Porcelain Tile in Garage? How to Prep

[auto paint guard]

Hello. Trying to redo our floors at the shop and was thinking about a nice porcelain tile. We install paint protection film and window tint so we play in the water a lot. With that said, what is the best way to lay tile down on the floor with not having any issues down the road? I've heard just an acid wash will be fine to grinding the floor down to concrete and then applying the tile with special thinset etc?

The current floor is painted epoxy which is coming up in spots.

Thank you very much for any help.

 

[Dirtfarmer69]

I'll be doing the same thing shortly. I'm planning on stripping the the existing epoxy with a floor sander with diamond flaps along with a grinder and diamond wheel. I've laid a lot of tile, but never in a garage. You really want exposed concrete so the thinset can grip well.

 

[Mark118]

Just did my ~450 sq ft. garage in porcelain. I also had an older epoxy finish in worn condition to deal with. The consensus I perceived was to remove anything loose and rough up anything that adhered well. I set out to do that with a 7" diamond cup wheel. Working in sections in the zone of reach, it went quickly enough that I wound up taking the entire floor down to bare concrete in two or three hours. I'd highly recommend, whatever you use, to use a shroud connected to a shop vac. I would also recommend grout with a polymer additive or the common type mixed with the liquid polymer for stain resistance. Good luck with your projects, guys. You're gonna love the results!

 

[auto paint guard]

Thank you for the help.

Last question in a shop use, would a 12X12 or a 12x24 tile be any different in strength?

Thank you

 

[Dakota00]

Thank you for the help.

Last question in a shop use, would a 12X12 or a 12x24 tile be any different in strength?

Thank you

As long as the tiles are installed properly it doesn't matter the size. But it will be easier to lay 12x12 if the concrete floor is not flat.

 

[Travinsky]

I had this done on my last house concrete driveway and it turned out pretty good. A good idea was to use the clear non-slip application once a year.

 

[OJ Bartley]

Since nobody commented on the TWO McLarens that seem to be sitting in your shop, I'll just say WOW OMG.

I think once you're through all of the prep and installation you'll be very happy with tile.

 

[slickgt1]

My floor prep was a knife to peel off the paint that was sticking up, and a broom.

 

[Gerald O]

Not sure if acid wash is a good idea. It might interfere with the thinset or weaken it if you don't get all the acid completely rinsed out and neutralized. Mechanical grinding is probably the safer bet. Use something like TSP to wash with if needed.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The biggest issue with heavy loads on porcelain tile is making certain that the mastic has 100% contact with both the floor and the tile. Any gaps and the tile will crack, so the proper notch trowel is critical.

I know some guys "back butter" larger tiles, but that is really a question for the pros.

 

[Gerald O]

Porcelain floor tile must be laid with thinset mortar, not mastic.