Garage / Shop floor covering question

[netapp]

I just finished building my shop and am looking for floor covering. I was debating of using the epoxy paint from ucoatit.com but also found the plastic type snap together floor tiles. Has anyone had any experience with either 2 or have any other suggestions on another covering?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I've done two floors with this stuff. One was 10 years ago, one was last year. Very durable. But as with all paint, preparation is everything even with a new floor.

http://www.epoxy-coat.com/catalog/

 

[hou99gts]

I've used U-coat it and Shield-crete from Sherwin Williams, both work well.

 

[viperdrummer]

I've done two floors with this stuff. One was 10 years ago, one was last year. Very durable. But as with all paint, preparation is everything even with a new floor.

http://www.epoxy-coat.com/catalog/

Agree. I have it. With all these prep is huge.

 

[BlknBlu]

if you have no budget they have other alternatives that are very durable and maintenance free.

Bruce

 

[DrTaco]

Like many others I used Racedeck flooring and LOVE it. But, the only reason I used it is because I wanted a design in my flooring that I couldnt get with epoxy. Install was easy as cake, and the "hardest" part was trimming the edges to fit around uneven parts. I sweep it off once a week or so and have had 0 issues with it.

If you need some ideas, here's a link to a garage thread on the forum: http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/644163-Show-us-your-garage!?highlight=show+garage

Here's my floor:

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[treesnake]

Has Plum seen this thread....

 

[3whitevipers]

Look into porcelain tile. I've used it in service areas of car dealerships and my own garage--It's bullet proof and very easy to clean--dry mop. Mine was cheaper that "race deck" plastic.---Dave

 

[AZTVR]

I just finished building my shop and am looking for floor covering. I was debating of using the epoxy paint from ucoatit.com but also found the plastic type snap together floor tiles. Has anyone had any experience with either 2 or have any other suggestions on another covering?

I've done two floors with this stuff. One was 10 years ago, one was last year. Very durable. But as with all paint, preparation is everything even with a new floor.

http://www.epoxy-coat.com/catalog/

Epoxy Coat seems to have a good reputation over on garagejournal forum and there is a company rep there that posts and answers questions. It is also available through Lowe's but only stocked in a few stores and special order through others. That was one of the products that I was considering; but, finally decided to just leave the garage as-is.

 

[ViperCollector]

Look into porcelain tile. I've used it in service areas of car dealerships and my own garage--It's bullet proof and very easy to clean--dry mop. Mine was cheaper that "race deck" plastic.---Dave

Porcelain? I've heard of VCT (Vinyl Composite Tile), but I would think porcelain wouldn't handle loads well - especially when raising via jack/jackstands or installing a lift. May have to look into it...

 

[Roadtrip]

As an alternative to epoxy, I had my concrete floors polished, they can be stained (left mine natural) and is under $3 p/sq ft. It's also durable because of the densifier they use (with exception to salt). Mine were modeled to give them a marble like texture.

 

[v10enomous]

I used concrete stain. It looks good with the old world style of my house. The finish has a distressed look to start with so it doesn't really look much different in the winter when I'm tracking snow with sand and salt in an out. I didn't want something that I have to constantly clean.

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[3whitevipers]

Porcelain Tile is bullet proof assuming it is laid flat with a complete coat of 'thinset" under it. I've used it for years in my car dealerships in the service areas. It's completely stain proof. Porcelain tile has color completely thru the tile thickness so the very unlikely chip is invisible. We always use floor jacks on it and the guys just drag the jacks where needed. I found that the race deck plastic tiles would dent with floor jacks when lifting a car or truck. I know it sounds weird but the stuff really works. My home garage is done with it (3350 sq.ft.) and folks say my garage floor looks like a floor in their home. It's incredibly easy to clean as nothing sticks to it. Oil based products just lay on the surface. Dirt comes off with a dry mop. All I can say is that my service depts. look amazing and are very inviting for the customers to see. May want to think out of the box on this one. One guy told me that the new BMW dealerships must be done this way as demanded by BMW.---Dave

 

[PDCjonny]

As an alternative to epoxy, I had my concrete floors polished, they can be stained (left mine natural) and is under $3 p/sq ft. It's also durable because of the densifier they use (with exception to salt). Mine were modeled to give them a marble like texture.

Polished concrete looks terrific, but I got quotes here (New York) of $8.00-10.00 per sq ft and that's just too much, I have 750 sq ft.
At $3.00 a foot I would have had it done already...
Porcelain tiles get great reviews on garagejournal they are extremely durable despite what you would think.

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

Dave, I have 310 feet of porcelain in my kitchen but never dreamed of it in the garage. This is intriguing ... what if the floor has a drain where the floor isn't flat? It slopes around that area. Would that area need to be leveled before applying the tile?

