Mold under plastic tile

[brickG-man]

I am still scoping out the perfect floor for my Garage/Workshop. I have been receiving sample of flooring from RaceDeck, SwissTrax etc and I still have a difficult time believing that people don't have mold develop under those types of floors. The plastic tiles would serve many of my needs including ease of quick install over my crappy epoxy floor but there has to be some moisture that gets trapped under there. Anyone?????

 

[Shea]

The tiles are designed to allow for air movement as well as drainage underneath the tiles. When you receive your samples, flip them over and take a look. Some in my opinion do a better job of it than others, but they all do it. If you lay one down on the table and take a look from the side, you can see the difference in the cutouts were air travels from one tile to the next.

 

[brickG-man]

The tiles are designed to allow for air movement as well as drainage underneath the tiles. When you receive your samples, flip them over and take a look. Some in my opinion do a better job of it than others, but they all do it. If you lay one down on the table and take a look from the side, you can see the difference in the cutouts were air travels from one tile to the next.

Yes, I have seen the way that the tiles are theoretically suppose to drain, I just have a hard time believing that if water runs underneath the tiles that all of the water runs out. I am inquiring as to if anyone has experienced anything different.

 

[nyy845]

This is actually a great question, I am interested in the answer as well.

I am probably a year away from doing my floor and was considering plastic tiles, now that you mention it I do have slight pooling in a few spots when I bring a snowy or wet car in...

 

[Shea]

I just have a hard time believing that if water runs underneath the tiles that all of the water runs out.

If your garage floor is sloped and water runs out now, it will run out with the tile. If water does not run out of your garage then it will not run out from under the tile. However, it will evaporate and will also slowly seep into the concrete if you do not have a sealer.

I've installed interlocking tile many times without issues and know of people who even wash their cars in the garage with this type of flooring. Give it a day and other people who have installed this in their garage will give you the answers you are looking for. In the mean time, if you do a search on interlocking garage tiles in this forum you will find an abundance of information from people.

 

[TigerGA]

I live in the deep South and have RD in my garage. I wash my cars and motorcycle in the garage and have never had a mold or mildew issue under my tiles.

 

[12ozd]

If your garage floor is sloped and water runs out now, it will run out with the tile. If water does not run out of your garage then it will not run out from under the tile.

Simple enough.

Also thought it was a good question.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I am still scoping out the perfect floor for my Garage/Workshop. I have been receiving sample of flooring from RaceDeck, SwissTrax etc and I still have a difficult time believing that people don't have mold develop under those types of floors. The plastic tiles would serve many of my needs including ease of quick install over my crappy epoxy floor but there has to be some moisture that gets trapped under there. Anyone?????

I have been in this business since 2001 and I have never seen mold under and American Made garage tile. It is important to note that the manufacturers instructions require you to clean under the tiles -- but not many people do. I really prefer the TrueLock ribbed product or Ribtrax product because you can clean through them

 

[SteveCh]

I live in an area where the rel. humidity is normally quite low. Meaning, moisture tends to evaporate fairly rapidly. But we do have a fair amount of snow and rain at times. In the nearly one yr. I've had my FreeFlow RD tiles, I have seen zero sign of mold. I have an area of the solid RD tiles, too, and there is some ground moisture seepage beneath those tiles. [This has been happening since long before the tiles were installed, I was aware of it.] I pulled some up recently to check and there was no sign of mold or any other hassle from the ground moisture. I had considered putting the FreeFlow in that area, too, due to the moisture. But it is a place where I run the tablesaw and other saws and a chain grinder and my vise [cutting pipe, etc.] and I decided to put solid tiles there. Glad I did, no problems with moisture. If you check the bottoms of the solid tiles, they are designed to avoid moisture problems.

 

[73surffisher]

I may be corrected by the more knowledgeable people on flooring, but for mold to grow their needs to be something "organic" for the mold to feed on, , but as GF LLC mentioned, if you wash the titles, , there is essentially nothing there for mold to feed on, , ,I guess it comes down to the slope of the floor and what's in the water you're using

 

[brickG-man]

I really prefer the TrueLock ribbed product or Ribtrax product because you can clean through them

But it is a place where I run the tablesaw and other saws and a chain grinder and my vise [cutting pipe, etc.] and I decided to put solid tiles there. Glad I did, no problems with moisture. If you check the bottoms of the solid tiles, they are designed to avoid moisture problems.

Besides my garage being a place to work on cars, I have a large woodworking shop as well so a solid tile is a must for sweeping the sawdust. I understand that the FreeFlow type would ventilate/evaporate moisture better.

I appreciate all of the feedback. Still undecided though on what flooring to use.
Thanks
Henry