AIEL Shop Tips
Workshop
FLOOR PAINTING
Presented Here are Procedures and Tips for
Giving Your Shop Floor a Durable Finish.
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THE FOLLOWING MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED
WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR ©
These topics will be covered:
Why Paint At All? Well, a properly painted, smooth-finish floor can make a small shop look larger, is easier to dry mop, and facilitates the location of small parts lost on that floor. Bare concrete will also shed dust, which is unwanted in a stage lighting shop. Finally, it is psychologically a better place in which to work and it presents a better image to customers or others.
This article will detail a procedure that will allow one to obtain a clean, good-looking, durable floor finish for your shop or work area. This is the method we use and is by no means the only one. It is geared toward painting a concrete floor, but the techniques may be modified and applied to a wood floor, as well.
I will be assuming a fairly flat, aged concrete floor, as is the case at our shop. If you have new, leaking, or effervescent concrete, you will have to seek the advice of a professional, as those problems are beyond the scope of this article. Such floors MUST be treated or fixed before attempting to paint; likewise for any broken or deeply gouged/cracked concrete. Seek professional advice and fill all holes or repair any damage before painting. The same goes for any seams or openings near or at floor level in the walls. Seal them with caulking or use expandable foam for the larger holes. Follow the directions on each product as to procedure and drying times.
Brushes and Rollers:
Choose the rollers and brushes you are to use first. Their size will
be determined by how large an area you have and whether there are a lot
of narrow areas or obstructions you must paint around. I used a 200mm
roller and a 25mm brush because there are a lot of ins & outs, posts,
and small openings to paint around in our shop. You may find that your job
will be done well with the larger 250mm roller and a 75 or 100mm brush.
Also, a smaller 75mm roller may be handy for tight areas. You will have
to decide what best fits your space.
There are several types of rollers. Our floor is flat but has a number of small gouges and depressions, so I selected a semi-fuzzy roller that will sop up a lot of paint and push it into those depressions, thus filling them. Don't buy too cheap a roller. The cheap ones deform easily and an out-of-round roller causes "flutter" marks in the paint. Cheap rollers also tend to unwind. That is, the fuzzy surface begins to peel off in a strip from the substrate.
Buy a roller frame to match, preferably one with the wire supports rather than just one with a straight axle. This strengthens the roller when bearing down on it to squeeze paint into rough spots or hollows. The straight-axle type tend to lose their rims when pressed upon too hard. This is very annoying repair to have to make when a roller and frame are full of paint. A good frame can partially make up for cheaper rollers in that it gives better support, thus making deformation less of a problem.
The brush selected may also be a cheapy unless you think you'll have a lot of brush work to do. I only wanted to do trim along walls and posts, so a small, cheap brush works. Be cautious not to go so cheap that you get a brush from which the bristles will detach while painting.
Paint:
You'll need latex (water base) and enamel (oil base) paints,
preferably of slightly different colours. The latex will be your base
coat, while the enamel will be the top (finish) coat. Latex is absorbed
well by concrete and will present a better-adhering surface for the top
enamel coat. I suggest a bright colour for the finish coat, especially
if your shop is small. Bright colours give the illusion of space, plus
it's nice to work in a bright shop. A light-coloured floor does show
the dirt, but this is a plus when cleaning.
For colour, I selected a flat-white base coat with a gloss medium-grey top coat. I had about 200 square metres to cover and bought 20-litre drums, which left enough over for re-coating future high-traffic areas. Buying quantity, meant I was able to keep my cost to between $2 and $3 a litre, Canadian funds. Check on the can for coverage and purchase an appropriate amount to do your shop.
I am suggesting different colours for base and top coats so that hollows will show up, as well as roller marks and thinly-coated areas. Hollows may more easily be recognised when initially contrasted with a different colour. As for thin areas, when one is rolling out paint, at some point the roller will give up most of its paint and will actually begin to pick up paint from the floor. This makes for too thin a coat and if the underlying paint was the same colour, it might go unnoticed. This is most important with the top coat.
The floor temperature should be 15 C or higher. Humidity should be low, but is not essential. However, low humidity equals faster drying.
Decide whether you are going to attempt to paint the entire surface at once or if you are to break it up into areas. This will be determined by the size of the area, available manpower, amount of space available outside the painted area in which to move equipment, and whether the shop must be in use during the painting procedure. It would be ideal to be able to close the shop and move out everything. Otherwise, plan the areas to be painted in steps. Select natural breaks such as cracks or seams, doorways, area boundaries, etc. This will reduce the noticeable overlap and paint seams that will occur when painting in segments.
