brush, which is made from coarse nylon impregnated with a carbide grit. 

Floor cleaning machine with Nylo-Grit brush

Work the acid solution into the concrete surface with the coarse brush or floor machine until a sufficient amount of surface material has been removed to achieve a sound floor surface that is visually free of contaminants and has been uniformly etched to the extent that it has a roughened, textured appearance. 

6.  Inspect  

Visually examine the prepared surface to ensure it is free of laitance, glaze, efflorescence, and incompatible concrete curing compounds or form release agents.  The surface should also be felt so that it has a uniformly roughened to a degree similar in appearance to medium-to-coarse grade sandpaper. 

Repeat application of acid to obtain required surface. 

7.  Flush the Surface with Water 

When the etching solution bubbling begins to subside, flush the surface with water to remove reaction products, and inspect for uniform roughening and removal of laitance. After the desired roughening is achieved, thoroughly flush the surface with water. 

Properly flush the surface with water to completely neutralize and remove the acid residue.  Repeated flushing and scrubbing with a stiff-bristled brush may be necessary.

AFTER: Acid Etched Concrete

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Garages Play an Important Role in Influencing the Curb Appeal of Homes

Curb appeal is the first impression people have of a home and the garage is often the largest and visible feature.  It dominates the front façade of most homes, accounting for as much as 30% of a home’s visual impact.  And it’s not up on the roof or somewhere out of sight; it’s at eye level, where everyone immediately sees it.  Ironically, the room that has its door open to the world every day also happens to be the most unsightly. 

Cramped with garden maintenance tools, sporting equipment, and overflow from the rest of the house, there is little room left for even the cars.  The garage functions as America’s junk room, holding all the items the house won’t — or can’t.  For most owners, the garage is the most cluttered and embarrassing part of their homes.  Some homeowners are afraid to even open their garage doors out of fear that neighbors will see all the ugliness inside. 

According to a national survey by Impulse Research, almost one-quarter (24%) of all homeowners are embarrassed to leave their garage doors open. California Closets commissioned a survey which determined that the garage seems to be “the most disorganized room in the home” thus prompted their company to expand their products to serve this market.

In a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 50% of those surveyed said the garage is the messiest room in the house, and homeowners are not satisfied with how they’ve used their garages in the past: 28% of consumers would like their garage to be better organized.  In a survey of 1,500 recent home buyers by John Schleimer, a housing-market analyst based in Roseville, Calif., many people cited a cramped garage as one of their previous home’s “biggest flaws”.

BEFORE: A Typical Garage in America

People are increasingly realizing that the garage is the one room in the house that their neighbors see on a regular basis and the impression a messy disorganized garage says about the homeowner.  While the rest of the home may be neat and clean, the garage can become a public embarrassment, since it is the only room regularly visible to neighbors. 

The garage has become more prominently featured in home construction.  In older homes, the garage was typically detached from the home and built in the back.  But with the rise of the suburbs, the garage became attached to most homes where it became the prominent feature in the front façade of new home construction, dominating the front landscape of most homes today.  Day in and day out, the garage is the main entrance for most home owners.

For builders, designers and architects, the garage represents an enormous potential as a new category in home design.  With new innovations for every room in the home, building and design professionals should accommodate design concepts for the garage in their plans, if for any other reason because the garage is the only room regularly visible to neighbors.  Design professional can assist clients with visualizing the enhancements that can be made to their homes by having an organized and fully furnished garage.  Today this is not being done to the level that is given every other room in the home.

Instead of oil-stained floors, cluttered workbenches and mishmash of shelves, cabinets and hooks that don’t fit or look nice together, professional tradespeople can fill an unmet need in the marketplace by offering designs solutions to transform ordinary, mundane garages into attractive and useful spaces.

AFTER: Look how furnishing the Garage can have a Dazzling effect on a home.

