# Oil Extractors



## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

I have a 10k sq/ft concrete floor that we are prepping for epoxy coatings. The floor has a few oil stains from being a machine shop over the years. The unit is unoccupied and we are about to begin cleaning. It has already been pressure cleaned. I did a sample today of a oil extractor that is applied with a trowel and left to dry. As it dries it extracts the oil from the concrete and all you are left with is a powder to clean. No washing. No real fumes, just a nice citris smell. Stuff was a little pricey ...40ish a gallon. Does anybody have any other products they have used for similar app's. Yuba has been sending me some great info but I want to see if any others have any suggestions ....Thanks.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

You going to guarantee it?


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

To a point. It is for a builder I do alot of industrial work for. He understands the situation. I told him there is no way to get 100% of the oil out. We will re-assess after the extractors have done their thing and put it in writing before any coatings take place.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

I thought the better degreasers were enzyme type but I don't know. Not to scare you but.. I would be petrified knowing the few machine shops I've been in.
Also, a heads up in case you don't know, most CNC lubricants are water based "soapy" stuff. Not necessarily oil.


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

The stuff you are using is about the best choice for the money.

If you have time to let it sit, Coca-Cola will help break it down nicely, and then finish off with your product.

A good epoxy will adhere/bridge whatever is left. I had a customer who would not let me pressure wash his garage (cabinets on every wall etc.), so I scrubbed with Simple Green and used the Castrol oil extractor(super clean I think).

2 coats over a piss-poor substrate, and not a problem in almost 3 years. 

I put epoxy in my outdoor garage with NO PREP, leaving oil, light dirt/dust, everything. This was to push the product to its limits. It worked amazing, no peeling etc.



What kind of epoxy are you using?


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

dragula said:


> The stuff you are using is about the best choice for the money.
> 
> If you have time to let it sit, Coca-Cola will help break it down nicely, and then finish off with your product.
> 
> ...


 
My industrial and my res/commercial rep both recomend Sherwin-Williams ArmorSeal® *Rexthane*™ ... mostly because it is a one part epoxy that is very easy to work with. They say it is a very durable product for the price. A few comments I have recieved is that I might want to go with a more durable 2 part epoxy. I am waiting to finish the clean next week and re-evalute from there. I've been educating the GC on different approaches to the cost of epoxies and my price is fluxuating depending on his expectations and needs.


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

Rexthane is junk; the film is much to soft, save for maybe a residential floor with no auto traffic.

How many gallons do you need? I can get you my fav product (TufTop WT-113) shipped to any Sherwin, at give or take $40/gal store cost.

If you have a 30gal+ order, I'm sure I could get it shipped to your door.

This stuff is the best non-100% solid epoxy out there IMO (within the price range)


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

dragula said:


> Rexthane is junk; the film is much to soft, save for maybe a residential floor with no auto traffic.
> 
> How many gallons do you need? I can get you my fav product (TufTop WT-113) shipped to any Sherwin, at give or take $40/gal store cost.
> 
> ...


Thats what I've heard. It's probably the first time my SW rep has let me down on product advice ...not even him, the industrial rep recomended it. He told me that that was his standby to recomend to contractors that do not do concrete floors for a living. He thinks regular paiters will have a hard time with 2 part epoxies and pot life ...ect. You got a site for the TufTop? You a part time salesman too Drag ?...you seem a little too techical for for average 23 year old painter.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

NEPS.US said:


> . You a part time salesman too Drag ?...you seem a little too techical for for average 23 year old painter.


You may have answered your own question. Drag is not the average 23 year old painter. Not many 23 year olds rolling in with pro tips.


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

NEPS.US said:


> You got a site for the TufTop? You a part time salesman too Drag ?...you seem a little too techical for for average 23 year old painter.


www.tuf-top.com


I am friends with the chemist at this company, hence my technical background in coatings. I'm not a salesman for the company, but I know the in's and out's of SW...Worked there for a bit when I got out of high-school, but the moonlight was to bright if you know what I mean:thumbsup:

This is the wt-113. Damn good 2-part, easy to use. KILLER durability.
http://www.tuf-top.com/prod-water-epoxy.html


A hardcore acrylic urethane clear
http://www.tuf-top.com/prod-tpu-188.html

They have a new clear, and that is just being released to contractors. It is a water-based, poly-urea clear; 2-part, long pot life, and is probably THE toughest clear on the market.

It's going to run about $100/gal.

If you want to test any of these products, let me know and I could have them ship you a couple gallons to test.

