In the United States, 63% of homes have a garage or carport. Considering this large number, it makes sense that there are many types of flooring for garages. The standard floor for a garage is solid concrete.
This is not a very attractive option and it won’t last very long either. The concrete will crack and take up moisture over the years. This is why it is important to have a proper floor over your garage’s concrete foundation.
But what is the best garage floor option for you? Keep reading and learn more about it below.
Garage Floor Tiles
Garage floor tiles are a very classic type of flooring option. There are also many different types of tiles you can choose from. One of the most popular tile options for garages is rubber floor tiles.
These tiles are usually very large and interlock with each other like a big puzzle. This makes them very easy to manage and place throughout your garage. They come in many different colors such as black, red, yellow, blue, and more.
They come in many different materials too. Plastic and vinyl tiles are both very popular. They are both lightweight, easy to manage, and very durable.
Even if you spend most of your free time in the garage, your foot traffic shouldn’t put a dent in these tiles. They are very long-lasting too. Some of the tiles come with a unique texture which makes them more efficient and stylish.
There are also peel-and-stick tiles. These are especially easy to install and most people do it on their own. These tiles are more affordable than real tiles.
They look just as good as real tiles only at a fraction of the cost. But they may not be as durable as other options. There are also more traditional types of tiles like porcelain.
The Details
Most people don’t think of fine materials like porcelain in a garage. But porcelain is a very good garage material for several reasons. Porcelain is more durable than you might expect.
It can easily support the weight of heavy vehicles. It also won’t easily show scratch marks or other signs of wear and tear. Porcelain is a very long-lasting material since it is a type of stone.
It can easily last several decades without needing to be replaced. It is easy to clean porcelain too since it is so smooth. If you happen to spill something on the tiles, wipe it up with a rag and call it a day.
Porcelain also gives your garage a uniquely luxurious and refined look. This is something that most garages don’t have. There are many different tile color options you can choose from too.
This ensures that your garage looks exactly how you want. Some tiles are even resistant to harsh substances like motor oil. This is important since regular concrete flooring will absorb oil and be stained forever.
A simple layer of tiles will prevent this from happening. But tiles are not the only type of garage floor you should consider.
Polyurea Garage Floor Coatings
Polyurea garage flooring options are not new, but they are more popular than ever before. This is because more people have discovered all the benefits that these floor coatings have to offer. You might be more familiar with epoxy coatings rather than polyurea coatings.
Some people think that they are the same thing. But this is not true. They are two very different materials and they function in different ways.
Polyurea is the better option for several reasons. It is more durable than epoxy coating and more long-lasting. A polyurea coating is applied over the original floor material, usually concrete.
It is then smoothed across the concrete base and left to dry. It usually comes in several layers. The base layer is a normal layer of polyurea.
The next layer contains decorative aspects like colored flakes, stone, or other materials. This makes the coating look more stylish and characteristic. The last layer is a clear layer of polyaspartic polyurea to protect the deeper layers.
The benefit of polyurea coatings is that they are resistant to the sun’s UV rays. The sun can bleach and discolor almost everything. This is true of epoxy coatings.
If an epoxy garage floor coating is exposed to the sun, it will turn yellow or brown. This is known as ambering. It occurs when the sun breaks the molecules in the epoxy floor.
Once epoxy gets discolored, it will be impossible to correct the color. You won’t have to worry about this with polyurea garage floor coatings. This is because they are far more resistant to the sun.
What You Need to Know
You could leave your garage door open all day with the sun pouring in and your polyurea coating should be fine. While this does not mean that the coating is invincible to the sun’s rays, it is more resistant than most other options.
This ensures that your coating looks good for many years. Polyurea is also more flexible than epoxy. Epoxy coatings have the downside of cracking and flaking over time.
This is because as the concrete foundation shifts underneath it, it doesn’t have the flexibility to adapt. Polyurea doesn’t have this problem. Because it is made of more flexible and elastic chemicals, it shouldn’t crack or chip.
As the concrete foundation moves, the polyurea coating will stretch to accommodate these slight movements in position. This is important because cracks in the garage coating could damage the concrete foundation beneath. A small crack is a gateway for moisture and debris to enter the concrete.
This can destabilize the concrete and make it weak. Keeping it sealed is the only way to protect it. Polyurea coatings also have many different design options.
Some are full of flakes to give the coating a more interesting look and textured feel while others give the appearance of a stained concrete finish. The possibilities are endless with this type of flooring option. It isn’t that expensive either when compared to other garage flooring options.
Paint
Paint is one of the most traditional options for garage floors. A simple layer of paint is the best option if you don’t want to spend too much money. Painting the floor immediately gives it a new and more attractive look.
This is an especially good option if your current garage floor is beaten up and not looking its best. A layer of paint can easily cover oil stains, thin cracks, and other issues that your garage floor may have. It also can cover the ugly color of plain concrete and make your floor look much cleaner.
You need to make sure you choose the right paint if you decide on this option. Water-based latex paint is ideal. This paint is mostly resistant to water and other materials.
This makes it very easy to clean. It also gives your garage floor a very glossy finish. It easily sticks to the floor without creating any ugly patches or other issues.
It is easy to apply too, even without professional help. There are many colors to choose from. Many people like to opt for neutral colors since these shades match most things.
What to Know
But you can also choose more exciting colors like blue, red, and so on. Some paint options contain epoxy. This improves the durability of the paint layer.
This option is more expensive, so it may not be right for everyone. But it does leave the floor resistant to a variety of chemicals. A painted floor will not last as long as other paint options.
This is because paint layers are not very thick. They are also not as durable as other chemical-based floors like polyurea coatings. They will start to show some signs of wear and tear after a few years.
They might have scratches, cracks, scuffs, and other forms of damage. This would warrant another layer of paint. Or, if you are tired of repainting your garage floor, you can opt for a more durable floor such as a garage floor coating.
But paint is still the best option if you want something very cheap to make your garage look more attractive.
Different Types of Flooring for Garages
There are many different types of flooring for garages you can consider. Tiles are a very popular option since they are stylish and durable. Painting the floor is good if you’re on a tight budget.
Polyurea floors are the most durable of all. To learn more about them, look no further than our polyurea coating systems.