When choosing garage floor tiles for your home, never before has there been such a large range of styles and materials to choose from. Some of your options include interlocking floor tiles from popular companies like RaceDeck and SwissTrax. PVC or rubber garage floor tiles, porcelain, and even peel and stick vinyl garage tiles.
Garage flooring can now be custom designed with colour, texture, pattern, and durability in mind to match your flooring needs.
Besides the fantastic looks that garage floor tiles can offer, they provide tremendous benefits as well. The best part is that some tile garage flooring can easily be installed in less than a day by the average person. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the different tile options to see what the best garage flooring tiles are based on your needs and budget.
Porcelain tile for a garage floor generally isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when reviewing your garage flooring options. Besides, it’s only used inside the home and not in the garage, isn’t it? Or is it?
Well contrary to what you may have thought, more and more residential garages are being tiled with porcelain today. After all, it’s so durable that it is used quite often as showroom floors for auto dealerships, professional automotive mechanic garages, drive-through hotel porticos, and many other commercial applications that involve vehicles – so why not your garage?
Choosing a garage floor comes with a unique set of challenges. You want the floor to be beautiful, but that’s not enough. Since the garage is a high-traffic area filled with automobiles, tools, chemicals, and a variety of other hazardous liquids, features such as durability and stain resistance are also significant factors. There’s only one garage flooring choice where beauty, performance, and return on investment all align: porcelain tile.
When it comes to garage flooring, nothing approaches the features and value of porcelain. Porcelain tile has the sought-after appearance of marbles, granites, and other quarry stones, but its technical attributes are far superior to these materials. Porcelain tile is unmatched in features such as uniformity, shine, strength, low absorption, abrasion resistance, stain resistance, and ease of cleaning. Simply put, there is not a stronger or denser tiled surface, especially one that offers the stunning aesthetics of porcelain. And maybe most important – if cared for properly, porcelain tiles can last a lifetime and beyond.
How To Choose the Best Garage Floor Tiles
Garage floor coverings come in two styles—mats and tiles. Both are extremely easy to install and are ideal products for the DIYer. This article will look at the pros and cons of garage floor tiles. For a discussion of floor mats, you should look elsewhere.
There are three basic types of garage floor tile—rigid plastic tiles, flexible rubber, and plastic tiles and wood composite tiles. Each type can create a great garage floor, but their differences are worth considering.
Garage floor tiles come in sizes from 12×12 inches to 24×24 inch. They generally snap together and are as easy to remove as they are to install.
One great advantage of tiles is that you can create attractive patterns, such as checkerboard, on your floor. Another is that the tiles can be installed over cracked or stained concrete floors with no need for repairing the floor first.
A major disadvantage of garage floor tiles is cost: prices generally start at about $2.50 per square foot and rise from there. This is more expensive than garage floor epoxy or garage floor paint, but the trade-off is that installation is much quicker and easier.
Rigid Plastic Garage Floor Tile
The best rigid garage floor tiles are 100 per cent PVC. They are usually about 1/4-inch thick and can stand up to most chemicals, oils, grease and other nasty substances found in a garage.
They are strong enough to support cars and carjacks. And if you have any questions about that statement, check with Jay Leno. Some of the vintage cars in his Big Dog Garage collection rest their high-priced tires on Swisstrax garage floor tiles.
Sources for rigid garage floor tiles include the following:
- American Garage Floor
- Kiwi Tile
- MotorMat Sport Tile
- RaceDeck
- Swisstrax
One other, high-end, option in rigid garage floor tiles is XFloor – Xtreme Modular Metal Floor Tiles, which have a metal tread surface. It’s tough and offers a unique look, but it is also quite expensive: about $10 per square foot.
Flexible Garage Floor Tiles
There is a variety of interlocking flexible garage floor tiles. Like rigid plastic, these softer tiles are easy to install and remove.
One of the major advantages of flexible garage floor tiles over rigid tiles is that they are much easier to stand and walk on over long periods. Some types of interlocking rubber tiles are made for use in family rooms and daycare centres. They can handle a lot of abuse and clean up easily, but they may not be suitable for use under cars and other heavy machinery. They do, however, make nice, comfortable flooring around a workbench. Flexible PVC tiles, on the other hand, are usually perfectly suitable for normal garage use.
