Porcelain tile - what preparations I need?
- Thread starter Domochu
- Start date
NewShockerGuy
Well-known member
Good thread... My main question is when you put tile down on the garage floor how are you making it even with the front of the garage coming into the garage? IE: Normally there is a little bit of a lip coming into the garage so that water doesn't go into the garage... by adding tile on TOP of the garge it would make it that much higher... how does one avoid this if any? I like the pictures of the tile but have never seen what it looks like looking into the garage from the driveway....
Also when adding tile where do you start? Middle of the room, pick a corner, side..etc?
-Nigel
Also when adding tile where do you start? Middle of the room, pick a corner, side..etc?
-Nigel
I purchased SS Steel tile edge protector, and installed it instead of the lip. Protects that tile edge like no other. I also installed a garage door rubber threshold in front of that lip. So my car goes on the threshold first, then over the lip. Incline from threshold to top of tile is no more than 1/4".
From the outside. Major renovation done here.
From edge, outside. Sorry both pics are still during the major work, and everything is dirty. Look in the pics between the Hilti box and the compound bucket, you can see the cut-offs from the edge protector. I use aluminum everywhere else, like the step, and sewer cover. Much cheaper. Each one of those SS 10' pieces were like $20 to $30 each. I forgot exactly, but remember that my eyes bulged when I heard the price. I was on a tight budget.
Let me know if get the gist of it or if you want better pics.
You can buy that at the bix box stores, but they usually only have the aluminum ones. I chose SS because it is much more durable, especially when you driving and dragging stuff over the edge. Which I do all the time.
From the outside. Major renovation done here.
From edge, outside. Sorry both pics are still during the major work, and everything is dirty. Look in the pics between the Hilti box and the compound bucket, you can see the cut-offs from the edge protector. I use aluminum everywhere else, like the step, and sewer cover. Much cheaper. Each one of those SS 10' pieces were like $20 to $30 each. I forgot exactly, but remember that my eyes bulged when I heard the price. I was on a tight budget.
Let me know if get the gist of it or if you want better pics.
You can buy that at the bix box stores, but they usually only have the aluminum ones. I chose SS because it is much more durable, especially when you driving and dragging stuff over the edge. Which I do all the time.
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It is just messed up dirty. It's in front of the tile. You can see it in both pics. The pic with the bimmer in the garage, you can see it cleaned up. The black line in front of the tile. The pic with the doors, it's there too. But covered up in dirt, and cement, and all other **** from the renovation.
aosty
Well-known member
Oh, and here's a picture that showed the first half of my garage right before I put down my tiles. There was about an inch and a half drop off in that front section, where a previous owner had lengthened the garage. I didn't know about self-leveling mix when I did this, so I used vinyl patching mix.
Hi Jack - Do you have a photo of the cracks and drop prior to patching? I live nearby and in the process of buying a house with a garage floor in similar sounding condition... questioning the sanity of patching/filling the area. Thanks.
As usual, I'm coming late to this party. You do not want to use a uncoupling membrane, like Ditra, on a garage floor, but it is a good idea to use a crack-isolation membrane, such as Mapei's Mapelastic 315, Aquadefence, or HPG. These membranes allow a small amount of movement, without transfering the load through the tile. This, used in conjunction with a flexible mortar system like Keralastic/Kerabond, or GraniRapid, makes for a long lasting tile installation over concrete. Go with a grout system like either Mapei's Opticolor, or Laticrete's Spectralock, and you will save yourself some grout maintenance down the road.
Just remember, no matter what you do, do not bridge expansion, control, or cold joints. These are all designed to move more than any crack-isolation or uncoupling membrane can control. There are joint systems designed to deal with these through the tile.
Someone mentioned 6x6 tiles used in commercial kitchens as being porcelain, but they are not, they are quarry tile. These are not as durable as porcelain, but that being said, they have been used for decades in European manufacturing settings, and even garages. They do get beat up, but they actually look pretty cool after a few decades of wear and patina.