Wear old clothes and shoes, and have plenty of rags close at hand. Tie back long hair or wear an old cap. Remove jewellery to protect it and to facilitate easy personal cleaning afterwards.
Do use work lights to illuminate the area to be painted. Strong light will make imperfections and dirt stand out more, thus helping you to prepare the surface better, and to get even coats of paint. Do not paint toward the light if possible. Instead, try to have it illuminate from the side.
After any repairs have been made to fix cracks, water leakage, etc. and the seams/wall holes at floor level have been dealt with, the floor must be made ready before applying paint. Doing this will ensure that the paint will stick to the old surface and be durable. First, move anything that is not too large or is not bolted down out of the selected area. Be sure to not block doors and to leave egress in and through the temporary storage area where you've moved everything.
Before beginning to clean or paint, ensure adequate ventilation against dust and paint fumes. Cover any equipment or work benches/desks before doing the next step. I found that opening the loading doors in our shop helped blow out the dust. Later when painting, in addition to opening doors, our forced-air furnace blower was turned on to increase air circulation, thus reducing the concentration of fumes. If you use this method, be sure to block off vents into offices or show spaces to keep fumes out. Our furnace room has an outside vent for combustion air; opening the rear filter compartment allowed it to draw in outside air for distribution around the shop.
Regardless, close off all areas not being painted to keep dust and fumes to a minimum. I don't suggest the furnace blower be used during the cleaning phase due to the amount of dust being raised.
If you must paint in cold weather (not recommended) and cannot open doors/windows, be sure to take frequent breaks away from the dust and paint fumes and/or wear a protective mask when working.
First skim the old floor in the worst areas with a paint scraper to remove any loose paint and dirt. A razor knife may be required for tight spaces. Then sweep. Now get your old floor polisher and with the bristle attachments, begin to scrub the floor. Be sure to get close along baseboards, bench legs, doorframes, and anywhere dirt builds up. This is when the dust really gets kicked up. If it gets excessive, wear a dust mask or promote ventilation. Sweep and then dry vacuum the floor. Assess the area and scrape again as necessary. Do one final vacuum.
Now put a thin coat of water on the floor and wet scrub with your polisher. I don't recommend any detergent as it is hard to remove all traces of it which then may interfere with the paint's ability to adhere to the floor. Be sure to wear rubber boots and hold only the insulated handle of the polisher. These units are typically not grounded. As an additional safety, have a helper stand by to be sure the polisher operator is OK. Before grabbing any metal switch to turn the polisher on or off, lightly touch it first to be sure it is not electrified, then switch it with one finger so as to not envelope the switch bezel in case voltage is present. (Electricity flowing through a hand often will not allow it to let go, thus electrocution becomes more likely.) Remember you will be standing in water and using an electrical device, so safety is paramount.
Now, wet vacuum the floor and inspect it. You will likely find that some areas have peeling or bubbling paint. Scrape, remove scrapings, and wet scrub again. Wet vacuum. Allow to dry at least to damp. If no wet vac is available, squeegee the water and mop as necessary, being careful that no mop strings or other particles are left behind. There should be no pools of water left on the floor. Rinse and mop with clean water. Allow it to dry at least to damp. Remove any remaining foreign material.
If some areas require sharper edging, use masking tape to define them. What ever is being taped must be dry and at room temperature in order for the tape to stick for the duration of the paint job.
You should now be ready to paint.
Get your latex tray, tray liner, roller, frame, handle, paintbrush and rags together. Spread a protective layer of newspaper to catch spills. Open the latex paint and if it's a 5-litre or smaller metal can, take a common nail and punch 8 holes evenly in the groove into which the top fits. This way after you pour, any paint caught in this groove will drain back into the can. With larger kegs of paint, the tops seat differently, and some cans have built-in spouts, making the hole punching unnecessary.
Place a liner into your paint tray. These are handy because they can be thrown out after usage. Mix the latex paint thoroughly and pour enough to fill the well of the tray, unless you feel that amount would be more than needed to paint the area you have selected. Use your brush to wipe the lip and sides of the can. Loosely replace the lid so as to keep out dirt and insects, but do not pound it in place as you may require more paint during the job. Set the paint can aside where it won't be knocked over - remember: the top is loose.
Being sure your shoes are clean, move into the to-be-painted area. Lay out the direction to be painted from and to, so that you will not paint yourself into a corner or away from the switch needed to turn off work lights after each daily paint job is completed.