Making the garage to be both a livable, aesthetic and functional space is not a radical idea. In most homes, the garage is often the starting point for many activities.  Day-in and day-out, it is the main entrance for most home owners.  “As homeowners look for more usable space and value in their home, they tend to overlook the garage,” said Alene Workman, principle of Hollywood, Fla. based Alene Workman Interior Design Inc. and Fellow of American Society of Interior Designers in a press release from Whirlpool. “In most homes, the garage is often the starting point for many activities and it makes sense for homeowners to begin rethinking this untapped space”, said Workman.

GARAGES ARE VERSATILE

The garage is more than just a place to park a car or stash a lawn mower, it’s become kind of a second patio with a place to kick back in a lawn chair and chat with neighbors passing by the driveway … almost like an outdoor living room for entertaining.  For some of these owners their garage is perfunctorily functional, a place to tool around on their ‘pride-and-joy’ on weekends. 

Still to others the garage is a showroom to display their treasures.  The garage is not restricted to only gearheads, however; its appeal stretches broadly to include gardeners, woodworkers and others who simply want a place for everything and everything in its place.  But to all homeowners it is one of the most versatile rooms in their homes.

GARAGES ARE GETTING RECOGNIZED

It’s about time that garages are getting recognized.  For too long the garage has functioned as America’s junk room, holding all the items the house won’t — or can’t.  But the times are changing – people are finally realizing just how versatile this space can be and the impact it has upon the architecture of most homes.

The garage is the last remaining bastion within a home that has not been remodeled. People are putting so much money into their dream homes today, that they are not ignoring the garage, particularly because it is so visible to neighbors.  So it follows that an increasing number of homeowners are now looking for ways to ‘spruce up’ their garages to make this space more usable and appealing. 

Look how far the garage has already come: most were constructed with the studs and insulation exposed, but today finishing a garage wall with drywall and paint is commonplace because homeowners want them to look more appealing visually.

Filed under: Outfitting & Furnishing the Garage by Chad Haas
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Here are some helpful safety tips to make sure your garage doors are operative safely and effectively.  Note that this list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every safety precaution. Always consult your manufacturer’s installation or instruction manual for safety information specific to your model. 

1.  Replace Old Springs – Your garage door’s springs are arguably the most important and most dangerous part of your door. Springs wear out. When they break, injury can result. If you have an older garage door, have your springs inspected by a professional technician and replaced if needed. If your door has two springs, replace both, even if one is not broken. This will not only prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring, but also keep your door working efficiently. 

Torsion Spring for a Garage Door

[If you are an ambitious and safety minded handyman and wish to replace your old springs, instead of a professional technician, here is a “how-to” article on replacing old garage door springs]:  

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infgar/inftorsion/inftorsion.html 

2.  Check Your Cables – Visually inspect the cables that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of the door. If these cables are frayed or worn, they are in danger of breaking, which can cause injury. Due to the dangers associated with high spring tension, these cables should be replaced only by a trained technician. 

Cable Drum for a Garage Door

3.  Squeaky Springs – Springs can squeak and be noisy. This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. Before calling a professional service technician, use a spray-on lubricant (recommended especially for garage doors). If the noise persists, call a professional garage door installer for service. 

4.  Replacing, Installing or Servicing a Garage Door is not a DIY Project – Replacing, installing or servicing a garage door can be very dangerous and is not recommended for a novice. It is recommended that trained door systems technicians install garage doors. If you attempt the installation by yourself, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully. 

5.  Safety Cables – If your garage door has extension springs, you need a safety cable that runs through the spring and secures to the wall or ceiling at each end. When your garage door is down, extension springs are under high tension. If the spring breaks, it may cause injury. A safety cable can keep that broken spring contained. If you have extension springs but do not have a safety cable, call your local dealer for a safety inspection. 

6.  Irregular or Poor Door Operation – If your door does not go up and down smoothly, you may have an unsafe condition. Even older door systems should operate smoothly. If the awkward operation continues when the door is manually operated, you may have a spring system that is out of balance. This can cause premature wear and tear on other important door components. Spring systems are dangerous and should be repaired only by trained professionals. 

