Garage floor covering recommendations

Associate
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Hi guys, I'm wanting to tidy up my garage so it's a nicer place to work in and I'm looking for recommendations for cost effective garage flooring.

My garage is an decent sized single at 6.4m x 3.6m so will need a total of just over 23m2 of flooring. The floor is a concrete slab and currently is partially covered with some old carpet and some 5mm commercial swimming pool pool cover off cuts.

I'd rather not paint the floor as I'd like the benefit of a covering taking the chill off the floor and making it a bit nicer to lie on if I'm working under my car. I'm also ruling out carpet as my car can often get put away when wet, so looking for something that will deal with getting wet.

It seems like my options are:

Interlocking garage floor tiles - the price of these is off-putting!

Rubber floor matting - looks like I can get these in 1.2 - 1.5m wide rolls. Not sure how it would stand up to jacking on and using axle stands

Standard domestic vinyl flooring - can get a 7m x 4m roll for around £170, so looks like the cheapest option. I can't imagine it would fair well when using a jack on it though.

What have you guys used on your garage floors? Anything that comes highly recommended, or is definitely worth ruling out? I don't work on my car in my garage that often, so don't need anything overkill, but at the same time do to want to spend a couple of hundred quid if it just falls apart when I do.

Cheers
 
Soldato
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From what i've looked at, either go all in for the proper rubber floor tiles or just paint it.

I've just painted mine white as i've got a fairly big double at 6x7m so i was looking at over a grand easily for decent rubber tiles.
 
Soldato
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I went with epoxy floor paint - https://www.regalfloorpaint.co.uk/epoxy-floor-paint.html

A 5l tin did 2 coats of a single garage, so I suspect you would need two tins. Doesn't take long to paint with a roller, it took longer to move everything around than actually paint. Quite tough and keeps the dust down. Not had tyres on it yet, which seem to be the main issue with paint.

If I was willing to spend the money, i'd look at the interlocking tiles, or even porcelain tiles, but with the area you have to cover, these will probably cost a fair whack!
 
Soldato
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I fitted out my single garage in the vinyl interlocking tiles. It didn't cost that much, I think I used 86, I got them from big dug, cost a few hundred. Painting is cheaper but like you say isn't going to take the chill away and also is easily damaged.
 
Associate
OP
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Newcastle
Thanks for the replies.

So far the best value of my 3 original options I've found are these:

Interlocking garage floor tiles: https://duramat.co.uk/category/heavy-duty-industrial/

500 x 500 x 7mm heavy duty tiles. Would work out just under £500 to do my whole floor. Initial costs are a lot higher, but should never need replaced.

Rubber floor matting rolls: https://rubbermattingonline.co.uk/product/rubber-matting-roll-10m-5bar-checker-plate/

£83 a roll @ 10m x 1.2m x 3mm thick. 2 x rolls would cover the whole floor with 3 x joints. Still not sure how it would hold up to axle stands/jacks

Domestic vinyl flooring: https://www.burts.co.uk/remnants/burts/napa-solid-91-metal-effect-vinyl-flooring-remnant-131346

6.4m x 4m @ £160, 2.8mm thick. Would be the easiest as it's a continuous roll so no joints, but can't see it lasting long term
 
Soldato
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I put Duramat tiles down 12 months ago and it’s great. The tiles are a lot more solid than I anticipated. I was recommended to go for light grey because the black ones tend to show dirt and footprints etc.

The only thing I would say about them is they are not very comfortable to kneel on.

The garage packs are good value.

I’ve also seen the stuff on a roll from Costco and if your floor is smooth and flat I think it would be alright, but unless you glue it down I’m not sure how well it would join.
 
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OP
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Thanks again for the input guys.

I think I'm fairly set in getting interlocking floor tiles. The initial cost is obviously higher, but I'm hoping they'll be a cost effective long term solution.

I currently have samples coming from Plasfloor and Mototile

Hoping to contact a few other places for prices and samples too
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Feb 2004
Posts
8,096
Location
North East
Thanks again for the input guys.

I think I'm fairly set in getting interlocking floor tiles. The initial cost is obviously higher, but I'm hoping they'll be a cost effective long term solution.

I currently have samples coming from Plasfloor and Mototile

Hoping to contact a few other places for prices and samples too

Wise choice. If paint doesn't hold up, I'm going for tiles next time.
 
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