Garage Flooring Ideas

The garage is an often ignored area of the house. Most garages have plain concrete floors. Though functional and tough, concrete floors stain easily. Techniques like concrete painting and materials like epoxy, vinyl and rubber flooring can totally change the way you think about the garage floor. Floor tiles, mats and containment mats are all designed to give you a garage that need not stay hidden behind closed doors.

If you are interested in remodeling your garage, the first thing you must do is clean and repair the existing concrete floor. A good floor cannot be built over a cracked edifice. Cleaning the garage floor can be a tough chore especially if it has not received attention in the past. The oil and sludge on the floor may require you to go down on your hands and knees! Sludge can be removed by detergents or by using especially formulated compounds that can ease your burden but at the end of the day it is the plain old scrub that will help you carry the day.

Why Change the Garage Floor?

The garage, if properly designed can be used in ways other than as a mere storage for your car. It could be a haven for the kids, a tool room, or anything else that you may want it to be. The floor in a garage also protects the structural elements under it from stain and damage from oil spills.

Garage Flooring Options

• Painted concrete – is the easiest and fastest remodeling option for garage floors. Clean the floor, repair cracks and paint or stencil a design on the floor. A primer may or may not be needed depending on the condition of your floor and the type of paint. An important point to keep in mind is that not just any paint will suffice. You need a paint that will bind well to the concrete and not chip and crack under vehicle weight, footsteps and heat.
• Epoxy coating – Is second only to painted concrete in popularity. An epoxy floor is a seamless floor that gives a unique look to your floor. Properly formulated epoxy resin can be used to create a simple yet delightful floor for your garage.
• Rubber Garage Flooring – Rubber flooring in the garage reduces noise and provides a soft cushioned surface to walk on. Ribbed rubber mats can help guide spills in the garage to an area of your choice making cleaning an easier job.
• Vinyl Flooring – Vinyl flooring is available in coin texture and diamond texture designs. Other designs as also a wide variety of colors are available. You will need a commercial grade vinyl product especially designed to serve the garage. A lower grade product may be easily damaged by exposure to petrochemical products.
• Plastic tiles – Plastic tiles are modular units that are light weight, easy to install with click and lock system and resist chemicals well.
• Ceramic tiles – If choosing ceramic tiles for your garage floor you will need to invest in commercial grade, thick ceramic tiles. The installation of the tiles must be a professional job. Any errors in tile installation, especially in areas that bear the weight of the car will lead to cracked tiles.

An advantage of using a modular product like tile is that if an area does get damaged it is possible to replace a small patch instead of redoing the entire floor. At Contempo Floor Coverings you can choose from a wide range of ceramic tiles, vinyl and epoxy floors mats and carpets that can give a new lease of life to your garage floor and make it an area good enough to flaunt among your friends and family. If looking for a professional to complete your garage flooring project, our professional services are only a phone call away.

Visit our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information about Flooring.