barryking583
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2013
- Messages
- 9
Anybody else had a problem with Race Deck tiles buckling up when they get hot?
Hot Tiles
- Thread starter barryking583
- Start date
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The problem is not limited to Racedeck. Any solid garage floor tile can experience the issue. Here is a recent post I wrote about the issue of: Expansion and contraction in garage floor tiles
RaceDeck1
Well-known member
Hi
I agree with Justin's comment above about expansion takes place with modular floor systems and most any other material that is on top of a concrete floor in the garage enviroment ( VCT, mats, et). Depending on where you live in the world, the varying expansion in any given 24 hour period can vary greatly. The good news is that in 99.9% of the time, a one time simple adjustment all that is needed with RaceDeck. Our patent PowerLocks and various structural designs are engineered to handle expansion.
What is happening is that your floor may have been installed when it was cooler out and most likely heavy items where put on the floor at that time which "captures" the floor prior to max expansion in a heat cycle. Now when you have the hot direct sun hitting the floor, it can't move anywhere but up, as it can not move very heavy items and can not move walls. The remedy- You need to "capture" the floor at maxinum expansion....let me try to explain this. remove the stationary heavy objects in the morning and at the hottest part of the day,when the floor is exposed to heat and direct sunlight walk through the garage and make sure nothing is holding back the floor ( walls, objects, door tracks, et) and then put everything back on the floor. Our floors will absorb most heat cycle expansion within our locking system, but for huge swings, capturing is essential for a trouble free floor. My personal floor has been installed for 10 years in Utah where temps go from -0 to 110 and I face west for the afternoon sun, never an expansion issue.
Here is another example of what I am trying to explain. -
Lets say you have a 20'x30 floor in the middle of a parking lot in AZ and install it in the morning if you leave it there for 24 hrs through the hottest part of the day, it will expand but will not buckle up. . Now with this same floor you park two cars on the floor, one on each end in the early morning, then at the hottest part of the day you will have a large buckle in the floor, as it will not be able to push out the cars to expand...the floor takes the path of least resistance. Now here is the "Capture" example. On this same floor you wait until 3 pm when the sun is blaring and very hot,( the floor is hot but no buckling), park the same cars on each end of the floor to capture it at max expansion and watch it for another 24 hrs....the floor will not buckle.
Again, call us to better explain and get your floor set. ask for me and if I am in the office, I will walk you through step-by-step 800-457-0174
I agree with Justin's comment above about expansion takes place with modular floor systems and most any other material that is on top of a concrete floor in the garage enviroment ( VCT, mats, et). Depending on where you live in the world, the varying expansion in any given 24 hour period can vary greatly. The good news is that in 99.9% of the time, a one time simple adjustment all that is needed with RaceDeck. Our patent PowerLocks and various structural designs are engineered to handle expansion.
What is happening is that your floor may have been installed when it was cooler out and most likely heavy items where put on the floor at that time which "captures" the floor prior to max expansion in a heat cycle. Now when you have the hot direct sun hitting the floor, it can't move anywhere but up, as it can not move very heavy items and can not move walls. The remedy- You need to "capture" the floor at maxinum expansion....let me try to explain this. remove the stationary heavy objects in the morning and at the hottest part of the day,when the floor is exposed to heat and direct sunlight walk through the garage and make sure nothing is holding back the floor ( walls, objects, door tracks, et) and then put everything back on the floor. Our floors will absorb most heat cycle expansion within our locking system, but for huge swings, capturing is essential for a trouble free floor. My personal floor has been installed for 10 years in Utah where temps go from -0 to 110 and I face west for the afternoon sun, never an expansion issue.
Here is another example of what I am trying to explain. -
Lets say you have a 20'x30 floor in the middle of a parking lot in AZ and install it in the morning if you leave it there for 24 hrs through the hottest part of the day, it will expand but will not buckle up. . Now with this same floor you park two cars on the floor, one on each end in the early morning, then at the hottest part of the day you will have a large buckle in the floor, as it will not be able to push out the cars to expand...the floor takes the path of least resistance. Now here is the "Capture" example. On this same floor you wait until 3 pm when the sun is blaring and very hot,( the floor is hot but no buckling), park the same cars on each end of the floor to capture it at max expansion and watch it for another 24 hrs....the floor will not buckle.
Again, call us to better explain and get your floor set. ask for me and if I am in the office, I will walk you through step-by-step 800-457-0174
JimVonBaden
Well-known member
Curious. If you install when it is hot out, so the tiles are fully expanded, then put heavy items on them, will they pull apart when it is cold?
Jim
Jim
RaceDeck1
Well-known member
Curious. If you install when it is hot out, so the tiles are fully expanded, then put heavy items on them, will they pull apart when it is cold?
Jim
No, RaceDeck with our patent PowerLock system. Once engaged the locks become part of the entire understructure and will allow each module to move within its on space. The seams you see between each module and the movement within our locks is specifically designed for expansion and contraction.
AaronTTRS
Well-known member
I saw these kinds of issues posted so I left 3/4 inch all the way around since I installed at 20 degrees/winter day. Now that it's getting warm I can really see how much you need to leave space.
They expand more than you would think. Plan for it and you'll be fine.
Aaron
They expand more than you would think. Plan for it and you'll be fine.
Aaron
blackz26
Banned
Since one of the people who sells it is here, please explain to me the benefit of the flooring? Because I just don't see it bed does visual reasons.
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I am sorry, I do not understand the question.
blackz26
Banned
Sorry for the poor wording. Let me try again. What would someone want to install tile floor in their garage besides for visual reasons?
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Curious. If you install when it is hot out, so the tiles are fully expanded, then put heavy items on them, will they pull apart when it is cold?
Jim
I have never seen tiles pull apart from this issue, it is usually the opposite that is the concern. I agree with Jorgen so long as the garage is not exposed to direct sunlight or large temperature swings.
IF though you are in a situation where say the first three rows heat up and cool down and the rest of the floor does not, I believe you could still have an issue as they are expanding and contracting at a different rate. Same is true with large temperature swings. In theory if you got the tiles heated up, put a heavy object there and left it there, I would concede the point. But the 'heavy object' in my garage usually pulls in and out
As we have talked about, some locking systems deal with expansion and contraction better than others. I won't speak specifically to brands that I do not sell, but broadly speaking, other than some of the ribbed tiles on the market, I have not seen a solid tile that is 100% resistant to this issue, even if you leave it out in the Sun first.
Garage Flooring
ALLIANCE MEMBER
No problem. I would say that the biggest motivation for our customers is aesthetics. I would say that this is the predominant motivation for any flooring product.
Garage tiles in general provide an easy to clean surface that requires little to no surface prep. They are easy to customize and require few if any tools to install. They provide some give compared to concrete as well.
OP
barryking583
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2013
- Messages
- 9
Thank you all!
OP
barryking583
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2013
- Messages
- 9
Thanks