New guy intro - Thinking Porcelain tile

[Jsf721]

I am a long time lurker that recently joined so I can participate. The 12 gauge garage led me to you fine people from 6speedonline garage forum. I had a full set of nice functional mdf cabinets I had my closet guy build for my garage. They were sitting on the floor and built to my dimensions and spec. They worked for the last 10 years with occasional issues that were easily fixed. .

The mdf cabinets worked well until huricane Sandy left me with 4 feet of water in the garage and 26" in my house. Had to gut the whole 1st floor including the garage and dump the cabinets along with everything else. My daily driver was flooded in the garage. I was searching for used Strong Hard cabinets but those I did find were too expensive. Close to a grand even beat up. I made some offers but the sold for much more. To replace the mdf I recently had the gladiator premier welded tallgear boxes and lockers installed by a professional company along with a 6' work bench, tool box and gear wall and gear track organizer system. Now I need to address the floor...

I have an epoxy floor that I did myself 4 years ago and I have been very happy with it. Wears like iron and zero lift even with hot tires. I prepped the floor and applied it myself. The issue that is now occurring it that the hydrostatic pressure bubbled the epoxy in a few areas. Not to badly. I cut the bubbles to relieve the pressure and it seemed to work. I am in NY and it is too cold to apply epoxy and my OCD wants it done NOW. I sanded the cut areas to get them smooth to stop additional lifting. I am now thinking porcelain tile - specifically dark gray and lighter gray checkerboard pattern with close to black stain resistant grout. Looking for 18" tiles.

I need to know everything there is to know about flooring and specifically:
I want to do this once and the really right way-
1. Is all porcelain tile created equal or is the a better more durable grade for the garage? It there a rating system?
2. What is the type and brand of the best tinset for this application?
3. I want a slip resistant surface but the textured tile hold so much dirt. What is the best surface?
4. I got a quotes for installation ranging from 5.00/sq foot to 8.50/sq foot for install. I am sure this is regional. I hired a guy to do my homes lower level for 6 bucks a square and if he does a great job I will give him the garage to do-lol. Garage is my favorite room in the house. He is doing about 1000 sq feet for me on 1/12 inside the house. Does this sound right. This is labor and tools only. I provide everything else.
5. Grout- what is the best most stain resistant grout. I won't need a ton so the best is what I want. My garage is a standard 2 car garage. Aprox 20' wide and 20' deep. I have read about ground quartz grout, power grout and various additives.
6 what do I need to know about the installation over current epoxy. All the loose stuff is removed.
7 any tips on getting a very solid thinset base with and air to compromise durability?
8. What is the optimal grout width? I like thinner lines for aesthetic reasons but this may not be the best for durability.
9. What is the best transition material for the side the cars enter.

What else didn't I ask that I need to know.

I will post pictures once I get cleaned up.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am a serious newb and I appreciate the education.

Happy Holidays and Healthy Happy New Year !

Jeff

 

[BRIANBB]

I doubt the tile will stick to the epoxy.

 

[Big-Foot]

You want a lot out of porcelain tile if you want slip resistant and to be less likely to trap and hold dirt. Brian brings up a good point too about having a mortar that will adhere to the epoxy.
If you really want to use a good quality tile over this floor without having to grind or shot blast the epoxy off, look at the products made by SnapStone. I just installed a SnapStone porcelain tile floor in a home that I just remodeled, it is a floating floor that does not need a thinset base under it. The grout is a bit pricey, but it is flexible and strong as heck.

You could install this yourself in a weekend in that space easily.

 

[Jsf721]

Thanks guys, and I will definitely check out the snapstone. My current epoxy floor has the plastic color flecks that I added like confetti as the 3rd coat was drying. It added a nice look and also some slip resistance (maybe). My plan was to run a floor machine with an 80 or 100 grit sanding disc to rough up the surface enough for a thinset to bond to. I am familiar with a free floating floor for inside the house. You feel this will hold to a vehicle and the stress of coming to a stop and reversing out over long periods of time? I am not pulling in/out faster than normal by any means.

Thanks for the ideas.

I doubt the tile will stick to the epoxy.

You want a lot out of porcelain tile if you want slip resistant and to be less likely to trap and hold dirt. Brian brings up a good point too about having a mortar that will adhere to the epoxy.
If you really want to use a good quality tile over this floor without having to grind or shot blast the epoxy off, look at the products made by SnapStone. I just installed a SnapStone porcelain tile floor in a home that I just remodeled, it is a floating floor that does not need a thinset base under it. The grout is a bit pricey, but it is flexible and strong as heck.

You could install this yourself in a weekend in that space easily.

 

[Big-Foot]

I would think that it would hold up fine under the weight since the weight would be pretty evenly distributed. The trays that the tile are bonded to are very tough. As far as slipping or moving as your vehicle stops or starts out? That might be an issue, but would be limited in how much expansion gap you leave between the tile and the walls.

 

[Jsf721]

I just finished looking over your site and checked out your car. I admire your you skill as a builder. Can wait to hear it run. I am a car guy and enjoy all type from classic muscle to modern super cars. I also enjoyed you background site. I really feel like I know you after reading it all.

Your renovation sounds like what I am doing now. Only difference is I am repairing from hurricane floor damage. I was forced to GC the job because my regular contractor is fixing his own home. As a result I am dealing with trades and aggravation. Some of the aggravation is my own inexperience and the rest is the other guys fault LOL.

I will be ready for flooring in the garage after the house is done and I move the stuff in the garage back into the house. I am shooting to be done mid February so I need to find a flooring material and related items soon.

Thanks for you insite.

I would think that it would hold up fine under the weight since the weight would be pretty evenly distributed. The trays that the tile are bonded to are very tough. As far as slipping or moving as your vehicle stops or starts out? That might be an issue, but would be limited in how much expansion gap you leave between the tile and the walls.

 

[Big-Foot]

Thanks.. The blog has not been updated in a very long time, but we just finished the total renovation of he home and we think it turned out quite nice.. 2.5 years and over 4,000 of my own hours spent.

Here's a video slideshow I made as a marketing aid for the house (it is now on the market):
https://vimeo.com/55698358

Flood damage is some of the worst to have to go through.. The mold we encountered made me deathly ill and I spent a lot of time wearing a respirator and taking a lot of antihistamines and other allergy control drugs until I made sure it was all gone. Tough part was living in the house, working a 12 hour a day job and then working until late into the evening every day and through the entire weekend for the duration of the renovation.
I just spent the first day (vacation) working on the GT40!

SnapStone Robinson Strength testing (there are many YouTube videos on this stuff):
(I hope the link works as I am posting from my iPad)
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=obFHphZ8A5w&desktop_uri=/watch?v=obFHphZ8A5w