JOHN KREMER on fri 25 feb 00
------------------
Grecians, All=21
Now that I have already begun the task I decided to ask if there is a =
consensus
on what type of paint is best used to cover a concrete studio floor. I am
presently putting down an oil based enamel, but was told by a friend that I
should have used an epoxy floor covering. Any thoughts on the matter. I =
look
forward to hearing the pros and cons from the voices of experience.
Thanks=21
John Kremer
Watching February daffodils and hyacinths popping up in Iowa
JOHN KREMER on sat 26 feb 00
------------------
I couldn't help but notice some of you cited the numerous unjust subsidies =
that
abound in the U.S. and yet somehow find it acceptable for the government to =
fund
artists. =22They've got it so we want it too=22, it's a hec of an attitude.=
Right
and wrong be damned as long as I get mine. I guess two wrongs do make a =
right
after all.
What frosts me is the notion that it is somehow =22compassionate=22 to =
continuously
fund a program or choice that obviously isn't functional, necessary or
responsible. This idea that =22you have yours and I want it too=22 seems to=
be on
the increase in the United States. No one owes you a livelihood. It =
doesn't
matter if you are a farmer or an artist. If there is a perpetual need to be
bailed out economically it should be a wake up call telling you that you are
doing something wrong. There's something awry with a system that allows
dysfunction to perpetuate. Something has to change. Tell me how it is =
right to
continuously tap the Nation's coffers simply because an individual =22wants =
to do
something=22 the way =22they want to do it=22. Talk about a money pit. =
Talk about
compassion. When did we become so spoiled?
Welfare was supposed to be a helping hand not a way of life. Rationalize,
rationalize, rationalize...I'm in a welfare state of mind. And the country
continues to bleed.
Sorry if I stepped on some toes, but as you may have noticed this change in
America gets under my skin.
John
ferenc jakab on sat 26 feb 00
John,
I have left my concrete floor as it is. The paint will never peel, because
there is no paint. It is easy to keep clean with a hose and wet/dry vacuum
cleaner and best of all I can use it to dry my slaked down re-cycled clay. I
put down a long length of cheese cloth , pour the clay on and then let it
dry to a wedgeable state. The raw concrete draws water from the bottom of
the clay and the air dries the top. Just like a plaster wedging block.
Feri.
Louis Katz on sun 27 feb 00
Hi John,
I watched the wear on the epoxy covered floor at the Archie Bray Foundation Clay
business and was very impressed with its durability. No experience with "Oil"
enamels.
On the same subject but perhaps for a different list, in our house in Helena we
put down a water born (sp) professional urethane on softwood. The finish was
wonderful and no fumes to speak of that we could notice after the first few hour
Louis
JOHN KREMER wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> Grecians, All!
>
> Now that I have already begun the task I decided to ask if there is a consensu
> on what type of paint is best used to cover a concrete studio floor. I am
> presently putting down an oil based enamel, but was told by a friend that I
> should have used an epoxy floor covering. Any thoughts on the matter. I look
> forward to hearing the pros and cons from the voices of experience.
> Thanks!
>
> John Kremer
>
> Watching February daffodils and hyacinths popping up in Iowa
Sharon on sun 27 feb 00
------------------
DH expoxy painted our basement and garage floors about five years ago. It
is very easy to keep clean. There are some chips on the stairs (busy family,
heavy usage). It is about as slippery as a tile floor when wet.
Sharon
The Lane Pottery, Hinsdale, Illinois
sharon=40thelanepottery.com
Cindy Strnad on sun 27 feb 00
John,
Leaving the concrete raw isn't too bad an option. It will make it hard to
clean, however. Another idea would be to apply a concrete sealer. Ask the
advice of a knowledgeable hardware store worker/owner, or maybe a builder or
painter friend as to which brands they might prefer. A sealer doesn't peel
as a paint might do. Paints are not famous for staying put on raw concrete.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Richard Jeffery on mon 28 feb 00
I think the important point in John's post was the reference to wet cleaning
of the floor. It's great to have a floor that absorbs water, helps stiffen
clay, etc., but an unsealed concrete floor creates as much dust as dry clay,
and equally dangerous to breathe if brushed. A sealer does help with this.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU]On Behalf
Of Cindy Strnad
Sent: 28 February 2000 01:33
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: Re: Paint for studio floor
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
John,
Leaving the concrete raw isn't too bad an option. It will make it hard to
clean, however. Another idea would be to apply a concrete sealer. Ask the
advice of a knowledgeable hardware store worker/owner, or maybe a builder or
painter friend as to which brands they might prefer. A sealer doesn't peel
as a paint might do. Paints are not famous for staying put on raw concrete.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
CNW on tue 29 feb 00
Some concrete companies wil seal the concrete for you during the process of
finishing. Mine did this and I had to use DILUTED muratic acid to etch the
surface before painting.
