pulling up Racedeck and doing what instead ?

[mikeyr]

After a LOT of years, I am going to remove the all white Racedeck under my lift, I had done all white under the lift for light reflection in my old poorly lit garage and it worked very well. But all white Racedeck under the lift was too much work to keep clean, I pulled too many gearboxes, rear ends, motors to keep it clean, I did like the light reflection however. The tiles cleaned up nearly as good as new but I will get them dirty again in just a weekend.

In my new garage, lighting is not a problem so I decided to not put the all white tiles back under the lift, what would you do instead under the lift ? concrete is only 8 months old and only one spot has oil on the concrete, I do have a British car after all, so I am thinking epoxy directly under the lift and leave the rest with my awesome Racedeck (I really like the stuff). My wife suggested those vinyl car parking mats, you can buy them in 8'x20' and I could cut to fit under the lift, that would probably be nicer to stand on that plain concrete, I really like that Racedeck also insulates from the cold concrete and again the vinyl would help there over epoxy.

I have thought about going with a different color Racedeck but I do too much work on the lift to keep Racedecks diamond pattern clean, maybe switch over to the round dots for under the lift only, are those easier to keep clean when you have a pile of old car grease/oil all over the floor ? I would think they would clean up easier since they don't have that diamond pattern that traps grease. I also don't know how the transition from diamond plate to the round circles would work/look.

 

[TONE]

I kinda like the mat idea myself. Only draw back would be tripping over it.

Im not sure if this would work but try to picture this.

Remove the tile area that goes under the lift and UNDER it put one of those mats.

Tuck the mat under a few feet to really keep everything all snug and locked down.

Then for the edge of the racedeck use those ramp transition threshold pieces. Would look nice and I think be super functional.

 

[rikmeister]

sams club has the mats real cheap in a lot of colours.

 

[jethro29]

My garage is a working garage,you know cutting,welding,working,installing motors and trans.so therefore nuttin but concrete for me,i don't want pretty i want functional.

 

[TONE]

Well good for you Jethro. Now go preach somewhere else.

My garage is a working garage,you know cutting,welding,working,installing motors and trans.so therefore nuttin but concrete for me,i don't want pretty i want functional.

 

[mikeyr]

My garage is a working garage,you know cutting,welding,working,installing motors and trans.so therefore nuttin but concrete for me,i don't want pretty i want functional.

I agree go preach elsewhere, you think I have not one but 2 lifts for looks ? TIG and MIG and Plasma cutter for fun ? Metal Lathe with 13" swing over the bed because it I turn small parts on it ? Mill because it looks cool with the Lathe next to it ? and that does not count the 3 cars in the garage, one that runs awesomely and one down to the bare frame right now while it waits for me to set up the English wheel to make a rear fender and the last car patiently waiting for its turn to be restored just because I have the space for 3 cars ? And that does not count all the tools, pullers, jacks and oh yeah wood working tools like a lathe and table saw, forgot the wood AND the metal band saws...you really think I have all that **** and I DON'T work in my garage...go preach elsewhere. I probably do more work in my garage than you do in yours I just like mine looking civilized.

Now back to my original question, thanks to the suggestion about Sam's club, I don't have one nearby but I will look into it.

 

[Wingnut65]

I pulled too many gearboxes, rear ends, motors to keep it clean.

I'm not sure the rubber mat idea would take all the abuse you give your floor. And the tapered edge Tone mentioned may be a condition you could get used to. But the idea of round Racedeck in a darker color may solve your problem. Call Racedeck for a sample of the round in a darker color - black, gray, beige. Try it and see what you think of that design. At least it will answer your 'what if' question.

jeff

 

[rickey1013]

I like my epoxy but a lot of work for what it sounds like you want to do. I would have done racedeck had I not had an empty garage to work with before I actually moved in.

 

[cranehand]

I have the rubber mat in my garage and have welded, cut, burned, changed oil, pulled motors, and transmissions on it with no prob lems. Not saying that it is not fire proof, but I have YET to start it on fire.