You can find flexible garage floor tiles in just about any colour, available with many patterns and profiles. Sources for flexible garage floor tiles include:
- G-Floor
- Lock-tile
- Rubber Flooring
- Tuff-Seal
Wood Composite Garage Floor Tiles
Wood composite tiles such as DRIcore are specifically made for basement subflooring systems, but they can also be used as garage flooring. The wood composite tile has a polyethylene moisture barrier on the bottom that keeps the top dry. Dricore panels can be used instead of subflooring techniques that utilize sleepers or plywood.
One big advantage DRIcore offers over these other materials is that it is only 7/8-inch thick. The manufacturer claims the panels can support up to 4,000 pounds per square foot, which is plenty of strength for standard garage purposes. The 2-square-foot panels weigh about 8 pounds each.
They are very easy to install: panels have tongue-and-groove edges that snap together with a hammer and block of wood. No gluing is required or even recommended. DRIcore can be cut with any woodcutting saw.
Wood composite garage floor tiles are designed to expand and contract with climate variations, so it is recommended that you leave a 1/4-inch expansion gap around the wall edges. The manufacturer recommends that for garage floors the leading edge (that is, the row of panels closest to the garage door), should be fastened to the slab with concrete screws (such as Tapcons), with a transition strip in front to protect the edges. You can watch a video on installing DRIcore here.
Since DRIcor is intended as a subfloor, the top surface is not very well protected. You can cover it with just about any type of finish floor surface or coat it with oil-based floor paint (not water-based) or polyurethane.
DRIcore may not be easy to find, however. While it is stocked in some home improvement centres, at other stores, you may need to place a special order. Cost is generally under $2.00 per square foot.
Interlocking Floor Tiles
Interlocking garage floor tiles are gaining fast momentum as some of the best options in garage floor coverings today. Homeowners quickly realize how easy they are to install as well as the good looks and benefits that this modern-day product delivers. One of the more appealing aspects of interlocking tiles is that it enables the homeowner to custom design the floor of their garage to whatever suits their needs.
Many companies have online tools that let you design your floor right on your computer. You can choose an all solid colour, multiple colours, do racing style checkered flag themes, create coloured borders for car parking and storage areas, or even design walking paths between vehicles if you like.
Interlocking garage tiles are available in either the rigid polypropylene plastic or more flexible rubber-like PVC tiles. The benefits of this kind of garage floor coverings are impressive. They are resistant to stains, chemicals, oils, and road salts. The tiles are non-slip, U.V. resistant so they won’t fade in sunlight and are mould and mildew resistant. Sizing starts at 12″x12″ and can be as large as 24″x24″.
There are many surface patterns and sizes to choose from such as simulated diamond plate, coin pattern, free flow, and ribbed, all of which can stand up to the rigours of an active garage. The best part is how easy they are to install. Since they are “free-floating”, meaning that they are not affixed to the floor, they just snap into place. You can do an average garage in just a few hours.
Cost, of interlocking garage floor tiles, can start as low as $1.90 per square foot for the least expensive rigid polypropylene and over $3.00 per square foot for the rubber-like PVC. When choosing which tile is right for you, don’t forget to look at the warranties. While the less expensive brands are attractive, they usually have a much shorter warranty. The more premium brands have warranties as high as 15 years.
Vinyl Composite Garage Floor Tile
VCT garage flooring – vinyl composite tile garage flooring vinyl composite tile for a garage floor, otherwise known as VCT, is another nice choice that is fairly easy to install if you like to do your projects. These are the same sturdy tiles that you see in grocery stores and school hallways that are buffed to a high glossy shine.
Depending on the colours selected, they can provide a nice “retro” look to your garage floor that many people find appealing. These tiles are generally 12″ x12″ x 1/8″ thick and are glued into place. The traditional black and white checkered look is easily the most popular.
Vinyl garage tiles have a nice glossy finish when waxed and buffed, are resistant to stains, automobile fluids and road salts though they can sometimes be a little slippery when wet. As tough as these tiles can be, VCT can gouge from sharp objects, and it might be wise to place a board under jack stands if you like to work on your car.
In terms of cost, VCT is the least expensive alternative in garage floor tile and can sometimes be found for as low as .69 cents a square foot with a little searching. They are a great choice for budget garage flooring. Keep in mind that they still require general maintenance such as waxing and the occasional buffing to keep looking nice.
