Find the Most Effective Garage Floor Covering Option

One of the cheapest options available, interlocking garage floor tiles are commonly manufactured using either a rubber or vinyl material. Each garage floor tile includes interlocking weaves to make installation and replacement quick and easy. While primary installation is relatively inexpensive compared to alternative garage floor coverings, the low durability makes repairing and replacing the garage floor tiles expensive over time.

Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive compared to other garage floor coverings.
• Easy to replace tiles as they wear.

Cons:

• Very low durability making them unsuitable for garages that house cars, recreational vehicles or machinery.
• Collect dirt and debris within cracks making them hard to clean.

Vinyl flooring usually comes in rolls that you roll out and cut to fit your garage floor area. The makes installation very straight forward and relatively easy, requiring a quick clean of the surface area before installing the vinyl flooring.

Similar to the vinyl flooring installed in many houses, the durability of vinyl flooring is poor, meaning replacement and repair is somewhat frequent depending on use. This becomes more regular if used as a garage floor covering as tyres, machinery and oil splatter or leaks can severely damage the vinyl.

Pros:

• Easy to purchase and install.
• Provides a timber look and feel, available in multiple colours and styles.

Cons:

• Damaged vinyl strips will need to be replaced regularly as the durability of vinyl is poor.
• Short-term solution due to the low durability, requiring costly repairs in the future.

Just like the rooms in your house, adding carpet creates a more comfortable and cosy room, while not being the most common garage floor covering option. Before considering carpet as a garage floor covering, have a read through these precautions.

While carpet does provide a good anti-slip and easy to vacuum floor, vehicles, machinery and recreational vehicles stored in your garage can easily damage the carpet. Carpet should only be used as a garage floor covering if the use of your garage is less mechanical, such as a home office, additional living room or storage.

Pros:

• Endless colour and design options.
• Relatively inexpensive for the primary installation.

Cons:

• Easy to stain and damage when installed in frequently used areas such as mechanic workshops or home garages where vehicles may leak oil.
• Requires routine cleaning and repairing to maintain which can be costly over time.

Garage floor paint is one of the most common and widely used options for residential garages. Available at most home and hardware stores, the application will require a few coats to ensure a durable and visually appealing garage floor covering.

While being relatively easy to install (while also very labour intensive), garage floor paint is prone to wear and tear and has limited abrasion and chemical resistance.  Regular recoating will be required over time. And unless thorough, time consuming,  preparation is carried out each time, subsequent layers will flake and damage easily.

Pros:

• Purchasable from your local home and hardware store.
• Low product cost and minimal skill required to apply.

Cons:

• Long turnaround time as most applications will require multiple coats with long drying times.
• Easily damaged, and regular recoating required.

Deciding to install an epoxy garage floor will provide a sealed coating that protects from light abrasion and mild chemicals. The coating is formed by mixing a resin and a catalyst before applying it to a clean and flat surface.

Pros:

• Waterproof – easy to clean spills.
• Wide range of colour options and finishes.

Cons:

• Requires up to a week before the garage floor coating can sustain vehicle traffic.
• Not uv stable – will experience yellowing when exposed to sunlight making it less ideal outdoor applications or garages and sheds with windows/Skylights.

For the highest strength and most durable garage floor covering on the market, look no further than Polyaspartic coatings.

A Polyaspartic coating penetrates into the substrate which provides unrivalled durability against abrasion and chemical damage. Being UV stable it is suitable for all types of outdoor, residential and commercial applications. Cracks are filled prior to the application process with the finished result a level and sealed garage floor making that is easy to clean and looks great thanks to a wide variety of colours and finishes including standard colour, quartz granule and flake colour chips. Non slip additive can also be added to improve the slip rating of the surface.

Polyaspartic has the fastest turnaround time of any coating and is installed by trained technicians, so you can rest assured that your garage floor will be protected for many years to come.

Pros:

• Very high resistance to abrasion, chemicals and wear and tear, out-classing other garage floor covering.
• Fast turnaround – walk on within 3 hours, vehicle traffic in 24 hours.
• Available in a variety of uv stable colours, finishes.

Cons:

• Require installation by experienced technicians, ensuring high durability and longevity of your garage floor covering which is perfect for home garages and commercial flooring.
• Slightly higher upfront installation cost compared to inferior coatings; However, durability and strength reduce the need for ongoing maintenance and costly repairs.