Seems like it might be a funny topic to discuss, but I'll bet we all droll over those pics of black and white checkerboard garages with cherished automobiles inside. Well... I finally decided to do it. What forced the issue is that I'm moving out of a rental house with a two car garage (which only my XJC and all my stuff is stored and the car worked on) to buying a new house with a two car garage, that is completely empty when we move in. Those are the key words "completely empty". Emptying your garage to put down tile would NOT be a pleasant thing to do. But empty it must be! So I'm somewhat premature in starting this chain, because my new garage won't be empty until March 14th when we close, but we are not moving until March 29th. This gives me time to clean the cement surface (just broom clean is all it needs to be), and lay down the tile. I've done a ton of research on the internet, reading all kinds of opinions, and decided against the clickety clacking hard plastic tiles (too expensive also), and against the $1.00 per sq foot peel and stick (too cheap in construction and too much potential floor preparation. I also decided against garage floor paint - latex or epoxy. Way too much floor prep and drying time. And if it's not done really right, not too much life. So that left mats (I ruled against) or interlocking PVC 4.5mm thick tiles. Still more expensive than I wanted to go but the life expectancy, durability, flexibility and ease of installation got my attention. The pricing was still my biggest issue, and I really wanted to put hands on a sample to get a first hand impression. I've ordered samples that haven't arrived yet, but then I stumbled across their availability at LOWEs. Took a trip there (within 5 miles of my house) and lo and behold they had them in stock! I was able to pull one out of the box of 8 tiles and feel it, bend it, and in general see their construction. I was super happy with the product.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-2...c-Tile/3654862

Best part was that they were $2.40 per sq foot. That was cheaper than anyone else. And … (it gets even better) if you open a Lowes Credit Card you get $100 off the first purchase over $600. So I ordered up enough black tiles and dark grey tiles to do my 18' x 20' area, so I'll be ready on March 14th (probably 15th) to hammer out my aggressions. I probably will still have to put a oil absorb mat under the kitty, as she tends to mark her territory. That also why I didn't go black and white (versus the dark grey). Here's another site with better pictures of the product.

https://www.greatmats.com/garage-flo...floor-tile.php

So... I'll take before and after pics and keep you posted of my progress. In the meantime, restoration of my XJC has pretty much come to a halt while I'm packing. Bill

 

My above post didn't have the coding in it when I was posting and don't know how to get it out for better reading and now you probably can't get at the links. Sorry.

 

I can open the links. Are they solid enough not to be damaged by floor jacks etc? I suppose a piece of plywood would protect the floor, especially if using axle stands.

 

I've edited it Bill, should be good now.

 

The snap together PVC tiles are great for light duty use.
I have a friend who did his whole garage but he buys new cars and just washes them.
I think it's better than the plastic tiles advertised all over TV becasue it's lower cost, lower profile and you can take up and spot clean as necessary.
Modern floor jacks have large wheels but jack stands will dig in to PVC / Plastic so wood or some other more durable interface is necessary for small jobs or even putting a car up on jacks for storage.
I do not understand the popularity of those shiny plastic poser tiles.

For a working garage you could use an epoxy coating or normal oil based paint which will eventually lift.
Epoxy is ideal for a clean and new slab. The finish will fail quickly on an old oily slab. Once epoxy goes down it will be difficult to remove or repair. Thus the popularity of cover up style plastic / PVC tiles.
Oil paint will have to be redone periodically but it's very spot fixable and somewhat tolerant to an oily slab.

The best choice for a working garage is commercial grade tile.
Tile looks great too.
Oily spots can be spot grinded to a rough texture that thinset will adhere to.
Tile can be installed in stages so it's good as a side job for a tradesman or weekend warrior too.
Tile is by far the lowest cost becasue it adds more value to a home than it costs to install. A peeling epoxy floor or over the top plastic clicky floor adds no value to a home.
Tile is easily repairable and the most durable.
However tile is the most difficult to install but modern ready-to-use thinset can simplify installation albeit at a higher cost.
Tile can cover up a proper garage slab repair. Good repairs are often large and unsightly.
You can often get a commercial tile for 2$ to 4$ a sq/ft but labor installation costs will vary greatly.

Our microwave dinner, instant gratification, pavlovian culture favors quick fixes like PVC and Plastic tile and they have their place but commercial tile was the right choice for me.

 

well we will just have to see won't we? Because we all know that a 2-day job always takes 2 weeks, and a 6-month restoration always takes 6 years.

 

My intention with the PVC tile is certainly to take care of it and use cut plywood under things like metal shelving and jack stands. Light duty use is definitely the order of the day for my DIY garage. But... on occasion, I just like to sit in there and stare at my car, and I believe the aura of pseudo showroom will add to that ambiance. I'm sure none of you know what I'm taking about!

 

Bill, I know exactly what you're talking about!

