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Garage floor coverings, such as mats or garage floor tiles, are quite popular in modern garages. Although paint is probably a more comprehensive solution, there are many reasons why people would want to use a garage floor covering instead. In case you were trying to decide which way to go with your floor, we’ll cover a few of the reasons why someone might choose garage floor coverings over paint. For the sake of this article, garage floor coverings will include anything that is not permanent, like paint would be.
Garage Floor Coverings Are Easy To Install
There are two different types of mats: some designed for the whole garage, and some just for certain areas. The ones that are just for certain areas are often called “garage compartment mats”, probably to signify that they only cover a particular compartment. Both are a lot easier to install than either paints or tiles. With whole garage floor mats, the mat is typically cut to match the floor of the garage, then laid out. That’s it. With compartment mats, you generally cannot cut them, but they come in all sorts of different sizes, and many of them either snap together or lay on top of each other to make a seal. In this way, you could theoretically complete your garage flooring, but that would be very, very expensive, especially compared to an epoxy paint kit that will cost less than $100. Unfortunately, as they are easy for people to move around, they are also easy for car tires to bend and bunch, although there are many that advertise that they are not susceptible to this.
Garage Floor Coverings Means Simple Replacements
With ease of install also comes easy replaceability. If you damage or stain an epoxy garage floor coating, you’re either stuck with it, or sanding it down and replacing it. With a garage floor mat, you just toss it and replace it. Again, convenient, but expensive. The manufacturers of both mats and paint kits seem to feel like their products cannot be stained but, of course, marketing and reality may yield two different results. Tiles can also be easily replaced since you can just pull the ones that get damaged, but the new ones might not match if your garage flooring is a few years old.
Garage Floor Coverings Can Provide Comfort
Epoxy kits claim that they make walking through the garage less jarring, and I’m sure that in comparison to a concrete garage floor, that is true. But garage floor coverings made of thick rubber are going to be a lot better at absorbing shock. This is true whether you’re walking around, or laying on them to work. That’s not to say you can’t get a garage floor mat and set it on top of a painted floor, of course.
Garage Floor Coverings Are Less Expensive…Sort Of
For many cases, garage floor mats are going to be a cheaper solution. If you are planning to cover your entire floor, right now, and are able to apply a paint kit yourself, then epoxy will be cheaper. In any other case, it will not. Paying someone to apply epoxy is expensive, but there aren’t many people that can’t throw down a garage floor mat without help.
Check out Gabriel’s garage floor coverings site for more garage floor information.
Tags: automotive, Cars and Trucks, diy, fixing, floor, garage, Home, house, improvement, maintenance, product review, project, shopping guide
Posted in Cars and Trucks · November 23rd, 2009 · Comments (0)
Are you planning on doing your own garage flooring? This is certainly an excellent way to save money, and get something useful done at the same time, but I’m sure you’re wondering exactly what all doing your own garage flooring will entail. After all, this is an investment, and those who prefer to do it themselves are also usually pretty keen on saving money. So let’s give a quick overview of exactly what all you will have to do for each type of garage flooring.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint: The Most Comprehensive Garage Flooring Option
For most people, epoxy is going to be the best solution. After all, epoxy paint is basically an additional layer of stain resistant material that bonds directly to the concrete garage floor. When you do it yourself, it’s also generally the least expensive. There is, however, a cost in time spent installing. Compared to any other solution, an epoxy garage floor coating will take you a long time, and you can only install when conditions allow. You will have to be able to give the various coats time to dry, per the instructions that come with your kit, and the weather must be perfect. You will also have to clean the floor very thoroughly before you begin.
Garage Floor Tiles: Garage Flooring That Can Be Almost As Good As Epoxy Paint
Paint sound like a daunting project, but still need a good, thorough solution? Tiles will protect the concrete garage floor just as well from any stains. Not only are they almost as durable but, if needed, they can be individually replaced if they ever become damaged, providing you can find tiles of that design later on. When installing, you can take breaks whenever needed, though the install will take around as long as paint. As the tiles don’t really have to dry or anything, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about weather, although there may be some extremes that you will need to avoid, as per the directions. Since the tiles are going to stick to whatever happens to be on the floor, the cleanliness is just as important as when painting, if not moreso.
Garage Floor Mats: The Alternative Garage Flooring
If the first two options just sound like too much work, then maybe a full garage floor mat would be your best solution. Generally, the install merely involves cutting and placing the mat. Cleaning the floor is a good idea, but not really necessary, since there is nothing sticking to the concrete. If the floor is heavily damaged, a mat may be the only real solution. Unfortunately, a very large mat is often the most expensive option and, depending on the quality of the mat, simply driving on them may cause them to bunch or bend.
Compartment Garage Floor Mats: Garage Flooring For One Area
Compartment mats are generally only the best option when a small area of the floor needs to be covered. They work exactly as you would think: just throw the mat wherever you expect that the garage will become dirty, such as underneath a car or where you are going to be working. Single mats generally run about the same in cost as a paint kit, and they can be dragged outside for cleaning. You can even begin covering the entire floor with just one mat as most of them overlay or snap together to create a seal, but that is a very, very expensive way to cover your garage since all mats would have to be purchased separately.
For more information on garage flooring, visit the garage floor information site.
Tags: automotive, Cars and Trucks, diy, fixing, floor, garage, Home, house, improvement, maintenance, product review, project, shopping guide
Posted in Cars and Trucks · November 23rd, 2009 · Comments (0)