Racedeck flooring first timer

[nkleinschmit]

Hello all,

I am finally going to pull the trigger and install RaceDeck flooring in my garage. I am just looking for some input on things to do and things not to do.
It seems from the various threads about RaceDeck that everyone is very happy with the product and I am looking forward to getting my garage looking nice!

I am of course going to sweep, power wash, and clean the floor very well. Those of you that are familiar with it/have used RaceDeck in the past, is there anything you would recommend that I do before I lay down the tiles or anything I should do after the tiles are installed?

As far as water pooling on the tiles, do you guys usually just use a squeegee and push the water out of the garage or is there a better way to go about that?

Any input helps!

Thanks in advance!

 

[CSRPenFab]

A clean floor is really all you need pre-install. If you have a curb around the perimeter, you can paint it and a couple inches of the floor pre-install for a clean edge. I just used black latex paint since it won’t see any wear. A mop or squeegee will take care of any puddles.

My prior garage with concrete exposed:




Current garage where I did not paint the curb:

 

[RaceDeck1]

if you give us a call we can walk you through all of the options and even work on the design with you

 

[Garage Flooring]

Have a look at this page and the videos : https://www.garageflooringllc.com/2018/03/23/install-garage-floor-tiles/

 

[99LeCouch]

I just wrapped up installing GarageDeck, which is also made by Snaplock Industries. It's very similar to RaceDeck.

My installation was fairly simple. Sweep the floor, vacuum it with a shop vacuum and then blow it off periodically in case anything blew in. I elected to put down landscape fabric under the floor to reduce some of the "click" noise, like hard soled shoes walking across a hard floor. A rubber mallet helped smack the connectors down. For breaking up the squares into individual tiles when making a pattern, breaking them over a knee works well.

For any cuts, a laminate flooring cutter that looks like a guillotine makes life a lot easier. The Marshalltown 13" Ultra-Lite cutter is the one I purchased. It could shave a few millimeters off if needed or easily cut an entire tile. The included fence was accurate. Obviously watch your fingers and do not be sipping adult beverages at this stage!

Overall this stuff goes down easily. Enjoy your new floor!

 

[RaceDeck1]

I just wrapped up installing GarageDeck, which is also made by Snaplock Industries. It's very similar to RaceDeck.

My installation was fairly simple. Sweep the floor, vacuum it with a shop vacuum and then blow it off periodically in case anything blew in. I elected to put down landscape fabric under the floor to reduce some of the "click" noise, like hard soled shoes walking across a hard floor. A rubber mallet helped smack the connectors down. For breaking up the squares into individual tiles when making a pattern, breaking them over a knee works well.

For any cuts, a laminate flooring cutter that looks like a guillotine makes life a lot easier. The Marshalltown 13" Ultra-Lite cutter is the one I purchased. It could shave a few millimeters off if needed or easily cut an entire tile. The included fence was accurate. Obviously watch your fingers and do not be sipping adult beverages at this stage!

Overall this stuff goes down easily. Enjoy your new floor!

lets see it!

 

[99LeCouch]

lets see it!

There's the floor. It's a bright red border with graphite and alloy checkerboard. My neighbors have been asking about it. The floor really sets off the garage. Bonus Harry Epstein box art.

 

[nkleinschmit]

if you give us a call we can walk you through all of the options and even work on the design with you

Sorry it took awhile to respond, been away for work all week.
I feel like the design should be pretty straightforward thanks to the floor designer on your website. I have a pretty square garage overall and should need to work around anything too complicated.
I can give you a call though just to make sure I have a grasp on everything!
Is 866-205-5649 the best phone number?

 

[nkleinschmit]

I just wrapped up installing GarageDeck, which is also made by Snaplock Industries. It's very similar to RaceDeck.

My installation was fairly simple. Sweep the floor, vacuum it with a shop vacuum and then blow it off periodically in case anything blew in. I elected to put down landscape fabric under the floor to reduce some of the "click" noise, like hard soled shoes walking across a hard floor. A rubber mallet helped smack the connectors down. For breaking up the squares into individual tiles when making a pattern, breaking them over a knee works well.

For any cuts, a laminate flooring cutter that looks like a guillotine makes life a lot easier. The Marshalltown 13" Ultra-Lite cutter is the one I purchased. It could shave a few millimeters off if needed or easily cut an entire tile. The included fence was accurate. Obviously watch your fingers and do not be sipping adult beverages at this stage!