7.  Watch Your Fingers – Every year, many unsuspecting homeowners injure their fingers by placing them between the door sections to pull down on the door. According to standards adopted by DASMA, which is North America’s leading trade association of manufacturers of garage doors, if your door lacks pinch-resistant joints, you should have lift handles or suitable gripping points on the inside and outside of the door. Even if your door has an opener, the door must occasionally be operated manually. Never place your fingers between the door sections. If you manually open or close the door, use the handles or the safe gripping points! 

[About DASMA 116 – this voluntary standard strongly supported by DASMA, requires residential garage doors to have either (1) pinch-resistant section joints or (2) interior and exterior lift handles or other suitable gripping points. One handle must be placed on the bottom section within six inches of the bottom edge, and the other must be installed 20-30 inches directly above it.].

8.  Tamper Resistant Brackets – Since the bottom brackets on a garage door are connected to the door’s springs, these brackets are under extreme tension. They should be adjusted or loosened only by a trained door systems technician. Many manufacturers now include tamper resistant hardware that prevents loosening of the brackets by a novice. 

9.  Use of Old Door Tracks – When buying a replacement garage door, some homeowners are tempted to save a few dollars by putting the new door on the old track. However, your old track may not fit with your new door, depending on the thickness of your sections, the weight of the door, the headroom required, the location of the garage door opener, and other considerations. The track and sections work together as a system. For maximum performance and long life, you should use the track that is designed for your specific door. 

10.  Regular Service & Maintenance – Your garage door is probably the largest moving part in your home and is typically used every day. Over time, parts can wear out and break, creating potential safety problems. Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time. 

Over the years your door tracks can accumulate dirt in the rollers, pins and moving assembly of the overhead track system.  A future blog article will explain how to maintain your garage door so that it operates effectively.

11.  Retain your Owners Manual – It is a good practice to retain the owner manuals for your door and opener hanging near the door for easy reference. Every model of door and opener has specific safety instructions unique to that model.

 RESOURCES:  This information was compiled from the DASMA, which is North America’s leading trade association of manufacturers of garage doors:  http://www.dasma.com/safetygdoors.asp

Filed under: Garage Doors by Chad Haas
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When looking for cabinets or tool chests to store hand tools, power tools and fasteners consideration should be given to the number and size of drawer to accommodate your storage needs. 

Here is an overview of several different drawer sizes and the wide range of items you might store in them, from hand tools to large power tools and everything in between: 

1.  Small Drawer Heights – A 3.5” height is a standard size for organizing fasteners and hand tools like wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers, and sockets. 

Storing fasteners and small hand tools.

2.  Medium Drawer Heights – A 7.0” drawer height is perfect for storing small power tools, such as cordless tools, handheld tools and air tools. 

Storing Small Power Tools

3.  Tall Drawer Heights – The large 10” high drawers will accommodate large power tools like circular saws, sawzalls, spray guns, handheld sanders and other bulky tools that are often challenging to store.

Storing Large Power Tools & Bulky Items

Filed under: Garage Cabinets by Chad Haas
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If you are planning to install a coating on your garage floor as a do-it-yourself (DIY) project or considering this growing market as a new business opportunity, here is a job list of equipment, tools and supplies you will need to complete a typical 2-car garage. 

This resource is offered here to print out as a checklist. 

