Garage Floor Protection - Coatings or Tiles, etc.

[Inzane]

I'm considering options for flooring for my new garage. It's a triple with an approximate flooring area of about ~640-650 sq ft.

Option 1) DIY epoxy coating, ~$100-200 from a hardware store. I know several people that have done this. One friend did it recently and doesn't know what to expect or how long it will last but was impressed initially with his results. I know other people though that haven't gotten more than a couple years out of their, even with meticulous prep. This is the cheapest option, but I'm not fond of the idea of having to do repeat applications (like you have to repaint a deck every couple years.. that I can handle. LOL). The long cure time before you can park on it too is a concern (1-3 weeks).

Option 2) The more expensive professionally installed advanced polymer floor coatings. They are supposed to last much longer than the epoxy, cure amazingly fast (you can apparently be parking on it in 24hr), be very abrasion and chemical resistant. But it's quite pricey, in the range of ~$4-5 per sq ft from what I've seen. Companies such as Garage Strategies and Premiere Garage offer these.

Option 3) Tiles. I've seen racedeck tiles which are really nice. (And Costco sells them too, and for cheaper). Again expensive though, anywhere from $3.5-4.5 per sq ft. And they can dent from jacks & jackstands use, unless you can protect the floor with plywood or something. And I'm not sure how they behave on a less than perfect surface (no concrete pour is ever perfect, so a typical garage pad may have the odd dip or slop, etc.)

Option 4) Roll-up vinyl?

Other?

Any thoughts and experiences on garage floors?

I'll consider cost in the equation, but "affording" the more expensive options is not a problem for me. If I get the results I want, it'll be worth it to me. My main priorities will be durability and looks.

[blownz]

Garage Strategies does amazing work but like you mentioned you pay for it. They guy I know with it paid about 4 grand for a 24x25' garage. Looks amazing though. If I could justify spending that much on my garage floor I would get it as well.

[Cword]

Check out the flooring section of this forum

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

[Inzane]

Originally posted by blownz
Garage Strategies does amazing work but like you mentioned you pay for it. They guy I know with it paid about 4 grand for a 24x25' garage. Looks amazing though. If I could justify spending that much on my garage floor I would get it as well.

Not surprising it cost that much. I was in the local Garage Strategies store the other day and their polyaspartic coating costs $6.50 per sq ft! :eek:

That's a bit more than I'd be willing to spend. I may just try my luck initially with a DIY 2-part epoxy and then maybe add some racedeck (or similar) tile as I can afford it.

[dj_rice]

Post up pics of before and after

[rtsen]

Originally posted by Inzane


That's a bit more than I'd be willing to spend. I may just try my luck initially with a DIY 2-part epoxy and then maybe add some racedeck (or similar) tile as I can afford it.

Which kit are you going to use? I seen one a 2-part epoxy kit at Home Depot for $100, Behr brand. I might hold off till next summer though due to the weather. I read it's better to have 10 degrees C or more so it cures better and there is less moisture.

[MPowered]

I am also interested in getting my garage floor done. I received a flyer in the mail from The Ultimate Garage and they have acrylic coatings that cure in 1 our, down to -29C but at $6.50 sq. ft installed!

If anyone knows of someone/something a little cheaper, I'll pay.

[88CRX]

Yea that Ultimate Garage place is $$$$$$.

$6.50/sq.ft. :eek:

[MPowered]

Found this http://www.armorcladepoxy.com/index.html

Not sure on it's application in Calgary but you can get it shipped here.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Post up pics of before and after

I'd be happy to. But I won't be ready to take "after" pics for a while. If I do epoxy I probably won't get to it until spring now, depending on temperature (see below's comment).

Also I plan to do more with my garage than just the floor. So far I've only done insulation and vapour barrier for the outside walls. I still indend to do drywall, mud&taping, paint, ceiling lights (fluorescent most likely) as well.

My wife and I just did topsoil, sod, deck & fence, so we're recovering from those expenses for the time being. The garage is going to have to wait a bit.


Originally posted by rtsen
Which kit are you going to use? I seen one a 2-part epoxy kit at Home Depot for $100, Behr brand. I might hold off till next summer though due to the weather. I read it's better to have 10 degrees C or more so it cures better and there is less moisture.