Overall this stuff goes down easily. Enjoy your new floor!

Landscape fabric is a great idea to cut down on some noise. I was wondering whether or not it would make a little noise walking across it! I will look into the laminate cutter, I have only ever used a table saw for my laminate cutting.

Your floor looks great!

 

[99LeCouch]

Landscape fabric is a great idea to cut down on some noise. I was wondering whether or not it would make a little noise walking across it! I will look into the laminate cutter, I have only ever used a table saw for my laminate cutting.

Your floor looks great!

Thank you!

The laminate flooring cutter is money well spent. It cuts cleanly and precisely. An oscillating multitool is a good way to make small cuts around things like door tracks. Slow and steady at first to begin the cut then let it rip. The resulting cut will need to be deburred. Definitely practice on a scrap a few times to get the hang of it. Clamping the tile is necessary when using a multitool to cut since it will otherwise shake it all over.

Hope that helps in your decision making!

 

[66HertzClone]

Landscape fabric is a great idea to cut down on some noise. I was wondering whether or not it would make a little noise walking across it! I will look into the laminate cutter, I have only ever used a table saw for my laminate cutting.

Your floor looks great!

Having installed Race Deck in two different garages I can without a moments hesitation highly recommend the use of the landscape fabric. My first install didn't have it, I did it the second time around and am very glad that I did.

 

[RaceDeck1]

There's the floor. It's a bright red border with graphite and alloy checkerboard. My neighbors have been asking about it. The floor really sets off the garage. Bonus Harry Epstein box art.

I like it, I see you have an artist in the family ...

 

[nkleinschmit]

Thanks for all the tips y'all. I just placed my order! (took advantage of the Labor Day sale )
I will definitely be using some landscaping fabric and using all the other tips and tricks as well!

New and improved garage coming soon!

 

[frankd]

I just wrapped up installing GarageDeck, which is also made by Snaplock Industries. It's very similar to RaceDeck.

My installation was fairly simple. Sweep the floor, vacuum it with a shop vacuum and then blow it off periodically in case anything blew in. I elected to put down landscape fabric under the floor to reduce some of the "click" noise, like hard soled shoes walking across a hard floor. A rubber mallet helped smack the connectors down. For breaking up the squares into individual tiles when making a pattern, breaking them over a knee works well.

For any cuts, a laminate flooring cutter that looks like a guillotine makes life a lot easier. The Marshalltown 13" Ultra-Lite cutter is the one I purchased. It could shave a few millimeters off if needed or easily cut an entire tile. The included fence was accurate. Obviously watch your fingers and do not be sipping adult beverages at this stage!

Overall this stuff goes down easily. Enjoy your new floor!

I also went with the garagedeck and put down landscape fabric first. It's been a few years and I'm happy with it. I did want to go with RaceDeck but unfortunately it just wasn't in my budget.

I'm not sure about RaceDeck but my garagedeck floor lifts and buckles under direct sunlight when its hot out. I only notice it at the entrance of the garage. I don't leave the garage door open for long periods of time but when I do, its kind of annoying. I left plenty of room for expansion and it didn't seem to help at all. I installed mine in the winter when it was pretty cold in the garage. I have heard if you put the tiles out in the sun for a while and install them while they're warm, it helps the problem. Overall, not a big deal.

With regard to the water, I just squeegee any excess water off but for the water that gets in-between/under the tile, it does take a pretty long time to dry. I was worried about mold/moisture issues because of that but so far it hasn't been a problem.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Thanks for all the tips y'all. I just placed my order! (took advantage of the Labor Day sale )
I will definitely be using some landscaping fabric and using all the other tips and tricks as well!

New and improved garage coming soon!

Thanks for choosing RaceDeck.. looking forward to seeing your new cool garage!

 

[arctictq]

I don't know anything about Racedeck or Garagedeck, but came across this thread and was curious.
So water and/or antifreeze, gas, oil or any liquid can get under this kind of flooring?

 

[RaceDeck1]

I don't know anything about Racedeck or Garagedeck, but came across this thread and was curious.
So water and/or antifreeze, gas, oil or any liquid can get under this kind of flooring?

