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PVC tiles vs RaceDeck tiles. Opinions?

K

kngelv

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May 25, 2011
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Detroit, MI
Has anyone tried both PVC and the polypropylene/RaceDeck tiles? There are a ton of threads on the RaceDeck type but not too much on PVC. I'm still debating this four years and two garages after my initial idea to buy tiles. I have a couple PVC samples and eight of the RaceDeck and can't make up my mind.

James
 
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CJDave

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Fairfield, Ohio
I have no experience with PVC tile but I love my RaceDeck Free Flow tiles. After 2 plus years and starting the 3rd winter I don't know what else could be better. I'm in southwest Ohio and have to deal with winter's snow and slush. This stuff disappears through the Free Flow and drains away. Scrubbing a couple of times a year with a soft broom and car wash soap is all of the care that is needed. Good luck. CJ Dave.
 
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James-W

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Southeastern Wisconsin
I have Racedeck as well and I do mostly woodworking. I chose the diamond pattern and I have had no issues so far. I don't recall exactly when I got them, but I am pretty sure I will be starting my 3rd year in a couple months.
 
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ww_big_al

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Parma, MI
Put some pvc in the freezer or outside if you have a winter. See if they break when you bend them. That will help you in determining the quality of the plastic used in the tiles.
 
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James-W

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swissguy said:
I have Racedeck and love the look. Cons are the noise when walking on them and the static charge.
Click to expand...
Some people put a pad of sorts down first and then lay the tile on the pad. This cuts down on the amount of "clicking" sound you get from walking on the tile. Landscape fabric seems to be main choice for people to use. Not sure what to do about static electricity.
 
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Steves32

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Feb 12, 2011
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ww_big_al said:
Put some pvc in the freezer or outside if you have a winter. See if they break when you bend them. That will help you in determining the quality of the plastic used in the tiles.
Click to expand...
PVC floor would lay flat when installed. Not sure why bending one when frozen is any kind of test. I’m betting the PVC would bend easier than a race deck tile- in any weather.
 
G

Garage Flooring

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Grand Junction, CO
These types of posts are difficult to answer. If I asked you what was a better car an Outback or a Mustang, there are a lot of things you would have to consider.... Large family, live in Colorado, like to mountain bike.... Mustang likely not the best fit, but that does not make it a bad car.

I'm putting Racedeck on my own detached garage. Love the product and love the company. If I was putting a floor down for a woodworking shop, I might have a different answer, depends on what you need.

PVC
More cushion
less noise
Stains from tires
No gaps

Polypropylene (RaceDeck)

Won't stain
can be loud if you don't use an underlayment
Minimal gap in a good tile
Straight edges make for nice pattern
YEARS in the business and YEARS of history
 
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CJDave

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Fairfield, Ohio
I want to put in my 2 cents worth on the "noise" issue. My RaceDeck Free Flow makes very little, almost no, noise when you walk across it. Just a faint clicking but not with every step. The clicking may be from minor blemishes in the surface of the concrete. It is laid on the concrete directly, no underlayment. My closest friend put down the RaceDeck solid tile with the coin top pattern directly on his concrete garage floor. His floor does make some noise, almost a squeaking noise. With that said I don't find that noise to be objectionable. CJ Dave.
 
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K

kngelv

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Detroit, MI
CJDave said:
I want to put in my 2 cents worth on the "noise" issue. My RaceDeck Free Flow makes very little, almost no, noise when you walk across it. Just a faint clicking but not with every step. The clicking may be from minor blemishes in the surface of the concrete. It is laid on the concrete directly, no underlayment. My closest friend put down the RaceDeck solid tile with the coin top pattern directly on his concrete garage floor. His floor does make some noise, almost a squeaking noise. With that said I don't find that noise to be objectionable. CJ Dave.
Click to expand...

I walked on Freeflow at Sears and they are much quieter than solid tiles. I had already received a few full sized samples from RaceDeck and I had a couple of Trafficmaster tiles from Home Depot that I think are PVC though their website says they are rubber. Today I received the PVC samples from Garage Flooring LLC. They were very small – around 3"x3" and felt the same as the Trafficmaster from Depot. I have no way to compare them to RaceDeck as far as noise value since they are too small to walk on. I also have no idea how samples that small would help in making a decision. For some reason it reminded me of that Stonehenge scene in "Spinal Tap" with the ridiculously tiny pillars being lowered to the stage.

James
 
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CJDave

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With my limited exposure to RaceDeck products I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in their tiles. Dave R.
 
