New House need Garage floor ideas.

[1&done]

^so far it's been holding up just fine, there are a couple areas I could touch up where something scraped it and an area that was under some storage racks that didn't get painted (from previous owners). I have used a jack & stands even slid a giant wine cooler across the floor, no issues. I believe the key is to clean the concrete very well

I would be leery of tile just because I cracked so many in the past. Especially if you are rolling heavy equipment and toolboxes

[E30 Racer]

Originally Posted by CarJunkie

Here is my epoxy floor:

Looks great! What kind of cabinets did you use and are you happy with them?I've been looking for something similar, but have been pretty unimpressed thus far.

[kskpsu]

I did porcelain tile in my old home...worked out really well and was significantly cheaper than the plastic snap together solutions like Race Deck that I did in the home prior to that. Special "garage grade" tile like you see on some sites isn't required; just went to Home Depot and picked up clearance porcelain tile (definitely don't do ceramic) at $0.80 a square foot. Here were my key findings:

- Do an epoxy grout. I did a sanded one, and my tap water used to mix it made it lighter than the charcoal I had intended it to be. I hear using distilled water might mitigate the color change. As someone mentioned, the grout can trap dirt and it certainly showed in some areas on what turned out to be light gray grout. Epoxy would be a great fix.
- My 3 car garage had expansion joints. I didn't place the big 18"x18" tile over them, so I used the smaller accent tiles to run alongside them. That way if there was any expansion or contraction, the grout would be the only thing to pop and would be an easy fix (never did). That's also why I didn't lay the big pieces "brick style" which would have looked better, but the linear layout allowed my expansion joint strategy to happen. Cool benefit was giving each stall the visual definition with those small tiles (in a checkered pattern nonetheless).
- I had some aggressive concrete grading for water at the rear of the garage. Again, small accent pieces are key here so that they sit firmly on the sub-floor where the big pieces would not, even with extensive mortar usage.
- Slippery When Wet! Wonderful in the context of Bon Jovi, but not when I did the splits a couple times exiting my car. There are liquid solutions that you can apply to make the surface tacky...would recommend that
- Unbelievably durable. This tile had a rigidity rating of 4 if my memory serves me correctly. I was installing my 50" TV by myself and fumbled a full size hammer from about 11' high...hit the ground and nothing.
- Just elegant. I had some cool cars in there, I eventually tweaked the decor well, yet the first thing people would comment on was my clearance tile from Home Depot.

I am not expert, and there is probably better info on the net than what I can provide, but feel free to PM with questions.

Wish I could do it again, but my current garage is 1,000 sq ft and I don't have that kind of time anymore.

[Brearley_III]

Originally Posted by kskpsu

I did porcelain tile in my old home...worked out really well and was significantly cheaper than the plastic snap together solutions like Race Deck that I did in the home prior to that. Special "garage grade" tile like you see on some sites isn't required; just went to Home Depot and picked up clearance porcelain tile (definitely don't do ceramic) at $0.80 a square foot. Here were my key findings:

- Do an epoxy grout. I did a sanded one, and my tap water used to mix it made it lighter than the charcoal I had intended it to be. I hear using distilled water might mitigate the color change. As someone mentioned, the grout can trap dirt and it certainly showed in some areas on what turned out to be light gray grout. Epoxy would be a great fix.
- My 3 car garage had expansion joints. I didn't place the big 18"x18" tile over them, so I used the smaller accent tiles to run alongside them. That way if there was any expansion or contraction, the grout would be the only thing to pop and would be an easy fix (never did). That's also why I didn't lay the big pieces "brick style" which would have looked better, but the linear layout allowed my expansion joint strategy to happen. Cool benefit was giving each stall the visual definition with those small tiles (in a checkered pattern nonetheless).
- I had some aggressive concrete grading for water at the rear of the garage. Again, small accent pieces are key here so that they sit firmly on the sub-floor where the big pieces would not, even with extensive mortar usage.
- Slippery When Wet! Wonderful in the context of Bon Jovi, but not when I did the splits a couple times exiting my car. There are liquid solutions that you can apply to make the surface tacky...would recommend that
- Unbelievably durable. This tile had a rigidity rating of 4 if my memory serves me correctly. I was installing my 50" TV by myself and fumbled a full size hammer from about 11' high...hit the ground and nothing.
- Just elegant. I had some cool cars in there, I eventually tweaked the decor well, yet the first thing people would comment on was my clearance tile from Home Depot.

