Info/Opinions on WeatherTech TechFloor

[BertnErnie]

Hi, I joined a few months ago looking for ideas to redo my garage. I have enjoyed lurking and following various threads. I am deciding on flooring and settled on some type of modular tile. I obtained samples from RaceDeck and SwissTrax flooring. I also reviewed postings from others comparing different tile manufacturers. In my searching, I stumbled upon WeatherTech TechFloor on the Sears website. However, I can't find out too much information on this product. I even called the manufacturer and was promised information that never arrived and was directed to a floor designer on their website that I can't find. This worries me a bit. I am interested in the make up of this product (what is it made from?) and if anyone has any experience with the product, I would love their opinion.

Here is a link to the Sears website: http://www.sears.com/weathertech-reg-techfloor-8482/p-00933902000P?prdNo=20&blockNo=20&blockType=G20. I also found a few YouTube postings and a 2011 Product Guide in PDF form online. Besides finding out that this is a new product introduced in 2011, details are sparse.

In the meantime, I bought paint for a paint scheme copied from one of the members on this board. Taking cues from others, I obtained some used office cabinets to repurpose as storage for the garage. I haven't started my redo yet, but plan to in a few weeks. I will be sure to document my process with photos as others have done.

 

[bdamico]

Math isn't my strong suit but isn't that insanely expensive?

 

[mcave]

whoa, $12.56/SF

 

[danieldolin]

It is actually about $4 / foot if you purchase the 12" x 12" tiles... they seem to come in multiple sizes, 12x12, 6x6, 3x12, 3x3, as well as the multiple size edging. Seems to me the only reason to do this would be b/c you can not cut to exact size. Racedeck I purchased was extremely easy to cut to fit with a $25 jig saw from Lowes. I am sure a table saw would have made straiter cuts, but I did not have one. The only advantage I can see over racedeck / swisstrax is that there is rubber on the bottom of the tile as well. This would solve the "slipping" problem of the others if you have a smooth floor under the tile. I found the trick to avoid this is to pull into the garage at whatever angle you need to park and NOT turn the wheels while in the garage. Quick breaking / accelleration will also cause the tiles to shift under the car. It can be a pain but is easy to re-shift the entire foor if it moves and I am sure I am not helping things by not having any real weight on my floor at the moment (I keep everything off the parking surface but the cars) I put a rubber area rug underlayment under the leading edge of the garage which helped as long as I pull the car strait in and do not turn. Bottom line, this new floor product is almost 2x the price of racedeck and questions remain about if the tile can be cut to fit w/o falling appart. Looks to me like the top and bottom peice of the tile are seperate peices snapped together with the rubber between them and sticking through both the top and bottom so it may not hold up if you cut the tile down the middle...

 

[Garage Flooring]

You have a lot of professionals here who can get you a quality product and good advice for the same or less money. If its me or Jorgen or Scotty or whoever, if you are going to buy a garage floor, but it from someone in the business of Garage Flooring ....

 

[BertnErnie]

I appreciate your comments and opinions. I was beginning to think my post got lost in the shuffle! I am leaning towards RaceDeck at the moment but I seem to change my mind every week. To Justin's point, price is an consideration as well as reputation, warranty and durability. I have been in contact with the manufacturer of TechFloor and received some free samples. I am intrigued, but I don't like the lack of detailed product information readily available. By comparison, I can easily find out a lot of information about competing products. While TechFloor comes in a variety of sizes which I assume minimizes the need for cutting tiles, Danieldolin brings up a good point about needing the flexibility to trim tiles. Also, I appreciate Danieldolin's suggestions to minimize shifting. I will update the board when I finally decide.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I am glad to see you are being so careful. We have seen way to many consumers rush into a brand they know nothing about. We do not sell Racedeck but their reputation speaks for itself.

We also have quality garage floor tiles and you might consider requesting samples of Our Premium Garage Floor Tile http://www.garageflooringllc.com/interlocking-garage-floor-tile-samples/ we send out the samples for free and we do not add you to any marketing lists. Just a quick auto-reply with information you'll definitely appreciate.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Techfloor is the latest floor tile to jump in the game and they are made by a large automotive floor mat company. The tile has been out a while but we have not seen them much in the marketplace but do have samples of the product for us to review as it uses a similar technology technology we have for our sports line called ShockTower ( ShockTower is a multi-patent system with a soft shock absorbing material within the understructure for impact and one with both under and top surface for traction - see http://www.snapsports.com/shockTower.html). We do not offer ShockTower for garage flooring as we feel it is not suitable for the enviroment.

