Garage flooring ideas

[OpenToSuggestions]

Hello all.
I am moving into a new build house in a couple of weeks and am looking for garage floor recommendations.
I'll be putting a workbench in there and two mx5s will be stored in there.
I also intend to work on there car in there, so I need flooring that won't mess up with ramps or axle stands.
There is a chance that someday I will have a little scissor lift in there, but that is just a thought right now.

History:
1) Had a sectional garage put in. I used concrete sealant on the floor as it was dusting then painted with good quality garage floor paint. Seemed pretty good but was only there a year before I moved.
2) 2018 new build with a single garage. I tried to replicate 1) but the paint just kept coming up. It could have been due to moisture coming up through the concrete.
3) 2024 new build with a double garage. Looking for ideas. I don't mind spending a few quid if the results are worth it.

 

[EH75]

Did mine a couple of years back. Painted the floor first with some "garage floor paint" from Screwfix, mainly to seal in the concrete dust. Then covered it with PVC tiles from "Duramat". Did a lot of research and they were the cheapest of the various manufacturers of plastic tiling. Pretty easy to install and seems to be holding up well so far. No cars in there but we use it as a gym, general workshop etc.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

It was Screwfix paint that I used in the current house, after I had used some concrete sealant.
It just never stuck properly and after redoing bits several times I gave up!

 

[Jokester]

Yeah, I've got plastic tiles as well in mine as well (Swisstrax). Had looked at coating the cement floor with something but seemed to be something that doesn't usually last particularly well.

At best, the tiles are meant to be hard enough wearing to cope with things like car jacks etc without damage (I've seen commercial garages with this installed). If they do get damaged the tiles are straight forward to replace.

 

[JonRGV250]

Got Duramat in mine (for motorbikes) and it's spot on, and fortunately they're just round the corner so I was able to collect it.

 

[sovietspybob]

I used white floor paint and it's been down since 2018 and has been good. It stopped any dust and has stuck well, there are a couple of bits when it's come up but it's only where i've moved something heavy and metal on the spot and gouged it out.

I can't remember the name of it now but it was about £60 for a big tin i think so not cheap tat but not really expensive either.

I made sure to leave the slab until it was properly cured and then hosed (3 times i think) and brushed it all down to get rid of as much surface dust as possible then did 2 thin coats.

This is when i did it in 2018:

And this was about 2 weeks ago and is the best picture i have to show how it's worn, this is the side of the garage i've used for car maintance, i just pick the railyway track up and drive the car in so it's had lots of trolley jacks and axel stands on this bit along with taking up and putting down steel railway track. it's really dirty now after 6 years of lots of use but if i was to mop it it'd come up nicely i reckon:

 

[EH75]

It was Screwfix paint that I used in the current house, after I had used some concrete sealant.
It just never stuck properly and after redoing bits several times I gave up!

I just whacked it on without any sort of sealant. Tbf the fact that the tiles are straight on top of it mean it doesn't matter too much how its holding up, the tiles are protecting it. It was more to avoid dust than anything else. I painted all walls white at the same time and put a new LED light in which has made an enormous difference. Roll up electric door is also a good investment if you don't have one already.

 

[Nasher]

You can polish the concrete itself to a mirror shine. That will be a lot tougher than any paint or flooring. The machine is loud and dusty AF though.

 

[Axeboy]

I tried different seals and paints over the years but last change I went with commercial tiles and they have been spot on.

Not a single crack or mark in over 5 years. Highly recommend it, cheap in the end too. I cant remember where I got them, but it wasnt expensive, then a local guy fitted it across the 6m x 8m garage (roughly)

Worst pic ever of my 2 year old on my rowing machine, but I'm not at home to get a better pic, you get the idea though.

 

[Stu999]

Yeah, I've got plastic tiles as well in mine as well (Swisstrax). Had looked at coating the cement floor with something but seemed to be something that doesn't usually last particularly well.

At best, the tiles are meant to be hard enough wearing to cope with things like car jacks etc without damage (I've seen commercial garages with this installed). If they do get damaged the tiles are straight forward to replace.

Just out of interest, how do they/you prep the floor before laying those? Was your floor already quite level or did they have to screed it or anything like that?

 

[Jokester]

Just out of interest, how do they/you prep the floor before laying those? Was your floor already quite level or did they have to screed it or anything like that?

Mine was fairly level before hand, I thought they might have to put some sort of underlay down for it, but not required. If it's not reasonably level they would need to do something to level it off (probably screed it as you say).