I painted my floor a wonderful hyacynth blue, can't see much of it for all
the stuff but it still makes me feel good. I believe it was epoxy. But it
is slightly slippery when wet. Some sealed concrete floors are too. I
purchased my paint at a hardware that was part of a construction company,
they gave really good advice. Check with your paint store or concrete
finishing company about making the floor sealed yet non-slip. They should
know about it because factories need that kind of advice, OSHA you know.
The next studio will have a pattern painted on the floor--just 'cause it
makes me happy.
Celia in NC
cwike@conninc.com
Jimmy Chandler on wed 1 mar 00
I remember this thread from a couple of years ago, at which time I
chimed in on how I've
handled painting concrete in the past and how well it worked. First,if
it's not a brandnew floor clean and etch the surface with muriatic acid
(I hired someone to do this part) rinse thoroughly, then paint it with
acrylic paint -not artist's acrylics, far too expensive, but paint in a
can. Check with a paint store or contractor to find acrylic wall/trim
paint. I've done only decorative painting on floors (faux finishes with
stencils etc.) so I work in lots of layers, but I'd say you want to lay
down at least two coats. Then the important - and the expensive- part;
find a floor contractor who will sell you "Pacific Strong" floor coating
and its compantion "High Build" sealer. They're made by a company
called Bona and very
expensive but colorless and incredibly durable, unlike polyurethane .
(Bona has a phone number where you can talk to a tech. rep.) Follow
directions. Enjoy for a long long long time.
Laura Chandler
Kensington MD
Gerry Barbe on mon 6 mar 00
Saw this heading and couldn't resist. I had the option of raw
cement or tiles for my studio floor. I've seen painted studiio floors
and within a matter of months the paint is filthy and starts to peel.
So I chose tiles, laid the little fellers myself, and have never
regretted it. My studio floor can be so clean that people want to
take their shoes off when they enter.
I firmly believe that a cement floor, either painted or left au naturel
is a dust trap and a health hazard. In my opinion, tile is the only
option for a healthy studio. Ad laying those tiles can be a lot of
fun, kinda like doing a big jigsaw puzzle.
Marilyn
On 27 Feb 00, at 20:33, Cindy Strnad wrote:
----------------------------Original
message---------------------------- John,
Leaving the concrete raw isn't too bad an option. It will make it hard
to clean, however. Another idea would be to apply a concrete
sealer.
Ask the advice of a knowledgeable hardware store worker/owner, or
maybe a builder or painter friend as to which brands they might
prefer. A sealer doesn't peel as a paint might do. Paints are not
famous for staying put on raw concrete.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Marilyn in Ailsa Craig - Canada
Robin McGregor on tue 7 mar 00
My basement studio is currently under construction. When all is said and
done, my 19 year old (Art major) son is planning on painting the floor for
me. He and I both thought of the yellow brick road from Wizard of Oz or an
interpretation of the same. Has anyone had any bad (or good) experiences with
painting designs on the concrete and then sealing it? Are there any reasons I
shouldn't do it?
Robin McGregor
Manchester, NH
Darryl on wed 8 mar 00
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>My basement studio is currently under construction. When all is said and
>done, my 19 year old (Art major) son is planning on painting the floor for
>me. He and I both thought of the yellow brick road from Wizard of Oz or an
>interpretation of the same. Has anyone had any bad (or good) experiences with
>painting designs on the concrete and then sealing it? Are there any reasons I
>shouldn't do it?
>
>Robin McGregor
>Manchester, NH
Just make sure it is a paint formulated for that usage (Epoxy based may be
best) and that it is applied per manufacturers recommendation.
Manufacturers provide such spec data and you can find it at the retail
outlet.
The main reason not to do it is if you have hydrostatic pressure under the
slab or behind walls of the basement. If you do, you probably already know
it from the water that seeps in. Water will destroy the coating over time
so that you have to redo it. If you have no water problems, I still would
get the best coating I could find for longterm stability and wear
resistance.