Just remember, no matter what you do, do not bridge expansion, control, or cold joints. These are all designed to move more than any crack-isolation or uncoupling membrane can control. There are joint systems designed to deal with these through the tile.
Someone mentioned 6x6 tiles used in commercial kitchens as being porcelain, but they are not, they are quarry tile. These are not as durable as porcelain, but that being said, they have been used for decades in European manufacturing settings, and even garages. They do get beat up, but they actually look pretty cool after a few decades of wear and patina.
Hi guys. Thanks again for the advice and inspiration. Can't believe I've been thinking about this project since 2012...
Had some other more pressing projects to tend to and this keeps on being pushed back.
But I'm glad to tell you that I've started some work on the garage finally.
The front of the pad is in such a bad shape (too many loose parts) that me and my friend decided to just tear it up with a jack hammer and re-pour it. The past winter really destroyed it as it was a very cold winter and the whole front heaved 2 inches (even with the garage being heated). Everything cracked and destroyed.
Took us 2 days of work. We added some rods to solidify it and we drilled/glued some rods perpendicularly into the current pad. Also pinned the front down on the frost pour with 40x 3in long Tapcons screwed at half length into the frost pour prior to pouring (the other half will be covered by the new pour...which will hopefully hold it in place).
Not a concrete pro so thing is not perfect... will have to fix it and make it level before laying tiles.
Had some other more pressing projects to tend to and this keeps on being pushed back.
But I'm glad to tell you that I've started some work on the garage finally.
The front of the pad is in such a bad shape (too many loose parts) that me and my friend decided to just tear it up with a jack hammer and re-pour it. The past winter really destroyed it as it was a very cold winter and the whole front heaved 2 inches (even with the garage being heated). Everything cracked and destroyed.
Took us 2 days of work. We added some rods to solidify it and we drilled/glued some rods perpendicularly into the current pad. Also pinned the front down on the frost pour with 40x 3in long Tapcons screwed at half length into the frost pour prior to pouring (the other half will be covered by the new pour...which will hopefully hold it in place).
Not a concrete pro so thing is not perfect... will have to fix it and make it level before laying tiles.
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Great thread! This has been very useful to me, seems like a lot of solid professional and real world experience from some handy DIYers on here, all with a passion for the garage like I have. I've been researching flooring options for my two garages and am decided on tiling now based on value, durability and good looks. Going to do the two car attached first and then my 30x40 detached. These posts have helped a ton and the advise from my tile guy is going to be invaluable. Just waiting to finish a house project that has my garage filled with materials. I'll be looking for a 12x24 porcelain tile. My tile guy is going to search his suppliers for product to see what kind of deals can be found. I'm hoping that I'll end up with a better tile in the end.
Domochu, how is your project coming along?
Domochu, how is your project coming along?
wkearney99
Well-known member
When we built our new house I found it was useful to go to the regional tile distributors and ask them what they had that wasn't selling that they were willing to price to move. Ended up with some great 45x90cm (~18x36") for that was normally 9 dollars a square for 2.50. It was worth my time to do the legwork.
Good advise, but when talking to my tile guy (who is doing two bathrooms for me mow) he told me that buying my tiles from him would come with free to low cost advise and floor prep which is what concerns me the most about this project. We would be in the $1.50 to $2/sq foot price for tiles. I'll plan to buy my thinnest and grout from him too.
wkearney99
Well-known member
Well, I'd check anyway. Its rare for a sub to be offering anythying that isnt the best deal... FOR THEM.
As for tile advice, check the John Bridge tile forums.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
As for tile advice, check the John Bridge tile forums.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
I do need to spend some time at john bridge forum. I signed up the other day, but haven't looked around there much. Thanks
Cave Creek Ray
Well-known member
www.floorelf.com is another good source.
Here is my "lip edge. The tape was temporary to hold the metal edging.
