Garage Floor Preparation for a No-Grind Epoxy Application

Prepare Your Concrete the WiseBond^® Way!

SkipGrind™ No-Grind Concrete Primer allows epoxy coatings to bond to properly prepared concrete without mechanical grinding. This advanced bonding primer is engineered for WiseBond Floors epoxy coating systems and adheres to virtually any properly prepared concrete surface.

With proper preparation, you can achieve a professional-grade garage floor coating with less labor, less dust, and faster installation.

Works With: Epoxy Flake Floors, Polyaspartic Systems, and Marble Garage Floor Coatings

Why Proper Surface Preparation Matters

Proper surface preparation is essential for a successful epoxy coating application. Even the highest-quality coating can fail if the concrete surface is contaminated or improperly prepared.

• Prevents hot tire pickup
• Prevents coating peeling or delamination
• Ensures epoxy penetrates the concrete pores
• Creates long-term coating adhesion and durability

The concrete must be free of dust, dirt, oil, grease, drywall mud, paints, glues, sealers, curing agents, efflorescence, rust, algae, mildew, and other contaminants that may prevent proper adhesion.

TIP: Test Your Concrete Surface

The Water Drop Test

A simple way to determine whether your concrete is ready to accept an epoxy coating is to drip a small amount of water onto the surface in several areas of the floor.

• If the water absorbs into the concrete, the surface is porous enough for SkipGrind primer to bond properly.
• If the water beads on the surface, additional cleaning or etching may be required.

Preparation Steps

Step 1 – Repair Cracks and Imperfections

This step ensures your finished coating looks smooth and professional.

Voids, cracks, and surface imperfections will show through the finished coating if they are not repaired properly. Sweep and vacuum the entire concrete surface to remove loose debris.

Open cracks and hairline fractures with an angle grinder approximately 1/8" deep, then fill all cracks and holes using KreteBond Concrete Crack Filler. Allow the filler to cure for approximately 60 minutes before sanding or grinding flush with the surrounding concrete.

Step 2 – Grind and Level Patch Repairs

Leveling repairs helps your epoxy coating bond evenly across the entire surface.

A small angle grinder with a diamond cup wheel works well for leveling crack repairs and patch areas flush with the surrounding surface. It can also be used to smooth edges near walls or other tight areas.

Using a dust shroud and shop vacuum is highly recommended, as grinding can create a significant amount of dust.

ALWAYS WEAR APPROPRIATE PPE!

Step 3 – Scrub, Clean and Degrease the Floor

A thoroughly cleaned floor is the foundation for strong epoxy adhesion and long-term durability.

After repairing cracks and imperfections, thoroughly sweep and vacuum the floor to remove all dust and loose debris.

Scrape and wipe away grease or oil contamination. For heavier buildup, a power washer may be used to assist with deeper pre-cleaning.

Clean the surface using KretePrep Concrete Cleaner, Degreaser & Etcher to remove contaminants that could block the coating from penetrating the concrete pores.

Rinse thoroughly and remove all standing water. Broom, squeegee, or blow off excess water and eliminate any pooling. Allow the floor to dry completely.

Protective Masking

If the garage walls have already been painted, apply blue painter’s tape along the edges where the wall meets the floor, leaving a 1/8" gap above the surface. This gap allows for clean epoxy edge lines and prevents the coating from bonding to the tape. If any foundation block or baseboard areas along the walls will receive epoxy and decorative flakes, be sure to tape off above those sections as well to maintain sharp lines and a professional finish.

• Do not mix epoxy until all unmovable objects (water heaters, HVAC units, etc.) and protected areas are fully masked off using painter’s tape and proper coverings.
• At the garage door threshold where the floor meets the driveway, a rounded edge (round-over) is typically present. This area must be carefully taped off to prevent epoxy and decorative flakes from bonding to the driveway concrete.
• Ensure all painter’s tape is firmly pressed down to create a tight seal and prevent epoxy from seeping or “bleeding” underneath.
• After applying the epoxy base coat, remove the tape either immediately or right after broadcasting flakes to prevent it from bonding as the coating cures.
• You will have approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to remove the tape. Wear spiked shoes, move carefully across the surface, and pull the tape slowly and evenly from each end to maintain clean lines and a professional finish.

Pro Preparation Tips

• Use a diamond cup grinder to smooth patch repairs.
• Vacuum thoroughly before coating to remove all dust.
• Use a dust shroud when grinding to control airborne debris.
• Ensure all grease and oil contamination is completely removed.

TIP: Once the floor is clean, treat it like a “clean room.” Keep dirty or greasy power cords, shoes, and tools off the surface. Even small amounts of oil or grease can cause fish-eyes or adhesion problems in the coating.

Products Used in This Preparation System

• KretePrep Concrete Cleaner, Degreaser & Etcher
• KreteBond Concrete Crack Filler

These products are engineered to work together as part of the WiseBond Floors epoxy garage floor coating system to ensure proper adhesion and long-term durability.