I am not sure what materials they are using or if it is designed for the garage enviroment? here is an excerpt from their warranty "...Exclusions to this warranty are normal wear and tear, damage due to abuse, abrasive conditions, UV exposure, excessive manipulation/repeated installations and exposure to chemical contamination, such as spilled gasoline, oil, etc...."

 

[BMBLBEE]

Finally!!! A few comments on TechFloor but it would be nice to hear from someone who actually has it installed. I'm getting close to a decision for my floor and would like to learn more about that product before I pull the trigger. Race Deck is also in the running but the comment that it will slide on the concrete has me a little concerned. I have a 21 by 31 three car garage and we back all our vihicles in. I do turn the wheels sharply to get close to the side walls. Will this present a problem and cause buckling of the Race Deck tiles? Also the daily drivers drop a lot of mud, snow and salt in the winter. Will it filter through and leave a mess under the tiles. Final item is a few small cracks and humps (1/2 inch hump over 6 feet) in the concrete. Will the tiles conform to the uneven surface?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Car Collector Chronicles]

May one use a hydraulic jack and jack stands on the floor? If not, no matter how pretty she is, it just would not be functional for me.

 

[BMBLBEE]

I got some samples of the TechFloor shipped to me to check out the quality compared to other brands. I got grey with black inlay, Red with black inlay yellow with black inlay and black with black inlay. A few observations:
- the tiles are quite thin (1/4 inch)
- does not look like the two colors will seperate
- there does seem to be room for air to circulate under the tiles but less than race deck
- looks like they could be cut easily (the back grid is laid out in 3" increments)
- Grey/black & yellow/black seem to look cleaner after walking on them with dusty sneakers & black would take a lot of maintenance to keep clean

Will continue with research before I pull the trigger...................

 

[Garage Flooring]

I had a chance to look at the product at the SEMA show this year. We had actually considered taking it into stock and had a stocking order written up for us. I'm not going to sit here and tell you its a bad product and that is why we didn't pull the trigger. The truth is you can buy it from their site directly, from sears and some others. We looked at the retail price and frankly what the profit would be and what else was out there at the same price point.

My only advice to you is this. Call them directly... Not sears, call WeatherTech and talk to the Tech Floor Division. Give them all the specs on your garage and make sure its a good fit. Like any product, it has some areas where it is definitely not the perfect solution and some others where it has some interesting advantages.

 

[BMBLBEE]

I had a chance to look at the product at the SEMA show this year. We had actually considered taking it into stock and had a stocking order written up for us. I'm not going to sit here and tell you its a bad product and that is why we didn't pull the trigger. The truth is you can buy it from their site directly, from sears and some others. We looked at the retail price and frankly what the profit would be and what else was out there at the same price point.

My only advice to you is this. Call them directly... Not sears, call WeatherTech and talk to the Tech Floor Division. Give them all the specs on your garage and make sure its a good fit. Like any product, it has some areas where it is definitely not the perfect solution and some others where it has some interesting advantages.

Yes I have been talking directly to the Tech Floor people and they have been very helpful (as have the folks at Race Deck). They also have a division in Canada where I live so it would reduce the hassel associated with shipping across the border and dealing with customs brokerage fees. I still need to get details on Canadian pricing and shipping charges if any.

I also have another concern that I need to consider as I make my decision. While the garage is fairly new (3 years) I'm not sure that I trust the stability of the concrete floor. We bought a new "spec" house and the builder built the detached 3 car garage on a slab. It seems to have pilings under the concrete but the floor has settled a bit and there are a couple minor "humps" where the pilings are. They did come out last summer and mud jack a couple sections of the garage to level the floor but it's still not perfect. I'm thinking a floating tile floor will be a better long term solution in case there is any more slight movement.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Yes I have been talking directly to the Tech Floor people and they have been very helpful (as have the folks at Race Deck). They also have a division in Canada where I live so it would reduce the hassel associated with shipping across the border and dealing with customs brokerage fees. I still need to get details on Canadian pricing and shipping charges if any.

I also have another concern that I need to consider as I make my decision. While the garage is fairly new (3 years) I'm not sure that I trust the stability of the concrete floor. We bought a new "spec" house and the builder built the detached 3 car garage on a slab. It seems to have pilings under the concrete but the floor has settled a bit and there are a couple minor "humps" where the pilings are. They did come out last summer and mud jack a couple sections of the garage to level the floor but it's still not perfect. I'm thinking a floating tile floor will be a better long term solution in case there is any more slight movement.

I would agree. I wonder how the thickness of the TechFloor will play into that. I would think that a full thickness tile such as those offered by RaceDeck or by us would perform better in that situation.

