Are you aware that Americans are spending over $3,000 annually on home maintenance investments? While you might be tempted to punt some repairs down the road, don’t do that with your garage floor.
A solid floor is essential to stand up to wear and tear from vehicles. Or, you may need new flooring if you want to convert your space into a workshop, gym, or spare room. Keep reading to learn how to choose the best flooring option for your garage!
Evaluate the Condition of Your Garage Floor
Before deciding on the type of flooring you want, assess the state of your current garage floor. Floors with significant cracks or foundation problems may need treatment first. But in many cases, you can get away with smaller-scale repairs.
Since garage floor coatings will need to bond with the concrete, check for slick spots on your floor. It’s not uncommon to find oil or grease stains on your garage floors. But you may need to degrease and sand or grind these areas to create more abrasion and promote adhesion.
If you have cracks, plan on repairing and filling them. Otherwise, you’ll allow those cracks to stay open and thus contribute to an uneven floor surface. Cracks will only worsen over time, too.
If you live in a snowy climate where winter weather driving is unavoidable, your floor may show it. Melting snow can fall off your car and find its way into cracks in your concrete floor. When the water freezes at night, this can cause smaller cracks to expand into larger ones.
Snow and salt may be to blame for pitted floors, as well. Clean pitted areas first to remove excess debris. Then use an epoxy patch to fill in the pits before applying a coating to the entire floor.
Those living in climates prone to snow and rain may want to stick with coatings for their new floors. Mats and tiles can trap moisture, in some cases, while floor coatings can resist moisture. This is a particularly important point of consideration if you plan to park your car in your garage.
Consider How You Will Use New Flooring
Ultimately, the best flooring is flooring that matches your intended use of the garage. You’ll want to take time on the front end to determine how you will use that space.
Will you use it exclusively for storing items and parking your cars? Or are you hoping to transform part of it into a workout space? The vision for your space will give certain types of floor materials an advantage over others.
For example, a garage that needs to hold up to cars, chemicals, and equipment should be given a durable coating. You may not care as much about aesthetics, so fancy finishes and colors are not a concern. But you want something that can resist oils and road debris.
On the other hand, a garage that will serve as a living space would benefit from aesthetic considerations. Garages can feel industrial or cavernous, so textured or soft tiles might be a smart solution. Best of all, you can put tiles or mats in one portion of your garage if the space will serve dual purposes.
Understand Your Budget Needs
How much room do you have in your budget to upgrade your garage flooring? Be clear on your spending limits prior to shopping for a flooring option. And know that if you’re trying to provide a cosmetic makeover without spending much, you can do it.
While many people spend a few thousand dollars on garage floor upgrades, you don’t have to do that to refresh your space’s look. For just a few hundred dollars, you can use interlocking tiles to cover your existing floor.
Cosmetic upgrades, like tiles and floor paint, are among the cheaper ways to fix an unattractive garage floor. You also won’t need to spend money on significant repairs first.
More durable floor options will come at a price. Professionally installed solid epoxy floors, for instance, may run you over $3,000. And if you need to tackle foundation repairs, that could tack on another $10,000 or more, depending on severity.
If your budget can’t handle such significant repairs, interlocking vinyl or rubber tiles may be a better bet. Or you can shave some dollars off of an epoxy coating by doing the installation yourself.
Look into Floor Coatings
When it comes to new floors, you can decide to recoat your floor or cover it. Which way you go may hinge on the floor’s condition, your budget, and your aesthetic preferences. If you are looking at recoating options, several types are available.
For a quick fix, floor paint can do the trick to conceal grease or oil stains. Find a garage-specific paint to ensure that it offers the best adhesion. Just be aware that the paint won’t hold up as well over time, meaning you’ll need to touch it up at the very least in a year.
Expoxy remains one of the most reliable and popular choices for garage floors. As a sealant, epoxy bonds with the concrete beneath it, keeping it safe and providing up to 20 years of life. Epoxy’s glossy finish looks good, too, and it will be easy to clean.
With epoxy, you will need to ensure that your concrete floor is in good condition first. You also will need to make sure that the floor is not damp before applying it.
To level up your coating choice, a three-layer concrete system can offer good looks and even more durability than epoxy. Better yet, this type of flooring won’t be as slippery as most, and it can resist stains. Check out Garage Force to learn more.
Explore Different Floor Materials
If coating your floors seems too cumbersome, you can cover them. Covering floors with a durable material is a simple way to breathe new life into floors.
Vinyl composite tile (VCT) is a popular option for its durability and sense of polish. The VCT is coated with wax after being installed, creating a classy finish that turns your garage into a display space. Just be aware that you’ll need to stay on top of waxing and buffing VCT to keep it in good condition.
Are you planning to use your garage as a workout space or entertainment room? Then give vinyl plank flooring, which is distinct from VCT, consideration. This option can simulate the handsome appearance of wood while withstanding moisture well.
You may be surprised to learn that carpet also is an option. If you plan on using your garage as an extra entertainment space, carpet can create a sense of warmth and it will feel good under your feel.
For lower-budget options, rubber floors and plastic tiles hit the mark. Install rubber tiles to create a softer surface that’s perfect for a gym. Or go with plastic tiles for a cheaper option that can hold up well to cars.
Be Clear on Flooring Installation Requirements
Finally, determine your preferences from an installation standpoint. If you have the means to hire professional installers, you can save time. You also can feel more confident that an installation will go smoothly, especially with floor coatings.
For example, epoxy can be challenging to apply properly. You have to factor in drying times and wait a week for the epoxy to cure. And if you haven’t applied a floor coating before, it’s easy to overwork areas and not end up with a smooth coating.
Plus, if you haven’t cleaned and repaired the underlying concrete properly, the epoxy won’t stick. Then you’ll end up recoating it in a few months. You may want to outsource this type of flooring installation to the pros.
For those who prefer a DIY approach, interlocking plastic tiles represent an easy option. You can find these tiles at most home improvement stores, and assembling them is as easy as snapping them together. You won’t need to mess with grout, sealers, or other chemicals, either.
And for an even easier option, rollout mats make DIY installation a breeze. As the name suggests, you can simply buy mats sized to your particular garage space and then unroll them.
Choose the Right Flooring Option
When you want to hone in on the right flooring option, know how you plan to use your garage. Weigh the costs associated with materials and professional installation if you don’t want to pursue a DIY effort. And determine your aesthetic preferences in terms of color and texture as you move forward.
For the latest home improvement tips, check back soon for new articles!
Recent Comments