Good Luck, D
ferenc jakab on wed 8 mar 00
Robin,
This same question has come up recently and there are two sets of opinions
1.Don't paint. I don't care what kind of paint, (epoxy etc.) all too often
paint will peel, it's slippery (yes you can get non-slip paints but they are
dust traps) and you lose the potential for using the floor for drying
recycled, slaked down clay. I do this on cheese cloth or other material.
It's the best way I know of conditioning recycled clay to a wedgeable state.
The concrete sucks water from the bottom of the clay while the air dries the
top. Properly laid and worked concrete is no more dusty than a painted
floor.
2. lots of people have painted their floors and consider them to be fine and
they believe them to be less dusty than plain concrete.
By the way, Have you considered how the floor will be cleaned? Painted or
plain the best way to clean is to hose it off and for this you need good
drainage and a proper fall (slope).
Feri
Erika Benson on thu 9 mar 00
What about vinyl for a studio floor? Would that be too slippery? I am
trying to decide what to put on the floor, and would really like
something I could mop, but paint peels . I know there are industrial
vinyl floors out there, the kind they use in public buildings, that is
not entirely smooth. Any opinions?
Marvin Flowerman on fri 10 mar 00
I have had a painted concrete floor in my studio for 27 years; no peeling,
easy to keep swept or mopped and just lately showing signs of wear where the
seat I use at my wheel gets pushed up and back. Otherwise, no problems.
If I were doing it again, I would use the same approach; I didn't buy the
paint myself but I believe it is an epoxy paint suitable for brushing or
applying with a roller on concrete.
Hope this helps you.
Good Luck!
Marvin Flowerman
marvpots@@aol.com
Wade Blocker on fri 10 mar 00
----------
> From: Erika Benson
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Paint for studio floor
> Date: Thursday, March 09, 2000 11:18 AM
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> What about vinyl for a studio floor? Would that be too slippery? I am
> trying to decide what to put on the floor, and would really like
> something I could mop, but paint peels . I know there are industrial
> vinyl floors out there, the kind they use in public buildings, that is
> not entirely smooth. Any opinions?
Erika, When I had my workshop built the contractor applied a coating on the
cement which is the same that repair garages put on their cement floor to
seal it and protect it. I do not know what the name of it is, however I am
sure paint supply people would know. After l7 years I am beginning to see
some bare spots so I cannot complain.I use a dust mop to sweep, followed by
wet mopping. If you decide on vinyl you should consider the solid sheet
forms, not the tile variety. If you have your kiln in your studio ,vinyl
cannot be underneath the kiln. It would burn up. Mia in ABQ
Judith Enright on sat 11 mar 00
Re vinyl under kilns -- I bought a huge square of thin sheet metal
from local Home Depot and placed it under the (electric) kiln. The
kiln sits up off the ground anyway, with the E-vent under and venting
out through the wall. Works just fine.
When I recently moved into my new home studio, the original slab
floor was pretty badly cracked. It would have cost a small fortune
to have the floor repaired (this is in Silicon Valley!). My vinyl
installer suggested that he triple- mud the cracks with the prep
compound used for vinyl floors and then lay the sheet vinyl over. I
expect it'll hold up great -- it's a dream to clean and easy on the
feet.
Be well,
Judith Enright
--
Judith Enright at Black Leopard Clayware
BLEOPARD@ricochet.net
2213 Radio Ave.
San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 448-4597 - Phone
(408) 448-4594 - Fax
Janet Kaiser on sat 11 mar 00
I agree with Marvin down-under... Painted concrete or cement floors DO NOT
PEEL if you use the right paint. No good giving a UK brand name to an
international audience, but here we have paint which is specifically
formulated for heavy duty use on cement floors. It is used for workshops,
studios, factories and warehouses. It is still only available in a very
limited range of colours. Originally it only came in grey and a yucky red.
It definitely does not peel off but does eventually ware away. It is even
acid-proof, as you would expect for factory use.
I would also definitely recommend sealing a cement floor... Studios are
already a dusty environment and cement will add to that quite considerably.
Cement does degrade and go on giving off dust for ever and ever. It is a
whole lot easier to mop or hose down and clean a sealed/painted floor too.
Even if you only indulge once in a blue moon, at least you can be sure you
are on top of the problem.
Janet Kaiser -- still hurting about the PC Beast and
thinking dark thoughts about rip-off Britain.
The Chapel of Art, Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales
Home of The International Potters Path
TEL: (01766) 523570
WEB: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
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