 

[Silver04]

Stained my garage floor Malay Tan and Dolphin Blue after investigating several options, including tile and Epoxy. Went this route because everyone and their mother seems to have Epoxy in my neighborhood and I like being the black sheep...The folks that come over seem to notice the car first though!

 

[Roadtrip]

Polished concrete looks terrific, but I got quotes here (New York) of $8.00-10.00 per sq ft and that's just too much, I have 750 sq ft.
At $3.00 a foot I would have had it done already...
Porcelain tiles get great reviews on garagejournal they are extremely durable despite what you would think.

Wow $8 to $10 seems crazy high. I think in the Chicagoland area the highest quote I got was around $5 p square foot. The Epoxy quotes were pretty high though.

 

[steve911]

I used VCT Tile (1350 SF) It has held up well after I waxed it. It is really cheap in the grand scheme of things and come in a ton of colors. Here are some pics of my place where I keep the snakes.

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[cfiiman]

I used VCT Tile (1350 SF) It has held up well after I waxed it. It is really cheap in the grand scheme of things and come in a ton of colors. Here are some pics of my place where I keep the snakes.

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Steve,

thanks looks awesome!!! How do you lay the VCT tile? I see this stuff at Home Depot for next to nothing, just want to make sure I'm looking at the right stuff? Do you use a glue, or thinset or???? Is there a ton of surface prep or is it as easy as laying tile in a kitchen or bath? Thanks for any help!

 

[steve911]

Steve,

thanks looks awesome!!! How do you lay the VCT tile? I see this stuff at Home Depot for next to nothing, just want to make sure I'm looking at the right stuff? Do you use a glue, or thinset or???? Is there a ton of surface prep or is it as easy as laying tile in a kitchen or bath? Thanks for any help!

The VCT I used is the Commercial grade stuff from Armstrong. Everything I learned about installing it came from the Armstrong Website. It is very extensive. I used Armstong's Tile adhesive to hold it down.

Those pics were taken right after I waxed it. It has held up really well. I jack cars on it, the snow drips on it, It gets dirty. I mop it and have waxed a couple of more times in the 2 1/2 years since it was down. I did break one tile when I dropped a strater on from about 3 1/2 feet high. It was easy to scrape out the broken one and glue down a new one.

 

[Silver04]

Here are some pics of my place where I keep the snakes.

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Wow - very nice!!

 

[ViperTony]

I did mine 3 years ago using a 2 part epoxy. It's all about the floor prep when it comes to coatings, stains, sealers, etc. http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/613811-My-Garage-Floor-Project...?highlight=garage+floor

 

[lmcgrew79]

Im a union painting & drywall contractor, and we do good bit of commercial and industrial epoxy, aiphatic urethane, stamped, and acid etched floors. We use sherwin williams, tennant, hp spartacote to name a few. There are plenty of good manufactures of coatings, but as someone said above the prep work is what matters more than anything. I would suggest that you get someone to shot blast your concrete before.

Generally the best coating is a shotblast, prime coat, base coat, and aiphatic urethane top coat.
Full broadcasted floors look great, imo. Torginol is where we general get our color chips as they can custom mix them how ever you like.

Any questions feel free to ask.

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[Canyon707]

Stonhard is the best by far hands down. you can beat it with a hammer. floor jacks oil etc by far the best there are a lot of posts on this. Tried and ture product. Used in clean rooms etc.

 

[ViperTony]

I'm thinking about doing Stonhard in my basement which I'm in the process of finishing. Curious if anyone has done this to their basement floor? Pics? Looking for some design/color ideas.

 

[lmcgrew79]

Not sure of stonhard, but the all out best would be a slurry quarts system. Stonhard may be just that, we use tnemec or general polymers for those. Same deal you hit it with a hammer and the concrete will break or come up first. Those start getting extremly expensive for a garage system also. If money is no object polished concrete would be even better because there are no coating to fail. It just ground down with different diamond grinding grits till its burnished/polished. Different colors come with what ever acetone stain you like.

 

[bluesrt]

I used VCT Tile (1350 SF) It has held up well after I waxed it. It is really cheap in the grand scheme of things and come in a ton of colors. Here are some pics of my place where I keep the snakes.

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i have the same and lov it also-

 

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

Has anybody tried the LineX (used on pickup beds) on their floors? Many Colors, non-skid, pretty hardy..

PBR

 

[johniew398]

I used the tiles. Mine have been in about five years now. I clean them once a year with simple green, mop and my pressure washer.

http://gallery.viperclub.org/showfull.php?photo=52882

 

[cfiiman]

I used the tiles. Mine have been in about five years now. I clean them once a year with simple green, mop and my pressure washer.

http://gallery.viperclub.org/showfull.php?photo=52882

Haven't I seen that shot on Racedecks site???? Nice looking floor.