CHECKLIST

Safety Equipment/Gear 

1. Rubber Boots
2. One (1) Box of Rubber/Latex Gloves
3. Plastic Body Suit
4. Eye Protection

 Electrical/Power Tools 

1. 50-Foot Extension Cords (Heavy-Gauge)
2. Wet Dry (Wet-Vac) Vacuum Cleaner
3. Floor Machine with 15”-17” Nylo-Grit Brush (1.0-1.5 Horsepower Machine) 

Tools 

1. 50-150ft. Water Hose (Depends On Location of Water)
2. One (1) Squeegee
3. Two (2) Stiff Push Brooms
4. Two (2) 11-Inch Pole Scrapers (Floor Scraper)
5. Two (2)  Hand Scrapers (More Than 4”)
6. One (1)  Nozzle for Hose
7. One (1)  Dust Pan
8. One (1)  Hand Broom
9. One (1)  Drill
10. Drill Paint  Mixer (also called a Squirrle Mixer)
11. Tarps for Mixing On
12. Masking and Painters Tape
13. Two (2) Roller Polls
14. Shop Rags
15. Five 5-Gallon Buckets 

Detergents/Cleaners 

1. 15 Gallons of Muriatic Acid
2. One Gallon of MEK or Acetone
3. One Box of TSP Powdered Detergent

Filed under: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) by Chad Haas
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Dirty Floors will Affect the Adhesion of Coatings

The surface preparation of concrete is a critical factor to ensuring that your garage floor coating can bond properly to concrete.  It is generally acknowledged that coatings will adhere better to a clean, rough surface than to a contaminated and/or smooth surface. 

Concrete is subject to damage from various contaminants (such as chemicals, dirt, grease, oil, sealants), freeze-thaw conditions, salts and laitance (a fine, loose dust that is often present on the surface of concrete) that can affect the adhesion of coatings.  Surface preparation is a very important step to ensuring a rough surface that is free of contamination. 

For many new garage floors, simply cleaning the concrete with a detergent and scrubbing the surface with a bristle may be an appropriate enough to prepare the surface for a coating.  For heavy deposits of contaminants or laitance, more aggressive methods, such as abrasive blasting, may be required. 

For the purposes of this article, we will focus on methods of cleaning that are used to prepare concrete surfaces for applying coatings intended for light-duty service. 

The practices described here are not intended to alter the surface profile of the concrete, but are intended to provide a clean, contamination-free surface prior to the application of a coating.  These procedures include broom cleaning, vacuum cleaning, air blast cleaning, water cleaning, detergent water cleaning, and steam cleaning.  Any one or a combination of these cleaning procedures may be used to achieve an acceptably cleaned surface. 

DESCRIPTION OF CLEANING METHODS

 A.  Broom Cleaning 

This procedure is intended to remove most surface dust, loosely adherent concrete and other solid contaminants. Broom cleaning consists of sweeping the surface with a clean industrial stiff-bristled broom or similar device.  Sweeping is the most basic form of removing loosely adhering contaminants are swept from the work area.  If the work surface has a high amount of fines or dust, vacuum cleaning is recommended.

B.  Vacuum Cleaning 

This cleaning procedure is intended to remove surface dust, fines and other debris.  Vacuum cleaning shall consist of vacuuming the surface with a heavy-duty type industrial vacuum to provide an essentially dust-free surface. 

C.  Air-Blast Cleaning 

This procedure is intended to remove debris, dust, dirt, loosely adherent laitance, and concrete from walls and ceilings and to provide an essentially sound dust-free surface.

Air blast cleaning consists of cleaning the surface with a compressed air stream at 80 to 100 psi through a blasting nozzle held approximately 2 feet from the surface.  This is a much faster method of removing dust and fines than sweeping and vacuum cleaning.  Work should proceed from the back of the garage forward and provisions should be taken to prevent dust and fines from re-circulating in the air and falling back onto the work surface. 

D.  Water Cleaning

 This procedure is intended to remove dust, dirt, and water-soluble surface contaminants.  Water cleaning consists of cleaning the surface with a stream of clean water having sufficient pressure to remove dust, dirt, and loose material. When necessary, hand scrub with a stiff-bristled brush may be required to remove stubborn or persistent surface contaminants.  

Prior to water cleaning, provisions should be made for the removal of wash water and contaminants generated by this cleaning method.  

