Tiling indoors or a garage realistically is no difference, however thinset coverage is a critical key for a long lasting durable garage floor. Meaning having no voids in the thinset bedding when setting your tile, using proper troweling technique and the right size notched trowel to minimize any chances of voids. Also very important, back butter the back side of the tile, this will ensure 100% coverage.
My 2-Car Porcelain Tile Install....
- Thread starter Dakota00
- Start date
Boosted1
Well-known member
This thread is a great reference.
Thanks. Impressive how well the floor has held up.
Thanks. Impressive how well the floor has held up.
Just_Steve
Well-known member
So after racking my brain on GJ looking at Race Deck, Tuff Seal, Vs Epoxy I stumble upon this thread, someone please shoot me as I just went from decided to undecided.
justnutsandbolts
Well-known member
Same here.
I just bought this tile for $0.77 / sqft for my 700 sqft project because it had a PEI rating of 4:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/American-O...in-Cement-Look-Floor-and-Wall-Tile/1001728214
I have not picked it up yet so tonight I am reading this forum up and down to make a decision, asking installers for quotes which are ranging from $2500 to 3000 to lay it down per instructions and materials posted by Dakota.
Labor is outrageous here (Philly area)
Is there a recommended video on youtube? I wish there was one to go along with this post.
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E12-535iTurbo
Well-known member
Thanks Dakota!
Notgrownup
Well-known member
Very interesting video that makes a lot of sense, specially when they use the clear glass to show...thanks for sharing.
I saw this as well! Very tempting! Although, I don't think it's a thru body, for that price I could just buy extra for repairs.
Did you end up picking it up?
justnutsandbolts
Well-known member
Thank you for the video, I have been showing this to the contractors that come by for estimates to tell them how I want it done.
My floor is a bit like yours was, over 30 years of unsealed concrete being abused so I have some dips, I will get pictures of this once the drywall guys are out of there.
I have an another question for you, some online sources like this one state the unglazed tile needs to be treated with a sealer to fight against the staining. Since I am doing a lot of dirty metal grinding work and occasional hydraulic, gear oil, engine and transmission fluid spills, would you still recommend Unglazed over the Glazed ? I usually clean up after but I dont have a mop bucket laying around to tackle the cleaning right away.
Sorry I was pretty sure I responded to this but somehow it is not showing.
No I did not pick it up. I brought one to the shop and it looked light to my eye but over a few days of looking at it, I got used to its light color. It is matte glazed finish so it does reflect the light nicely. I added a picture that I took at a drive trough of an automotive retailer that is similar to this tile in color and it does not look too bad but I would be cleaning it often.
No, the tile is not through / full body. I don't think I will find anything for cheaper than $2 at MSRP for full body.. I am hoping for Build Direct to have a Clearance Sale on Full Body Salerno Series Light Gray
I ordered 2 samples and added pictures for comparison. The one on the left is the Dark Gray 24x24 one. The one on bottom is the Lowe's tile.
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nicks78camaro
Well-known member
Wow, you are an artist sir!
Depends on the type of unglazed tile that's being used. For the most part majority of the unglazed tiles will not require a sealer. My tiles being unglazed, I never experienced any issues with staining in all these years.
For the type of work you do in your garage, I would recommend sticking to a unglazed tile for greater slip resistance, higher abrasion resistance, and higher impact resistance, compared to a glazed tile.
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
I was hooked on porcelain tile when I worked restaurants as a kid - easier than anything to keep clean (and if they get really bad you can steam clean them), you can drop stuff on them, easy to replace one IF by chance one cracks...
Plus you can do some pretty neat effects with it - we were doing a master bedtoom in a rustic Roman look, down to an inset compass rose in the middle of it... the tile setters were able to offset the tiles ever so slightly, giving it the look of something out of Pompeii rather than a smooth modern floor... they also did some amazingly cool inlays and design work... so yeah, it may not be as easy as racedeck (or as inexpensive, comparitively speaking) but man, it's fun stuff.
