Here's a new thread, rather than hijack the other one...
The concrete on my garage floor is in poor condition in places - crumbling and turning to dust (not just dusty - I'm talking 5 - 10mm deep in one
or two places!). I think it got frost-damaged when first laid.
The ideal, and probably correct, solution is to empty the garage and get a builder to lay an inch or two of concrete to make a new surface - but
that's not going to happen 'cos I've got a load of stuff in there, with nowhere to move it for a week or so.
I have tried painting it with weak PVA solution, but all that happened was that the top of the dusty bits were held together, so that a bigger lump
came up next time! I expect that floor paint would have the same effect.
I thought of 2 ideas, but they're both expensive...
The interlocking vinyl matting that race teams use on their garage floors - but I'd still have the crappy floor underneath, generating dust.
Laying industrial tiles - the big 12" or 18" square ones - that are about 3/4" thick.
Any other suggestions?
David
How about self leveling compound? I used it on my floor and it has worked wonders.
quote:
Originally posted by donut
How about self leveling compound? I used it on my floor and it has worked wonders.
Could you put some flags down, bedded on some sharp sand, should do the trick.
Trouble is Mark... I think you're right.
I could move most things in my garage, but the 1/2 tonne lathe could be a problem... it was a hell of a job to get it in there in the first place!
David
could you not just put shuttering down around it?
Best solution is a Granite screed, about 1-2" deep, (concrete laid this thinly will break up, don't do it 
)
And although you could lay the granite in sections (moving stuff around as you go) it is best done on a clear floor I'm afraid
As Gav says, just shutter around the lathe.
Cheers
Alex
PS
whether you do it yourself, or get someone else to do it, make sure the existing floor gets coated with bonding agent first.
Jack the lathe up to the depth of the new floor and put some thick metal shims under it, then fill the floor with your screed or concrete whatever you use.
Could u not put a latex screed over it? I had this done in my conservatory to level the concrete off and it seemed very hardwearing stuff and easy to put down. It also smelt like a whores g string!!
Cheap left over carpet?
you could bodge up the deep holes and then lay it over the top.
We had some hard wearing industrial carpet given to us and put thast over the concrete floor to stop it being dusty.
When it eventually gets a bit too oily or dirty we just throw it away and put some more down.
Admitedly it doesn't make the floor level, but it certainly makes it better and stops it being cold and dusty.
[Edited on 17/2/06 by MkIndy7]
alrite dave
im in the same situation as you at the moment, im on the verge of 2 weeks off work, taking the remaining part of my holiday entitlement and intend to
relay the floor in my garage, i am using an industrial concrete self leveling product the i got from a building site (boots shop refurb) that they
said 'they didnt need anymore', so i said 'i would take it off their hands for nothing', they said 'take as much as you
want!' i was very happy
anyway i wanted to ask about this latex screed stuff, do you put this down on top of the concrete? if yes, how thick etc?
dave if i have any of the industrial self levelling concrete left you can have it for nought.
A little note for everyone, the best places to pick up stuff like this is at shop refurbs, i got all my flooring concrete and hardner from a boots
shop refurb, i got a shed load of carpet from littlewoods when it cloased down and i took all their laminated floor too (which costs £45 a sq yd) and
i took 13 sq yds, and i got all this for absolutely NOTHING, DONT talk to the shop staff/managers wait for them to leave and go straight for the
foreman!
rgds Alex
Is the garage waterproof? I once laid painted chipboard on the floor in a garage because I had the same problem. Made it much more comfortable.
If you want to be real flash, use white melamine boards. Maybe expensive, but very quick and easy.
Cheers
Fred WB
[Edited on 17/2/06 by Fred W B]
Try looking at watco.co.uk. They have a range of concrete repair products and do mail order.
There are 2 options that mat suit Flowtop which can go in 3 - 5 mm thick which they claim can be used on any rough or damaged concrete floor and gives
a surface that can take forklift traffic so should do for a garage. Once cured it is non dusting.
If the damaged areas are bigger use Concrex which will go from feather edge to 50mm deep. There is also a rapid set version that can be trafficked in
3 hours
The stuff ain't cheap but you can do it yourself and if you get the prep right it will never need to be looked at again.
They also have a technical helpline on 01483 418 418
i''m a non concrete expert but ...
seems to me you have two problems,
general dusting and specific holes appearing.
could you not dig out the concrete in the hole and refill it to level, then cover teh whole floor?
eeeeerrrr this has got me thinking 
I will be able to lay my hands on some industrial carpet in a couple of weeks. It would be great for the garage but would it be a fire hazzard
welding/grinding ect ?
Did you not get one of those lidl fire extiguishers last week?
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by donut
How about self leveling compound? I used it on my floor and it has worked wonders.
It's OK, but not particularly strong - it's mostly used under other coverings. I did try it in one place, but once again it just meant that a bigger lump of dust got lifted later on!
David
quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa
eeeeerrrr this has got me thinking
I will be able to lay my hands on some industrial carpet in a couple of weeks. It would be great for the garage but would it be a fire hazzard welding/grinding ect ?