Porcelain Tile in the Garage/Workshop

[JimVonBaden]

I know this has been covered before, but I thought I would make a few comments, and show a few pictures.

As some of you are aware, I put VCT in my main garage 7 years ago when I bought my house. The Build-out is covered here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128013

I like the VCT for cost and ease of install, but since I work in my garage a lot, it tends to be pretty high maintenance to keep looking good.

New:



In use:



Clean-up:




In the mean time, because of all my **** and bikes, neither car will fit in. So, the solution is a new workshop to fit the **** in. See here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346116

Built, insulated, painted:








[URL=https://imageshack.com/i/pmt5fu66j]

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Finally, to the floor. Since this will be a working workshop, I wanted it to be able to take some abuse, but also clean easily and look good for future sale when we retire in 10 years.

The solution? Porcelain tile.




I have done tile on my porch, and it was mid summer and miserable. This time, 50-60 degrees, and I had a wet saw, so much less miserable.

layout, measure, measure, measure, and cut!




Next the install, thinset, back butter and lay in a reasonable pattern to minimize waste.







Then grout with a synthetic grout, darker to avoid stains.








Up to date. This started December 7th, with initial help with the structure, a guy helping on the drywall, and paint.

Today I start moving in all my ****, after cleaning drywall mud dust off if it.

 

[larry4406]

Nice shop! My knees ache just thinking about tiling a floor like this.

 

[foodie]

Great job!

 

[Dakota00]

Very nice, enjoy!

 

[Angelfire]

Nice! I think you'll really be happy with your decision to go with Porcelain.....I know I have been. Well, other than my knees still reminding me of the install
Cheers.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Nice shop! My knees ache just thinking about tiling a floor like this.

So true.

Great job!

Thanks!

Very nice, enjoy!

Your garage inspired me to to mine!

Nice! I think you'll really be happy with your decision to go with Porcelain.....I know I have been. Well, other than my knees still reminding me of the install
Cheers.

LOL Mine too, though getting better after several days!

 

[Southren_Canuk]

First time you drop a tool and crack a tile you'll be cussing but it looks good!

 

[Shea]

Great job! The floor look good and will be much easier to maintain as you mentioned.

First time you drop a tool and crack a tile you'll be cussing but it looks good!

This is a common misconception for those not aware of the strength of porcelain tile when laid correctly. This article addresses those misconceptions. https://allgaragefloors.com/porcelain-garage-floor-questions/

 

[NORDFORD]

Love the VCT. Not sure about the porcelain. I don’t think I’d like all the seams. Regardless, it’s not my shop and looks like you did a good install! If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.

 

[Angelfire]

First time you drop a tool and crack a tile you'll be cussing but it looks good!

Not a chance if installed properly. He back buttered and ensured 100% coverage.....he'll be hard pressed to break it.

 

[FANTM58]

Not a chance if installed properly. He back buttered and ensured 100% coverage.....he'll be hard pressed to break it.

True but it all depends on the sub straight, if the concrete moves or cracks
It will come through the tile, the use of a good un coupler membrane
Such as Schluter’s Ditra.
Really helps with this issue,
That being said, it looks great...

 

[JimVonBaden]

Regardless of opinion, this tile held up moving heavy cabinets and items, and looks great!

 

[drmarkr]

Damn....that looks great, Jim!

So I'm going in with porcelain in my new addition/rebuild from the fire. I'm wondering if it's going to be more, or less, work to install larger tiles?? The sq ft is going to be big...as in around 1500 sq ft big. Do I do it with 12-15" tile, or 30-36" tiles??

 

[JimVonBaden]

Damn....that looks great, Jim!

So I'm going in with porcelain in my new addition/rebuild from the fire. I'm wondering if it's going to be more, or less, work to install larger tiles?? The sq ft is going to be big...as in around 1500 sq ft big. Do I do it with 12-15" tile, or 39-36" tiles??

My professional advisor said that large tiles are both easier and harder. Easier because you place fewer of them, harder to get them all level to each other. There are relatively cheap tools to help amateurs like me keep the level. First, two people for sure, one mixing thinset, toting tiles and QC, the other mudding and laying.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KX56YFJ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Dakota00]

Damn....that looks great, Jim!

So I'm going in with porcelain in my new addition/rebuild from the fire. I'm wondering if it's going to be more, or less, work to install larger tiles?? The sq ft is going to be big...as in around 1500 sq ft big. Do I do it with 12-15" tile, or 39-36" tiles??

Unless you're an experienced tile setter, definitely stick with a smaller format tile. It'll be easier to handle, lay and can easily ensure proper coverage of thinset (ie: no voids) when installing.

 

[Angelfire]

Damn....that looks great, Jim!

So I'm going in with porcelain in my new addition/rebuild from the fire. I'm wondering if it's going to be more, or less, work to install larger tiles?? The sq ft is going to be big...as in around 1500 sq ft big. Do I do it with 12-15" tile, or 30-36" tiles??

When I did my floor, I debated this too. I ultimately went with 12x24. In the end, I'm happy with my choice but I did end up with some lippage in places. A professional who works with this size regularly would have had no lippage. Live and learn I guess. The larger the tile, the more flat your floor needs to be. Also, the larger tiles tend to have a "bow" in them...mine did although it wasn't much. To alleviate the issue, I ran an offset running pattern so the bows didn't all line up row to row. It hasn't bothered me in the least.

Now, for a home/kitchen/bathroom install, I would absolutely look to use a levelling system as shown above. For a garage where 100% thinset coverage is required/desired, I wouldn't. Those systems effectively pull the tiles up to match one another leaving small voids under the tile. I had planned to use one of the systems until I researched them (and got great advice from Dakota).

My space was a lot smaller than yours (about 700SF IIRC). I ultimately put together a pattern that broke up the space into 4 quadrants. This was primarily done in case I got "off" on my lines so the issue didn't translate into the entire floor. I used all the same color tile so the pattern is there but not all that noticeable unless you really look at it.

For 1500SF, get good knee pads/mats/whatever.....and work out a good workflow for back-buttering, setting, cleaning, etc.... And then when your knees are absolutely at the end of their life, you get to grout .
Cheers.