When we got the place in Italy, we found out it's the choice of flooring over there. We uncovered some 900 year old flooring work in one of our buildings that, outside of the traffic wear paths, still looked like the day it was new - - you can't get that kind of life out of NOTHING.
Plus you can do some pretty neat effects with it - we were doing a master bedtoom in a rustic Roman look, down to an inset compass rose in the middle of it... the tile setters were able to offset the tiles ever so slightly, giving it the look of something out of Pompeii rather than a smooth modern floor... they also did some amazingly cool inlays and design work... so yeah, it may not be as easy as racedeck (or as inexpensive, comparitively speaking) but man, it's fun stuff.
When we got the place in Italy, we found out it's the choice of flooring over there. We uncovered some 900 year old flooring work in one of our buildings that, outside of the traffic wear paths, still looked like the day it was new - - you can't get that kind of life out of NOTHING.
It's now $0.65/sqft in Tucson....I'm going tomorrow to buy the 900 sqft I need for the main work bay in my shop that I'll be tiling. I still haven't decided if I'm going to tackle this myself, but history says that's what will happen. The larger area of the shop (~1700 sqft) will get Hellfire. I'm expecting the colors to blend well. I painted the wall of the main bay a couple of days ago.
The upper wall will get white AG panel.
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Angelfire
Well-known member
If you can wait awhile, do it. Build Direct is always clearancing stuff. It's how I got my tile. I checked the prices daily or every couple of days and then one day, bam! it was being clearance. Also, phone in the order.....I got much better shipping costs by phoning in vs. doing it online. Got a PEI5, Through Body, Rectified, etc... tile for somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.20/SF including shipping.
Cheers.
Arkive
Well-known member
Are there any other sources of through-body rectified tile at a decent price?
I only ask because I've been watching BuildDirect for the last 6-8 months and your experience just doesn't seem to be happening for tiles with any reasonable quantity of square footage. Most of the clearance sales have less than 500sqft available (and often less than that), and for someone who needs 1400+ like me it's not looking good. I'm just generally having a hard time finding through-body rectified tile options in the PEI4+ range. The handful by Salerno they had that were really good for this application just aren't being stocked anymore (per BuildDirect's purchasing department directly).
I used the same thinset, that I used to install the tiles. Thinset is a perfectly fine alternative to floor leveler as long as the thickness doesn't exceed 3/4" and is applied in 2-3 applications to achieve the height needed. If thickness required is more than 5/8"+ in a large area, look at doing dry pack.
Angelfire
Well-known member
Unfortunately it sounds as though Builddirect may have changed up suppliers and their stocking models from when I purchased. I too had my eye on the Salerno stuff when I was shopping around. Also unfortunately, I haven't been actively looking to purchase tile so really can't say who has what at good prices. My apologies as Build Direct was a great source when I was looking.
Cheers.
https://www.tilesdirect.net/loft-grafite-rectified-12x24/
$0.99/sq ft., PEI 5, rectified and through-body.
I believe this is the catalog:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQIBRAH&usg=AOvVaw3Pkbm_YZdWCEZ7Bki6hPSh
Only downside is the tile is rated R9 for slip resistance.
$0.99/sq ft., PEI 5, rectified and through-body.
I believe this is the catalog:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQIBRAH&usg=AOvVaw3Pkbm_YZdWCEZ7Bki6hPSh
Only downside is the tile is rated R9 for slip resistance.
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Arkive
Well-known member
Yea, I noticed that. However, my machine troweled concrete should have a similar or worse CoF anyway and I have zero issues presently. At that price I'm likely rolling the dice as it's pretty much the exact color/size I wanted. I ordered a sample and they're holding my quantity in reserve until I receive it and confirm.
WarDamnEagle
Well-known member
Very informative thread and great video. I just bought our retirement home and it came with a 40' x 40' heated and cooled shop. Concrete was done very well but seriously considering porcelain instead of a polyaspartic flake system.
