Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
There are two different mainstream types of garage floor tile: peel and stick tile, also known as self adhesive, and interlocking. When many people search for garage floor tiles, they are confused by this as manufacturers and resellers don't always make it clear that there is a difference. Let's take a look at peel and stick tile for garage floors, and see if it's right for your needs.
Is Installing Peel And Stick Garage Floor Tile Difficult?
The installation for peel and stick garage floor tiles is as straightforward as it is obvious. You peel the backing off, then you stick them too the concrete garage floor. Of course, before you even begin the floor must be thoroughly cleaned. After all, you wouldn't want your new tiles sticking to something other than the concrete like, say, dust. In fact, with the exception of an epoxy garage floor coating, no other solution takes as much cleaning to get right. One advantage over epoxy garage floor coatings, though, is that you can take as long as you like to complete the install, as long as you re-clean the floor before you begin sticking things to it again. Of course, as always, follow the directions with your particular product.
Is Peel And Stick Garage Floor Tile Expensive Or Hard To Find?
Make no mistake, this garage floor covering can be found, even if you don't succeed at the first few retail outlets that you try. Trust me, they are out there somewhere, but they can be very hard to locate and, even when you do, you're usually quite limited in selection. Due to the lack of supply, prices can be all over the board, and there seems to be no set size of garage that is accepted as normal. There are sets for 40 to 66 square foot garages, and you might pay just a bit over $100, or quite a lot over $300. Your first concern should be that the kit will provide you with ample garage floor tile to get your whole garage covered.
Durability Of Peel And Stick Garage Floor Tile
There are quite a few garage floor coverings to choose from, but tile is most likely the most durable. Since they actually stick to the very solid concrete, they won't be damaged by being rubbed around against the concrete, as garage floor mats are. Remember when you shop, though, that most of the garage floor tiles' strength will come from their own makeup, so consider what you intend to do in your garage when you choose.
Why Peel And Stick Garage Floor Tiles May Not Be Your Best Option
Peel and stick tiles are immobile. I only bring this up because snap together tiles, as well as a garage floor mat, can be moved around when needed. Because of this, if you are only intending on covering a portion of your floor, I would definitely suggest going the route of something that you can move. The final price will likely be less, and you may as well get all of the features that you can. Also, when you're ready to cover your entire garage floor, you'll already have a mat to protect your nice new garage flooring!
Check out Sweet Garage Floor for more information to help you choose or repair yourgarage floor tile.
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Monday, December 28th, 2009
If you're searching for that certain look, you'll probably want to go with epoxy garage floor paint, or maybe garage floor tile, but if you're just wanting a way to do what you need to do without leaving stains on your concrete, you'll want to look at garage floor mats. Consider, however, that this might not be the best option in the long run. Here's some information on why someone might decide on garage floor mats instead of tiles, or even paint, for you to use to be sure that you are buying the correct garage flooring for your needs.
Garage Floor Mats Might Be Your Cheapest Option
Depending on how you go about it, a garage floor mat could be your cheapest option. Of course, in this case, we would be talking about a compartment mat. The purpose of a compartment mat is to protect a small area of your concrete garage floor from damage. There are also parking mats, and whole garage mats, neither of which can be considered cheap. Even compartment mats can get pricey if you look for a lot of features, such as tall edges or the ability to absorb liquids. However, when you get down to it, there is no other way to protect garage floors for less than $60, with the possible exception of an epoxy garage floor coating.
Garage Floor Mats Are Easy To Install
This is kind of obvious, but it's amazing how many people really don't consider how long it will take, or how difficult it will be to install the more complicated options such as an epoxy garage floor coating. Once they get the kits in their hands and read the instructions, many will be tempted to pay a contractor to install it for them, which takes that cheap epoxy paint kit and multiplies the total price by ten or more. Ordering a garage floor mat is done and done. You'll probably spend more time deciding which one to buy than you will installing it.
Not Covers Heavily Damaged Concrete As Well
You might not always have a choice; an extremely messed up concrete garage floor can make it not feasible to use either epoxy or even peel and stick garage floor tiles. There's really only two options in this case: snap-together tiles, or garage floor mat. Interlocking tiles are pretty expensive. Even a small set, which really compares better to a compartment mat, will cost you $300 or more. Unless there is a specific look you are going for, I just don't see how it's worth that price.