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CJDave

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Fairfield, Ohio
I do get a slight curling at the front edge of mine. Only in one small spot and I'm not sure if the tile itself is curling up or the beveled edge is curling and raising the tile with it. This occurs when the overhead door is open and the sun is shining on the floor. The only affected place is one small spot at the edge of the tiles not the interior portion of the floor. I want to try and shave a little material from each end of a couple of the edge pieces. Maybe that will relieve the curl. It's no big deal as I have dealt with the curling for 2+ years and have yet to do anything about it. The overhead door opening faces nearly due south and I get plenty of sun on the floor if the door is up. I limit the time that the door is up since my Mach 1 restoration has been completed. I don't want the sun blazing in on the car's paint. Dave R.
 
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Armorpoxy

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NJ
Hi
Contact us directly for a free full size www.supratile.com solid PVC industrial grade tile for evaluation. Mention This GJ thread for the full size sample. Thanks.


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T

Todd.Brock

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Jul 15, 2008
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Cincinnati
I just ordered a sample of Race Deck from Tammy. Told her I was a GJ member and she is sending 2 free flow tiles for free! Said GJ gets a discount and free shipping. Couldn't have been any friendlier!
 
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RUMBLON

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Jul 12, 2010
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CAMBRIDGE IDAHO
GarageFlooringLLC said:
These types of posts are difficult to answer. If I asked you what was a better car an Outback or a Mustang, there are a lot of things you would have to consider.... Large family, live in Colorado, like to mountain bike.... Mustang likely not the best fit, but that does not make it a bad car.

I'm putting Racedeck on my own detached garage. Love the product and love the company. If I was putting a floor down for a woodworking shop, I might have a different answer, depends on what you need.

PVC
More cushion
less noise
Stains from tires
No gaps

Polypropylene (RaceDeck)

Won't stain
can be loud if you don't use an underlayment
Minimal gap in a good tile
Straight edges make for nice pattern
YEARS in the business and YEARS of history
Click to expand...



So you are using Racedeck on your floor? Im looking at your website and the diamond racedeck is $3.79 a sq ft. But you also sell the TruLock. Its on sale at $1.99 a sq ft. Can you tell me how the two compare and the thickness of each? Pros and cons?

Thx RUMBLON
 
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K

kngelv

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Location
Detroit, MI
I also wanted to mention that I did receive a full size Norsk tile sample from Garage Flooring LLC. I also have two tiles from Armor Poxy and eight from RaceDeck in an area of my garage with constant traffic. I'm going to do my best to work on them this week and then see how easy they are to clean. I then plan on testing their resistance to normal garage chemicals. I will then finally end this long quest and order some flooring.

James
 
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Garage Flooring

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Grand Junction, CO
kngelv said:
I also wanted to mention that I did receive a full size Norsk tile sample from Garage Flooring LLC. I also have two tiles from Armor Poxy and eight from RaceDeck in an area of my garage with constant traffic. I'm going to do my best to work on them this week and then see how easy they are to clean. I then plan on testing their resistance to normal garage chemicals. I will then finally end this long quest and order some flooring.

James
Click to expand...

Glad you got the samples
 
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Todd.Brock

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Cincinnati
GarageFlooring LLC - I will be requesting a couple samples in the next day or so. I got the racedeck flow through and it looks like nice stuff.
 
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jacks2000

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Location
Kansas
kngelv Please test for brake fluid. It's my most spilled or leaked fluid.I have a race car and bleed the brakes all the time.
 
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K

kngelv

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Messages
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Location
Detroit, MI
I finally tested the tiles with chemicals. I let the chemicals that did not evaporate quickly sit overnight. I used oil, brake fluid, contact cleaner, brake cleaner, acetone, trans fluid, gear oil, grease, mineral spirits and turpentine. No gas because I did not want the smell in the garage because I'm doing a lot of work in there right now. The tiles were RaceDeck Diamond, Supratile and Norsk Sport. I was able to clean all of them with no traces left. The Norsk Sport was a pain to clean because of the pebble like texture so that is out. I then poured water on the seams. The two Supratiles with the puzzle joints were dry underneath while the RaceDeck were wet. I know the RaceDeck design is for liquids to run under the tiles and out the door but I was planning on using landscape fabric to quiet the clacking sound. I think that would probably prevent flow and impede evaporation.


James
 
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Armorpoxy

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Thanks for the feedback. We have sold tens of thousands of Supratile installs with no reported issues of water getting under them. Also since they are oversized 20.5" square, we have 1/4 the amount of joints than smaller tiles so much less of a chance of leakage under them.


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