What are the exact details of this upcoming job?

Do you mind sharing you planned process, so that we might be able to give you some tips?


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

I have done alot of garage floors in the last few years. Alway new. This is a different animal. I am learning but the more I learn about concrete app's I realize the less I know. It is a highly profitable industry to get into but you better know what your doing.

Warehouse used to be a machine shop ...few oil spill ...building is 30 years old. The machine shop had it cleaned and washed. I will place oil extractor on spills and try to pull what I can. I have got alot of mixed feedback on acid washing it. What do you think? What do you recomend? I have got some feedback of trying to encapsulate the spills with a latex to make a barrier between the oil and the oil epoxy ....


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

Do you plan on using a solvent-based epoxy? The last sentence confused me.

I would hit the whole floor with a degreaser, rinse, and then acid etch. Also, hit the oil with boiling water if you can.

Will there be any auto/forklift traffic?


Also, before coating, tape some plastic in a 4x4 square, in multiple locations, as a moisture test. (or use a meter if you have one)

On really high-end jobs, you might get into surface profile specs (aka grit), but that's a long way away.


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

I almost forgot.

Use MEK on the oil, and torch off. This is a sure-fire solution, but being in an enclosed building, you would have to be careful and check safety regs.

Another option: Chill the oil with CO2, and grind in rice ash. (or fine kitty litter if you have no access to rice ash)


Dawn works good in small quantities, but the rinsing aspect and the residual glycols can be an issue.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Does the floor have drains?


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

MEK!!! Have you done this???

NEPS, whats the skinny on the extractor? Thumbs up or down?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Bender said:


> MEK!!! Have you done this????


That suggestion made me a little queezy too. We have been using mek on a project involving a steel component and I would not want to have a torch within a half mile of the stuff. I am sure that drag is well informed, but that right there is counterintuitive.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

The young ones are heart breakers


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Bender said:


> The young ones are heart breakers


MEK is, among lots of other bad things, a nervous system depressant (anasthetic). I would hate to see NEPS lose his edge.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Or his eyebrows


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Bender said:


> Or his eyebrows


:furious::laughing:

I'm sitting here looking at the fire in the woodstove and thinking it would only take me 2 minutes to run out to the shop and get a jug. If it will extract oil from concrete I bet it would clean my chimney pretty good.


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Bender said:


> MEK!!! Have you done this???
> 
> NEPS, whats the skinny on the extractor? Thumbs up or down?


I did a sample area and it did pull oil but I have to go back to check ....the manufacturer told me to give a good 3-4 days to dry after sweeping or it will still have the "wet look" to it. I dont think after the years of abuse there is any way all of the oil is coming out. Never. It is probably a 6-8 inch slab and Im sure the stone is soaked too. There is a concrete wall in the middle and a oil stain pulled from one side to the other ...nasty stuff. The owner of the building is well aware of the conditions and we will re-examine after I have appled alll of the extractor and do a moisture test. He is fine will the probability that we might be chasing lifting areas between tenants for years to come. He figures it will look better than it does now.


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

vermontpainter said:


> MEK is, among lots of other bad things, a nervous system depressant (anasthetic). I would hate to see NEPS lose his edge.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

NEPS.US said:


>


I hope you were kidding when you told me you save all the pro tips to a special folder. Please skip the burning mek pro tip. 

NEPS + MEK = B A D


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Im gonna be a sev here for a moment .... what is MEK?


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

NEPS.US said:


> Im gonna be a sev here for a moment .... what is MEK?


 
hahaha ....never mind ..looked it up .... I dont think I will do that. I think Drag wants to see me shot into outer space ..... still holding a grudge from last month?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

NEPS.US said:


> hahaha ....never mind ..looked it up .... I dont think I will do that. I think Drag wants to see me shot into outer space ..... still holding a grudge from last month?


Ever use acetone? Its basically a slower evaporating, more flammable flavor. His pro tip would suggest that he wants you maimed or permanently disfigured.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

vermontpainter said:


> :furious::laughing:
> 
> I'm sitting here looking at the fire in the woodstove and thinking it would only take me 2 minutes to run out to the shop and get a jug. If it will extract oil from concrete I bet it would clean my chimney pretty good.


Inducing a chimney fire does do that. Burns the creosote right off. And, btw, it DOES sound like a freight train.


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## dragula (Nov 19, 2008)

Safety precautions would be a must.

MEK/Torch is what is used on a dragstrip to clean oil spills.

You could try it without the torch.


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