I am not expert, and there is probably better info on the net than what I can provide, but feel free to PM with questions.

Wish I could do it again, but my current garage is 1,000 sq ft and I don't have that kind of time anymore.

WOW!!!

[Brearley_III]

Here's my epoxy floor, I used Rustoleum Professional Grade - used 2 500sq ft kits & a Clear Coat Kit... No peeling, looks perfect!

[CarJunkie]

Originally Posted by E30 Racer

Looks great! What kind of cabinets did you use and are you happy with them?I've been looking for something similar, but have been pretty unimpressed thus far.

I used a local garage contractor who custom builds his own cabinets. He uses high density fiberboard (1" backboard, top and bottom, 3/4" sides, doors, shelves and drawers), and they are sturdy enough to hold anything I could lift and place in a cabinet, but probably not strong enough to be a true woodworking bench. It is durable enough for me. The workbench top is stainless steel.

[CarJunkie]

Originally Posted by JimD

Is it holding up OK? I have a new shop garage (put in last fall) that I should do something to before trash it. Relatively inexpensive epoxy would be an option. I would struggle to do it if it cost even $1/sq ft, however. Cheap tile can be had for less than that although thinset and grout would up the cost some. But I think I could tile it for under $2/ft2. I also have a problem that I'm using the shop already and it is full of tools. It would be easier to tile an area at a time than it would be to epoxy an area at a time, I think.

The epoxy I have would definitely need to be done all at once to look right, so challenging if you have already moved in. We did this as part of new construction, so it was easy. I have no idea what the cost would be if someone wanted to buy the stuff and DIY, but the guy who did it was here for about 2 hours a day for 6 days. For the texture and color, they blow in paint chips after one of the epoxy coats. The next day, they vacuum out the excess paint chips that haven't bonded and then add the last epoxy coat.

It has held up great. We drive in and out daily for the past 1.5 yeras and there is absolutely no sign of wear. There are no tire marks. The shop where we hold cars and coffee locally has the same surface in their showroom. Cars are in and out of there constantly. He had it done 5 years ago and also, no wear that I can see. That was why I went with it, same installer.

[Jay-K]

I like it nice and clean.. white color to focus on the car, and must look modern of course!
goodluck!

[Trond]

I have perforated plastic tiles on top of an epoxy painted floor. With this self draining solution the floor will be dry floor also when snow and ice melts.

[E30 Racer]

To keep the floor dry last winter I used a large car mat. Not the prettiest thing, but it can hold over 0.5" of standing water.
http://autofloorguard.com

[E30 Racer]

Here's the proof!

[V TACH]

Here is my epoxy with painted walls. It makes a big difference given the low relative cost.

[KA SHING]

Originally Posted by V TACH

Here is my epoxy with painted walls. It makes a big difference given the low relative cost.

i see a lambo at the back

[adobeee]

looks like the older model Gallardo! nice!

[///BYU]

Originally Posted by V TACH

Here is my epoxy with painted walls. It makes a big difference given the low relative cost.

, but I love the license plate.

[LOVEM]

I used Cabot Porcelain Tile - Redwood Series

[LeMansM5]

Porcelain tile is the way to go if you want a one time do-it and forget-it solution. I used rectified porcelain tile. Use thin 1/8 or less, like grout size and fill with epoxy grout like Kerapoxy and no dirt gets in. Kerapoxy also does not sag like sanded or unsanded regular grouts.

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by V TACH

Here is my epoxy with painted walls. It makes a big difference given the low relative cost.

Can we see more pics of your 1M?

[cmark8]

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=500817

Something like this maybe?

[kskpsu]

[QUOTE=LOVEM;

I used Cabot Porcelain Tile - Redwood Series[/QUOTE]

That looks fantastic. I think I might have to steal with pride and use it on my current setup.

[LOVEM]

[QUOTE=kskpsu;17886977]That looks fantastic. I think I might have to steal with pride and use it on my current setup.

[Artemis]

More ideas.