 

[BoostAddict10]

Good Morning guys,

I was doing some googling about the weathertech techfloor trying to find tips on cleaning it and stumbled upon this thread, which made me have to join so i can give some advice about the floor. I have a full red/black design Techfloor installed in my garage at work. We chose the floor for a different look in the shop. This is a full service garage but we primarily specialize in installing lift kits in trucks. Here's what I've learned from this floor thus far:

The Pro's

-Install is a breeze even though the snap/loop design can break during install. Recommend using a soft faced hammer to ensure a solid connection.

-Can easily be cut with a razor/utility knife.

- low impact and anti-slip surface is nice on the knees and feet.

-Looks killer once first installed...

The Con's

- If you plan on doing any kind of mechanical work on this floor than it will never look nice again. Once it gets dirty it always has a dusty kind-of haze to it no matter how much you clean it. Also, if you spill any kind of chemical on it than expect to always have a stain there. I've cleaned spills right away and it doesn't make any kidn of difference.

- The raised rubber squares get dirty extremely fast and are nearly impossible to clean.

- Repairing the floor isn't too bad but they aren't as anti-slip on the bottom as they claim to be. It can be a PITA to try and smooth the floor back out if you accidentally wrinkle it and pop the squares up.

-Rolling anything across this floor turns into a headache. especially creepers, jacks, or roll carts.

- My floor has been down for about 3 months now and its pretty ugly. Keep in mind that this is a full service garage.

In conclusion I would only recommend this floor in a show garage. Somewhere that see's very little traffic. It's a job in itself to keep it clean and the up-keep will be less than worth it. Besides, the stuff is crazy expensive! I will be tearing some of this floor up in my work garage in order to keep the fire hazard down. Oh yeah, this stuff lights up pretty quick so no torch work! That might just be common sense though Hope this helps and if you have any questions feel free to ask!

 

[BMBLBEE]

It's great to get feedback from someone who actually has this product installed.

Visited their web site again this morning and discoverd that the price has been REDUCED!!!!!!!! Now at $2.99 per square foot

My garage is more for show but I do change oil and rotate tires on the fleet. No heavy mechanical work or torches for me.

 

[Airwilf]

Yes I have been talking directly to the Tech Floor people and they have been very helpful (as have the folks at Race Deck). They also have a division in Canada where I live so it would reduce the hassel associated with shipping across the border and dealing with customs brokerage fees. I still need to get details on Canadian pricing and shipping charges if any.

I also have another concern that I need to consider as I make my decision. While the garage is fairly new (3 years) I'm not sure that I trust the stability of the concrete floor. We bought a new "spec" house and the builder built the detached 3 car garage on a slab. It seems to have pilings under the concrete but the floor has settled a bit and there are a couple minor "humps" where the pilings are. They did come out last summer and mud jack a couple sections of the garage to level the floor but it's still not perfect. I'm thinking a floating tile floor will be a better long term solution in case there is any more slight movement.

Racedeck shipped my tiles free to Niagara Falls NY where i picked them up.I had 11 cases to cover my 22 X 20 garage.MAKE SURE they ,or any USA vendor attaches a bill of sale or e mails you one.If not you'll get to know the customs guys better than your wife.Don't ask how I know.

 

[bp460]

I looked into TechFloor for my laundry room, as I believe it is the thinnest tile available. It will **** up next to the 1960's era VCT in the rest of my basement and I want to minimize the step between the different areas. Unfortunately, it is not in the budget right now, but I think it is an ideal solution for this application. However, I am not sure how it would hold up in a garage with vehicles on it.

-Brad

 

[RaceDeck1]

Racedeck shipped my tiles free to Niagara Falls NY where i picked them up.I had 11 cases to cover my 22 X 20 garage.MAKE SURE they ,or any USA vendor attaches a bill of sale or e mails you one.If not you'll get to know the customs guys better than your wife.Don't ask how I know.

You garage looks great! Thanks for chosing RaceDeck

 

[Teej2012]

Thanks for an update on this post...I also noticed just yesterday that TechFloor went down to $2.99 and swore it was a lot more expensive before.

It looks great and although my garage is more show, I plan to get white tiles so TechFloor sounds like it is NOT my tile of choice..... moving on....

 

[viperr817]

I as well would like to hear opinions from people that have the tech floor.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thanks for an update on this post...I also noticed just yesterday that TechFloor went down to $2.99 and swore it was a lot more expensive before.

It looks great and although my garage is more show, I plan to get white tiles so TechFloor sounds like it is NOT my tile of choice..... moving on....

