Picking The Better Garage Floor By Its Ability To Weather Damage
Friday, 18 December 2009 08:20 | 
Written by Caroline Dempsey |
What is your garage used for, and what do you plan to do with it in the future? Is it just there for parking things in, or have you plans to actually work in your garage? Regardless, an epoxy garage floor coating or covering of some sort is essential but, if you intend to work in it, then you will want to be more specific. Garage flooring is, after all, an investment, and you might as well invest in the right thing!
What is your garage used for, and what do you plan to do with it in the future? Is it just there for parking things in, or have you plans to actually work in your garage? Regardless, an epoxy garage floor coating or covering of some sort is essential but, if you intend to work in it, then you will want to be more specific. Garage flooring is, after all, an investment, and you might as well invest in the right thing!
Protecting Against Chemicals
If you are working in your garage, you will spill chemicals; that's just the way it is. Motor oil, of course, is the first thing to come to mind, but it's not alone. The manufacturers of most garage floor coatings and coverings seem to have thought of this, though, since pretty much all garage floors out there will deflect almost every type of chemical. However, if you would also like to manage the spilled chemicals, most garage floor mats and tiles actually channel the liquids, generally out of the garage. This is great because it makes a standard water hose into an awesome cleaning tool. Be careful that you don't pollute the ground, though, as the chemicals flow out of the garage. Contrary to popular belief, diluting dangerous chemicals does not make them any safer to the Earth.
Surviving Being Driven Upon
This is an area where epoxy garage floor paint notoriously has issues. Cars go in garages, and cars tend to have hot tires when they've been going down the road, so the fact that epoxy paint has a reputation for peeling under hot tires is a heck of a stigma. There's even a term for it: hot tire pickup. Most paint manufacturers promise that, with newer blends, this is not an issue. However, practical experience does not always agree with these claims, although you can never be sure that those who complain applied the epoxy paint correctly. Neither garage floor tiles nor other garage floor coverings have this issue, although mats can bunch up under moving tires, especially during steering. Again, though, that's supposed to be a thing of the past.
Deflecting Other Physical Damage
Epoxy paint is extremely susceptible to becoming chipped or dented. Tools are hard, and when they are inevitably dropped, they'll just bounce if they hit a garage floor mat. If they hit a hard surface, something has to give, and it will probably be the floor. Granted, concrete with a coat of epoxy is much stronger than a concrete garage floor on its own, but they're both solid. Garage floor tile can do the same thing, if the tiles are made of something hard, but unlike paint, all you have to do is swap the tiles that are damaged.
Outlasting The Elements
This one is kind of tricky, because it depends a bit on your area. Epoxy paint will protect your concrete better than any of the other solutions, this is true, but it will not help at all if there is too much moisture. Be sure to test for moisture before you even consider epoxy. Tiles don't really do a lot for protecting the floor from the elements, but they will help it retain heat in the winter, which is when concrete likes to crack and split. A garage floor covering, such as a rubber mat, is even less effective, but still better than nothing at all.
What is your garage used for, and what do you plan to do with it in the future? Is it just there for parking things in, or have you plans to actually work in your garage? Regardless, an epoxy garage floor coating or covering of some sort is essential but, if you intend to work in it, then you will want to be more specific. Garage flooring is, after all, an investment, and you might as well invest in the right thing!
Protecting Against Chemicals
If you are working in your garage, you will spill chemicals; that's just the way it is. Motor oil, of course, is the first thing to come to mind, but it's not alone. The manufacturers of most garage floor coatings and coverings seem to have thought of this, though, since pretty much all garage floors out there will deflect almost every type of chemical. However, if you would also like to manage the spilled chemicals, most garage floor mats and tiles actually channel the liquids, generally out of the garage. This is great because it makes a standard water hose into an awesome cleaning tool. Be careful that you don't pollute the ground, though, as the chemicals flow out of the garage. Contrary to popular belief, diluting dangerous chemicals does not make them any safer to the Earth.
Surviving Being Driven Upon
This is an area where epoxy garage floor paint notoriously has issues. Cars go in garages, and cars tend to have hot tires when they've been going down the road, so the fact that epoxy paint has a reputation for peeling under hot tires is a heck of a stigma. There's even a term for it: hot tire pickup. Most paint manufacturers promise that, with newer blends, this is not an issue. However, practical experience does not always agree with these claims, although you can never be sure that those who complain applied the epoxy paint correctly. Neither garage floor tiles nor other garage floor coverings have this issue, although mats can bunch up under moving tires, especially during steering. Again, though, that's supposed to be a thing of the past.
Deflecting Other Physical Damage
Epoxy paint is extremely susceptible to becoming chipped or dented. Tools are hard, and when they are inevitably dropped, they'll just bounce if they hit a garage floor mat. If they hit a hard surface, something has to give, and it will probably be the floor. Granted, concrete with a coat of epoxy is much stronger than a concrete garage floor on its own, but they're both solid. Garage floor tile can do the same thing, if the tiles are made of something hard, but unlike paint, all you have to do is swap the tiles that are damaged.
Outlasting The Elements
This one is kind of tricky, because it depends a bit on your area. Epoxy paint will protect your concrete better than any of the other solutions, this is true, but it will not help at all if there is too much moisture. Be sure to test for moisture before you even consider epoxy. Tiles don't really do a lot for protecting the floor from the elements, but they will help it retain heat in the winter, which is when concrete likes to crack and split. A garage floor covering, such as a rubber mat, is even less effective, but still better than nothing at all.