Installation is not as easy as interlocking tiles since the cement floor must be cleaned and prepped properly to accept the adhesive, but they can be installed in a weekend. For the price and looks, this garage floor tile is by far the best option if you are on a budget.
Peel And Stick Vinyl Garage Tile
Peel and stick garage floor tiles close cousin of VCT is the new polyvinyl peel and stick garage floor tiles. These come with a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back that is exposed when you peel the release paper off. This means that there is no glue required to put down on the concrete when you install them. They also have a very glossy, non-porous finish that doesn’t require any waxing or special treatment like VCT and provides for even better protection from stains and spills.
Available in a diamond or levant (smooth) tread pattern, these durable tiles come in 12 different colours and two sizes, 12″x12″ and 24″x24″, to customize the look of your floor. Cost is a little over $3.00 a square foot, and they can be installed in a weekend.
Some people say that the hardest part about choosing this kind of tile is trying to determine which colours to go with since there are so many to choose from.
Porcelain Garage Floor Tile
Porcelain garage floor tile surprising to most people, one of the most durable and beautiful flooring options that can be installed is porcelain tile for the garage. Porcelain is rated for both hardness and slip resistance, and contrary to many beliefs, it is extremely difficult to scratch, break, or even chip. Porcelain has been used for years in professional garages as the flooring of choice. It stands up well to abuse, moisture, oils, stains, road salts, and more. It even does well in cold climates where garage floors routinely see temperatures below freezing. It is also very easy to keep clean.
Available in a multitude of sizes and colour, it can be found for less than $1.00 a square foot with the appropriate ratings for your garage floor. If you have some experience laying tile, you will find that these can be installed without too much difficulty. If you are unsure of your abilities, then you can always find someone to install it for you for a fair price depending on your area of the country.
You can have a beautiful and professional-looking porcelain garage floor installed for less than you think – especially if you do it yourself. This is by far the best garage floor tile that you can install in terms of durability and resistance to staining.
Why Ceramic Tile is better for Garage Floor
Garage floor needs to be strong and steady but also beautiful. Most people only have a concrete garage floor and neglect other materials for plenty of reasons. But you should know that concrete is not the only way of flooring your concrete. If you feel like experimenting with other kinds of flooring, you should try ceramic tile. There are so many advantages that you can get from applying ceramic tile on your garage floor. If you are not convinced, we are here to convince you even more. Here are some of the advantages of ceramic tile compared to other materials.
Adding Value To Your Home
The first benefit that you can get from adding ceramic tile to your garage is a financial benefit. Garage floor ceramic tile is indeed rather on the expensive side. But even so, it also proves that it will add more financial value to your house. This is a good thing if you like to move around or you are planning to move. If you are planning to sell your house, replacing your old concrete garage floor with a ceramic tiling will be a good decision to make.
Clean And Easy To Clean
The thing about ceramic tile is that it is a lot cleaner than other materials. The ceramic material is not dust – friendly. Which means it can be cleaned very easily from a dusty situation. The same thing also applies to different kind of stains. For instance, wine stain or cigarette stain that falls into the floor will not stick into the ceramic. Ceramic tile can’t gather liquid or some sorts. Besides, ceramic tile is also anti-scratching because of its hard and slippery surface. Therefore it brings more beauty and aesthetic into your garage.
Durability Guaranteed
Do you know why so many people would invest in ceramic tile despite it being expensive? That is because they know that ceramic tile is a lot more durable and long-lasting than any other materials. For instance, if you take vinyl tile floor or wooden floor, they are very susceptible to fire and stain. They are also wearing out in a short period of time. That is true, especially if you live in a humid and cold area like northern America. By having ceramic tile instead, you will be guaranteed a long-lasting floor. In other words, you will also save more money on repairing or resurfacing.
Options Of Style
Finally, the last benefit that you might get from using ceramic tile for your garage floor is the options that it provides in terms of style and model. You can go classic with one colour tile floor. You can also go brighter with motive tiling. You can even go for a unique style by choosing different kinds of tiling in your one little garage. Of course, you need to know what style or design you will go for before you buy the tile. But in all, ceramic tile is the better choice in terms of the garage floor.
No matter which type of product you choose, you can’t go wrong with garage floor tiles. They can add character, flair, class, and even attitude depending on your design. Plus, you get a floor that is easy to maintain and one that all your neighbours and friends will envy.