Interlocking Floor Tiles, Mats, And Epoxy Garage Floor Paint
January 14th, 2012If you are looking for a way to improve the look and protection of your garage flooring, then you have a few options. There is a wide variety of garage flooring covers on the market right now. The most popular ones are floor mats, epoxy paint, and tiles.
Garage Flooring: Mats
The cheapest and easiest way to improve your floor is through the use of floor mats. Floor mats are perfect for covering a few cracks or stains that are around your floor. If you just want to cover or protect one area of your garage, then a small floor mat is the best way to go. If you want to cover your entire floor, then you can use a larger mat or rug. Manufacturers make special rugs just for your garage, so these mats are designed not to rip or tear if you were to drive over them. If you purchase a small mat and it gets dirty, you can always wash it or purchase a new one for little cost. If the rug gets dirty, then it shouldn’t be a problem because these rugs have been designed to be resistant to most chemical spillage. If you are looking for a cheap, easy, and stylish solution, then this is the way to go.
Garage Flooring: Interlocking Floor Tiles/ Peel and Stick Tiles
Another option you can choose is interlocking floor tiles. Garage flooring tiles come in two varieties; there are interlocking floor tiles and peel and stick tiles. Peel and stick tiles are tiles that you peel off and stick onto your floor, and interlocking floor tiles can be placed on your floor and interlocked together. Both types of tiles are easy to install, but they are not as easy as a mat or a rug. All you need is a utility knife and a hammer to secure the interlocking floor tiles in place. These tiles are extremely durable and won’t crack under the weight of your car. Also, if you were to spill something on the interlocking floor tiles, then the clean up would be easy. Concrete would absorb the chemicals, but interlocking floor tiles will leave the spill residing on top so you don’t have to worry about stains. If the style aspect is very important to you, then you will be happy to know that you can pick each one of your interlocking floor tiles individually. In other words, you can choose each color and make your own design or pattern on your garage flooring if you want. The most popular design is a checkerboard design, but you can feel free to create any design you wish. Peel and Stick tiles are also extremely durable, fairly easy to install, and are completely customizable in terms of style. If you want to make your garage flooring stand out, then you can’t go wrong with either type of tile.
Garage Flooring: Epoxy Paint
Another solution that many people have decided on is epoxy paint. This solution is one of the hardest solutions to install. It takes a few days of preparation, and after you’re done, you can’t use your garage for a few days. The reason why installation is so hard is because of the paint’s inability to bond with the concrete. If your garage flooring has any cracks, sealants, stains, dirt, or dust on it, then the paint won’t work. If you are not sure about the sealants, then pour some water on your floor, and see how long it takes to soak in. If the water just beads out, then your floor is sealed and you cannot painting it. If the water gets soaked into the floor, your floor is not sealed and you may paint it; you must make sure to fill up all the cracks in your floor with a concrete compound and put a primer over the compound so the paint can bond to it. After all the cracks are filled, you must thoroughly wash down your floor to eliminate all dust and stains. This process may take you a while to preform depending on your floor’s condition. If your floor is already set to go, then you need the perfect weather conditions. You need a warm and sunny day so the paint can dry and the moisture in the air won’t be a problem. This installation process is long, and you can easily run into bonding problems even if you do everything right. If you were to choose this option, then hiring a professional is recommended because it will save you a lot of time and you will know that the job is done right. The main benefit of epoxy garage flooring paint is that it will protect your floor from just about anything. You can drop or spill anything on your floor, and in most cases, it won’t make a dent. Epoxy is another solution that won’t absorb chemical spillage, so cleaning up is extremely easy. You can even make your floor any color you want because paint comes in an extremely wide variety of colors and shades. If you have a professional paint your floor, then this solution may be the best option for you because it is the most durable, it will look amazing if the floor is done right, and clean up is a breeze. If you are looking for the top of the line garage flooring solution, then this is it.
My Recommendation
Overall I have found that interlocking floor tiles are the best choice because they look much better and more professional then a mat. Also garage interlocking floor tiles cost significantly less than an epoxy coating. The fact that interlocking floor tiles also allow for you to customize your look puts them over the top for me because you can control exactly how your floor turns out and you can really make it your own.
There are many garage flooring options available to you, and they all have their positives and negatives. We took a look at mats, interlocking floor tiles, peel and stick tiles, and epoxy garage floor paint. If you are struggling to make a choice, then you should look at your individual needs and preferences, and that should help you out. No matter what solution you choose, your floor will be better protected and will look great!