LESLIE: Robert in New Jersey has a paint question. How can we help you today, Robert?
ROBERT: How you doing?
I’m trying to redo my garage floor.
LESLIE: OK.
ROBERT: Want to put down a coat of UCoatIt. It’s like an industrial-strength stucco speckled floor.
TOM and LESLIE: OK.
ROBERT: I need to get the old paint off. The manufacturer calls to a bare surface of concrete. You can’t put it over existing paint. The old paint is like just a garage paint. It’s been down there about 10 years and it’s something that’s worn out.
LESLIE: Is it pretty flaky?
ROBERT: No, it’s not flaky. It’s just worn out. It’s smooth to the finish. There’s no edges on it or anything.
TOM: Are you real enamored with this floor product that you’ve chosen? So much so that you want to strip all the old paint off? Because it’s a lot of work. There are other types of floor coatings. These epoxy coatings that are two-part epoxies are made by a number of manufacturers. I know Rust-Oleum makes one and QUIKRETE ….
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
TOM: … makes one and they include a prep solution …
LESLIE: Like a first-step cleanser.
TOM: Yeah, that you use to clean the old floor. But you do not have to take off all of the old paint. And the only way to do that, Robert, is to use a paint stripper …
LESLIE: Yeah.
TOM: … which is an awful lot of work to do just to get it down to raw concrete.
ROBERT: Yeah, well the ones you spoke about, they – I called up the manufacturers on them, the Rust-Oleum and the other one. They only have about a two-year life expectancy. You’d have to redo it. And they’re about a hundred and something dollars a pack. So, the other one is a lifetime guarantee.
TOM: Well, it’s probably a lot more expensive, isn’t it?
ROBERT: Yeah, it’s about five times the price but …
TOM: Yeah. Listen, you know my sister put down the QUIKRETE one. It’s been down probably four or five years now and it works great. It looks good and it hasn’t worn out. And the only thing that she did is she clear-coated on top of the speckle finish.
ROBERT: OK.
TOM: And so other than that it’s stood up really well. It just seems like a lot of work to strip a garage floor …
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
TOM: … because you’re going to have to use a lot of chemicals to do that. You’re probably going to end up using a lot of moisture. You’ll end up probably pressure-washing it and then you’ve got to wait for all that water …
LESLIE: For all that to dry out.
TOM: Yeah, to evaporate out. And it just seems like a lot of work. If it’s brand new concrete, OK. But for you to be forced to take all that old paint off is just an awful lot of work. I just don’t feel like it’s really necessary for you.
ROBERT: OK. So you think the Rust-Oleum brands or the other ones in the Home Depot centers will probably work well?
TOM: Yep. I think they’ll work great. We’ve had a lot of experience with them and they’re great. QUIKRETE or Rust-Oleum.
ROBERT: OK. Alright, thank you.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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