Water Cleaning Concrete

E.  Detergent Water Cleaning 

This procedure is intended to remove water-soluble surface contaminants and oils, grease, and other emulsifiable materials on the surface.  Detergent water cleaning shall consist of scraping off heavy deposits of grease or oil and cleaning the surface with a stiff-bristled brush using an aqueous solution of detergent or a non-solvent emulsifier. 

A popular cleaning agent that is used in detergent cleaning is TSP (Trisodium phosphate) can be used to remove stubborn and persistent contaminants.  TSP is a white, granular or crystalline appearance and is highly soluble in water.  Mix not less than 4 oz of TSP per gallon of water (or follow manufacturers instructions) to produce an alkaline solution. The effectiveness of TSP may be enhanced with the use of hot water. 

Safety Precaution:  Because TSP is a strong cleaner and can cause severe damage to unprotected skin and eyes, it is important to wear suitable clothing, gloves and eye protection so that it does not come in contact with your body. 

Repeat until water does not bead on the concrete surface. 

Immediately after treatment, before the surface dries, residues of the cleaning agent shall be removed by thoroughly flushing the surface with clean water.  

Floor Machine with Nylo Grit Brush

F.  Steam Cleaning 

This cleaning procedure is similar to detergent water washing, but is more effective for the removal of heavy deposits of grease and oil.  Steam cleaning shall consist of cleaning the surface with a jet of high-pressure steam sufficient to remove contaminants. 

Detergents or non-solvent emulsifying agents intended for use with steam cleaning equipment may be added where required for removal of oil and grease. 

When detergents or other emulsifying agents are used, after cleaning and before the surface dries, the surface shall be thoroughly flushed with water. Repeat flushing may be necessary to remove cleaning residues.

 INSPECTION

Visually examine the prepared surface for the presence of debris, dust, dirt, oil, grease, loosely adherent concrete, and other contaminants.  Acceptable surfaces shall be free of oil, grease, loosely adhering concrete, and other contamination.  Cleaning methods should be repeated until all visible debris, dust, dirt, oil, grease, loosely adherent concrete, and other contaminants are removed. 

Keywords:  concrete; surface cleaning; surface preperation; garage floor coating.

Filed under: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) by Chad Haas
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OVERVIEW OF WOOD SPECIES FOR EXTERIOR DOORS

ALASKAN YELLOW CEDAR

Alaskan Yellow Cedar

(chamaecyparis nootkatensis)

Choosing a facing material for your exterior wood entryway and garage door is an important decision from an aesthetic and performance standpoint.  This series of articles will highlight some of the most common wood species that are suitable in the construction of exterior doors.  These common species have natural properties that make them more suitable for outdoor applications.

A tough, solid and very durable tree, the Yellow Cedar is noted for its very slow growth and great longevity.  Characterized by its distinctive and uniform yellow color, the wood is fine in texture and has a straight grain. Its natural oily extractives are strongly aromatic when freshly cut, making the wood highly decay resistant and one of the most durable timbers. Yellow Cedar has excellent resistance to decay, insect attack and marine borers, a property that contributes to its exceptional long life. Its rate of deterioration is so slow that dead trees in Alaska may remain standing for a century or more after their death. 

Yellow Cedar seasons well, remains stable and shows little shrinkage. The appearance, durability and easy working characteristics of Yellow Cedar make it suitable for all types of joinery and carpentry where quality is a factor. It is a relatively hard wood, considerably harder than most commercial softwoods, and has excellent strength and wear properties as well as good impact resistance. 

According to studies conducted by the University of Hawaii, termite bioassays with Alaskan Cedar have shown this wood to be slightly more durable than Redwood, another wood species that is naturally resistant to termites. Short-term exposure to high termite activity resulted in slightly higher termite mortality than redwood. The same study also revealed that given a choice, subterranean termites actually preferred Alaskan Cedar less than Redwood. Alaska Cedar can be considered to be a reasonable construction material substitute for redwood in terms of its resistance to subterranean termites. 

