Fubba

My shop is basically done except for the floor. Right now, it is plain concrete. I've been looking at the Epoxy stuff that comes in different colors that you basically paint on the concrete. What have you guys done, and what would you recommend?

Mad Vette

I have done a couple of floors and the one that worked the best for me was Industrial Non-Lifting Floor Paint from Groits Garage. I had to have my garage floor shot peened before I applied it but if your floor is new you probably will not have to do that. I looked at similar epoxy paint from local suppliers and they wear at least $60 a gal.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...2C+1+gallon.do

Mia

VCT Tiles! I swear by them. Look damned good and stand up to anything. Easily replaceable too.

VCT or Vinyl Composite Tile. They are glued, fused to the floor actually. About .75 per tile. For a 20 x 20 garage figure about $300 plus about $25 or so for the glue. Another $25 to rent a 100lb roller.

I love the look!

Here is my garage floor: http://home.mia.net/~jeremy/Garage/4-23-06/

Tell me that does not look good!



Yes, I've been able to put jack stands on them and it has taken a beating but 3 years later still looks good.



You use a 3M glue product that you trowel on with a 1/16th" trowel and let set up for 30 minutes or until tacky. Then place the tiles directly onto the floor and roll them out with that 100lb roller. The glue basically melts the bottom side of the vinyl into the floor holding it there for good. This is the same stuff they use in hospitals and schools.

Home Depot carries it, along with the glue and you can even rent the roller there. For under $400 I am and have been happy with the results. Cleaning them up is a breeze too. I use a mop and mop and glow. One of these days I am gonna see if I can get a mini floor buffer. They would look even better buffed.

IMO, a garage floor should be clean enough to eat off of. Its probably the single most important component of your garage and a great investment. Check out the Garage Forums as they are a wonderful place to get ideas for different floor surfaces. Some range from that $90 epoxy crap, to over $4000.00 plus for those lay down rubber squares.

Good luck!

Durango_Boy

Mia, have you dropped any heavy parts on them?

Explain the replacement process and what prep needs to be done to the floor for the glue to adhere properly?

Thanks.

Mia

Yes, I dropped and dented - caused a tear/impression. To remove you can use a flat joint knife preferably steel and narrow, say 2" to 2 1/2" wide. This is a drywall tool for those that do not know:

Work your way under the tile and tap lightly with a rubber mallet, on the handle of the joint knife. This will help scrape the old glue as well as remove the tile. Be patient it takes time.

Then you can simply clean/vacuum the residue or dust out, carefully apply more glue with a trowel again and then let it set up and then place the new tile in place. Set 50lb or more salt bags or cement bags (most people have water softener bags laying around, which work perfect). Let it sit on it over night.

As for preparing the surface before doing the entire garage. Pressure was it to remove loose dirt and other goop. From there, pressure was again this time using a degreasing agent for your pressure washer. They sell that stuff wherever you find pressure washers for sale.

Once dry, blow the surface off with compressed air or vacuum. Then begin applying your glue with a trowel starting in one inside corner (left) and work down and out. What I mean is, start about two rows (about 2 feet wide working to your right and out towards the entrance of the garage.

Only do about 2 rows at a time so you can easily reach to place those first tiles. Make sure that first row is true otherwise things will come out a bit tilted as you work your way over and down.

Once you get going you could do say 4 rows (4 feet at a time) because you can reach in from the previous row and over from the other side of the bar floor.

As you lay rows, use that 100lb roller to press the tiles firmly into the glue. I like to go back over them all as each new row is laid.

Take your time. 20 x 20 garage should take the better part of the day to do correctly. Perhaps two including prep.

Durango, one thing I should emphasize is that you are not "sticking" these to the floor. The glue that is used with VCT actually causes a chemical reaction between the vinyl and the glue causing the tile surface to fuse to the concrete, not sick to it. So while it is a good idea to make sure you get a good clean surface, do realize that they are going to stick no matter what.

Now I did find something that will cause them to loosen. Radiator fluid. I changed mine over the winter and apparently had a spill that caused the for inside corners of 4 tiles to being to separate. I ended up pulling them up and purchasing new ones and regluing them. They've been fine ever since.

77Vette4S&J

That looks great!

Mia

Thank you.

Durango_Boy

Thanks for that writeup. I have always kind of wanted to paint or tile the floor in my garage to lighten it up a bit and to avoid the horrible stains I get from fluid spills.

Can you post where you got the tiles and some of the materials for prepping and gluing? Thanks.

Mia

Yeah, needed to get rid of the stains and the ugly cracks.

Ok, for prep I used a pressure washer with straight water, then some Simple Green or whatever all purpose cleaner/degreaser for pressure washers, around $9.


I used the following trowel from Home Depot

Was like $2.99

Tiles also from HD where Armstrong VCT Cool White:

$29.70 a box
and Armstrong gray, also about $30/box... They have a few IN STOCK colours, like, white, black, gray. Anything else must be custom ordered.

The Glue is Roberts 2057 Premium Vinyl Composition Tile Adhesive (VCT).
It was like $30 for a 4 gallon bucket which was WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH... The 1 gallon $10 ish container would have probably made more sense if I had to do it again.

The 100lb roller can be rented at HD or any rental place.

I'd suggest some mineral spirits for clean up both on tiles, and anywhere else, like hands that might get that sticky glue on them. Helps with clean up of your trowel too!

Manuel Azevedo

Looks real good! Is there something to be done with the seams in the cement, what would you use to fill them in if that is possiable sence my floor is not flat?

Mia

Crap, I forgot to mention that in my prep list above. I used the following to both fill and level cracks.



Pre-Mixed Concrete Patch from Custom Building Products about $14 for a gallon.

Manuel Azevedo

Cool thanks!!! Guess I'll be trying that in my shop real soon.

Oldguard 7

I like Race Deck modular flooring. It's pricey but you can take it up and put it down again.

Mia

It is nice, but man, it is very expensive. Was gonna be between $3000 and $6000 depending on the pattern I chose. I sunk $3k into my entire garage including drywall, insulation, heat floor, decorations, diamond plate beer fridge, work benches, cabinets, etc...

hammadown

Hey.. What happened that your tile pattern is not consistent and appears to be 3 patterns put together???

Hammadown

rayluka

IMO, a garage floor should be clean enough to eat off of. Its probably the single most important component of your garage and a great investment.

And it sure makes it east to slide or roll under you car when your floor is finished

SIXFOOTER

Here is mine. The reason I went with Hospital tile is its only .63/ft
Easy to repair and wax

69Vett

I used a genertic (on Sale) Stick down tile 12x12" about 4 years ago,
i bought an extra case for spares,
I now have about 3 tiles scratched/damaged enough, that I need to replace them, and I drag heavy stuff across them alot. they are pretty tough.

Mad Vette

Those tile floors look great it makes you want to move in a TV and a couch. But I had 1200 sq ft to do and tile with adhesive would have been over $1000. I used 4 gals of paint for 2 coats for less than $200.
It's been very durable I've moved my engine stand all over no problems, kickstands on the kids bike don't chip either. I was also afraid that winter salt might eat a tile floor.

PRNDL

Mad, Thanks for the link to Griot's. It looks like a nice product. I might paint my garage floor.... if I can find it!