Garage flooring - cast your votes

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mdf

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#240741 23-Sep-2018 21:12

I've been renovating my garage. Scope has been creeping and it now occurs to me *if* I wanted to do anything to the floors, I should do it before I clad the walls in ply. The floor is currently in relatively good nick, a few cracks and quite a few paint splotches. Doesn't look particularly attractive. It's a double garage with a bit of additional space. Half is intended for a car, half for a workshop storage. In practice, it's usually a tip.

I've done a bit of research and the options include:

Expoxy / industrial paint solution

Pros: Cheapest option, range of colours, looks good if done correctly.

Cons: Floor requires substantial prep to adhere. My concrete is sealed in at least a few places well, and according to a professional I spoke to, it really requires the concrete to be ground, an acid etch won't cut it. Also means that I have to clear out the whole garage for at least a day or two, more likely a week or two. The car is fine, but Mrs MDF will raise questions if I try and tuck the cast iron table saw into bed with me.

Garage carpet

Pros: Cheap-ish option, pretty quick, don't have to completely clear the whole garage. Not permanent.

Cons: not sure how it will deal with my substantial amounts of sawdust.

Garage tiles

Pros: Don't have to completely clear the garage. Not permanent.

Cons: Expensive, can be noisy, not really sure what will happen when I drop a heavy clamp on it or try and drag the table saw along it.

Unclear if pro or con: Looks fancy. May lead to loss of credibility when my mates see it. I will probably like it, but won't be able to admit it.

Plywood

Pros: Looks nice. Could probably build a small (12/18mm) cavity underneath for power cords. Plywood is a miracle of engineering.

Cons: Price will add up if I use proper flooring grade ply. Then I will probably end up polyurethaning it anyway, so probably the longest option too. Will end up with lots of holes in the concrete for the screws.

If I was going to paint, would need to do the whole garage. For the other options, I could probably leave the car on concrete and just do the workshop bit.

Have I missed anything? What would you do?

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#2095253 23-Sep-2018 21:17

What about grinding it and then sealing it for a honed look. Although it will possibly be an expensive option, and doing the corners can be a bit more difficult to do. But when done well it looks good.

SATTV

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#2095274 23-Sep-2018 22:45

What about lino, there are some rugged / industrial ones.

Pros - Cheap, vacuum sawdust with ease, hardy, if the car leaks oil it can be wiped up, you should be able to drag something over it. ( make sure you get industrial lino )

Cons - have to clear out the garage for a day, Industrial lino is rather bland.

If you are in Auckland and want carpet tiles there is a guy next door to us Auckland Second Hand Carpets, he regularly get carpet tiles that are second hand, look brand new, and are $2 - $3 each, you could get a few, glue them to the floor and give them the sawdust and drag table saw test.

John

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Bung

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#2095289 24-Sep-2018 03:44

If you have a sawdust problem you should be dealing with that as well. There are plenty of examples of dust separators for home woodwork on line. There was a very inventive Polish guy saddly now dead who had all his electric hand tools hooked up to vacuum and built kitchen units in his flat.

chevrolux

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#2095295 24-Sep-2018 07:15

Epoxy without question.

Had carpet in a garage once, great for lying on when working on something under a vehicle, but welding over it was terrible. Didn't catch fire, but that smoldering/burny smell just never left.

Talkiet

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#2095327 24-Sep-2018 10:01

I did Epoxy... (Epotread 1000) easy to do yourself (but rent a diamond grinder instead of chemical wash)... great finish and easy to clean.

Also hugely lightens and brightens the space.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Talkiet

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#2095337 24-Sep-2018 10:07

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mdf

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#2095342 24-Sep-2018 10:17

@talkiet

Dang, that is nice!

Don't suppose you remember the brand of epoxy you used, and what the cure time was?

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Talkiet

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#2095343 24-Sep-2018 10:20

Yep, it's in the post... Epotread 1000

https://www.regiscoatings.co.nz/Products/Instance/Floor-Coatings/Epotread-1000-Semi-Gloss/

I followed their instructions to the letter (including timings) but only did 2 coats. I had multiple recommendations from friends operating commercial workshops that 2 would be fine for a home garage. So far (1yr) it's held up perfectly. no hot tyre pickup, scratching yes but no chipping...

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

mdf

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#2095344 24-Sep-2018 10:21

Duh! I will confess I didn't read the first post, since I was distracted by the pretty pictures in the second!

frankv

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#2095425 24-Sep-2018 12:27

It's a garage. Leave it as it is. If you have paint or whatever, you'll be continually worrying about chipping it or scratching it or spilling something on it. You're making a rod for your own back by making it "tidy".

Talkiet

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#2095435 24-Sep-2018 12:37

frankv:

It's a garage. Leave it as it is. If you have paint or whatever, you'll be continually worrying about chipping it or scratching it or spilling something on it. You're making a rod for your own back by making it "tidy".

Valid advice for some people, completely invalid advice for others.

An epoxy floor means spills of nasty stuff can be cleaned instead of soaking into the concrete, and carpet might be completely suitable for someone that never works on their own cars.

As for my epoxy, I have never worried about chipping or scratching - it's a functional covering and not intended to be pretty or stay pristine.

CHeers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Wade

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#2095658 24-Sep-2018 17:12

A cost effective alternative is to paint with paving paint, you can buy 10ltrs for $180 from bunnings, even water based is reasonably durable, any marks over time can easily be painted over so you can keep it looking mint relatively easily

I painted a warehouse floor in paving paint which has a 2Tn forklift driving over it every day and can confirm it is a lot more durable then people would give it credit for

Talkiet

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#2095660 24-Sep-2018 17:20

Wade:

A cost effective alternative is to paint with paving paint, you can buy 10ltrs for $180 from bunnings, even water based is reasonably durable, any marks over time can easily be painted over so you can keep it looking mint relatively easily

I painted a warehouse floor in paving paint which has a 2Tn forklift driving over it every day and can confirm it is a lot more durable then people would give it credit for

My research before I decided on epoxy came to the same conclusion - decent paving specific paint is really good, and as you say, very easy to touch up.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

neb

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#2095859 24-Sep-2018 23:36

I would go with epoxy, with some sort of aggregate mixed in to make it non-slip (you don't want it turning into the equivalent of an ice-rink if you spill liquid on it). Whatever you do, don't put in carpet, that acts as a sponge to soak up anything and everything that ever passes through the garage, depending on how careful you are it'll inevitably turn into a gunky/sticky/smelly mess at some point.

mattwnz

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#2095860 24-Sep-2018 23:41

neb: I would go with epoxy, with some sort of aggregate mixed in to make it non-slip (you don't want it turning into the equivalent of an ice-rink if you spill liquid on it). Whatever you do, don't put in carpet, that acts as a sponge to soak up anything and everything that ever passes through the garage, depending on how careful you are it'll inevitably turn into a gunky/sticky/smelly mess at some point.

It seems a lot of these spec houses get the carpet installed, as these developers seem to like putting the laundry at the back of the garage. Maybe it is cheaper to install the carpet, than powerfloating the concrete to a nice smooth finish too. But the carpet in the garage always puts me off, as you can't brush up after any wood work etc. Yes you can get dust extractors on tools, but that only collects so much dust, and you still end up with a lot of dust on the floor. Also it won't help if you are using handtools, eg a chisel with timber. Getting bits of timber or metal out of the carpet would be a PITA. I think the carpet is more for people who don't do work in the garage. eg people who aren't into DIY etc.

I am looking at some sort of coating myself for a powerfloated concrete floor that has some oil patches from a tractor. Do these need removing before putting on either paint or epoxy solutions?

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