 

Okay - back in the saddle! All moved into the new house. The back overlooks the 6th fairway of the golf course I always play at. I sneak out during the evening and chip and putt on the green, and the paved wide cart paths make great bike riding for exercise. Nobody is around during the evening. Anyway... all that is off topic. The garage tiles - I and SUPER HAPPY with them! They went down in 4 hours flat with just me doing it. All my three walls were straight. I started with full tiles on the right side (cause that's where my work bench is) and full tiles at the entrance way. That left me cutting tiles at the other two walls, which was no problem with a metal ruler and a sheet rock knife. They all snapped together with a rubber mallet (I do have a blister on my right hand base of index finger to prove it). I've used a floor jack on it with no problem, but not jack stands yet. But I'll cut up squares of plywood for them. I've already had a decent gas spill on them (emptied the right tank of my XJ6 into a container and had more gas than I thought-stupid!). After cleanup, I lifted about a dozen tiles and cleaned the cement floor, let it dry, tile back down and you would never know it. I've wiped up a couple of kitty leaks, again with no problem. I lay on directly on the floor now without having to put cardboard or such down. I clean it out with a broom and on occasion blow it out with a leaf blower. Even though it's a "working" garage with lots of storage shelves, etc., the tiles give it a "showroom" type of effect. Very pleasant Man Cave. All my new neighbors are very impressed. No one else in the neighborhood has a tiled garage with lots of LED lighting, a proper workbench, an 86" SnapOn tool chest, a 20gallon air compressor, etc. etc. Or a 1975 XJ6C for that matter! The two below picks were before I started moving stuff in. I'll take a couple more this weekend to show the total garage final product.

 

That is very cool. I'll bet your new neighbors are very impressed.

You might want to put side pieces on your plywood for the jack stands. Like a very shallow box. Then you will be able to push them into position with one hand instead of trying to position the stand and the plywood base as two pieces.

Got to be pleasant out on the golf course in the evening. Just watch out for the sprinklers.

Jeff

 

Bill:

That garage/man cave is the antthesist of mine!

1. The stores still sell the big tin pans for catching dribbles.
2. I've thought of adding flat tin pans to the legs of my jack stands. Spread the load technique.
3. Mine gets swept with my leaf blower. Seasoned concrete.....

Off topic In your field, a bit. TV judge show. claimant bought a "house boat". Forgot if from a dealer or private party. Several years old. Quite attractive. Catamaran ! Ugh, it almost sank! Folks rescued and the craft beached. One hull took on water. Investigation found a bilge pump in a cabinet. It failed!!! Issue, take the craft back and refund. Undisclosed serious safety issue??? Bilge pump a "bodge???

Carl .

 

Jeff - Sprinkers! Sounds like you have a story to tell. Yes, they go off at 7:30pm; but not all days. Have to figure that part out.
Great idea on the fiddles around the edge. Or maybe to Carl's point I can find some tine cookware that might serve the purpose?

Carl - In my business we ALLWAYS make a purchase contingent upon Buyer Satisfactory Survey and Sea Trial. A non-working bilge pump would show up on the survey for sure. And all Florida (and probably the whole US) Purchase and Sale Agreements stipulate an AS IS, WHERE IS. And in your reference TV Judge show maybe the Seller didn't even know.

 

Here's the garage with everything now in it.

 

Im too clumsy to have stuff like that in my garage. My main party trick seems to be to spill stuff and make a mess in assorted ways. If I had a clean area that was just used to park cars rather than work on them and assorted yard stuff, I would like some of these.

 

Believe me; mine is a working garage/man cave! I just find that as a result of both the SnapOn Tool Chest and the garage floor tiles, that I work more organized and clean. But work on my car (and now my house) I do. Oh... and yea I spill stuff too.

 

I would not wait for anyone to come do it. An epoxy coating is basically a paint applied to the floor with a roller. It dries hard. I have not done a floor with it but there are videos in youtube of people doing it, it's just like painting a wall but easier.
A large garage can probably be done with a 5 gallon pail. And no real prep is needed other than vacuuming the floor.

 

Go to Loews and get the rubber tiles!!!! I'll send you a pic when I get into the office in the morning. You will thank me for years to come.

Bill

 

If you want paint it's not that hard, probably less work than laying tiles.
My brother put epoxy paint on one of the farm shop buildings, as Jose says, just put on with a roller.I would say follow directions on the can.

That was over 20 years ago (Ooo! Nearly 30) and last time I saw it, the floor was still about as good as when he finished. Certainly easier to clean up than bare concrete.
(';')

 

I too debated paint versus the rubber tiles and decided on the tiles. And I don't have an axe to grind one way or another. But... all sources told me that the paint had to dry at least three days before driving on it, and I didn't have that kind of time. The tiles went down real easy. Just use a rubber hammer and bang it all together. Goes together very fast. Only took a few hours and I was immediately able to move all my stuff in there. The two side benefits I see is that is give a showroom quality to the look and feel of your garage. And, more importantly it's MUCH BETTER than laying on concrete when you are laying down doing things under your car. I'm up and down on the ground all the time with my Jaguar. Maybe that's just me. I've spilled gas, coolant, water, etc on it and not a problem. I'm sure some of it got under the tiles through the interlocking joints. I've had to lift a couple just to clean it up, but then they snap right back in. Yes I use plywood squares under my jackstands. Yes I put "cardboard diapers" under the engine and transmission (after all it IS a Jaguar). Although everytime I do something on the engine I fix a long standing leak. So I hardly get anything anymore. Big thing is you only get one chance to do this - and that's when you first move in and nothing is in the garage. After that, we are like fish - we grow to the size of our tank!

Just an opinion from a guy who's done it.