somewhat OT: garage storage and flooring

[vqdriver]

i'm going to try to reorganize my bike storage. and as in all things around the home, once you start, the inevitable phrase "as long as i'm at it" comes up.

so, i've decided to just build a custom rack for my bikes/wheels/tires/yadayada... and move around a bunch of storage cabinets in the garage.

since i have to empty and move all the cabinets anyway, i was thinking of either painting or tiling the garage floor while i have the chance. surface prep for a proper painting is prohibitive so i'm leaning towards tile. my question is if anyone has done the tile method and how happy you are with it. does it shift? melt under hot tires? rot with moisture? opinions and suggestions are welcome. pictures are even better.

here's an example of what i'm talking about

[rwsaunders]

Too much salt and nasty stuff in my area for a good finish on a garage floor. Not to mention an oil leak or two. This is a good site to start with, however.

http://www.garage-detailer.com/garage-flooring.html

[MerckxMad]

A friend of mine has those tiles in his garage. They still require alot of prep, and when damp or wet are very slick (especially when wearing cleats!)

[onekgguy]

...snip...

surface prep for a proper painting is prohibitive so i'm leaning towards tile. my question is if anyone has done the tile method and how happy you are with it. does it shift? melt under hot tires? rot with moisture? opinions and suggestions are welcome. pictures are even better.

What do you mean when you say that surface prep for a proper painting is prohibitive? My guess is that the floor may be too pitted?

I too was considering a covering over my garage floor last summer. 17 years of Minnesota winters and the accompanying salt brought into the garage on our vehicles was beginning to take its toll. I noticed that the pitting was becoming more and more. My concern with the mat was moisture that would eventually be trapped underneath it and what sort of mold issues I'd be dealing with. I also considered the do-it-yourself epoxy finishes but after a little research learned that those often times don't hold up especially under the stress of hot tires.

In the end I opted for a professional epoxy finish. It was more than any of the other options but I think it was the right way to go, all things considered.

Here's some video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkLS3E6qhtA) I took of the process. Look for the link at the end of the first two to take you to the next one.

Kevin g

[vqdriver]

surface prep meaning that the concrete needs to be degreased (completely) and then surface etched. otherwise, common problems become lifting with hot tires and wrinkling with turning tires. it looks like you had it done right. from my experience, proper preparation is >75% of successful painting.

some of the tiles are porous specifically for moisture to escape. it'd be pointless to make them non-porous since moisture would just get in thru the tile joints anyway.

[vqdriver]

the great thing about the epoxy coat is that you can actually continue up the walls 6-8 inches so that you have a seamless "tub" to keep water out of the walls for hose cleaning.

[tim11]

+1 on the epoxy.

I tried the tiles too, and found they wore out way beyond what I wanted in less than a year. We ended up with ruts under the cars' tires before we tore it up and went for the pro job.

[572cv]

It's a garage? Save a few bucks and look for recycled rubber horse trailer mats. They come in sheets that are 4 ft x 6 ft. You can cut them to fit an area with a drywall knife, and they are very economical. Here is a web site describing them, so you have a picture of what you might be looking for:
http://www.ncnwest.com/rbr/horse.htm
I have found them in bulk around here for around $30 each. great product.