Do not worry if the floor is still damp, as long as there are no pools of water, water-based latex paint will be right at home. Now using the sheet-metal edger as a shield, use a paintbrush to do along the base board or around any legs, footers, etc. using the edger to keep paint only on the floor. Be sure to brush the paint out well. Do not try to cover the old surface with this coat. A thin, even coat of paint is what is required. Stop after a couple of metres. You must begin the roller portion of this area before the brushed area dries in order to prevent overlap marks and possible bubbling. This will be especially important when you get to the enamel portion of the job.
Dip the roller slightly into the tray's paint well and bring it up to the sloped portion of the tray, rolling out the excess. Begin to paint by rolling lightly a roller width or two away from the edge you just painted and then working your way back into the edge area. This is to prevent the build-up of paint on the floor when the roller is initially saturated. Roll out the paint, again making it thin and even. Ignore the fact that the old floor is showing through and that roller marks are appearing. To get into small hollows, tip the roller at 45 degrees and bear down on the downside edge so as to squeeze paint into the depressions. Then roll lightly over top of the area to smooth out paint lines and to remove build-up. Don't worry about paint build-up in these small hollows; since no equipment or person will be getting into them during the normal course of work, thick paint will not be a liability there.
As you approach an unpainted edge area, switch back to the brush. Lay the roller well out of the way so you don't step on it, and keep it off the floor. Continue alternating brush and roller until you have completed the day's designated section.
Remove all materials from the area to start to secure from the day's work. Be sure to barricade the painted area and place signs as necessary. If animals or small children have access to the area, the barricades will have to be suitable to keep them out.
After painting is finished, remove the tray liner and set it on top of the can to drain. Prop it up with something to keep it in the draining position. If you are using a keg with a spout that won't allow this to be done, place the liner on an ice cream container. After draining, place a top on the container to prevent hardening or scum formation while it's waiting to be used for the next day's coat or for the next section to be painted.
Try to transfer any remaining paint on the brush or roller on to the floor. Then take newspaper and paint or roll the paper with any remaining excess. Fold each page on top of itself and dispose into a hazardous waste bin if there is such a procedure in your area. Be sure these papers do NOT go to paper recycle. Recap your paint can/keg and if using a hammer to reseat the top, cover that top with a rag to prevent splatters. I suggest a rubber mallet rather than a metal hammer so as to not deform the can top.
You may then wash out the brush and roller, but I consider this a waste of time as you will be right back at it again tomorrow. Also, even though the paint is water-based, it is being flushed unnecessarily into the environment. Therefore, use plastic kitchen wrap to cover the brush and roller. Leave the roller right on its frame and handle. Be sure to not leave any air paths that would allow the paint to dry. Additionally, suspend the brush and roller so that the bristles or roller do not touch anything, otherwise dents will occur, making for an uneven paint on the job next day.
You may wash out the liner, but for the above environmental and time reasons, again take your kitchen wrap and place it tightly over the liner so that the next time you may pour fresh paint right into this liner as the previous paint will still be liquid. I have kept even enamel paint liquified and scum-free for over a week with this method.
Allow the paint to dry overnight. Remember to place those barriers around the painted area to remind not only others, but yourself, that this area has just been painted. It's not unusual to be engrossed in some part of your business or daily routine and to absent mindedly walk on your new paint job just as you may have done for years when there was not fresh paint there. It's easy to be distracted and forget - barriers remind one not to forget.
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TIP: If your shop is not dusty, set up a few fans to blow at floor level across your paint job at a low to medium air speed. Leave them on overnight. The moving air will help dry the paint quicker. You may also consider leaving the furnace blower on, as well. |
Touch the paint near an edge to be sure it's dry and then push into it to be sure no impression is left. Try several areas to be sure. If all is well, inspect your floor to see if there are any lumps, hair, bristles, or dirt caught under the first coat of paint. Alter the angle of the work lights you are using. Some missed spots or problem areas will only become visible when the lighting is changed. If any problem areas are found, scrape them and sweep or vacuum to remove any fine particles. Don't worry if some paint comes off with these unwanteds. You can cover it with today's coat. Next, look for hollows or missed areas, again by varying the lighting angle. These will be your first target as you apply the second coat.
Realise that this is your chance to correct any errors because these are only the latex coats. This is the stage where it's easiest to get your floor looking the way you want because any overlaps and corrections will be soon covered by one or two oil coats. However, once you go to oil paint, it's much harder to make things match should you have to redo anything.
