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Old 10-26-2020, 02:14 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Is Flex Seal a good product to use to seal floor

I have been looking into the best way to both fill and seal the holes left behind from the school bus seats as well as the best method to sealing the steal floor. I am currently removing all surface rust on the floor of my bus using an angle grinder.

After all the rust is removed and I have cleaned the floor throughly with water, I will clean the floor with a TSP cleaner. After, I intend to use "Concrete and Metal Prep" to convert any left over rust and etch the metal so that the seal that is used next sticks well to the steal.

Now for what I am unsure about. I have read many different threads on various ways to seal holes and the overall floor. While I was recently working on my bus someone stopped by who is also in the process of converting a bus and recommended using flex seal tape to seal the holes and then using flex seal paint to seal the entire floor. Prior to being recommended Flex Seal, I intended to use a rustoleum paint and primer to seal the floor. I was planning on using steal squares and J-B Weld to seal the holes.

I have been unable to find many forums of others who have gone the Flex Seal approach so I am wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether or not this will work well and last for a very long time?

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Old 10-26-2020, 02:47 PM   #2
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I used a couple cans that were laying around to coat the steel sheet I used to protect my grey tank. I only used it because it was there and free. Something about the As Seen on TV, late night commercial aspect keeps me from taking it seriously.
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Old 10-26-2020, 02:48 PM   #3
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For the bolt holes use pennies and urethane sealant
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Old 10-26-2020, 02:57 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo View Post
For the bolt holes use pennies and urethane sealant
How long can you expect the penny and urethane sealant to last? I originally was planning on this approach until I saw a lot of criticism with using pennies due to the potential reactions caused by differing metals touching.
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Old 10-26-2020, 04:02 PM   #5
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Quote:
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How long can you expect the penny and urethane sealant to last? I originally was planning on this approach until I saw a lot of criticism with using pennies due to the potential reactions caused by differing metals touching.
Corrosion requires water and oxygen, so if everything is sealed from the elements (via glue and paint), nothing you use will cause any problems.
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Old 10-26-2020, 04:56 PM   #6
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How long can you expect the penny and urethane sealant to last? I originally was planning on this approach until I saw a lot of criticism with using pennies due to the potential reactions caused by differing metals touching.
My bus is an aluminum skin attached to steel structure With steel screws. It’s 14 years old and shows no sign of electrolysis.

For the metal sealant, consider paint that’s designed for coating metal. I see a lot of people using rustoleum in a can. Sherwin Williams also makes “implement paint” that’s similar. There’s also metal boat paint.
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Old 10-26-2020, 08:07 PM   #7
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I used roofing tin tags on my holes as Id go broke on all the holes I had in my floor if I used pennies. They're thinner than pennies and galv steel to match the bus floor. I just caulked them down with seam sealer(dynatron). Yeah I dont trust flex seal either. My vote is for rustoleum on the floor. I used the opportunity to mix up custom colors in rustoleum to experiment for my outside paint job.
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Old 11-03-2020, 11:47 PM   #8
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I like the idea of using pennies and urethane sealant but I also like the idea of using galvanized roofing tags (I think I know what your talking of here). I have not gotten this far yet but would like to know what kind of Rustoleum paint have people used for the floor? There are lots of choices in the stores and I cannot decide how to do mine.

As of yet I have no idea how rusty my floor is under the rubber and plywood but I am mentally preparing for the worst and want to have a plan of action before I reveal the extent of rust I will be dealing with. I have been thinking a bit of sanding if the rust is light to moderate with no rust holes and then sealing the bolt holes with the pennies and urethane. After that cures a coat of rust converter and then some rustoleum paint of some kind. What do you all think?
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Old 11-04-2020, 10:06 AM   #9
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I cleaned the rusty floor(also welded in new pieces) and paint before patching holes with caulking/plates. My thoughts being I wanted to minimize untreated rust and caulking to rusty metal will fail in short order. As far as Rustoleum goes, I've just been buying the gallon or quart cans of enamel that the big box stores sell locally here. Just their basic enamel product line.

When I ripped my floor out it was a bit overwhelming at first with all the rust. My biggest recommendation is get some heavy duty (twisted)wire wheels for a grinder. Both the flat and cupped ones. I found that welding supply stores had better quality wheels than the box stores. Just getting the floor down to clean metal did a lot for assessing my game plan on repairing the floor.
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Old 11-04-2020, 10:12 AM   #10
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I don't see any need to seal these holes, you are covering them with plywood right?
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Old 11-04-2020, 10:32 AM   #11
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I don't see any need to seal these holes, you are covering them with plywood right?
My plan is for a raised roof of 18 or 20 inches and a raised floor of 10 inches with insulation panels against the metal floor and room to install plumbing and electrical in the space it gives. This will allow building on top of the wheel wells and give ample room to install the plumbing in any location while keeping it all within the insulation envelope.

