If you’re looking to use your garage as more than a parking lot or catch-all storage space, then you might consider some garage flooring ideas that can give your space a whole new look and feel. Garage flooring can convert your garage into a bright, easy to clean, practical space to work on DIY projects, hobbies, or your vehicles. Flooring is a low-cost, easy to install project that can convert that cracked, stained concrete into usable square feet.
Garage Floors: Coatings Versus Coverings
Generally, garage flooring can be divided into two classes: coatings and coverings. Coatings are liquids applied with brushes and rollers like paint and epoxy. Coverings are solid materials placed or glued atop the garage floor like tile and carpets.
With the exception of true epoxy (not epoxy paint) coatings are less expensive, are easy to repair but typically require several hours of floor preparation, and have a much shorter service life than a covering.
The big advantage of coverings over coatings is the ease of installation. Unlike a coating, coverings can be placed directly on the existing floor over cracks, stains, and other uglies. Not having to clean and repair the floor before installation cuts the time needed significantly. On the downside, coverings can easily cost two to four times as much as a coating.
Best DIY Garage Flooring Ideas
So what’s the best garage flooring material? That depends on what you want out of your garage, what kind of shape the floor is in today, what type of traffic it will get, and of course your budget and the amount of time you can give the project. With that in mind, here is a list of some popular materials to consider:
- Concrete Paint. The least expensive of the coatings, concrete paint is just a tougher version of the paint you put on your walls. There is nothing tricky about the installation. Water-based paint will dry to a semi-gloss while oil-based concrete paint will dry to a high gloss finish. Paint doesn’t hold up all that well to chemicals from grease to automotive fluids so you can expect to do touch-up work on a regular basis. In short, it is cheap, easy to apply, and gives your garage a brighter, more finished appearance.
- Epoxy. From the least expensive to the most expensive. An epoxy coating gives you an extremely resilient and durable flooring that holds up well to heavy machinery, car jacks, and heavy equipment. Easy to clean and stain-resistant, epoxy gives you a professional finished look for your garage. The downside is the detailed floor prep required and a tricky installation process.
- Rollout Vinyl Flooring. Without question the easiest and fastest install of all the flooring options. As the name implies, you simply roll out this vinyl covering and cut off the excess material. No need for floor prep; you just lay it directly over the existing floor, hiding all those cracks and stains.
- Interlocking Flexible Tiles. Available in a wide range of patterns and colors for custom designs, these plastic tiles (12″x12″ or 18″x18″) simply snap in place with the tap of a rubber mallet. Individual tiles can be cut to fit with a utility knife. If a tile becomes stained it is easy to remove and replace.
- Concrete Stain. If you have a concrete floor that is in good condition, concrete stain can give it the look of pigmented marble. Stain comes in a number of translucent colors and is applied with a roller or sprayer. Immediately after application, you need to work it into the concrete using a nylon brush. The stain by itself will not protect the floor so one or two coats of a urethane sealer are required.
Once you have turned your garage into an attractive workspace, there is another consideration. If you live in a part of the country that suffers from long hot summers, and you are not planning on installing an expensive HVAC system, then you need a way to cool the garage during hot weather.
Cool Your Garage
The experts at Cool My Garage can help you with that.
Among the many cooling fans, at CMG carry is the GF-14 which does double duty cooling your garage and attic as well. Made in America, easy to install, and protected by a 10-year warranty, this amazing fan can bring the temperature in your garage and attic down a full 20 degrees. Contact Cool My Garage today to get the details on the GF-14 and see the many other cooling options offered. Enjoy your garage in comfort. Visit us at coolmygarage.com.