I haven't decided yet. I was looking at the Rusto-leum (sp) kit, the one you mentioned, U-Coat, and a few others. And I agree on the weather concern. Overnight temps here in Edmonton are dipping down to only 1-2 deg C already, so I may have missed the boat for a fall application.

[blownz]

^ yeah, $6.50 per sq ft is pretty much what he paid.

And did you just move into a new place? What end of town?

[Inzane]

Originally posted by blownz
And did you just move into a new place? What end of town?

I'm in Beaumont actually, and moved into our new house about a year ago. (I didn't get around to doing anything to the garage this time last year other than insulation).

[blownz]

My wife and I were actually thinking about looking at the 4 seasons neighborhood there because of the larger lots than you get here in the city so you can actually have a triple garage for a reasonable price. You happy with the decision to move there?

[Inzane]

Originally posted by blownz
there because of the larger lots than you get here in the city so you can actually have a triple garage for a reasonable price.

Yep. I think an equivalent lot to ours would've been $100k more in Summerside (a recently built subdivision just off Ellerslie Rd) vs. Beaumont. Which is what took us to Beaumont. (that was in 2006 though, when we started our build process)


You happy with the decision to move there?

Absolutely. My commute to work is a bit longer compared to our previous house in Mill Woods. But I don't mind it. We're in Coloniale Estates. It's a nice quiet neighbourhood. Great family environment, and tonnes of dog owners too. If you plan to have kids and/or are a dog lover you'll love it out here.

[blownz]

Hate dogs and most of their owners but I do have kids. lol

I am currently in the Meadows just off of 17th street and whitemud.


Anyway, back on topic (sort of) how is your concrete finished in your garage? Is it brushed or smooth and do you know if it makes a difference WRT the coatings?

[Inzane]

Originally posted by blownz
Hate dogs and most of their owners

That's too bad.

I was a non-dog person all my life up until only ~ 6 years ago. Now I'll always be a dog person.



how is your concrete finished in your garage? Is it brushed or smooth and do you know if it makes a difference WRT the coatings?

Mine is smooth. But AFAIK I should only need to do degreasing and acid etch. I don't really want to get into the messy deal of having to grind the concrete.

[blownz]

Mine is brushed and looks like shit imo which is the main reason I want to eventually coat it.

And it is just the guys that don't pick up their dogs shit that I hate. lol But I personally find dogs just smelly and loud and unnecessary, but many people probably think the same thing about kids. :)

[Inzane]

Originally posted by blownz
And it is just the guys that don't pick up their dogs shit that I hate. lol

Trust me. That drives the *responsible* dog owners nuts too. Probably more so. I've been tempted to set up video surveillance to find the fuckers that aren't picking up their dogs' shit in my neighbourhood. LOL. Thankfully they are NOT the majority.



But I personally find dogs just smelly and loud and unnecessary, but many people probably think the same thing about kids. :)

I have a shih-tzu, and he is neither loud nor smelly (relatively speaking). We keep him bathed and groomed fairly regularly and he rarely barks (I have to really provoke him in play to get him to bark).

No kids yet here, but all I can say about that is I WISH my future kids could be as well behaved as my dog. (I'd probably have less doubts or concerns about the prospect of having kids if I could be assured of that...LOL).

Right now I'm asking if it's possible to have a baby, raise it to about 12, then BOOT it out of the house so I don't have to deal with TEENAGERS, and then accept it back in my life once they've become a "mature" adult?
:rofl:

[integra_xsi]

There is another option, its a paint called endura, very durable, paints. These paints are used on airplanes, i have heard of ppl using this paint in their garage floors.

[ratchet]

I recently had Garage Strategies install the polyaspartic floor coating on my 30 year old garage floor. The installers did an excellent job and really went the extra mile to be sure of a good end result. I am very impressed with their work. Unfortunately, as the floor treatment is very new, I am unable to comment on the durability although I am hoping that the lengthy warranty and almost $7 per square foot cost, is indicative of a quality product.

While I was truly impressed with the work of the installers, there are a couple issues to consider when dealing with this company.

They charge $65 up front for estimates although that cost is deducted from the job price if you get the work done. The estimator does detailed checks on the condition of the old floor and I am not sure what happens with the $65 charge if the floor is not suitable for coating.

