Interlocking Floor Tile Comparative Study

[Jeff]

Choosing a interlocking floor tile for our shops or garages can be a daunting task, especially considering the varied pricing. Depending on the total square footage the total cost can vary by almost 50%.

After much debate in my Race Deck vs Floor Junkies thread, I felt the need to include a wider selection of tiles for my 300 square foot shop project.

For comparison purposes, practicality, and budgetary restraints, I chose to sample a variety of standard 12"x12" interlocking tiles for my 290 square foot floor. The exception are the SwissTrax 13"x13" tiles. Race Deck provided a free diamond tile, while SwissTrax sent 2 free tiles. All other tiles were purchased personally.


Tile Selection:

• Floor Junkies - Circle
• Garage Deck – Circle
• Garage Track – Diamond
• Moto Floor – Diamond
• Race Deck – Circle
• Race Deck – Diamond
• SwissTrax - Circle
• SwissTrax – Diamond

Tile Specifications:

Brand/Style - Tile Dimensions (L”xW”xH”) - Top Thickness - Weight (OZ)

Floor Junkies - Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.459 - 0.12” - 11.4
Garage Deck – Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.446 - 0.1” - 12.1
Garage Track – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.494 - 0.1” - 12.7
Moto Floor – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.448 - 0.1” - 12.2
Race Deck – Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.513 - 0.11” - 14.4
Race Deck – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.514 - 0.11” - 14.3
SwissTrax - Circle - 13 x 13 x 0.481 - 0.12” - 18.3
SwissTrax – Diamond - 13 x 13 x 0.481 - 0.12” - 17.2

Imagery:




































Next...measuring
​

 

[Red Leader]

Thanks for doing this

 

[Jeff]

Measuring:

Each tile was measured by length, width, tile thickness, and top thickness. To properly measure the top thickness, a 2" hole was drilled out, de-burred, and measured with a micrometer. The circle or diamond reliefs were not used for the top thickness measurement.

Weight:

Each tile was weighed with a NTEP certified digital scale which is precise to 0.05 ounces.

Bendability:

One suggestion given to me was to 'bend the tile'. Not sure whether to use a vise or brute strength, I chose the infamous He-Man Woman Haters Klub muscle flex. The tiles were placed outside in 93 degree full sunshine for 1 hour. Grabbing each tile on opposite sides I attempted to bend each tile over onto itself. Surprisingly, all tiles only flexed approximately 1".

Appearence:

All the tiles were properly finished with no rough or jagged edges.

The Garage Deck and Garage Trac tiles were quite bright and shiny, resembling pseudo diamond plate. Under bright shop lights these tiles were too bright and highly distracting. While the top is smooth, you can see the underside ribbing marks. The high diamond reliefs could cause problems with wheeled tools and automotive jacks.

The MotoFloor tile was somewhat dull and had the smallest diamond relief. While the top is smooth, you can see the underside ribbing marks.

The Floor Junkies is the only tile with a slight texture on the top. The top circles had the smallest relief of all the circle tops.

The Race Deck tiles were smooth and not too bright under shop lights. While the top is smooth, you can see the underside ribbing marks on the Circle Trac tile.

The Swiss Trax circle top is finished very nice with slightly textured coins and smooth flat areas. The Swiss Trax diamond top had the highest relief of any of the diamonds, which could cause problems with wheeled tools and automotive jacks.

My main concerns are the rib marks that show through the tops on many of these tiles.

Stay tuned...

 

[Jeff]

Strength & Durability:

Not having an engineering background makes it difficult to conduct the proper tests. Never one to give up, I designed my own highly unscientific tests.

First, the tiles were placed in direct sun for 1 hour, then my wife drove my truck over each tile 6 times. There was no evidence of flexing, bowing, or crushed ribs underneath on any tile. Next, I used a 3" rubber mallet and envisioned my ex-wife on each tile. After 10 blows there was no evidence of cracking, splitting, or rubber marks on any of the tiles. Finally, I dropped my floor jack on each tile. Again, no issues with any tile.

