Building a new garage - floor preparation?

[911turbo]

I am buiilding a new outbuilding garage (50 x 80) and I am planning on covering the floor completely with RaceDeck flooring. Under the concrete it will have a vapor barrier. Do I still need to seal the concrete? If so, with what? or with the vapor barrier and RaceDeck does it not matter? I'd rather not have the expense and fumes of paint/sealer etc. if it is not needed.

Thanks
Chuck

[Setec Astronomy]

The current concrete sealers are water-based, and have no fumes. The cost is nominal relative to construction costs. I would absolutely do it. I believe you have to wait a period of time for the concrete to cure before applying the sealer.

[Mark McGuire]

Hey Chuck,
Before putting anything on the concrete check with the manufacture. Alot of products will not stick to the sealer. Also if you do use a sealer make sure it is water base.

The only reason for putting curing compound on concrete is to make it dry slower to prevent cracking. In the construction trade, on floors that can't have any sealers or compound put on them, like a gym floor that is going to have rubber flooring put on it, we use burlap and keep it wet for 7 days and it works just fine. The cracks come from the concrete shrinking, from drying to fast.
Hope this helps, if you have more questions you can IM me.
Mark

ps. you should wait at least 7 days before putting sealer on, the longer the better. Curing compound should go on as soon as you possibly can.