Garage flooring options for mechanic

[Jonmoose714]

Hi. I'll be a new homeowner soon and I'm trying to decide on what type of flooring is best for my needs. I have a typical 2 car garage in SoCal. I'm a mechanic so I'll be doing a lot of maintenance work on my cars. So I'm looking for a garage floor that can handle floor jacks, jackstands, oil spills and heavy impacts in case something heavy drops onto it.

I'm leaning towards a roll out mat because it would be easier on the knees and joints than refinishing the floor, and I feel like fluids would seep through tiles. I might decide to add a 2 post hoist later on.

What do you think would be my best option? And which products would you recommend? Also which option would be easy to clean?

Thanks!

 

[RPH]

Ghostshield products for a working garage. Things don’t stick or stain if cleaned in a reasonable time period. Vendors here carry it and will assist with all kind of product recommendations.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mechanic here also but I also do a lot of fabrication/welding so epoxy wasn't a good option for me. In my newly built shop I used a densifier only which worked well but you still need to wipe up spills as soon as possible or they will stain if left to sit for any amount of time.

I'm not a fan of the mats as I have a two post lift and when kneeling I use a small kneeling pad. My floor sweeps up nicely and is actually quite easy to keep clean but it doesn't have that "cool factor" of an epoxied or polished floor. Mine is a working shop. However, my attached house garage will eventually get the full epoxy treatment when I get time to finish that garage off.

Also just noticed that this is your first post, welcome to Garage Journal.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Hi. I'll be a new homeowner soon and I'm trying to decide on what type of flooring is best for my needs. I have a typical 2 car garage in SoCal. I'm a mechanic so I'll be doing a lot of maintenance work on my cars. So I'm looking for a garage floor that can handle floor jacks, jackstands, oil spills and heavy impacts in case something heavy drops onto it.

I'm leaning towards a roll out mat because it would be easier on the knees and joints than refinishing the floor, and I feel like fluids would seep through tiles. I might decide to add a 2 post hoist later on.

What do you think would be my best option? And which products would you recommend? Also which option would be easy to clean?

Thanks!

First and foremost, I sell a lot of roll out flooring and it really is the wrong product for this application. That's not to say you can't have something where you are working, but roll out flooring is not likely to tolerate what you will throw at it

Sealing the floor with Ghostshield 8510 is a good option, as is a good coating or even a good clear coating. Interlocking tile CAN be a good option, but it is important to recognize that spills can make their way through.

 

[astroracer]

I'll be the devils' advocate here.
What do you want to do? Work in a garage with a bare concrete floor that you don't have to worry about? Or work in a garage with a nice new coating that cost a lot of money and you now have to worry about dinging and scratching it up with floor jacks and stands?
Another question is, how old is the floor and what will you have to do to get a coating to stick? WILL it stick and for how long?... I've seen a lot of friends go this route, spending money for a great looking floor that doesn't last...
Just asking the necessary questions. A coated floor sure does look nice until it starts to come up.
Mark

 

[zmotorsports]

A coated floor sure does look nice until it starts to come up.

Agreed. My last shop I had my floor all done before I moved a single piece of equipment in. I was extremely cautious when I did move equipment in and within about 6-months had so many scratches in it from working that I said the hell with it as I was wasting so much time trying to avoid scratches.

By the end of the 25+ years I had that shop and sold the place, the coating was pretty much worn off but the concrete floor actually still looked very good and cleaned up nicely.

When I built my new shop I just went right to the densifier and decided it is a working shop, not a garage-mahal, and opted to keep it clean but it is going to get scratches and stains because I work in it. Accepting that was the hardest part.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Sadly there is nothing made that is scratch proof, so any topical coating like epoxy can get damaged over time.

But, like anything they can be maintained, and if properly maintained will last forever, that is why we recommend protective topcoats which are sacrificial, and can be re-applied at intervals determined by usage.

Densifier/sealers are great since they penetrate, but don't change the 'look' at all.

We sell the mats, and don't recommend them with jacks, they curl and 'move' we have seen. Great for parking, not advised for working garages. If an overlay is desired, check out tiles like our www.supratile.com.

 

[Jonmoose714]

Also just noticed that this is your first post, welcome to Garage Journal.

Thanks for welcoming to this board! I do all my research here and has been very helpful.

astroracer I want a strong floor that i can use jack stands and withstand possible hard impacts in case I drop something heavy. I understand that nothing will prevent from dents and scratches. I'm not looking for anything to make it look great. I want it to be functional and affordable.

The densifier/sealer does seem to be an appealing option. What condition does the concrete have to be in order to use this product? Is Ghostshield 8510 the best choice? If the floor is porous, would I be able to add a coating on to smooth out the floor first and then add the Ghostshield? I just want to be able spray down and squeegee the floor after cleaning.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi, the Ghostshield can be applied to any uncoated, non sealed floor since it absorbs, the floor must be absorbent. Once it is sealed with this it can't be coated as the sealer will resist the coating and it would need significant grinding to remove it so if you ever plan on coating it, we don't recommend using Ghostshield.

8510 is the best choice along with the 4400 densifier. If the floor is rough or textured you will need to grind it to smooth it first as the GS will do zero to change the texture or appearance.

If you want the floor smoother you'll need something topical like an epoxy system.