Warranty:

• Floor Junkies 10 years
• Garage Deck 12 years
• Garage Trac 12 years
• Moto Floor 10 years
• Race Deck 15 years
• Swiss Trax 15 years

Pricing:

• Floor Junkies $1.98 sqft
• Garage Deck $1.93 sqft
• Garage Trac $2.19 sqft
• Moto Floor $2.79 sqft
• Race Deck Circle $3.39 sqft
• Race Deck Diamond $3.49 sqft
• SwissTrax $3.95 sqft

 

[synik]

Try dropping a bowling ball, hammer edge, a brake rotor, from a 5' height.

And then compare all the results of impact and see if there were signs of wear/dent above the surface, and to see if the bottom side support structure got damage/collapse under brute force.

Racedeck seems to have the most surface area that comes in contact with the ground, especially an evenly distributed span on a 4 corner support structure, yet alone, seems to the the thickest on the structural support bottom side as well.

For Racedeck, it seem to have the most allowance of water flow, under drainage conditions. Draw any straight line underneath 90, 45, 180 degrees whichever direction, it will allow for a straight flow of water. Unlike other brand I see posted, water will either have to zig zag its way out or have very limited few straight lines to flow out, possibly collecting more gunk/moisture. This might not be a big issue, but over engineering every aspect only makes a product better.

I just received some samples from racedeck today, they sure do look good.
This is some opinions I do see. Of course, the overall appearance is just as important, as well as functionality.

Keep us updated.

 

[iatros]

Nice work! I wish I could have waited on ordering my garagedeck... But now you know who I will be pulling for

I also keep hearing about these "cheap Chinese knockoffs". Any plans to include some of those?

 

[Jeff]

I also keep hearing about these "cheap Chinese knockoffs". Any plans to include some of those?

Probably not.

As far as I can tell, all of these are made in the US.

 

[les_garten]

I want to point out something about the SwissTrax and Racedeck. Of course this was pointed out to me by the Swisstrax folks. I aksed some questions. I liked the ST tile by the way. They sent me some pieces to play with. I was thinking of doing my Pool Deck with the flow thru.

If you look at the edges of the RD, you'll see that the "Meat" stops before the edges. So, if you think of 2 edges always together, that makes a large weak area between the two tiles. I believe ST has something here. They noted that RD will test as they say they do, 52,000# or whatever in the middle, but not on a tile seam interface. I'm paraphrasing here but it makes sense. It is shown real well in your pictures where you see that the underside support structure stops before it gets to the edge. This makes a weak edge. Two edges together, well you get the idea.

Practically speaking for a home garage, probably doesn't matter at all.

Nice Job Jeff!

 

[les_garten]

The SwissTrax are a considerably larger tile. You may want to go back and look at your weight per SQ ".

The SwissTrax is 17% larger in SQ " than the RD.

 

[Jeff]

The SwissTrax are a considerably larger tile. You may want to go back and look at your weight per SQ ".

The SwissTrax is 17% larger in SQ " than the RD.

The tiles were weighed without regards to square footage.

Like you, I was impressed with the ST tiles. But that extra 1" throws me way off. I can use exactly 290 12"x12" tiles with no waste/cutting.

I'm still working on my final conclusions.

 

[gsw]

I can see alot of planning and thought has gone into your investigation. Whilst there are more and more interlocking tiles in the market, all the new ones are from China and supporting local industry is important. One tile you have overlooked is one called AutoDeck from NY. At $3.35 for a 12" x 12" tile they are a worth a look. 7 loop connection on each side instead of 4 or 5 and 15.6 oz per tile. I am sure you could have included others in your testing and had to draw the line somewhere, but just thought I would mention them.

http://www.instantgaragefloors.com/product1.htm

http://www.instantgaragefloors.com/specs_12and5.htm

 

[Jeff]

I can see alot of planning and thought has gone into your investigation. Whilst there are more and more interlocking tiles in the market, all the new ones are from China and supporting local industry is important. One tile you have overlooked is one called AutoDeck from NY. At $3.35 for a 12" x 12" tile they are a worth a look. 7 loop connection on each side instead of 4 or 5 and 15.6 oz per tile. I am sure you could have included others in your testing and had to draw the line somewhere, but just thought I would mention them.

http://www.instantgaragefloors.com/product1.htm

http://www.instantgaragefloors.com/specs_12and5.htm

Thanks for the tip. I will check them out.