Garage Floor Mats Are Very Easy To Clean
Some mats will actually absorb any liquid, either oils or thinner stuff, like water, which is great since you can just take it and wring it out later. It's an especially green solution as well since you can basically pick up your spilled chemicals and deposit them in a safe place. Even if it doesn't absorb liquids, if it has raised edges, you can still do this to some degree. Being able to literally relocate your mess is great. Will that actually matter in your case? Well, how often do you make messes?
Check out Sweet Garage Floor for more information to help you choose yourgarage floor mat.
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Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Oh no, a garage floor stain! Someone needs to clean that up right away, right? Well, usually, but staining garage flooring can also be something people do on purpose. I bet you have heard of staining wood, and it's not very different for garage floors. Yep, that's right, a concrete garage floor, or any masonry, for that matter, can have colored stain applied. Wondering why someone would stain the floor in their garage? Well, keep on reading, then.
How Does Garage Floor Stain Compare At Protecting Concrete?
It's very simple: garage floor stain does not protect your concrete. Now, that being said, there are some products that label themselves as stain that say they include some sort of protection. For the most part, those products are a combination of two chemicals in one package: garage floor stain, and some sort of sealant. This is a very good thing for the buyer because even after you have applied stain to your flooring, you will definitely want to use a sealant, so buying it in one package with directions to match just makes sense. However, keep in mind, you don't have to stain your concrete to get the sealant. Clear garage floor sealing products are also available separately.
Epoxy Is Hard To Apply...Is Garage Floor Stain?
Nope, not at all. In fact, aside from throwing a garage floor mat down, staining is the easiest of the garage floor finishes to apply. Of course, just like with any garage floor coating, the concrete does have to be spotless before you start if you want everything to come out right. Otherwise, applying stain is more like painting than applying garage floor paint. For the most part, you just roll it on with a paint roller, then wait for it to dry.
Is It Expensive To Use Garage Floor Stain?
Stain is not at all expensive, being the cheapest of all garage floor coatings, unless you also add in the price of sealant. Even then, though, it generally compares to epoxy garage floor paint when installed yourself, and is a lot cheaper if having your flooring installed by someone else. This is because, other than cleaning, applying garage floor stain consists of only one coat, instead of the multitude of coats, as well as the mixing that has to be done for epoxy garage floor coating.
What Is The Draw Of Garage Floor Stain?
Whether we're talking about your garage or the floor of your home, there's only one good reason to stain concrete: the looks. There are a lot of people out there that really don't need protection for their concrete, not including the elements, but everyone likes something different, which defines garage floor stain. Just make absolutely sure, though, before you buy and apply, that stain will do what you need in your garage floor coating.
Visit Sweet Garage Floor for more information about every kind of garage floor out there.
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Monday, December 7th, 2009
After reading all about all of the different types of garage flooring, you've decided that you either want epoxy paint or a garage floor mat. Well, both garage floors have advantages and disadvantages, so let's look at some of both. Hopefully, once we're done, you will have a better grasp on both garage floors. Keep in mind that, for this article, we will not be talking about compartment mats, but rather how entire garage floor coverings compare to epoxy paint. Since the smaller garage floor mats are typically not sold in packages intended to cover whole garage floors, it wouldn't make much sense to compare them to epoxy paint.
A Garage Floor Mat Is Easier To Install Than Epoxy Garage Floor Paint
That is pretty much a "duh!" factor. A garage floor mat only requires the cutting and the placing, while epoxy paint takes not only hours to install, but also in between steps it takes hours to dry. Before you begin installing it is also a much bigger hassle because you need to prepare by cleaning your garage to be immaculate. But, installing a mat on above dust, dirt, or grime works just the same. If you really need a "quick fix," then you should really consider garage floor mats.
Garage Floor Mats Are Most Expensive Than Epoxy Garage Floor Coating
Garage Floor mats costs are typically three times as much as if you were going to install epoxy floor coating, which is just under $100. This large difference in price makes more sense in the fact that you are not just buying the initial ending product. The epoxy garage floor coating does require some preparation and assemble, while garage floor mats gives you more of an already assembled product. But you are going to have to hire a worker to install the epoxy floor paint, naturally the price is going to rise dramatically as it takes some hours to complete the installation process; meaning you should factor that into your budget if you not going to install it yourself. In this case, hiring someone for the installation of epoxy paint will pretty much definitely cost more that a garage floor covering.