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Take a look at this link, it'll show and explain what dry pack bedding is. https://prestigetileinstallers.ca/floorleveling
imjustdave
Well-known member
Ok Don't flame me please....
WHY do you want to tile the floor, I assume this is 90% look and 10% less staining....
Am I missing anything?
.
.
.
This is what my wife is going to ask me if I add this to the list.... don't' even have my permit yet to build lol and I'm already thinking about the floor.
WHY do you want to tile the floor, I assume this is 90% look and 10% less staining....
Am I missing anything?
.
.
.
This is what my wife is going to ask me if I add this to the list.... don't' even have my permit yet to build lol and I'm already thinking about the floor.
General Geoff
Well-known member
Extreme durability and ease of cleaning are the two main perks.
ScaldedDog
Well-known member
Yep. Borderline indestructible, which no coating will ever be, and dramatically easier to clean than bare concrete.
Mark
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Cairo94507
Well-known member
I did porcelain tile on my 3+ car garage because it looks beautiful, is easy to keep clean and makes being in the garage a lot more enjoyable. I take good care of my cars and having a nice garage makes that a joy.
I moved into this home with a cracked floor and severe erosion issues on my garage floor due to the salt on our Michigan roads. It needed to be replaced. I was not going to let that happen again with bare concrete. With the help and expertise of LLWillysfan for the concrete part and the building of the floor and Dakota's expertise and alot of help! for the tile part of the project I have a beautiful and sustainable floor for years to come.
Pay once cry once. It is beautiful and easy to maintain. In the winter all I do is rinse it or
wash it down with a mop and bucket, no more salt and road grime and it is like new again. Check out some of the posts especially Dakota's after a Canadian winter how dirty and salt ridden his floor was, and all he did was wash it down it is is back to new again. Even more compelling is Jack's floor in California earthquake territory, no issues.
Pay once cry once. It is beautiful and easy to maintain. In the winter all I do is rinse it or
wash it down with a mop and bucket, no more salt and road grime and it is like new again. Check out some of the posts especially Dakota's after a Canadian winter how dirty and salt ridden his floor was, and all he did was wash it down it is is back to new again. Even more compelling is Jack's floor in California earthquake territory, no issues.
mtwaterguy
Well-known member
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imjustdave
Well-known member
Anyone here have a tile floor and Snowmobile? Wondering how the tile stands up to carbide on the skis and or studs on the track for ice?
imjustdave
Well-known member
Living in WA state I don't have to deal with salt thankfully on the cars. But I do like the idea of looking nice. I think I will get my garage built, then trick out the main home garage with tiles for the Wife and butter he up at how great it looks.
honestly the home garage floor is going to need some work with all the cracks it has.Thank you everyone for sharing your work and shop photos, and appreciate your great ideas. I think I'm sold just need to budget properly.
DEllis
Well-known member
Is anybody aware of options for a one piece edge protector that will work on a 10ft door?
Freedom
New member
Amazing garage floor!!!
We've finished our garage with an unglazed porcelain tile and was wondering how to reduce visibility of dust/debris/salt on the darker tiles? Some said to add a tile sealer; some said it doesn't make a difference on reducing visibility.
We've finished our garage with an unglazed porcelain tile and was wondering how to reduce visibility of dust/debris/salt on the darker tiles? Some said to add a tile sealer; some said it doesn't make a difference on reducing visibility.
Thank you!
Excellent choice in picking tiles for your garage floor.
Applying sealer to porcelain tiles will do nothing in helping to reduce dust/debris. Sealer will not adhere to the porcelain, as it's not a porous material. Whatever little bit that does stick, will come off as the floor is being used.
Excellent choice in picking tiles for your garage floor.
Applying sealer to porcelain tiles will do nothing in helping to reduce dust/debris. Sealer will not adhere to the porcelain, as it's not a porous material. Whatever little bit that does stick, will come off as the floor is being used.