You're right about drawing the line, especially since I had to pay for most of the samples.

 

[thegarageguy]

You missed another one, Nordic Tiles

http://garageandbeyond.com/seamless-flooring-epoxy-decorative-concrete/nordic-floor-systems/

The only tile with a built in expansion contraction system.

Numbers to add for your comparison;

15x15
3/8 inch thick
1.1 lbs

 

[Jeff]

You missed another one, Nordic Tiles

http://garageandbeyond.com/seamless-flooring-epoxy-decorative-concrete/nordic-floor-systems/

The only tile with a built in expansion contraction system.

Numbers to add for your comparison;

15x15
3/8 inch thick
1.1 lbs

Nope, I didn't miss Nordic. The 15x15 size made it too impractical. The same with 18" and 20" tiles.

 

[tatra]

is there any issue with off gassing?........

 

[thegarageguy]

Nope, I didn't miss Nordic. The 15x15 size made it too impractical. The same with 18" and 20" tiles.

I don't understand....how is a larger tile impractical?

BTW, I don't have any preference...I sell both Nordic and Racedeck

 

[RaceDeck1]

Wow! Impressive, you may be the winner for the most thorough modular flooring researcher prior to purchase . Which ever modular flooring system you go with, the real test will be after 1-5-10 years in a garage environment.

We have a full testing lab where our engineers test everything from UV exposure, mold & mildew effects, weight loads, chemicals reactions, temperature swings etc. on all of our products ( and test pretty much every competitors product...and no I am not going to share what the results of theirs ). We also have our products tested by approved independent ASTM labs. We area also the only ISO Certified for quality systems manufactures But in the end, what really matters is how the floor performs overall in the long run. Our family has been manufacturing modular flooring for nearly 40 years and we put all we have learned into all of our products.

An example of what may seem simple as " floor 'a' has less gap than floor 'b' so it must be better so liquids can't go through, is really not the case - the locking systems have many functions over how tight they are or are not. For example, our patent system is design specifically for the garage environment where we account for everything; drainage, air circulation, expansion and contraction during heat cycles, structural integrity, ease of installation, more or less locks per module, tolerances of entire floor system and so on. Then we engineered a system to address all...and that is just the locking system. Then you have even more to consider in raw materials, tread designs, structural design, etc.. If you look at all of the products we manufacture for various industries, you will see that the floors do not look the same at all, they are engineered for the specific use ( Sports, Dance, Event, Garage, Spa, et), as all have specific performance criteria to meet.

There is no doubt you will be happy with your choice of flooring based on your extensive research on what you feel is the best choice for you...Have fun with you garage project...

 

[Jeff]

I don't understand....how is a larger tile impractical?

No cutting, hence no waste. As I stated I can use exactly 290 12x12 tiles.

 

[seamus628]

What happened to this thread? Were you ‘Race Decked’ or are you being extra through in your analysis? Inquiring minds would like to know.

 

[Kroggers]

You missed another one, Nordic Tiles

http://garageandbeyond.com/seamless-flooring-epoxy-decorative-concrete/nordic-floor-systems/

The only tile with a built in expansion contraction system.

Numbers to add for your comparison;

15x15
3/8 inch thick
1.1 lbs

Can you supply a link to the manufacturer web site? As I am located in Finland, I am interested in more info on this product from Sweden...

 

[MrSnicks]

What... no Gladiator tiles?

Patrick

 

[472scout]

Choosing a interlocking floor tile for our shops or garages can be a daunting task, especially considering the varied pricing. Depending on the total square footage the total cost can vary by almost 50%.

After much debate in my Race Deck vs Floor Junkies thread, I felt the need to include a wider selection of tiles for my 300 square foot shop project.