Garage Floor Mats Are Less Durable Than Epoxy Garage Floor Paint
Even though epoxy does change things, it has the advantage as far as its durability and its longevity. In applying the epoxy floor paint, you inevitably change the nature of your garage floor. Meanwhile, applying a garage floor covering will do only that; cover it. Although it is unlikely in nature, it is very well possible that both could become damaged and stained, so when that happens you will definitely see the price difference in the replacement of swapping out a new floor mat and a repainting job. But, you will then also be out of the $200 or so for the floor covering. To make a well educated choice, you need to be asking how much and what your garage floor will be taking on.
So Which Is Better?
Of course, all of the garage flooring types are different, and there is still no single best one to choose. But these two, the epoxy garage floor paint and garage floor mats are very available and popular and long lasting. But, it is up to you, the customer, to decide what the best garage flooring is for you. And if you are lucky and money is of no concern for you, consider using both, epoxy floor coating and a garage floor covering on top.
Check out my garage floor site for more garage floor mat information.
categories: garage flooring,flooring,home improvement,do it yourself,home and family,home repair,home,automotive,repair,shopping,how to,cars,outdoors,guide
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Sunday, December 6th, 2009
I've written quite a few articles pertaining to garage floor coatings and coverings, but many people, I know, really don't have much money to spend on things like that. Those of us without money, though, are the ones that are likely to be changing our own oil, which is a very easy way to stain garage floors. Some car manufacturers aren't exactly helpful, either; I can think of a certain Subaru that I once had on which there was a plastic cover over the oil pan that was near impossible to get off without removing the front bumper cover. Of course, they included a space for the drain bolt, which made it really easy to get the bolt off, but the oil would never actually drain through that little hole, instead spraying the flooring with a nice, thick coat of used motor oil. You can imagine the mess.
Preventing Garage Flooring Stains From Happening In The First Place
I should've probably paid the cash to get a garage floor mat to put under it, or at the very least, a small mat for oil changes, although they may not even make a compartment mat that is large enough to protect the floor from this car's oil sprinkler. So, of course, I ended up with a thoroughly stained and nasty looking garage floor.
Clean That Spill Up ASAP!
It does matter. Don't just let the oil or whatever sit on the concrete garage floor. Soak it up with a rag or something, and cleaning the stain will be a lot easier. The longer it sits, the darker and bigger the stain will be. Concrete is porous, so it will absorb just about anything, but it absorbs it pretty slowly, and used motor oil is kind of thick. If you can afford it, use some sort of crystals to soak the oil up. Generally all you have to do is drop the crystals onto the stain, and they will absorb much of the oil, but not always all of it. Let it sit for the prescribed amount of time, then sweep it up and throw it away. Many people swear by kitty litter, and I've tried that, but even though it wasn't the clumping variety, it still clumped, so I basically ended up with an oily mountain range on my still nasty concrete
Does Garage Floor Stain Remover Work?
I've had, and heard of, mixed luck with garage floor stain removers. They seem to be hit or miss, and I haven't heard of any cure-all. Even the best ones tend to leave a slightly visible blemish on the concrete, so I don't know if that's really worth it to you. They generally run around ten bucks for a bottle that's meant to treat a smallish area, so if you have a big oil spill in your garage, you might need to find a bigger bottle.
If You Just Can't Remove That Garage Floor Stain...
If all else fails, your next best bet will be to use a garage floor covering. This can be pretty expensive. You might be able to do an epoxy garage floor coating after you've cleaned the stains with stain remover, but that totally depends on the garage floor coating's directions. You can always, instead, buy a mat, or snap-together garage floor tiles, and never worry about the existing stain or future stains, since garage floor mats and tiles are both stain resistant. If you have a big, persistent stain, avoid peel and stick garage floor tile as the adhesives tend to break down if they touch any other chemical. That oil may be stubborn about going anywhere when you want it to, but it's great about ruining any garage floor finishes.
Visit Sweet Garage Floor for more information about every kind of garage floor out there.
categories: garage flooring,flooring,home improvement,do it yourself,home and family,home,repair,automotive,shopping,how to,cars,outdoors,guide
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Saturday, November 28th, 2009
If you've been perusing the various Quikrete garage floor solutions, then you have likely noticed that there is no lack of options, and it's sometimes hard to tell which will be best for your garage floors. Everyone's situation is a little different, after all. In this article, we will look at the options so that you can see which would be best for your particular situation.
High Gloss Sealer By Quikrete
This product is great for use on garage floors that are already in place, though it can be used straight on the concrete as well. It can even be used on masonry, slate, brick, pavers, or aggregate. Used over Quikrete garage floor epoxy, it will lend your floor a deep shine and give it even more protection from chemical stains. Used straight on your concrete garage floor, it will provide moderate protection from staining and cracking, but will not as comprehensive or as durable as epoxy garage floor paint. It costs only half as much as an epoxy paint kit, though, and is easier to install since it does not require mixing. If all you need is something to make the garage floor look shiny and offer a modicum of protection, than this might be it. Otherwise, read on.
