Random question about concrete

[gavino200]

I have my workroom/storage basement emptied out as I'm going to put in a simple sheet vinyl floor. I'm tempted to do something with the walls. Just to make it look a bit better. From what I read, I'd need to break off the metal bits, clean everything with TSP and a wire brush, patch holes and cracks, 2 coats of sealer, 2 coats of regular paint. 

 

But looking at the wall, it looks like it's being very partially painted with some yellow stuff. I have no clue what this is or if it would need to be removed. I wonder could this be form release material from the concrete pouring process??? Or some sort of treatment?? Anyone have any clue?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[toc36]

Don't know if this is an option ....

Since it is a concrete wall, you might want to consider internal framing and dry wall.  

 

Do you plan on removing the old flooring, or just covering up?  

[gavino200]

38 minutes ago, toc36 said:

Don't know if this is an option ....

Since it is a concrete wall, you might want to consider internal framing and dry wall.  

 

Do you plan on removing the old flooring, or just covering up?  

 

The current floor is just some bad vinyl. I'm replacing it. 

 

I don't really want to drywall this room, as it's just a workroom/storeroom. I don't know how to drywall and it's not worth hiring a craftsman. I'm just thinking about what I can do myself. 

 

I am hiring someone for the floor, but their main job is doing the floor in the train room. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by gavino200

[inobu]

Pay a painter to consult the issue. Its worth the $50 or so to get a clear understanding of what you are dealing with.

The last thing you want is have to do it over or cover up a problem only to have it reappear.

 

Inobu

[gavino200]

56 minutes ago, inobu said:

Pay a painter to consult the issue. Its worth the $50 or so to get a clear understanding of what you are dealing with.

The last thing you want is have to do it over or cover up a problem only to have it reappear.

 

Inobu

 

It's not that easy to get any craftsman to come do anything around here. Generally they won't come unless it sounds like a decent job for them. I'm pretty sure they'll be quite unhappy and will scoff at $50. 

[inobu]

1 hour ago, gavino200 said:

 

It's not that easy to get any craftsman to come do anything around here. Generally they won't come unless it sounds like a decent job for them. I'm pretty sure they'll be quite unhappy and will scoff at $50. 

Offer whatever the going rate is.

 

Inobu

[gavino200]

6 minutes ago, inobu said:

Offer whatever the going rate is.

 

Inobu

 

Inobu, around here you can't get a craftsman to show up on the doorstep for anything less than a juicy lucrative task. You have any guesses what that yellow stuff is?

 

[inobu]

15 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

Inobu, around here you can't get a craftsman to show up on the doorstep for anything less than a juicy lucrative task. You have any guesses what that yellow stuff is?

 

I looks like the framing did not take the paint or absorbed it.

Peel a piece of it off and find a Sherwin Williams or something. Have them to look at it.

 

The people who painted it may not have prep it right or used the wrong type of paint.

[cteno4]

That basement foundation has been there for a while, right? Doesn’t look like you have any obvious water staining, efflorvescence (white fluffy crystals forming on the concrete) or bad rusting of the metal form holders, them you should be in good shape. Take a wire brush to the stuff there to see if it comes off easily. It really doesn’t look like real paint on it and concrete looks pretty good.
 

might try small section with some good concrete dry lock paint to see how it holds with this stuff on.

 

like inobu mentions might talk to a local paint dealer. But ask around to see which store in your area has a really good paint person there for questions. The good old know everything paint sellers are pretty rare these days, most of the usual suspects talk a good game but when I’ve come with more specific questions I have quickly seen their knowledge can be only superficial sadly and interested in the quick sale and going wrong probably just brings back business thinking the customer just screwed up. A year or so ago I was almost steered very wrong by the local Sherman Williams dealer (that was quite a good like 5-10 years back) and I almost relented to their insistence but luckily sent out questions to some others and I was correct and they were very wrong.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Thanks guys. I'll try asking at the paint shop when I get a chance. 

 

One thing about this yellow coating that may not be apparent from the photos is that it doesn't look like the remnants of a paint-job that has deteriorated. None of it is flakey, and there have been zero traces of any fallen paint flakes on the floor. It really looks like this is all there ever was. I was wondering if it could have been some kind of moisture treatment or a remnant of the casting process. 

 

I'll let you know what the paint guys think. 

[inobu]

Take a small drill bit and drill into it. See if it is a coat or if it is cured into the concrete.

[cteno4]

Yeah try to drill or chip some off and if it’s fully cured to the concrete then there is probably no easy removal of it and probably won’t affect painting over it other than those sort of stroke marks may show through in relief on the outer paint layers. There are specially formulated paints for concrete walls like this. Good thing is if it’s always been dry that’s the big thing to really worry about. Super easy to roller a wall like this with a higher nap roller to get into the little holes, but best to first dab the deeper holes with a paint brush first. Nicer than a cinder block wall which can have nasty little pores and all the mortar lines!

 

jeff

[disturbman]

From my completely untrained eye, the pictures remind me of traces that can be left on a wall after scrapping a layer of something: thick paint or glue stains from a wallpaper. The color is present on the joints too.

 

Depending on humidity, I would plaster the wall before painting. Surface is very rough. Or seal it with some concrete wax or something.

Edited January 19, 2021 by disturbman

[gavino200]

It's definitely a coating. I can scrape some off with a paint scraper. It doesn't come off super easy. It's nicely adhered. The concrete beneath is bare. It's not thick enough to get a chip. It's more like dust on the scraper. 

 

I spoke to a woman at work who knows a lot about many random things. She's seen concrete walls around here that look just like this. She says it's a coat of moisture seal. She's not surprised by ths $hitty paint job. Apparently, "houses go up fast" around here, and that's just how it looks. This fits well when what I've already discovered about how the house was constructed. Every corner possible had been cut. 

 

My plan is as follows. 

1. Brush to remove any loose paint, the clean it. Let it dry.

2. Fill cracks and larger holes. Sand and smooth.

2. Two coats of sealer

3. Two coats of regular paint. 

[cteno4]

Lol yes that was the picture in my head I could not place! The painted glue lines you see on the wall after pulling off wall paper!
 

Use a bit stiff wire brush, you can get big flat ones with a handle on top. Works great, I cleaned up or cinder brick walls like this. You will get your cardio in for sure!

 

you may be able to get away with one or two coats of just concrete paint as some can be tinted (previous owners of our house painted one of the basement foundation walls bright orange/red for some reason maybe they got it on sale as a mistake mix of the expensive concrete sealer paint). They go on thick and really penetrate. I remember there were special prep instructions with the concrete sealer paint I used that I followed (it’s been like 14 years now since I painted the basement walls). There is also a concrete patch that’s like spackle for Sheetrock but seals and fuses well to the concrete divots. Instead of sanding you might be able to jsut scrape flat with a scraper. The concrete paint is pretty thick.

 

ug you are reminding me I need to redo the basement at some point here! 

 

jeff

[disturbman]

 

29 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Lol yes that was the picture in my head I could not place! The painted glue lines you see on the wall after pulling off wall paper!

Had a few very old layers of wallpapers in my apartment. Judging by their patterns, they were not recent. Early 20th or something. I saw a lot of these type of stains. With glue having attacked the upper layer of the concrete and plaster underneath.

It's a basement. It might still be good to re-seal everything. Even more if the house was built by people with two feet.

Edited January 19, 2021 by disturbman