I am redoing my Dad's garage (See other thread). My issue is that when he built it, he had a floor drain and the floor has a slight slope to run the water to the drain. Back then, it was just a hole in the concrete with some stone underneath. When he drilled a water well by the garage he plugged the drain with Concrete patch to keep oil and diesel out of the well (he worked on construction vehicles in the garage and was not neat about it). I plan on doing hobby car work and mechanics in the garage and will not be washing cars in the garage. That said, I am concerned if I lay race deck that I can end up with water pools there from driving a wet car in or spilling stuff on the floor. Anyone have experience in occasionally cleaning or wet vac the floor? it is 24 x 30 and I really do not want to add the expense of that much self leveling concrete.
Race Deck with a plugged floor drain?
- Thread starter Jim1932
- Start date
RaceDeck1
Well-known member
RaceDeck is a fully channeled understructure that allows liquids and moisture to flow. In my own garage we have 3 drains and all winter long the snow melts through and to the drains. I also wash my cars in the garage
RaceDeck1
Well-known member
The FreeFlow is channeled, so if your garage floor is pitched the water will run out the door. If not, the open ribbing will allow for max evaporation.
CJDave
Well-known member
So, the old drain is in the center of the floor and the floor slopes from all directions to the drain? If so how much lower is the floor at the drain than at the walls? I've never tried to vac water thru my Free Flow tiles but I would certainly think it is possible to do on those rare occasions when you do get a puddle at the drain. I'm a big fan of my Free Flow but the flooring should match with the intended use of the garage. CJDave.
Rorin67
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The floor is pitched to run to a drain in the middle of the floor. But the drain no longer drains, so the water will puddle. That's what I'm seeing here.
Laid out a long 2x6. the low spot is an inch under the rest. Not sure if it is worth putting in some self leveling compound.. I am trying to not deal with all the prep work for that. I also have a bad finish spot by the door that I need to either grind, or maybe lust not tile the last foot of the floor. I also need to plug these holes, Hydraulic cement won't expand enough to crack along the line of holes will it?
I installed Freeflow Racedeck three years ago and really like. It does bridge gaps well. I even gouged channels in the concrete to get most of the water to flow toward the drain. I did not want to spend the money to try level the concrete. I still have some areas that do not drain and pool water, but the water is below the deck and will evaporate.
As for shop vac sucking up the water, it does a fairly good job but will leave some behind. I actually clean my racedeck once per year by duct taping my pressure washer wand to the shop vac hose to clean and **** up the water at the same time.
As for shop vac sucking up the water, it does a fairly good job but will leave some behind. I actually clean my racedeck once per year by duct taping my pressure washer wand to the shop vac hose to clean and **** up the water at the same time.
RaceDeck1
Well-known member
Thanks for the pics and great info!.. and of course choosing RaceDeckI installed Freeflow Racedeck three years ago and really like. It does bridge gaps well. I even gouged channels in the concrete to get most of the water to flow toward the drain. I did not want to spend the money to try level the concrete. I still have some areas that do not drain and pool water, but the water is below the deck and will evaporate.
As for shop vac sucking up the water, it does a fairly good job but will leave some behind. I actually clean my racedeck once per year by duct taping my pressure washer wand to the shop vac hose to clean and **** up the water at the same time.