I think the problem would be that I bought a cheap epoxy instead of a specifically acid-resistant one.
Also, I still have been unable to definitively come by the commercial material.
Any insight please share. Mr. Wizard - 24-12-2011 at 16:37
Why not check your local lumberyard for granite or soapstone tiles? They are very cheap if you buy plain colors. Fit them without a grout line and
perhaps epoxy or silicone along the seams. Pouring a magnesium oxychloride pan might be a possibility if you have the skill and resources.
[Edited on 25-12-2011 by Mr. Wizard]entropy51 - 24-12-2011 at 16:40
Why not check your local lumberyard for granite or soapstone tiles? They are very cheap if you buy plain colors. Fit them without a grout line and
perhaps epoxy or silicone along the seams.
Yep, my hood has a base of ceramic floor tiles. Fireproof and
resistant to anything I've spilled on them so far.Neil - 24-12-2011 at 17:07
I've been considering ceramic floor tiles for my upcoming hood, but what's putting me off is the uneven surface. And that the sound of glass touching
ceramic tiles really keeps me on my toes... I think I'm going for a stainless steel bench plate (which I can buy premade pretty cheap) which I'll coat
with something suitable. For the walls I'm thinking plaster backed by laminated wood. Bad idea?
Edit: Another argument for using the stainless steel plate is that it is much easier to work with if I want to have a sink, taps and other handy
utilities in my hood.
[Edited on 25-12-2011 by Lambda-Eyde]peach - 24-12-2011 at 17:24
I have an epoxy painted floor in one of the rooms of the garage that I've done a lot over chemistry over. The bench in that room is painted with
polyurethane.
I have spilled endless nasty corrosive things over both. They would discolour, but not rot back off. The epoxy floor paint is even better, it's
remarkable stuff compared to any other paint. It's still in better condition than any other finish I've seen, years after applying it, and I've
spilled concentrated (probably hot) sulphuric on it, and driven a mini digger through there over it, twice. All it ever needs is a wipe with a mop,
absolutely none of it has blistered or lifted. The only drawback to epoxy paint is that it is essentially impossible to remove from brushes, rollers
and surfaces (without grinding it back off) and that, once it's mixed, that's it, because it'll be cured in next to no time. Buy a disposable mini
roller and disposable brushes (cheap), some gloves, get it all cleared and sorted out, tape it all off, have a cup of coffee and recheck, mix it (with
a paddle in a drill), go! The smell of epoxy (alongside spray paint and petrol) is heavenly to this boob.
It also depends how long you leave spills.
If you're the kind of person who spills a cup of coffee and wipes it up hours later or the next day, you'll wreck a lot of things. If you wipe it up
when it goes down, or soon after, you'll be fine. The same applies for spills to the skin.
I would recommend regular tiles rather than granite. Granite is more reactive than the glassy glaze on regular tiles. It is also expensive and heavy.
There are epoxy grouts made specifically for areas where hard wear and resistance are required. Have a google. They may be more than regular grouts,
but they are far cheaper than granite.
There were some bits left over from doing the kitchen. I used a piece of the 40mm solid wood work surface to make a surface in the garage and covered
it with a sheet of safety glass that was being taken out. Provided the glass is lying on a flat surface and doesn't have things slammed onto it, it
seems to be working out fine. With it being glass, anything that's spilled comes straight off and there are no grout lines for things to cling to.
There are some really big, cheap white tiles available for bathrooms.
You could also look at using some kind of gigantic HDPE tray. The hydroponic stoners sell them in many sizes.
[Edited on 25-12-2011 by peach]Raptureisbliss - 24-12-2011 at 18:04
I'm leaning towards a fiberglass reinforced composite panel, both for affordability and practicality. From what I can ascertain, this seems to be one
of the most popular liners in commercial fumehoods. [clarification: this would be on top of a wood frame, of course]