Yellow Cedar can also be used for flooring and bridge decking because of its strength, hardness and excellent wear resistance. It stands up to traffic and load impact without forming ridges or splitting. 

Yellow Cedar is highly valued for window frames, doors and other fine finish purposes for which wood is the most desirable material, particularly in harsh coastal and high saltwater environments.  Yellow Cedar is valued for its tight grain and resin content, making it highly resistant to warping, twisting, moisture and insect infestation. 

Information Courtesy of State of Alaska Department of Commerce Community and Economic Development, University of Hawaii & USDA Forest Service. 

RESOURCE LINKS 

If you are seeking to find suppliers of Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Wood Finder has a list on their website, which may be found at this link: 

http://www.woodfinder.com/search.php?search=Yellow Cedar

Filed under: Garage Doors, Wood Species by Chad Haas
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The following is a list of major garage door and carriage door manufacturers in North America. We do not guarantee that every manufacturer you seek is here, but we have listed those with the biggest market share. 

Why would VAULT® provide a list of all its competitors?  We believe customers should compare the quality, performance and beauty of our doors to those of our competitors. 

Amarr Garage Doors

165 Carriage Court

Winston-Salem, NC 27105

Website:

http://www.amarr.com

Phone Number:

800-503-DOOR (3667)

336-744-5100

Ankmar Door Mfg., Inc.

4600 Kansas Avenue

Kansas City, KS 66106-1127

Website:

http://www.ankmar.com

Phone Number:

Denver: 303-321-6051

Kansas City: 913-621-7000

Arm-R-Lite Door Manufacturing Company, Inc.

2700 Hamilton Boulevard

South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Website:

http://www.arm-r-lite.com

Phone Number:

800-554-5816

908-754-2600

Carriage House Door Company

1421 Richards Blvd.

Sacramento, CA 95814

Website:

http://www.carriagedoor.com

Phone Number:

916-446-1226

866-890-1776

C.H.I. Overhead Doors

1485 Sunrise Drive

P.O. Box 260

Arthur, IL 61911

Website:

http://www.chiohd.com

Phone Number:

800-677-2650

217-543-2135

Clopay Building Products Company

8585 Duke Boulevard

Mason, OH 45040-3101

Website:

http://www.clopaydoor.com

Phone Number:

800-282-2260

513-770-4800

Delden Manufacturing Company

3530 NE Kimball Drive

Kansas City, MO 64161-1699

Website:

http://www.deldenmfg.com

Phone Number:

800-821-3708

816-413-1600

Designer Doors, Inc.

183 East Pomeroy Street

River Falls, WI 54022-1287

Website:

http://www.designerdoors.com

Phone Number:

715-426-1100

DL Manufacturing

340 Gateway Park Drive

North Syracuse, NY 13212-3758

Website:

http://www.DLManufacturing.com

Phone Number:

315-463-7348

DoorLink Manufacturing, Inc.

1501 Taney Street

North Kansas City, MO 64116

Website:

http://www.doorlinkmfg.com

Phone Number:

816-474-3900

DoorTech Industries, Inc.

990 Joshua Way

Vista, CA 92081

Website:

http://www.doortechind.com

Phone Number:

800-941-3667

760-721-1313

1st United Door Technologies

7255 S. Kyrene Road

Tempe, AZ 85283

Website:

http://www.FirstUDT.com

Phone Number:

480-705-6632

FrenchPorte, LLC

121 Congressional Lane, PH Suite

Rockville, MD 20852

Website:

http://www.frenchporte.com

Phone Number:

866-545-4561

301-536-3847

Garaga Inc.

8500 25th Avenue

St. Georges, Quebec

Canada G6A 1K5

Website:

http://www.garaga.com

Phone Number:

800-GO-GARAGA (464-2724)

418-227-2828

General Doors Corporation

One Monroe Street

P.O. Box 205

Bristol, PA 19007-0205

Website:

http://www.general-doors.com

Phone Number:

215-788-9277

Haas Door Company

320 Sycamore Street

Wauseon, OH 43567

Website:

http://www.haasdoor.com

Phone Number:

419-337-9900

Hörmann LLC

5050 Baseline Road

Montgomery, IL 60538-1125

Website:

http://www.hormann.us

Phone Number:

630-859-3000

JELD-WEN, Inc.

