# Garage floor, what to do?



## Guest (Jul 24, 2009)

Evening all,
Ok so I have had a garage built, all painted and ready to use, apart from the floor. (write up to follow) I coated it with watered down pva to stop the dust, but it needs something doing as it doesn't look finished. 
The floor is trowel finished concrete, a little patchy in some areas, small pitting, but mainly level and flat, and I'd appreciate some advice on what to do to it next. :thumb:

I have had a quote from a local company to supply pvc floor tiles, the size is 3.6m wide by 5.5m long, came in at just under a grand!  And they were to fit myself! 

I'm pretty good at DIY so looking to save some dosh if I can get and do it myself. 

Anything considered! 

Cheers :thumb:


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## pdv40 (Sep 11, 2008)

Showtrax flooring? I use this stuff all the time

http://www.showtrax.net/Pit-garage-flooring.html

I've got some that's put up with three years of heavy motorsport abuse!


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## Charley Farley (Jul 8, 2009)

I'm with the OP, and have the same finish. I have a pal who let me have new carpet which I fitted, all for £200. It is 20' long by 14' wide (Passmore, lined apex roof) I'm just thinking of tiling it and noted that a local pound type superstore have a few hundred boxes of floor tiles 12" x 12" for a £1 a box, I'm seriously thing of trowelling up the floor and laying, so long as they don't crack of course.

A friend got a load of specialist rubber flooring from an old gym that closed down, this is the interlocking type that was in the free weights area, they cost a fortune and he did a triple garage from edge to edge for teh £50 he paid (grrrr, great job as well).

What about an epoxy floor paint? Surface needs to be perfect but it bonds well enough and wont peel as long as you get it down OK?

Don't laugh but what about laminated floor? I've seen some very cheap job lots being advertised and its easy to maintain.

One more thought, Allied Carpet store locally was selling off the carpet thay had on teh floor and they had a large section of Flotex which made pocket change, looks like a wood finish and feels like suede. You'll of course need a levelling compound first though to get a smooth finish.

Can't think of anything else right now. Have gone for inexpensive options, hope that is OK?


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## bilabonic (Jul 25, 2008)

I looked into this for ages guys as i was in same position.

My floor was bare concrete and also uneven in bits as i had mixed cement on it.

I hired a rotary sander/planer to remove all crap/smooth it. The painted with single coat of Epoxy resin light grey, n ot the water based stuff.

It requires no undercoat and you have to mix two tins. This stuff is awesome and very very tuff. I have spilled oil, dragged and used my large trolley jack and left car on stands for 2 weeks and it does not mark it !!!

I even jet wash it down to clean. Do it this way as its relatively cheap and looks good to, plus hard wearing. Will get a pic up tomorrow for you.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2009)

Thanks guys, I'll see if any local companies do the epoxy paint, and how much it'll cost :thumb:


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## bilabonic (Jul 25, 2008)

I just had the cheapest stuff of Ebay.


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## Torby (Jul 20, 2007)

Another vote for 2K epoxy here. Just finished my own garage floor. It was previously painted, but in a sorry state, so I did 2 coats of epoxy. Looks great now.

I was looking into those interlocking tiles myself, but I decided not to go for them. They're great looking, quick and easy to lay down, but imagine the amount of dirt that will gather up under/in between them. And if you every spill some fluid on the floor, you'll have to rip up the tiles to dry it up...


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## kk1966 (Aug 8, 2007)

My workshop was done in 2K epoxy just over 18 months ago and although needs a bit of a clean now with a floor scrubber due to alot of use...the actal coating is completely intact with no wear showing at all even though it has had quite a bit of abuse with trolley jacks etc. I visited a customers workshop a few days ago who had his done in the 1K normal paint on coating and it seriously needs redoing due to wearthrough marks on it and bare patches.

This is mine although pics taken approx just over 1 year ago










and after a good clean


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

bilabonic - this kind of stuff? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2pk-EPOXY-FLO...h_MJ?hash=item1c0bc68dfc&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

How did you find the m^2 coverage per ltr?


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## stevil (May 7, 2006)

I'd be interested to know what the coverage is like. I have a large double garage to do at some point and it'd be good to do it in epoxy (or floortrax), but I fear the cost!


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

I did mine in B&Q floor paint (made by International paints) and it peels up every time you park on it. £100 wasted !

I'm tempted to hire a floor plane (like a mower) to scuff the old paint off, then start again with 2 pack epoxy paint, but again, it's more money !!!


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## messenjah (Oct 21, 2009)

it depends what you want ...

epoxy paint is good and hard wearing and easy to clean but hard and ugly and not comfortable to lie on ...

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toy...loor-Gym-Mats-Pack-of-24/4077337/product.html

this is the gym floor stuff and you would need 9 packs so it would come in around £250 ...

it would make lying under the car or popping out to the garage with no shoes on alot more comfortable so i would recomend it if you do alot of home car maintenance but im not sure about its oil resistance capabilities it wont be wipe clean like the epoxy paint ..


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Those mats are 15mm thick, and are soft, i.e. designed for a gymnasium. They will be squashed if you park a car on them, and a jack will tear into it too.
I don't think they would work well.


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## messenjah (Oct 21, 2009)

they are quit thick and sofr but VERY resiliant and stand up well to gym equipment LOADED with freeweights and big heavy blokes moving around a bit more violently then i would hope the jack does ... 

they are also designed ot deform and then spring back beleive me these mats take a beating in the gym


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## NMN (Sep 22, 2009)

pdv40 said:


> Showtrax flooring? I use this stuff all the time
> 
> http://www.showtrax.net/Pit-garage-flooring.html
> 
> I've got some that's put up with three years of heavy motorsport abuse!


I'm loving this - Any idea how much this costs a square meter/tile?


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## pdv40 (Sep 11, 2008)

Neil0s said:


> I'm loving this - Any idea how much this costs a square meter/tile?


I ordered a pallet which covered a 12m x 8m awning with quite a bit left to spare for around 1k I think but I can't remember sorry mate, email the guys at showtrax, they're very helpful.


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## stevenebm (Jun 6, 2009)

just finished fitting carpet tiles to my concrete garage floor.looks great and keeps the car off cold concrete.couldnt be happier.


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## minimadgriff (Jul 8, 2007)

I have been looking at the interlocking tiles for my new garage buts it going to cost about £370 which for rubber tiles I think is ridiculous! So im painting it for now and will keep an eye out for some cheap PVC tiles.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2009)

minimadgriff said:


> I have been looking at the interlocking tiles for my new garage buts it going to cost about *£370 which for rubber tiles *I think is ridiculous! So im painting it for now and will keep an eye out for some cheap PVC tiles.


Ha! You should try living in the Channe Lisland bud, I had a quote for £970 supply only, not fitted :doublesho

I painted my floor in the end!


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## minimadgriff (Jul 8, 2007)

Veedub18 said:


> Ha! You should try living in the Channe Lisland bud, I had a quote for £970 supply only, not fitted :doublesho
> 
> I painted my floor in the end!


thats taking the ****! was that a single garage?

I will be getting some in the future but can't justify nearly £400 including the postage right ontop of xmas.


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## Renmure (Jan 18, 2007)

International Floor Paint from B&Q for me, plus a bit of masking tape.
I first painted it 18 months ago and suppose there are little bits which could do with a touch-up, but that should take less than half an hour.


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## GlasgowRob (Apr 3, 2006)

standox floor paint does the job and is quite resiliant i paid £20 a tin for mine(20 litres)


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