Flooring

[Roger]

I am interested in hearing what anyone has used for flooring, over their concrete that has of has not worked. Pros / Cons of just leaving it raw with a sealer, etc...or using industrial tile, ceramic, epoxy paint...

Thanks

[JohnMcD]

Roger,

I know this probably won't help but I just bought epoxy paint today. I figure with paint any time it starts to look like crap I can just repaint and have a new floor.

John

If your ever down this way stop in. We hope to open sometime this summer, early I hope.

[Scott @ Twenty2Vodka]

I would suggest leaving the concrete be (as in bare if that's what's there now) so that you can treat the floor like a floor, and not worry over scratches or spills which are bound to happen.

Best of luck,

-Scott

[Scott @ Twenty2Vodka]

Roger,

I know this probably won't help but I just bought epoxy paint today. I figure with paint any time it starts to look like crap I can just repaint and have a new floor.

Don't underestimate the value of your time moving everything out, painting, letting it dry, moving everything back in, and then freaking out over that first inevitable scratch or scuff.... In my 4 years operating todate, there are just sooooooo many other things to worry over.

-Scott

[JohnMcD]

Scott,

My floor already has a coat of paint on it so I'm just freshening it up. Believe me I'm not the type to worry about a scuff or scratch and a repaint would not involve moving everything lol

John

[Jay]

Leaving the floor "Raw" or "treated/sealed" depends on the local health codes. We will have to coat the "cooking" area in epoxy or another washable surface. Research local codes before you make any decisions

[Panoscape]

We used this stuff to meet code: http://www.ardex.com/productDetail.asp?ContentParentID=2&ProductCategoryID=24&ProductID=28

It doesn't stink when applied and you only need to wash down he floor, no acid etching required. It went on real easy with rollers and within a weekend we had our two coats down.

[Kristian]

Your local Health Department will dictate this answer. They may also dictate wall covering (plastic/tile/etc).

[bluestar]

Your local Health Department will dictate this answer. They may also dictate wall covering (plastic/tile/etc).

Yup, IF you need health department approval. In our county and state, they don't inspect the formal distillery areas, they leave that to the state liquor commission, which is not overly strict. We met our county requirements for food prep anyway, in case we later reconfigure space, etc., and the need to epoxy the floor was driven by the condition of the floor surface (it was older, with many stains, cracks, and porosities). We also epoxied the walls. Definitely do the latter, you will appreciate it the first time you get a loose mash hose ;-)

[Roger]

Thanks for all the feedback. Now I am even more conflicted ~

[Michaelangelo]

What is everyone using to seal cracks in the floor?

[Sorghumrunner]

I painted my floors with a heavy duty floor coating from Sherwin Williams. Armorseal 1000HS. We have old concrete floors, so I sprayed them down with TSP and rented a concrete refinisher from Lowes. Did this while the building was still empty. Took two days to spray, scrub, grind, and then wash and dry the 2400 sq ft of floors. Then put down the Armorseal, which took about three days of doing two coats in all the rooms. 8 gallons of the two part coating was about $700 iirc...

It's a good coating, and has lasted pretty well so far, except a couple places where I've dragged heavy metal across the floor.

I've also been recommended this product for floor cracks: http://www.captaintolley.com/index.html , but haven't used it.

chris

[kckadi]

In about a month I plan on doing a complete floor grind (4000sf) by renting a "Diamabrush" concrete prep disk from HD (about $80/day). This is a diamond grinder/surfacer you attach to a standard floor buffer (in my case a 20" 150rpm buffer I bought on Craigslist) and it cleans/smooths and finishes concrete in prep for a finish. It should take me two days to grind the floor. You can find videos on youtube. I'm going with bare, smooth concrete with a penetrating sealer called "DryWay Water--Repellent Sealer" from www.radonseal.com. According the company it binds below the surface and is impervious to alcohol, solvents, etc. They told me its been used at breweries with no complaints.

In my tasting room area I'm going to grind also but will do a dark acid stain with a semi-gloss sealer. I was going to try to stain the production floor but was told by the OEM's that high proof ethanol would damage the stain.

I'll video the process and post when done.