Tried that new commercial floor stripping solution for a big parking garage job last week and it failed hard

I'm talking 40,000 square feet of old sealant in a garage downtown on Michigan Ave. Used the stuff the supplier swore was 'industrial grade' and it wouldn't even lift the top layer after 3 passes with the machine. Ended up having to call in a crew with grinders to get it off. Cost me an extra $1,200 and a whole weekend. What do you guys use for heavy duty stripping on concrete that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewgonzalez1mo ago

Man, did you check the dilution ratio on that stuff first? A lot of times the supplier's mixing instructions are way off for heavy build-up like that. Could be the product was fine but you just needed a stronger mix or a longer dwell time before scraping.

daniel2141mo ago

Yeah, that bit about the supplier's instructions being off is spot on. I've had the same issue before where the label says one thing but you gotta double the concentration to get it to actually bite into the gunk. A lot of those guys just copy the same dilution rates for all their products without factoring in how thick the buildup is. What worked for me was testing a small spot first with a stronger mix and letting it sit for a good 10 minutes before scraping. If it's not coming off easy then you know you gotta bump it up more. Also make sure the surface is cool, hot metal can make the chemical evaporate too fast and waste your effort.