Picking The Best Garage Floor Based On Its Ability To Withstand Damage

What is your garage used for, and what do you plan to do with it in the future? Is it just there for parking things in, or have you plans to actually work in your garage? Regardless, an epoxy garage floor coating or covering of some sort is essential but, if you intend to work in it, then you will want to be more specific. Garage flooring is, after all, an investment, and you might as well invest in the right thing!

Protection From Chemicals

If you are working in your garage, you will spill chemicals; that's just the way it is. Motor oil, of course, is the first thing to come to mind, but it's not alone. The manufacturers of most garage floor coatings and coverings seem to have thought of this, though, since pretty much all garage floors out there will deflect almost every type of chemical. However, if you would also like to manage the spilled chemicals, most garage floor mats and tiles actually channel the liquids, generally out of the garage. This is great because it makes a standard water hose into an awesome cleaning tool. Be careful that you don't pollute the ground, though, as the chemicals flow out of the garage. Contrary to popular belief, diluting dangerous chemicals does not make them any safer to the Earth.

Surviving Being Driven Upon

Epoxy garage floor paint has always caught flak in this area. Cars, especially in the summer, can have very hot tires by the time they are parked, and epoxy paint has long had a reputation of peeling when it comes in contact with hot car tires. In fact, there's a term for the effect; it's called "hot tire pickup." Most companies who make epoxy paint say that, with their newer, more modern blends, this issue has been addressed. Practical experience, though, sometimes tells us otherwise, but keep in mind that what others say may also be the result of a botched install. Regardless, neither garage floor coverings or garage floor tiles exhibit these issues, though a mat will sometimes gather under car tires, especially when steering. That, too, is supposedly a thing of the past, though.

Deflecting Other Physical Damage

Epoxy paint is extremely susceptible to becoming chipped or dented. Tools are hard, and when they are inevitably dropped, they'll just bounce if they hit a garage floor mat. If they hit a hard surface, something has to give, and it will probably be the floor. Granted, concrete with a coat of epoxy is much stronger than a concrete garage floor on its own, but they're both solid. Garage floor tile can do the same thing, if the tiles are made of something hard, but unlike paint, all you have to do is swap the tiles that are damaged.

Standing Up To Mother Nature

The ability to survive the elements depends a lot on, well, the elements. Epoxy will protect the concrete itself the best, there's no doubt, but only if it's not defeated by moisture. Make sure you test your concrete for excess moisture before considering epoxy. Tiles don't do much when it comes to protecting from the elements, but they do help your concrete retain heat, which is good during the wintertime when concrete tends to split and crack. A garage floor covering, like a mat, will do even less, but it will still be better than no protection at all.

For more information on garage flooring, check out Sweet Garage Floor.