Getting ready to install your own garage flooring? I’m sure you’re looking forward to saving money and ending up with a great looking floor, but you also should consider exactly what will be involved in the installation process. As this is obviously an investment, you will want to choose the method that’ll be both effective and cost efficient. The purpose of this article is to give a quick summary of the install process of each of the various garage flooring types.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint: The Most Comprehensive Garage Flooring Option
Epoxy paint is some great stuff. For all extents and purposes, using epoxy is akin to adding an extra, sort of bouncy, and also stain resistant layer to the top of your concrete garage floor. It’s also the cheapest if you do it yourself. Unfortunately, though, this comes at a cost of labor hours. Not only does an epoxy garage floor coating take the longest of any of these solutions, but it’s the only one with strict directions on exactly when you can install it. The weather has to be perfect, and you have to give it time to dry in between coats, as per the kit’s instructions. The floor must also be very clean before you even begin.
Garage Floor Tiles: Garage Flooring That Is Almost As Good As Paint
Tiles are second only to epoxy when it comes to their effectiveness. When installed correctly, they provide a seal that will protect your concrete garage floor from any stains. They are durable and, as a bonus, they can be replaced individually if they become damaged later on down the road. They will take you about as long, or possibly a little longer to install than paint, but they do have one huge advantage: you can take a break whenever you want. Weather also isn’t as much of a consideration since the tiles don’t have to dry, per se, but there may be some extremes in which they will not stick to the concrete. The cleanliness of the floor is even more important for tiles than for paint since, if the floor is dirty at all, the tiles will just stick to the dirt or debris.
Garage Floor Mats: Alternative Garage Flooring
A big garage floor mat for your garage is the easiest thing to install. Many kits simply require you to cut the mat to fit, and lay it out. The floor does not have to be clean since the mat isn’t going to have to stick to anything. If the floor is already heavily cracked and damaged, a mat may be your best option since it will easily hide everything. This is, however, your most expensive option, and the most likely to be compromised simply by driving upon it as some mats will bunch and gather under car tires.
Compartment Garage Floor Mats: Garage Flooring For One Area
Compartment mats are generally only the best option when a small area of the floor needs to be covered. They work exactly as you would think: just throw the mat wherever you expect that the garage will become dirty, such as underneath a car or where you are going to be working. Single mats generally run about the same in cost as a paint kit, and they can be dragged outside for cleaning. You can even begin covering the entire floor with just one mat as most of them overlay or snap together to create a seal, but that is a very, very expensive way to cover your garage since all mats would have to be purchased separately.
For more information on garage flooring, visit the garage floor information site.
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