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After retiring from the construction after 42 years I would suggest you put a simple concrete sealer on your floor. An epoxy paint will work, but can also be very slick if it is wet. A regular concrete floor paint would be prone to chemical attack from spilled glaze. A simple sealer (2 coats) will not make the floor slick, easier to sweep, and will make mopping easier. It will not make the cover of Decor Monthly, but it will be very functional.

Nerd

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I tend to agree-buy a sealer made just for concrete or if you want color look up an exotic stain and seal that in. Thats more a speciality look which a lot of work and chemicals for that colored look. Paint will be very slippery.

A good concert sealer as Nerd says 2 coats with make it mop friendly.

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I didn't finish the floor of the space I am in but it is very nice. An epoxy floor paint (most likely from Home Depot) was used along with flecks of colored plastic. The flecks add a little traction and variation. This is exactly how I will finish concrete floors now on.

 

Not surprisingly, I haven't taken pictures of just the floor. But I do have one of the dog that also has some floor up close:

Studio Floor (and dog)

 
It mops easily and is not too slippery even when wet. Perfect.
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Art Girl...

 

You're fortunate as this is new construction, your slab is probably level, so sealer will be fine. For folks who come along who don't have a level slab...

 

We had an extremely unlevel slab that was actually two slabs poured at two different times over the years. The entire things sloped in about four different directions.

 

We shimmed it to level then used concrete backer board. We then laid 18" square porcelain tile on the backer board.

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I didn't finish the floor of the space I am in but it is very nice. An epoxy floor paint (most likely from Home Depot) was used along with flecks of colored plastic. The flecks add a little traction and variation. This is exactly how I will finish concrete floors now on.

 

Not surprisingly, I haven't taken pictures of just the floor. But I do have one of the dog that also has some floor up close:

 
 
It mops easily and is not too slippery even when wet. Perfect.

 

That floor looks great -where the plastic chips sold separately ? and when did you add them-in the paint or to the fresh pained surface?

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Mark,

 

I've use an epoxy coating like that before.  The plastic chips are many times included with the sets.  You sprinkle them on while the coating is still wet.

 

I thought about applying such a coating in my studio.  But I might just leave it as the bare concrete.  We might still do the rest of the basement with it though.

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I didn't finish the floor of the space I am in but it is very nice. An epoxy floor paint (most likely from Home Depot) was used along with flecks of colored plastic. The flecks add a little traction and variation. This is exactly how I will finish concrete floors now on.

 

 

 

Not surprisingly, I haven't taken pictures of just the floor. But I do have one of the dog that also has some floor up close:

 

It mops easily and is not too slippery even when wet. Perfect.

How did you train the dog to mop? ...and I hate the slippery wet dog smell.....

 

Jed

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I'm not sure that I would advise epoxy for a clay studio floor either, but I did it anyway.  It does mean that I have to be careful when the floor is wet, but a good cleaning and some serious wet-vacuuming usually does the trick.  Here is what it looked like right after I painted it...not sure that I have seen this much of it since :(

 

Studio (Garagio) Floor

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I like the idea of a sealer for concrete floor. I work in our creepy unfinished basement and we are going to have walls and insulation put in so I don't have to wear my coat to throw. I don't want to add flooring though. Is doing a sealant easy enough for a homeowner? We are trying to keep costs down, and if I can do this myself I'd prefer that.

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concrete can vary from place to place and over the years.  there is a national concrete association in DC near the office i once worked in.  check with them about the age of the floor and the location, a basement in ellicot city.  since it is underground, they may have suggestions that will help.  ellicot city floods sometimes, doesn't it?  are you down in the older part of town or up higher?

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To help make a surface non-slip, use a variation of a boat builder's trick is to paint the surface, then sprinkle it with sand immediately after you've painted it. Either the sand will bond to the paint, or where it doesn't there will be some roughness where the sand has indented the paint.

Obviously this won't work with very thick paints, or those with a high surface tension.

Alternatively, stir sand into thepaint before applying it.

(Boat builders actually use sugar in the last coat of varnish - the sugar dissolves, leaving a rough surface without the weight penalty of the sand)

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There is also the option of "swimming pool paint". Not sure how easy to clean it is but it might be a good option to do some portions of any painted floor to prevent slipping. It works quite well. 

I have concrete floor in my garage/studio and I plan to seal it with concrete sealer for ease of mopping.

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Tim, the sugar idea is interesting.

 

I used a paint on my front porch, which is wood, that has a sand like texture mixed in. (I got tired of nearly falling on my butt, when shoveling snow off of it)  I would imagine they make concrete paints like that as well.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After retiring from the construction after 42 years I would suggest you put a simple concrete sealer on your floor. An epoxy paint will work, but can also be very slick if it is wet. A regular concrete floor paint would be prone to chemical attack from spilled glaze. A simple sealer (2 coats) will not make the floor slick, easier to sweep, and will make mopping easier. It will not make the cover of Decor Monthly, but it will be very functional.

Nerd

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