Tips On Deciding How To Update Your Garage Floor

Before you decide which method you would like to implement to update your garage floor, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.

What is the function of your garage? Do you use your garage to store the family vehicle, for repairs or automotive workspace, or simply as another room to your home?

What are goal are you trying to achieve by updating you flooring? Would you like to stop future staining of your floors or to keep chemical spills from ruining your floors? Or, are you just looking for a way to improve the look of you garage?

As there are several flooring options for you to choose form, answering these questions can help you decide which flooring is right for you and your family.

Out of all of the methods, epoxy and garage floor paint are the most cost effective ways to update the look of your garage floor. Both garage floor coatings offer many colors to choose from. They offer minimum protection from chemical spills and slipping. Though they are cost effective in the short term, there are other factors to consider. In order for either method to adhere to your floors, they must be clean of all dirt, oil, and debris and all of the cracks must be filled and filed for best results. If your floors have been treated with a sealant, the epoxy and paint will not adhere and these are not good methods for your flooring. You will have to apply at least 2 coats for a good application. Note that you will have to allow the floor surface to completely dry in between the cleaning and different coats of application. Don’t forget about sealing any cracks you find. It will more than likely take a couple of days to accomplish all of this, so plan ahead as you will not be able to use your garage during this time. Lastly, you may have to reapply the paint once a year or more to retain the look and protection you want to achieve. The epoxy method may last longer depending on use and care of the floor.

Roll-out flooring is a method garage floor covering that is the easiest flooring to apply. Just as the name suggests, this flooring method is simply rolled onto you garage floor and trimmed to fit. You can use the roll-out flooring to protect the entire garage or just the area under your vehicle. This method also includes and anti-fatigue property, which makes the floor more comfortable to walk and stand on, especially if your standing on your garage floor for long periods of time. The surface patterns allow liquid spills to be redirected away from your vehicle or workspace. You can choose from the different patterns during your selection including ribbed, diamond, and coin patterns. Roll-out flooring is not slip-proof, so be sure to clean any spills as soon as possible. Remember, safety first! Lastly, if you decide to move, simply pull up the flooring and take it with you!

Peel and stick tiles are generally made from PVC vinyl and are quite durable. For application, all one would have to do is peel the protective paper from the back of the tile to expose the adhesive side and stick onto the garage floor. This method allows the tile to contour directly to the floor, so if there is a spill you don’t have to worry about it damaging the concrete floor underneath. This method is permanent, so once it’s applied, it’s there to stay. This is not an investment that you can take with you.

There is another form of garage floor tile available for you to consider. Rigid Floor Tiles can be found in either perforated or solid varieties. The tiles vary in quality, so be sure do some research before deciding on a particular brand. Cheap tiles can be brittle and break or warp resulting in a waste of money. These two options are not permanent and are an investment that you can take with you if you decide to move.

Rigid floor tiles with perforated edges are designed to allow liquid and chemical spills to drain away and fall under the tile onto the floor below so that the garage floor remains safe and dry. The downside to this is that the liquid and spills can be difficult to reach under the tiles and it makes cleaning a headache.

Solid floor tiles do not have the perforated edges that allow draining to the below garage floor, but an interlocking edge that allows for a tighter bond between the tiles, but it is not liquid-proof. Any spills should be cleaned right away to prevent the liquid from eventually reaching the garage floor below. As with the perforated edge tiles, cleaning the liquid and spills can be an extremely difficult task.

As you can see there are many garage flooring methods available for you to choose from. Whatever flooring method you are interested in purchasing, be sure to research carefully.  Familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of each to determine which method best suits the needs of you and your family.