The $7 per square foot price appears to only apply to a new or pristine floor. The extra costs can dramatically increase depending on the number of cracks and repairs required.

Now for the big one. This company requires payment in full BEFORE any work is started. The BBB and others don't recommend this but the company said they do it because they have had trouble collecting on other jobs. To me, this is part of doing business and they should not penalize those that have no problems paying.

If you pay by credit card they charge a 3% 'fee'. I had supplied my credit card information to the company to pay for the estimate and the deposit they require to book the job date. It was my understanding that the card would be used to pay for everything as a credit card offers a bit of purchase protection. They added the 3% fee to the total price and charged it to my credit card the day the work was being done which was two months after I booked it.

For some reason, they require you to make a trip to the store and pay in person for the final charges. A bit strange as they had no problem charging my credit card for every other fee they had without me being present.

If you decide to deal with this company, have no worries about the quality of the installation but be careful to no get caught for any extra fees.

I really like the new floor, it is too bad the experience had to be marred by, what I believe to be, poor sales practices.

October 16, 2009
As a side note, Garage Strategies is not a member of the BBB as indicated on the BBB website here:
http://www.bbb.org/edmonton/business-reviews/garage-organizers/garage-strategies-in-edmonton-ab-135735

[blownz]

I would phone VISA and complain about the 3% charge. Their card agreement with VISA should state that they can not charge a surcharge to credit card users.

I am going to talk to the guy I know that had his done last summer to see if he dealt with similar charges. I do know it seems to be holding up well as it still looks awesome.

[bituerbo]

Hardwood.
:bigpimp:

[Q-TIP]

Go with the tiles and DIY. I did the DIY coating and it sucks. I powerwashed, acid washed, powerwashed again, floorsanded, powerwashed again and still the paint peeled up within 16 months. Tiles are tiles, they interlock so they are relatively simple to install, and despite small dents and scratches they are sooo much more durable than coatings unless you have a stupid expensive coating.

[blownz]

I checked and he did have to pay for the estimate and the deposit, and they said the 3% for the credit card but he told them he wasn't going to pay the 3% because they should have enough profit in there already (he paid 4k for the floor and then 3k for cabinets) and they didn't charge him the 3%.

And I would definitely complain about the 3% because I guarantee their agreement says they can not charge more for credit card purchases.

[rys.mak]

check out DSO coating

amazing job!!

http://www.dsocoatings.com/

[blownz]

So Inzane, did you end up getting your floor done? Or did the funds go to upgrading to the 335 instead of the 328? :burnout:

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by Q-TIP
Go with the tiles and DIY. I did the DIY coating and it sucks. I powerwashed, acid washed, powerwashed again, floorsanded, powerwashed again and still the paint peeled up within 16 months. Tiles are tiles, they interlock so they are relatively simple to install, and despite small dents and scratches they are sooo much more durable than coatings unless you have a stupid expensive coating.

:werd: mine DIY paint peeled after 2 month last year. :( (painted Sept, 08, peeled during winter) Not even worth the $200 ($100 per kit, double car garage need 2 kits)

[SCHIDER23]

I was in the market for tile flooring for my garage, and saw the costco brand. sure they look nice but I don't like how they are open and liquid can pass through, has anyone used porcelain tiles for garage use?, and/or recommends a brand of tile that will work for garage flooring?.:dunno:

[ratchet]

Originally posted by blownz
I would phone VISA and complain about the 3% charge. Their card agreement with VISA should state that they can not charge a surcharge to credit card users.

I am going to talk to the guy I know that had his done last summer to see if he dealt with similar charges. I do know it seems to be holding up well as it still looks awesome.

The 3% charge is for using a credit card to pay a balance over $100 i believe.


This floor is truly something else. It looks so good I almost hate to drive on it ;-)

[ratchet]

Originally posted by blownz
I checked and he did have to pay for the estimate and the deposit, and they said the 3% for the credit card but he told them he wasn't going to pay the 3% because they should have enough profit in there already (he paid 4k for the floor and then 3k for cabinets) and they didn't charge him the 3%.

And I would definitely complain about the 3% because I guarantee their agreement says they can not charge more for credit card purchases.