For comparison purposes, practicality, and budgetary restraints, I chose to sample a variety of standard 12"x12" interlocking tiles for my 290 square foot floor. The exception are the SwissTrax 13"x13" tiles. Race Deck provided a free diamond tile, while SwissTrax sent 2 free tiles. All other tiles were purchased personally.


Tile Selection:

• Floor Junkies - Circle
• Garage Deck – Circle
• Garage Track – Diamond
• Moto Floor – Diamond
• Race Deck – Circle
• Race Deck – Diamond
• SwissTrax - Circle
• SwissTrax – Diamond

Tile Specifications:

Brand/Style - Tile Dimensions (L”xW”xH”) - Top Thickness - Weight (OZ)

Floor Junkies - Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.459 - 0.12” - 11.4
Garage Deck – Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.446 - 0.1” - 12.1
Garage Track – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.494 - 0.1” - 12.7
Moto Floor – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.448 - 0.1” - 12.2
Race Deck – Circle - 12 x 12 x 0.513 - 0.11” - 14.4
Race Deck – Diamond - 12 x 12 x 0.514 - 0.11” - 14.3
SwissTrax - Circle - 13 x 13 x 0.481 - 0.12” - 18.3
SwissTrax – Diamond - 13 x 13 x 0.481 - 0.12” - 17.2

Imagery:

Next...measuring
​

Great review!! So which brand are you buying? Floor junkies is looking like the best bang for the buck, but you have them all right in front of you.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Not to bring up an aged thread, however, I was just curious as to the final results - more so, what your final choice in decking was for your garage - or if you even chose a final product yet?



~~~

I'm also curious to know, for ANY of the interlocking flooring systems described in this thread (and the previous linked) - what impact is there to the garage floor and/or tiling system IF there are spilled liquids that will lay under the tile for an extended period of time?

Spills happen, it's just a known factor - and if a spill does occur, how easy (or hard) is it for the user having to "unlock" multiple tiles, say, in the center of the room, to contain the spill and/or cleanup?

For instance, let's take the obvious radiator or water pump service - or even say, pulling an engine - where it's a given that coolant WILL spill out onto the garge "floor". When this occurs, of course the spill will not always be concentrated, but could travel in multiple directions and could be a decent sized spill (in some instances). Taking that spill into consideration, regardless of tile brand or manufacturer, the liquid will seep down past the tile interlocking gaps. Therefore, IF the user elects to manually clean up such a spill, how hard (or easy) will it be for him/her to literally take apart the floor, more so, when the spill is in the center of the interlocking floor system?

With regards to "testing" for aeration and drainage - how are these tests done? Meaning, for a spill, do tile manufacturers leave the spill and see how long it takes to evaporate (IF not manually cleaned up)? And for drainage, how is drainage determined to be good or bad? For drainage tests, are variables taken into consideration such as actual garage flooring pitch, how smooth or porous the actual cement is, etc etc etc?

Again, just curious - and I'm not referring to any one single brand or manufacturer - just trying to get more info or answers to what I think are decent questions others may be pondering.

 

[DaveN13]

Here, here! I feel like I was watching a very interesting movie on VHS and the tape broke right before the end. I'd love to know what you ended up with, and why!

 

[Jeff]

Holy ****...I forgot about this thread!

No, I still haven't gotten my flooring done. I had some health issues and changed employers twice.

Luckily my wild red head has commanded me to get the flooring with this years tax refund. Some prices have increased, some stayed the same.

I should have my flooring done within the month.

 

[mntbkrguy]

Holy ****...I forgot about this thread!

No, I still haven't gotten my flooring done. I had some health issues and changed employers twice.

Luckily my wild red head has commanded me to get the flooring with this years tax refund. Some prices have increased, some stayed the same.

I should have my flooring done within the month.

So it has been a few months...... Are you done yet?

What did you go with? How do you like it? yada... yada... yada...

As far as spillage below the tiles I am most worried about one substance.... BEER! what smells is worse than stale beer from that bottle you knocked over while trying to free that bolt that won't budge? I can deal with the smell of oil it gives that nostalgic mechanic shop scent, gas you just provide good air circulation for a few hours and all gone but the smell of rotten beer never seems to go away!

 

[Jeff]

So it has been a few months...... Are you done yet?

What did you go with? How do you like it? yada... yada... yada...

As far as spillage below the tiles I am most worried about one substance.... BEER! what smells is worse than stale beer from that bottle you knocked over while trying to free that bolt that won't budge? I can deal with the smell of oil it gives that nostalgic mechanic shop scent, gas you just provide good air circulation for a few hours and all gone but the smell of rotten beer never seems to go away!

I tried some of the Floor Junkies tiles and had problems with the edge pieces. None of them were level and created a wave effect.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194486

 

[Cryptic1911]

Jeff, I looked at your other thread about the FJ product, and you listed prices for it, and Racedeck.. I don't think you called or emailed RD for the GarageJournal discount, did you? When I bought mine (with the gj discount), it was considerably less than what your quote was, and the shipping was free.

 

[Wuaname]

Any updates?

 

[600SL]

You forgot the jack stress test.

When my HD Rustoleum failed the installer proposed I go with one of these plastic tiles in lieu of a refund. He left me a few to try so I put them together and jacked up a car with the wheels of the floor jack right on the seam. The car was a MB 560SL weighing in at ~3500Lb. I turned over the tiles and saw the white plastic stress marks where the jack wheels were. Not too bad but I decided no thanks. Unfortunately I don't know which brand they were.

 

[John T]

I have had the floor junkies tiles for a few years now.

Over all, I am VERY HAPPY.

that said, You DO have to be careful if you use a floor jack or anything with a heavy concentrated weight... It WILL put a dent in them.

I have a few pieces of plywood I throw down if I use the floor jack...

I also have a heavy welding table on castors, I made small blocks of plywood under the castors and they are fine. gotta be careful thats all...

welding, grinding sparks don't seem to bother them.... within reason...

but if you drop a piece of hot steel on the floor... well... ya know...

Overall, I am happy they still look good.... and it beats the hell out of dusty cracked concrete floor.

 

[edi23]

I was looking to use modular flooring systems like these. thanks for the thread.

 

[John T]

 

[ontcanuck]

Tuff Seal interlocking tiles

I choose these tiles as I do not have a drain so I do not want water under my tiles. A friend of mine had the open interlocking rib style floor and after about 5 yrs. a lot of sand and **** were in between the tiles. It took me about 14 hrs. to install mainly due to a lot of cutting. These are PVC tiles solid all the way through and very heavy

Justin S Krauss of Garage Flooring LLC supplied everything I needed to do the flooring and was extremely helpful in any thing or any advice I needed. Sometimes I think I might have been a pain in the **** but he was there with any advice whenever I e-mailed him. Never had to wait very long for a response from my e-mails.

These tiles were fairly pricy but in the end I am extremely satisfied with the results. Not only that but the wife loves it ( happy wife happy life) as we do have a few parties in our garage and will have even more now.

 

[Jeff]

Holy **** Batman! I forgot I did this 13 years ago.

The Floor Junkie tiles, now called Modutile, are performing without any issues. No major damage other than scuff marks. I replaced the tiles around the shop sink with drain tiles. In addition I added a row of red border strips on the garage door side.

Would I change anything? No. The FJ/Modutiles were $1.98/tile back in 2011. Now the tiles are $2.49. Still a heck of a bargain compared to the other brands. I liked them so much, I tiled my back porch (10x30) with the green drain tiles.

 

[budget76]

I'm thinking about using the Vevor solid ones in my new garage. Glad to hear a "budget" option is holding up 13 years later

 

[Jeff]

I'm thinking about using the Vevor solid ones in my new garage. Glad to hear a "budget" option is holding up 13 years later

If I had to do it over I would probably use the drain tiles instead of the solid coin tiles. I don't like the clacking when I walk on the solid tiles. I did put a barrier down as suggested, but it only lasted one year. My back porch has the drain tiles as does my shop sink.