Your typical garage floor coverings normally come in two different styles, tiles and mats. Both of these things are very easy to install and this is a job that can easily be done by yourself. In the following few paragraphs, we will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of using tiles as your garage floor coverings. This article will not talk about mats.
Normally, there are around three types of basic floor tiles for the garage. They are the plastic ones that are rigid, flexible rubbers, tiles made out of plastic and also tiles of wood composite. Each of these tiles can make for an excellent garage floor but you need to be wary of the differences within these tiles.
These tiles are also available in a wide variety of sizes ranging from 12×12 inches to about 24×24 inches. They will, in general, snap together and they are also pretty easy to remove and to install.
One of the biggest advantages of using these tiles is that they can let you create patterns that are really attractive like checkerboard patterns on your garage floors. Another major advantage of these tiles is that they can be easily installed over stained floors or over cracked floors. You do not even have to worry about repairing your floor in order to do this.
If we talk about disadvantages of garage floor tiles, then we have to really bring up the cost of these tiles. The prices of these tiles normally start from about 2.5 USD per every square foot and they usually go up from there. This is a lot more expensive than other types of garage floor coverings. The main advantage of these tiles is that they can be installed pretty easily and quickly. Let us know take a look at the three types of tiles normally used for garage floors.
Rigid Plastic
The best types of rigid plastic garage floor tiles are typically made using absolutely nothing other than 100 percent PVCs. Normally, they are about a quarter inch thick and are able to withstand most types of chemicals, grease, oils, and all sorts of other unpleasant substances that are found in garages.
One of the main requirements for tiles on a garage floor is to be able to support cars and also car jacks. If you really have any doubts regarding this particular statement, then please check with your local car enthusiast. They will be able to tell you exactly why these tiles are so awesome, strong and durable.
Flexible Tiles
One of the options you have when it comes to tiles for your garage floors are flexible tiles. Just like the rigid plastic tiles, these softer tiles are much easier to install and they are also as easy to remove as well.
One of the biggest advantages of using the flexible tiles as your garage floor covering is that these tiles are much easier to walk on or stand on for extended periods of time. Some of the types of interlocking tiles made of rubber are regularly used in family rooms and also daycare centers. They are able to withstand very heavy abuse and they are also pretty easy to clean up. One other thing to note is that these tiles may not be the best tiles to handle heavy cars or even extremely heavy machinery. They are, however, able to offer a nice and comfortable flooring around workbenches. The last thing about these tiles that you should know is that they are perfect for regular garage use.
Wood Composite Tiles
These types of tiles are normally made for use in the subflooring systems of basements, but they can also serve as your garage floor coverings. These tiles have a type of polyethylene moisture barrier that can really help keep the top of the tiles dry.
One of the biggest advantages of these materials is that they are normally about just ⅞ inch in thickness. Most manufacturers of these types of tiles will claim that they are able to support about 4,000 pounds per every square foot. This is more than enough strength for use in most standard garages. They normally come in 2 square foot panels and they weigh roughly about 8 lbs each.
Just like the other tiles mentioned above in this article, these ones are also very easy to install. The panels will typically have tongue-and-groove edges that will be able to snap together with just the use of a hammer and a piece of wood. You do not even have to glue anything. In fact, that is not recommended.
One thing that you ought to know about these tiles is that they are made to expand and also contract with changes in the climate. Therefore, it is highly advisable to leave about a quarter of an inch gap between the edges of the walls.