I have gone to the BBB already on this and Garage Strategies didn't change their mind. The 3% was $100 extra. They lost far more than that in profit from all of the organization stuff (cabinets etc) I had intended on getting from them.

[00redLUDE]

Bumping an old thread but just wondering if anyone in Calgary had done this? In particular if they have done it professionally and by whom? Cost? Happy with end results? I have seen a few Calgary websites of companies that do this and wanted to know if anyone has any opinion on any of these companies.

www.calgarygarageflooring.ca (premier garage)
www.ultimategarageinc.com
www.garageboyz.ca
www.garagegranite.com

Not promoting any company, just showing what I have found in Calgary for professional garage coating.

[Pacman]

Any updates here?

I'm looking for an inexpensive option for the garage floor. Has anyone used the Do it Yourself epoxy paints with some grit in them for anti-slip?

If so, how did it turn out? My garage floor is quite slippery when wet or slushy but I'm not interested in the $4,000 professional options.

Thanks
pac

[BerserkerCatSplat]

I'm also interested, I've got a ~750sqft triple I'd like to do but I'm balking at $4K to have it painted. Anyone gone the DIY tile route?

[Maxx Mazda]

We use the WeatherTech floor tiles. They look good, and I've used a floor jack on them no problem to lift my F-150. Spills are an easy clean up as well, a pressure wash with simple green gets anything off of them. The downside? Sometimes in the summer, if I've got the garage door open, some tiles sit in direct sunlight and some don't. This can lead to a slight warping of the floor at times. Let me know if you'd like pics.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Yeah I was considering Weathertech along with RaceDeck, TrueLock and others. Good to hear that using a jack/stands is no problem, that was a major concern of mine. The heat/cool contraction issue seems to be a general issue for all the interlocking tile brands, I guess I'd just have to install with that in mind, kinda like a laminate floor. What was your price per square foot in the end?

Costco also carries an interlocking tile system (http://www.costco.ca/.product.100070069.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-categorypageHorizontalTop-_-PopularProductsInCategory&cm_vc=categorypageHorizontalTop|PopularProductsInCategory) that's relatively inexpensive.

[Pacman]

I'm interested in this Rustoleum Garage Floor Anti Slip coating

Anyone ever use this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8XUxJG37so

[DeleriousZ]

Tiles just sound like a bad idea to me. Won't they chip or fracture when you're angrily throwing a wrench across the garage?

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by DeleriousZ
Tiles just sound like a bad idea to me. Won't they chip or fracture when you're angrily throwing a wrench across the garage?

The tiles are usually high-impact plastic so they should be pretty damage-resistant. Some styles of tile work poorly with jack stands though.

[asd913]

Costco.ca has this epoxy. Nice price. Good reviews on the site. If anyone used it, I'd love some feedback.

http://www.costco.ca/EpoxyMaster%C2%AE-Do-it-yourself-Epoxy-Floor-coating-Kit.product.10328075.html

[Inzane]

I just noticed my old thread was bumped.

No, I still haven't done anything with my own garage floor yet. :cry:


A lot has happened since, and some progress was made in the garage such as drywall, lighting and cabinets. But no flooring yet and I still need to get the walls mudded & taped, and then painted.

The biggest holdup was I pulled the Z's engine a few years back and never had a chance to complete that project yet. With the car being immobile, and numerous parts taking up other space, the logistics of totally vacating the garage for floor work right now would be daunting. In the process of the whole engine pull, etc. numerous automotive fluids got spilled on my naked concrete floor too. Going forward if I do decide to go with a coating, I'm not looking forward to the even MORE extensive prep work required now.

Once I can get around to getting the car back together, I will then turn my focus back on to floor options.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by Maxx Mazda
We use the WeatherTech floor tiles. They look good, and I've used a floor jack on them no problem to lift my F-150. Spills are an easy clean up as well, a pressure wash with simple green gets anything off of them. The downside? Sometimes in the summer, if I've got the garage door open, some tiles sit in direct sunlight and some don't. This can lead to a slight warping of the floor at times. Let me know if you'd like pics.

I'm potentially interested. Did you have a good Canadian source for these and at a reasonable price (relative to Racedeck tiles)?

What was your approximate per sq ft cost? And could you post some pics? That would be great.