Etching Stain
I'll tell you right up front: stain does not, in any way, protect concrete. The only purpose of a stain treatment is to add color. Quikrete will tell you to seal the concrete after staining, using their Quikrete Garage Floor Stain Sealer. All of that being said, stain is pretty cool looking, gives your concrete a really interesting and unique color, and this product only actually needs one coat, which makes applying it very quick. Compared to other garage flooring solutions, staining is expensive, there's no doubt, and that doesn't even include sealant, which won't give you the same protection as epoxy paint. If you want your concrete to have an old world, earthy type look, then this is the only way to go. Keep in mind, though, that treated concrete cannot be stained, so don't try to put down a sealant and then stain it. You have to strip all the way down to the raw concrete first.
Clear Epoxy Coating By Quikrete
Although this product can be used on the garage, it is primarily intended to be used on indoor concrete. However, if you decide to stain the concrete, this is still going to be your best protection, indoor or outdoor. It provides a fairly low gloss look, and decent protection against chemicals and the elements. It's a lot more expensive than the Quikrete garage floor high gloss sealer, though, so unless you have stained your concrete, that will be your better option.
Epoxy Garage Floor Coating
This is the big daddy. If you want the best protection for your garage floor and a really nice color coating, then this is the only way to go. The kit even comes with cleaner and color flakes, and is very reasonably priced. Of all of the Quikrete garage floor solutions, this should be the one you use unless you have a specific reason to use something else. It's worth mentioning that the epoxy garage floor coating is the hardest to install, but it's also the most durable and comprehensive.
Learn more about Quikrete garage floorsolutions at mygarage floor site!
categories: garage flooring,flooring,home improvement,do it yourself,home and family,home repair,home,automotive,repair,shopping,how to,cars,outdoors,guide
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
by Gus Jomert
When you start thinking about your garage flooring options, you have a few decisions to make. You can cover it with a mat made of rubber or some other material, seal it, you can put vinyl over it, and you can finish it with other substances. The reason so many people choose to do work on their garage floors is to both protect it and to make them look better too.
There are more than a few options when it comes to protecting your garage floors. Some of those options are covering it with a mat, sealing it, putting vinyl over it, or you can finish it with other substances. Many people want to do something with their garage floors to both protect them and to make them look better as well.
Choosing to seal your floor and protect it from all the dirt, water, oil, and other spills that you will make throughout the life of your garage is a good idea. One of the most important reasons to use a sealer is that it keeps water and moisture out which can over time start to rot the wood frame of your garage. It also does a great job of protecting your garage floor from all the things like rock salt your car drags in with it every night. If you are interested in maintaining your garage, sealing it should be a big consideration.
Using a mat is probably the easiest and most popular method of improving your garage floor. The reasons to consider using a mat is that they are so much easier to install than sealing your floor or finishing it with some other material. The simplest mat is one that is just slightly bigger than your car and it would be under your car and catch all the rain, dirt, and snow your car drags in. You can then periodically clean the mat and thus the garage floor stays clean. Other mats can be bought and cut to the specific size of your garage or any other size you desire. Garage mats are the cheapest and quickest way to protect your garage floors.
Cars are dirty and they bring a lot of the elements in with them every night when you park your car. Protecting the floor is something that many people like to do to maintain their garage and make it look better in the process. Finishing your garage floor will add value to your home when you go to sell it and it will protect it from all the harsh elements that are brought in throughout the year.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
by Jason Stlotnik
All the best garage floor ideas will involve protecting the floor. If you want to upgrade your garage, fitting it with a protective cover is the way to go. When you compare two garages, one with a finished floor and one without, you will quickly see that the garage with the finished floor looks way better than the plain one.
The best garage floor ideas depend on what you have in mind for your floors. Some people settle on putting rubber mats on the floor while others choose to seal it with a floor sealant. If you want to spruce up the garage a little bit and make it more attractive looking, you can do that with wall to wall garage floor rubber mats that have a design on them.
If you are hoping to protect your garage floor from the water, dirt, and ice that your car has brought in, you should seal your floor with one of the many sealers on the market. When you seal your garage floor, you will be on your way to making it last longer.