9861 Kapp Court, Bldg. K

P.O. Box 7

Peosta, IA 52068

Website:

http://www.jeld-wen.com

Phone Number:

800-606-7380

LaForge Doors LTD

62 Route 255

LSD of Saint-Andre

New Brunswick, Canada E3Y 3S9

Website:

http://www.laforgedoors.com

Phone Number:

506-473-4283

Martin Door Manufacturing, Inc.

2828 South, 900 West

P.O. Box 27437

Salt Lake City, UT 84127-0437

Website:

http://www.martindoor.com

Phone Number:

800-388-9310

801-977-9772

Mid-America Door Company

1001 West Hartford, PO Box 2423

Ponca City, OK 74601-2423

Website:

http://www.midamericadoor.com

Phone Number:

580-765-9994

Midland Garage Door Manufacturing Company

675 12th Avenue, North

West Fargo, ND 58078

Website:

http://www.midlandgaragedoor.com

Phone Number:

800-437-4056

701-282-8136

NCI Building Systems, Inc.

PO Box 692055

Houston, TX 77269-2055

Website:

http://www.ncilp.com 

Phone Number:

281-897-7788

888-624-8678

Napoleon-Lynx, Inc.

South Route 66

P.O. Box 160

Archbold, OH 43502

Website:

http://www.lynx-nsw.com

Phone Number:

800-338-5399 US

888-839-5969 Canada

North Central Door Company

P.O. Box 575

955 1st Street South

Bemidji, MN 56601

Website:

http://www.northcentraldoor.com

Phone Number:

800-677-8431

218-751-6962

Northwest Door, Inc.

10731 A Street South

P.O. Box 44605

Tacoma, WA 98444

Website:

http://www.nwdusa.com

Phone Number:

800-522-2264

253-537-2266

Overhead Door Corporation

2501 South State Highway 121

Lewisville, TX 75067

Website:

http://www.overheaddoor.com

Phone Number:

800/929-2553

Raynor Garage Doors

1101 East River Road

P.O. Box 448

Dixon, IL 61021

Website:

http://www.raynor.com

Phone Number:

800-4-RAYNOR (472-9667)

815-288-1431

905-625-0037 Raynor Canada

Safe-Way Door

3814 East U.S. 30

Warsaw, IN 46580

Website:

http://www.safe-waydoor.com

Phone Number:

574-267-4861

Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd.

13504 St. Albert Trail

Edmonton, Alberta

Canada T5L 4P4

Website:

http://www.steel-craft.ca

Phone Number:

780-453-3761

Summit Door, Inc.

1233 Enterprise Court

Corona, CA 92882

Website:

http://www.summitdoorinc.com 

Phone Number:

951-272-6633

888-768-3667

TKO Doors

N56 W24701 N Corporate Circle

Sussex, WI 53089-4366

Website:

http://www.tkodoors.com

Phone Number:

800-575-3366

262-820-1217

VAULT®

12725 SW Millikan Way

Suite 340

Beaverton, Oregon 97005

Website:

http://www.vaultgarage.com/

Toll-Free Phone Number:

(866) 828-5810

Local Phone Number:

(310) 622-4477

Wayne-Dalton Corp.

One Door Drive

P.O. Box 67

Mt. Hope, OH 44660-0067

Website:

http://www.wayne-dalton.com

Phone Number:

800-827-DOOR (3667)

330-674-7015

Windsor Republic Doors

5800 Scott Hamilton Drive

P.O. Box 8915

Little Rock, AR 72219

Website:

http://www.windsordoor.com

Phone Number:

501-562-1872

Filed under: Garage Doors by Chad Haas
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