Concrete floor treatment.

[Johnjenner]

When I built my sap shack I poured concrete throughout. Now it is getting stained and dirty and I would like to seal with something. Have tried Thompson’s and was not impressed. My concern is I don’t want it to become slippery. That is why I don’t just paint. Has anyone come up with a good option that is not slippery when it gets wet but still seals the concrete?

Thx. John

[TapTapTap]

Thompsons may not be professional grade but it's not that bad a sealer. And once it is sealed it will be very difficult to apply another sealer and wouldn't take paint well either. What kind of finish is on it - troweled or broomed? A broomed finish might take paint better. I have an unpainted trowel finish and it is extremely slippery when we have snow stuck to your boots but isn't slippery when just wet. For that reason , I recommend a steel trowel finish with a light broom after.

[Johnjenner]

I have a smooth trowel finish. It’s fine the way it is for grip and traction. Even with snow covered boots. Just don’t like the way it looks (dirty)

[TapTapTap]

I am frankly surprised that the floor isn't slippery with heavy packed snow on your boots. Is this building heated? So understanding this to be the case, I don't think paint would create a slippery when wet condition, particularly if you use the type with a gritty fine aggregate in the paint. Therefore, painting would be worth trying but I don't think it would last on a sealed floor with a smooth trowel finish.

[tcross]

have you considered garage floor paint? it's a little rubbery and tacky to walk on and comes in a few different colors. you can run a broom on it or hose it off.

[DrTimPerkins]

Since it's already been treated with Thompsons, you'd likely have to either acid-etch or sandblast the floor to treat with something else.

We had a trowel finish on our previous floor. As others have noted, was like walking on ice when you came in with snow on your boots. When we redid the floor we had a broom finished surface put down with LOTS of drains.

[minehart gap]

As for removing the existing sealer, a 4000psi pressure washer will remove even the best concrete cure an seal treatments. The bonus would be that it will clean the pours of the floor that have dirt in them as well.

As for sealing it, there are many high quality sealers available but my recommendation would be that you go to the concrete supplier (not contractor) that made the concrete and ask what they recommend. They will most likely have a sealer that will work well with any admixture that was in your concrete when it was mixed.

Otherwise, W.R.Meadows manufacturers a concrete sealer that is high quality and long lasting that will also work with about any concrete. That is what I recommend at work when I am asked. As far as traction, immediately after applying the sealer sprinkle a small amount of white mason sand on the sealer.