Get your materials back together, unwrap the liner and utensils, laying the kitchen wrap paint-side up some place on which no one will lean. (You'll continue to re-use the same wrap all through your project.) Inspect the brush and roller for any dirt and if necessary, use a coarse wire brush to comb out any foreign material. Do this over a garbage can in which you don't mind paint splatters. Wash the wire brush upon completion.
Place the liner into the tray, pour in fresh latex and start the second coat. Again, start with the brush and metal edger doing not only the same edging as yesterday, but also filling in any missed hollows which should now stand out well against the first coast of paint. Switch to roller, and by alternating brush and roller, follow the same procedure as yesterday. Remember to not get so far ahead with one paint applicator that when you switch to the other, the previously painted area has dried too much.
Clean up as yesterday, with particular attention to securing the can tops and wrapping the utensils. Because you will be switching to oil- based paint, the latex paint and utensils will not be used for a few days now, unless this is the end of the latex portion of the paint job.
Check to see that the latex is *completely* dry and again inspect for dirt, brush bristles, etc. Scrape and vacuum as necessary. If all is well, you may now start the enamel coat. This will be your finish coat and particular attention should be paid to it as it will be what everyone sees and works upon. If you have any doubts or want to make corrections, do it during the latex stage. As previously mentioned, once oil paint is applied, it is much harder to make corrections and to have it match.
Begin by getting the same materials together except that you will need a new tray liner, a new roller, and a new brush for this paint - unless all latex painting has been completed. If you wash out the latex brush and roller, be sure they are completely dry before using them with oil-based paint.
Follow the latex painting instructions farther back, being sure to brush/roll the paint out well, and allow lots of ventilation. Do not worry if this coat does not cover - you can always do a second one. However, if you have done a good latex job, one enamel coat will likely suffice. Having said that though, do not try to place one thick coat on trying to cover the floor. Two thin coats are far better than a single thick one.
Once completed, clean up as with the latex above, except that some paint thinner may be required. If a second coat is not required, go to your next floor section and begin again at the start of this article with floor preparation. If you are finished the shop floor, go to the "Final Clean-Up" section.
If recoating is necessary with the enamel, follow the directions on
the paint can for this. It's been my experience that several days may be
required between coats to allow the first to dry and to cure. Be cautious
here; it may be dry to the touch, but walking on it may produce
impressions because the paint underneath has not yet hardened.
For any lines or objects that were marked by masking tape, do NOT pull the tape off cold. Use a heat gun to gently warm the tape as you slowly remove it. Having a helper pull the tape while you heat it, will reduce or eliminate the tendency of the tape to pull the paint off the floor. Paint is most likely to be pulled up where there was old paint poorly adhering to the floor which was not removed during the preparation stage.
When you have completed all sections with latex paint, you may wash its roller, tray liner, and brush with warm water. For the enamel, pour or brush any excess paint back into the can and roll or brush out the paint on to newspaper. Then suspend the roller or brush into a container with Varsol or the equivalent. When the paint has soaked off, wash the brush and roller in warm water with liquid soap. Allow the Varsol in the container to settle so that the top three-quarters can be reclaimed. Pour that part into a sealable container marked "Recycled Varsol", or similar. Don't mix it with unused Varsol. You may employ this recycled varsol for paint cleanup at a later date, thus saving you money and the environment.
You may keep the tray liner, but if you do not, place it along with the used kitchen wrap, tape and any empty cans into hazardous waste, if your community has such a program. Be sure to tightly replace the paint can covers if there is any paint left over using a rag over the top to prevent splatters while you are pounding on it.
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ADDITIONAL TIPS: Place a layer of transparent kitchen wrap right down on top of the paint in the can, being sure to cover it completely. Seal the can. When you next paint, there should be no paint scum with which to contend. If the paint can is damaged or becomes rusted during storage, strain the paint in it through some window screen into one or more two-litre ice cream containers. The screen will filter out paint lumps and the largest of any rust particles. Again place plastic wrap on to the paint and also some across the top of the container. The covers for these containers are not necessarily air tight. Snap the lid on over the wrap so that the wrap extends out beyond the cover. This will form a more effective air seal. |
Store any remaining paint in a cool, but not freezing, location for when you require touch-ups or another re-paint. Keep a record of what paint was used with brand name and stock numbers, and the date you painted each part of the shop. Write it on the cans and also keep a paper or computer log. This information will be useful in the future.
Regarding the computer log, as is described in Additional Considerations, an older computer is a handy thing to have in your shop.
You should now have a clean, durable
surface that you may be proud of.
Enjoy!
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