I pulled it back under the door edge to stop the very water run-in issue you mention. Works great. Heavy rain yesterday and no leaks on the finished side of the door. The usual leaks on the unfinished side...
Here is my "lip edge. The tape was temporary to hold the metal edging.
I pulled it back under the door edge to stop the very water run-in issue you mention. Works great. Heavy rain yesterday and no leaks on the finished side of the door. The usual leaks on the unfinished side...
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duneslider
Well-known member
Be sure to read up in the JB forum or the floor elf site. There is so much mis-information in this thread it is scary. It is really easy to not know a thing about flooring and offer up poor suggestions all day. Just because you know someone who has been doing it this way for 20 years doesn't mean it was right...ever...
Be careful out there.
Be careful out there.
OJ Bartley
Well-known member
Domochu, good to see you getting started! My tile project took a very long time between planning/purchasing/finally starting/and finally finishing too. Don't worry, as long as you are finally getting to it. I hope the new floor holds well. I don't know anything about concrete, but are you using fibre mesh or anything in the new pour, or just the rebar and tpacons? Looks like with that climate you'll want to go with a modified thinset, like I did. Mine held up great through its first winter, and I can tell you that stuff is STICKY when going down. I still find clumps of it on the shirt/shorts I was wearing when I started, and they've been through the wash dozens of times.
Pay2play I hope your project goes well too. If you're not in a rush, keep an eye on big box sales and visit local tile suppliers to see what's on clearance, or ask then like wkearney99 suggested. You never know, you might stumble across something great, and you can still ask your guy to get it for you from them if he can't find something you like at a price you like.
Pay2play I hope your project goes well too. If you're not in a rush, keep an eye on big box sales and visit local tile suppliers to see what's on clearance, or ask then like wkearney99 suggested. You never know, you might stumble across something great, and you can still ask your guy to get it for you from them if he can't find something you like at a price you like.
Re: Porcelain Tiling My Garage
My two bathroom projects sucked my budget dry and took waaay too long. I'll have to rebuild the cash fund before continuing on. I will still watch for tile deals though. Buying my materials over time may help the budget. Thanks for the advice everyone!
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My two bathroom projects sucked my budget dry and took waaay too long. I'll have to rebuild the cash fund before continuing on. I will still watch for tile deals though. Buying my materials over time may help the budget. Thanks for the advice everyone!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Denwood
Well-known member
Dom, I believe your original cracking/heave issue is likely a drainage issue. In post #48, the pic shows that your driveway slopes down to the garage slab, and looks to be lock-stone. There's a good chance water is draining through your lock-stone, and ending up under your slab, particularly near the door area. Your earlier crack photos are almost certainly showing that the front of the slab is heaving under freeze cycles, particularly if you map the coldest area of your sub-grade door area where frost would penetrate. My guess is that this damage will continue unless you address this issue.
The good news is that because your driveway is lock-stone, it should be easy to expose the leading edge. You may need to drop a 2' to 3' footing down across your door threshold, waterproof the footing, insulate it, then add a drain grate and/or weeping tile to keep water from ending up under your slab at the door where frost penetration is causing the issue. As long as water is accumulating under your slab at the frost line, you'll likely see slab issues. Heating your shop won't fix this as the area around your door is still likely below freezing when it's -25C outside. Once you insulate below grade at your door, then ground heat/combined with shop heat should keep the problem area above zero.
The good news is that because your driveway is lock-stone, it should be easy to expose the leading edge. You may need to drop a 2' to 3' footing down across your door threshold, waterproof the footing, insulate it, then add a drain grate and/or weeping tile to keep water from ending up under your slab at the door where frost penetration is causing the issue. As long as water is accumulating under your slab at the frost line, you'll likely see slab issues. Heating your shop won't fix this as the area around your door is still likely below freezing when it's -25C outside. Once you insulate below grade at your door, then ground heat/combined with shop heat should keep the problem area above zero.
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