 

[larry_g]

I agree go preach elsewhere, you think I have not one but 2 lifts for looks ? TIG and MIG and Plasma cutter for fun ? Metal Lathe with 13" swing over the bed because it I turn small parts on it ? Mill because it looks cool with the Lathe next to it ? t.

So some on who may answer a question I've not seen come up yet, How does the race deck handle the chips in the machining area? Do the chips embed in the flooring or do they sweep up perty cleanly? Are the machines on the flooring or is the flooring cut out around the machine pedestals?

Thanks
lg
no neat sig line

 

[mikeyr]

The machines are on the flooring, I did make 3"x3" steel quares for the lathe legs to sit on and its been fine. The lathe shipping weight was 1,200lbs so I guess its about 1,100 minus crate and was concerned the tiles would collapse because the contact point was so small. The tiles in that area are pretty scratched up, the chips will dig into the tiles when you grind them in with your shoes. They sweep up right away with no problems at all, one of the good things about the tiles is that they have forced me to sweep up more and I no longer get yelled at by the wife when I walk into the house with chips stuck in my shoes and scratch up the hardwood floor, makes wifey happy.

Since the Racedeck is the same color throughout the scratches are not visible from a distance, the scratches really are on the top only. The gouges came from me doing stupid things like dropping a really expensive and rare old British car head.

 

[larry_g]

The machines are on the flooring, I did make 3"x3" steel quares for the lathe legs to sit on and its been fine. The lathe shipping weight was 1,200lbs so I guess its about 1,100 minus crate and was concerned the tiles would collapse because the contact point was so small. The tiles in that area are pretty scratched up, the chips will dig into the tiles when you grind them in with your shoes. They sweep up right away with no problems at all, one of the good things about the tiles is that they have forced me to sweep up more and I no longer get yelled at by the wife when I walk into the house with chips stuck in my shoes and scratch up the hardwood floor, makes wifey happy.

Since the Racedeck is the same color throughout the scratches are not visible from a distance, the scratches really are on the top only. The gouges came from me doing stupid things like dropping a really expensive and rare old British car head.

Thank you for the information I was figuring that the flooring would not be very good in the shop area but I think that your saying it is ok, and ceartinly not a problem.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jethro29]

fella's,i did not mean to step on anyones toe's with my post maybe i was just thinking out load.it was just my opinion.we all have our own taste and style so i apologize if i offended any of you.and i will try to police how i say things here from now on.

 

[TONE]

Its no biggie, dont sweat it.

fella's,i did not mean to step on anyones toe's with my post maybe i was just thinking out load.it was just my opinion.we all have our own taste and style so i apologize if i offended any of you.and i will try to police how i say things here from now on.

 

[Keep]

Why not put the rubber mat over the race deck? Won't have to worry about the white, and the rubber mat would be easier to clean?

At least it will help keep the concrete clean until you think of something else.

 

[e-tek]

My garage is a working garage,you know cutting,welding,working,installing motors and trans.so therefore nuttin but concrete for me,i don't want pretty i want functional.

fella's,i did not mean to step on anyones toe's with my post maybe i was just thinking out load.it was just my opinion.we all have our own taste and style so i apologize if i offended any of you.and i will try to police how i say things here from now on.

I didn't think your comments where that bad.....I was thinking the EXACT same thing!! I don't think you meant to offend mike, you where just saying what I think as well - concrete is king (In Our Humble Opinion!). I was going to put a floor down when I first poured the concrete and finished my shop, but there's no way I would want worry about it alll the time. All the weldng and solvents and oil and **** would be too hard on it.

But I may put it in my 2-car "show" garage....

 

[mikeyr]

Why not put the rubber mat over the race deck? Won't have to worry about the white, and the rubber mat would be easier to clean?

Uhm...duh...because I did not think of it

And to Jethro if I came off quick and harsh sorry, I also agree that concrete is king for some things, in my new garage I left a section of plain concrete so I could do more metal work without worrying, Where I took premature offense was in the insinuation that because I have Racedeck I don't work in my garage, I do. Its just that I have always have had a clean and organized garage, sometimes a very cluttered garage but always clean and organized, started way back in the early 1970's (high school days for me) when I painted my mothers garage floor white so I could find small parts I dropped, I have liked clean and organized ever since.