Garage Floor Covering
A valuable concern for the property value of your house is considering the garage floor covering. The garage can also include such things as the garage storage cabinets and garage shelving. There are many garage organizers available as well as garage organization systems. The garage floor covering can include all types of garage floor tiles, Epoxy paint, concrete paint and even garage floor mats and gym flooring.
When working on the garage upgrade it is most important to remember the current and future janitor services necessary. These can be DIY of course and quality commercial cleaning is available as well.
This article will deal mainly with the garage floor and other cement floors around the property. The first item to be considered is the condition of the cement being covered. It should be clean and for most items cracks in the cement should be repaired. There are cement crack sealing kits available which usually include all the tools and product items necessary along with the instructions for proper use. Once the cracks are repaired, the cleaning should be taken care of. If there are oil or chemical spills they should be cleaned with the proper cleaning product. Oil cleaning takes different product(s) than chemical spills.
The cleanup should include the entire area that will be covered by the ‘new’ floor covering. If choosing tile or an epoxy type covering for the floor and the entire garage will be covered, everything in the garage must be removed and kept out until the entire installation process is complete. The garage floor tiles etc. mentioned here will withstand the weight of cars and light trucks unless otherwise stated.
Free floating parking pads: These are available from various vendors and are from 1’x1’ to 2’x2’ in size. From 4 to 6 colors are usually available. The installation process is working one file across the back and then one down the side toward the front. Patterns should be remembered as the tiles are selected for installing. These pads are not usually considered for entire floor coverage but that is possible.
Garage Tile: This tile is a dry lay tile. There are no glues or toxic fumes involved. The installation is a minimal tool use process with the connection one tile to the next by connecting the male peg to the female loop. Each tile has 2 sides female loop with the other two sides being set with the male post. As installed each tile needs to be places with the male & female sides in the same direction. For example, have each male post sides facing the left wall looking from the garage door and the other male post side facing the garage door. The female sides would face the right side and away from the garage door. Each tile is attached to the next by stepping on the tile at the connection spots. The garage tile usually has a border edge included and a thickness of around ½ inch.
Diamond Plate Tile: The diamond plate tile is also a dry lay tile with the same lack of glues and toxic fumes. The installation is also the same. The borders are also included. The diamond is usually slightly thinner than the garage tile and has a different pattern on the surface. Installing the diamond plate tile is usually a few hours for the average two car garage.
Diamond Flex Tile: This tile is made of a PVC blend that provides flexibility and endurance. They are 20.5” square and take minimal tool use for installation. These tiles have the pattern cut sides for attachment during installing time. There is a border available which includes sides and corner sections.
Perforated Tiles: This tile is like the items listed under diamond plate tile with the installation process. The thickness is usually just less than ½ inch with a 1’ square size. The difference is the perforation of each of these tiles. Liquids will pass through the tile without damaging the colors of the tiles. Cleanup is very easily done with this tile type.
Coin Top PVC Tile: This tile has a patterned border all around each tile. The tiles are attached by this border and the edges are secured by a border strip. It is also a manual dry lay process. The thickness of these tiles is usually set at 5/16 inch.
PVC Diamond Grid Tile: This tile is yet thinner running at about 4mm. The 4 sides are patterned borders which are used to attach tiles to each other. This tile is supplied with a border. Similar minimal tool, no glues and no toxic fume installation.
IT-Tile Coin Beige: This is a 20.5″ x 20″ tile. These are interlocking and can be used in multiple projects. This is ver similar to the Mode Decor Beige 18″x18″ tile.
Tuff Seal Tiles: The tuff seal is an interlocking tile with the interlocking pattern on the outside. The tuff seal is made mostly from recycle material. This is one of the higher expensive tile to be purchased.
Peel & Stick Tile: This tile is usually presented in a 12” square size. The tile is coated on the back with the appropriate glue which is covered with a removable material which is easily taken off when doing the installation. No additional glues are necessary for this installation.
Roll Out Garage Flooring: This pad is a roll of material sized from approx 7’ by 17’ up to 10’ by 24’. There are different patterns of the pad such as the Levant pattern or the Rib Pattern. Each pattern has it’s own sizes provided by the manufacturer. Along with these mats there is a clear floor protector available in sizes close to those mentioned above. The clear floor protector is good for installing over some of the tiles listed above making the cleanup of the floor much easier.
Motorcycle Mats: Motorcycle mats are available is the standard strength material and the heavy duty material. They are also available with various patterns and logos as part of the mat.
Along with these coverings mentioned there are garage tiles with different names and sizes such as Auto Garage Tile, Diamond Plate Tile, Auto Perforated Tile, Coin Top PVC tile, Tuff Seal Tile and PVC Diamond Grid Tile. Each of these has it’s specific physical sizes and installation instructions.
When moving out of the auto parking use of the garage and for other work areas there are additional types of covering we will call tiles here. Being many in styles and sizes coming with numerous manufactures we will mention only one at this time.
Rubber Tile: This tile comes in thickness from ½ inch to 2.5 inches. The thinner tiles can be used for auto parking. The thicker tile can provide ‘safe’ falling for children from up to 5 feet. The individual tiles are connected by rods that are inserted into holes on the sides of the tiles. The rods are long enough to keep the tiles together and keep them from slipping apart. There is an edge piece provided as well for the outside edges of the tiled area.
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Tagged With commercial cleaning, concrete paint, epoxy paint, garage floor, garage floor covering, garage floor mats, garage floor tiles, garage organization systems, garage organizers, garage shelving, garage storage cabinets, gym flooring, janitor services