With all of that said the holes from the seat bolts will need to be sealed to keep everything dry in that "crawl" space, hence my brainstorming the best way to permanently seal them from the elements.
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Old 11-04-2020, 10:40 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flipmode View Post
I cleaned the rusty floor(also welded in new pieces) and paint before patching holes with caulking/plates. My thoughts being I wanted to minimize untreated rust and caulking to rusty metal will fail in short order. As far as Rustoleum goes, I've just been buying the gallon or quart cans of enamel that the big box stores sell locally here. Just their basic enamel product line.

When I ripped my floor out it was a bit overwhelming at first with all the rust. My biggest recommendation is get some heavy duty (twisted)wire wheels for a grinder. Both the flat and cupped ones. I found that welding supply stores had better quality wheels than the box stores. Just getting the floor down to clean metal did a lot for assessing my game plan on repairing the floor.
Ok, so the basic Rustoleum enamel should suffice, nice to know. Do you think the wire brushing is critical or would just using an rust converter be enough to treat surface rust before the enamel paint?
In past experiences with trying to wire wheel surface rust on steel it always seemed to harden the rust into something hard and lumpy without actually removing it. Not sure if I may have been doing something wrong though as I have seen videos when people are successful in removing the rust down to clean metal.
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Old 11-04-2020, 02:01 PM   #13
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Like you, I've had bad experiences dealing with rust. The wire wheels with too small gauge of wire seem to burnish the rust and not remove it. You want as heavey gauge of wire that you can find as well as the wire being twisted in groups(maybe the term is knotted?) Which will do a decent job of removing the rust. I don't trust rust converters to work on anything heavier than surface rust.
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Old 11-04-2020, 04:21 PM   #14
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Quote:
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Like you, I've had bad experiences dealing with rust. The wire wheels with too small gauge of wire seem to burnish the rust and not remove it. You want as heavey gauge of wire that you can find as well as the wire being twisted in groups(maybe the term is knotted?) Which will do a decent job of removing the rust. I don't trust rust converters to work on anything heavier than surface rust.
Ahh that's what I've been doing wrong, thank you for enlightening me. Soon as I get my flooring up I'm going to tackle whatever rust there is with one of those knotted wire brushes for the angle grinder.
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Old 11-04-2020, 06:27 PM   #15
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Ahh that's what I've been doing wrong, thank you for enlightening me. Soon as I get my flooring up I'm going to tackle whatever rust there is with one of those knotted wire brushes for the angle grinder.
Get some Ospho and let the chemicals do the work of removing your rust.
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Old 11-07-2020, 03:28 PM   #16
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On a similar vein, I'm curious if anyone here's used Marine paint to seal their floors or ceilings. I used it once in a basement and found it to be pretty effective, thick, and resilient against water (if pricey $$$). I've considered using it in a bus, but don't know if that's a good idea or not. I mean, it works for boats, right?
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Old 11-07-2020, 04:06 PM   #17
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Rustoleum enamel. I've been really impressed with it. After some months of walking on it on the steps, haven't seen a single scratch or chip in the paint. It's a very durable cheap paint.

For holes, I put left over 3/16" ss closed-end pop rivets in the nail holes (adding a little seam sealer)and then jb weld epoxy to coins on the bolt holes. I've even accidently hit one with a sledge hammer while installing my sub floor and it held up. It actually indented the penny but held to the floor.
As long as you fully incase the coins with epoxy or other sealant there should be no issue with electrolysis.
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Old 11-07-2020, 04:36 PM   #18
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Is Flex Seal good for sealing the floor? Hmmm ��
Well it sealed my roof great. No leaks in the three years that the 16 x 1/4” holes have been in my roof so I’m betting it’ll seal your floor just fine ��������
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Old 11-07-2020, 07:59 PM   #19
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I had great luck with a semi flexible sanding disc. Also a thick twisted wire on the angle grinder.

Both worked well until the wire started wearing out (ie shedding / shredding wires all over).

The floppy sanding discs like 80 or 60 grit take off a lot of rust quick.
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Old 11-08-2020, 07:38 PM   #20
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Aluminium squares and 3M 5200 is what I used. That 5200 is the best sealer I've come across. Some of the squares have come up since but the 5200 hasn't moved. Traditionally it is used as a marine sealant, for both above and below the waterline.
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