If you are going to be finishing your garage floor, you might also consider some vinyl garage floor ideas. Installing a vinyl floor is relatively easy and will do wonders to protect the garage floor. Vinyl has a soft surface feel so your floor will not be as hard as concrete and much safer for any children to play on. The vinyl will also help cover up any cracks in the concrete and it will also protect your garage from snow, ice, dirt, and leaves which can be easily be swept out. There are many floor surface options to think about when redoing your garage floor and vinyl should be up at the top of the list.
Many garage floors have concrete and it often cracks in multiple places. Putting a covering of some sort over your concrete garage floor can often hide those cracks. Your garage floors are susceptible to damage as the elements from outside are continually brought in every time you park your car. That in addition to oil spills make you wonder whether having some garage floor protection might be worth it even if it does cost a little.
While thinking about the different garage floor ideas and options you have to choose from, you might want to make sure they all are affordable. Most people don't want to overspend on their garage floors because they are well, in the garage so who cares? But if you protect your floors the right away though, you might save money in the future by preventing any damage upfront.
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Saturday, September 5th, 2009
Considering your it will likely get just as dirty and possibly damaged as the concrete garage floor itself, why in the world would anyone want to install flooring in their garage? Are there really advantages, or is it just a waste of time and money? What exactly is there to gain by installing some sort of garage floor coverings?
There are different reasons to want a garage floor. A surprisingly large amount of people go shopping simply looking for a softer step. If you already have back issues, walking around on concrete definitely doesn't help. Garage floors also look a whole lot nicer than plain concrete. Stained, old, cracked concrete prompts many to putting some sort of covering in their garage. If you've ever cleaned stained concrete, or attempted to, then you know how much nicer it would be to have some sort of cover.
You'll have to consider a lot of personal factors when you're looking for your garage floor as there are many, many options to choose from.
The smallest type of garage floor coverings would be containment mats, and they're really only good for catching spills or laying on if you're working in one small spot. Of course, there are also garage floor mats that will cover the entire floor, as well as sticky garage floor tiles that can be laid out.
The most complicated, but most comprehensive solution would be an epoxy garage floor coating kit. Most of these different types of solutions are equally easy to clean and are designed to channel debris and liquid out of the garage. A simpler solution that doesn't provide a lot of the same perks would be garage floor paint.
Regardless of your decision, there are lots of options out there. You could always pay someone to install it for you, though most garage floor solutions are pretty easy to install on your own. It really depends on how much time and money you're willing to invest. Installing your own garage floor can be extremely cost effective, though, and even though it may seem like it's a luxury today, eventually you'll wonder how you ever got by with just a cold, gray concrete garage floor.
Mr Mcgee writes articles about garage flooring and garage floor tiles.
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Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
Choosing the right sort of garage flooring is important mostly for reasons of reliability, performance and safety. In order to keep your home and garage well maintained, garage flooring is very important for a number of reasons and you should not overlook it.
Obviously, mats are the best way to go to begin with. Getting mats will help to absorb any excess dirt and employees and will also help to ensure that your house is kept cleaner when people are leaving the garage and entering the house itself. There are various sorts of mass you can get, and some can be quite easily cleaned.
Since garage floors are almost always made of concrete, they already fairly steady but may need some things adding to them to help enhance the practicality. Mats are a good way to start. You can put mats on the floor to help keep out any liquids and minimised empress in your garage.
It is after all the car the course is most of the dirt in the garage, and this is even worse in the winter. In order to minimize these problems, you may want to get amount which is specifically designed for the car to stand on. This will help to absorb the worst of the dirt, and also any of the liquids.
Tiled flooring can also be a good idea. The tiled flooring will sit over the original concrete flooring, and dirt will be allowed to fall down between the cracks in the tiles. This will help to keep the service that you actually walk on and work on safer and less slippery. You will also be able to clean between the tiles with a vacuum cleaner when necessary.
You can also get various products which will help to seal the floor, making it easier to clean. These can be highly advantageous, since they can make for a much smoother and better looking floor. This will also make it safer and more practical, since you will easily be able to clean up spillages since they will not be absorbed by the concrete any more.
Since most of the date in a garage comes from the car itself, having a matter which east and your car and can also be a good idea. This will help to minimize any problems caused by or your spillages and anything else that your car is fairly often prone to. It will also help to keep the garage cleaner and safer at all times. In addition to this, they also easy to set up and pretty effective.
April Kerr owns website Garage Solutions Plus which has details of wood framed garage kits and prefab garage kits at low prices.
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