I love the look of Black & White floors the day they are installed. As I have said many a time though white tiles are like a white T shirt on my 6 year old... It does not stay white for long

If I were going to do a Black & White floor I would use our Premium Ultra Flat or any of the premium patterns or Swisstrax. We guarantee the premium product will not permanently stain.

Another option is to use a good PVC product and a top coat.

 

[GPM]

I am probably too late but, I have, Weathertech, flooring and I am impressed with it. Yea, you can't use a jack on it UNLESS you place a piece of board under the jack and jack stands which imo is not bad. Not sure about it staying dirty after awhile,I mean... I can get a bucket of water and a mop to mop the tiles and it's back to its factory color. Can't scuff it, no tire marks, and if you drop oil or gas stains, just wipe it up and no stain will be left behind. I have nothing bad to say about it.

I notice this forum is Racedeck heavy and I might be stepping on the Racedeck reps toes but I wish more gave weathertech a chance.

 

[robsled]

I did a search for TechFloor before I started a new thread....

I installed TechFloor tiles in my new garage last month. It's a 2 car garage, 21'4" by 24'. So i bought tiles to fit 21' across leaving a 2" space on each side for any expansion that might occur.

Installation was super easy and the tiles look great....

UNTIL I OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR!!!!!!

If the sun directly hits any portion of the tiles, they will warp and distort within a couple of minutes. When I close the garage door, they lay back down flat after a few minutes.

Several calls and emails have resulted in pretty much nothing. I was told they have a temporary "fix" and would send that out to me. Haven't seen anything yet, and can't really imagine what kind of "fix" it could possibly be.

I am NOT HAPPY!! I would not recommend these to anyone!!

 

[bdamico]

I did a search for TechFloor before I started a new thread....

I installed TechFloor tiles in my new garage last month. It's a 2 car garage, 21'4" by 24'. So i bought tiles to fit 21' across leaving a 2" space on each side for any expansion that might occur.

Installation was super easy and the tiles look great....

UNTIL I OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR!!!!!!

If the sun directly hits any portion of the tiles, they will warp and distort within a couple of minutes. When I close the garage door, they lay back down flat after a few minutes.

Several calls and emails have resulted in pretty much nothing. I was told they have a temporary "fix" and would send that out to me. Haven't seen anything yet, and can't really imagine what kind of "fix" it could possibly be.

I am NOT HAPPY!! I would not recommend these to anyone!!

Search for contraction. If you search, you'd find this is not limited to that brand of tile. You might also find a solution.

 

[danieldolin]

This happened to my racedeck as well, the trick is to expose them to direct sunlight before installation. The solution was to remove the last row on one side and let the rest of the tiles expand outward, then re cut the last row to fit the width that is left after expansion. That worked for racedeck, I am not sure if your tech floor can be cut as easily as the racedeck product. Once I did this I have not had any problems.

 

[matty d]

I got some Weathertech samples sent to me. Initial impressions:

1) Too thin.

2) THe rubber squares seem initially like a nice idea, but you have to question the durability and ease of cleaning all of those small rubber pads. If I were to seriously consider this brand, I would go with black rubber squares because the lighter colors seem like they would get marred/stained/dirty/damaged quickly.

3) The locking mechanism doesnt seem as secure as Racedeck

4) Its not a deal-breaker, but the Weathertech samples are small, 4 inches by 4 inches; I thought they were going to send me 12x12 inch tiles. Racedeck and even other companies will send you 2 whole tiles!!!

5) Maybe would consider if the price were a fraction of R/Deck, but since they are at a similar price point, the choice is easy, so I went with Racedeck.

 

[BlckHwk13]

I did a search for TechFloor before I started a new thread....

I installed TechFloor tiles in my new garage last month. It's a 2 car garage, 21'4" by 24'. So i bought tiles to fit 21' across leaving a 2" space on each side for any expansion that might occur.

Installation was super easy and the tiles look great....

UNTIL I OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR!!!!!!

If the sun directly hits any portion of the tiles, they will warp and distort within a couple of minutes. When I close the garage door, they lay back down flat after a few minutes.

Several calls and emails have resulted in pretty much nothing. I was told they have a temporary "fix" and would send that out to me. Haven't seen anything yet, and can't really imagine what kind of "fix" it could possibly be.

I am NOT HAPPY!! I would not recommend these to anyone!!

I am not sure if you still have the TechFloor but WeatherTech has come up with a solution. They are called expansion tiles that expand and contract in the temperature variances. Based on the floor size, WeatherTech recommends installed these tiles about 4 feet deep (front garage door to the insdie) and about every 3' to 4' feet apart. Check them out here: http://www.techfloor.com/design-a-floor/3-x12-expansion-joint/?TileType=22