Sure can. RaceDeck has a patented channeled self-draining understructure that allows liquids,moisture and debris to flow freely with garage floor pitch or to drains.

 

[frankd]

I don't know anything about Racedeck or Garagedeck, but came across this thread and was curious.
So water and/or antifreeze, gas, oil or any liquid can get under this kind of flooring?

Not sure if garagedeck has the same patented self draining under-structure. the seams on my tile a pretty tight, but not at all watertight. Any fluid that sits there will eventually drain through and under the tile. I don't have a photo but if I recall correctly the underside of the tile just had a raised diamond pattern with little "feet" at all of the intersections where the pattern crisscrossed. So the tiles are raised on the floor a bit and have some breathing room underneath.
This is my only real issue with this kind of garage floor. I put down a large tarp anytime I'm doing a job where I might spill some fluids. If water gets under the tile it'll just dry eventually but thats not the case with oil or other chemicals.

 

[99LeCouch]

I'll find out this winter when the cars track in slush into the garage. It'll be easier to get out than the snow stuck in the spalling for sure.

 

[CJDave]

Does anyone have this stuff in their garage? and can recommend which style to get? Also can you list the prices you paid? anyone have a hook up? I'm ready to order it I just cant figure out which one is best.

Matching the intended use of the garage with your flooring will go a long way towards being happy with your floor.
9 years ago I did my 500 sf garage with FreeFlow and don't have any regrets or complaints. Water, snow and ice melt goes under the tiles and runs to the overhead door. Easy cleaning. Stands up to my floor jack, roller tool box and jack stands as long as the bottom edges are not sharp. I noticed some clicking when walking when the tiles were new but they have silenced without fabric. No odors, vapors, drying problems, peeling, fading or anything else outlined in countless threads here regarding coatings. I wouldn't change a thing with mine. CJDave.

 

[CSRPenFab]

Does anyone have this stuff in their garage? and can recommend which style to get? Also can you list the prices you paid? anyone have a hook up? I'm ready to order it I just cant figure out which one is best.

I'm on my 4th RD garage. The first 3 were diamond tiles (living in CA), and now I've got 1,000 sq. ft. of FreeFlow since I'm in Idaho and we get some snow. Both are great, just depends on what you need, or you can always mix/match them. For pricing, reach out to RaceDeck and give them your GJ user name to get a nice discount.

 

[RaceDeck1]

I'm on my 4th RD garage. The first 3 were diamond tiles (living in CA), and now I've got 1,000 sq. ft. of FreeFlow since I'm in Idaho and we get some snow. Both are great, just depends on what you need, or you can always mix/match them. For pricing, reach out to RaceDeck and give them your GJ user name to get a nice discount.

Thanks for all your business over the years... 4 Racedeck floors is impressive

 

[mikeyr]

I know people complain about the noise, but i never noticed it until I read about it here. My Racedeck was put down long before I ever heard of GJ, coming up on 20 years pretty soon (next year I think). It was many years before I noticed the noise and only because I read about it here. My last restoration ( a car I did NOT want to work on, but daughter and wife insisted I restore son-in-laws car), I got pretty frustrated when painting and didnt protect the floor and got a lot of overspray on the floor, but wifey says i cant buy a new floor. Of everything i have done in my garage, Racedeck is by far the best upgrade over the decades.

 

[RaceDeck1]

I know people complain about the noise, but i never noticed it until I read about it here. My Racedeck was put down long before I ever heard of GJ, coming up on 20 years pretty soon (next year I think). It was many years before I noticed the noise and only because I read about it here. My last restoration ( a car I did NOT want to work on, but daughter and wife insisted I restore son-in-laws car), I got pretty frustrated when painting and didnt protect the floor and got a lot of overspray on the floor, but wifey says i cant buy a new floor. Of everything i have done in my garage, Racedeck is by far the best upgrade over the decades.

Thanks for choosing Racedeck ( years ago ) and still sharing

 

[ixlosxi]

For those that install landscaping fabric how do you clean out the floor? Every few years when you pull then floor out to wash the flooring underneath do you dump the landscape fabric and just replace it? I'm still trying to figure out tiles vs epoxy (been here a few months but finally registered)

Also any specific landscape fabric that people recommend? Or a specific thickness?

 

[CSRPenFab]

For those that install landscaping fabric how do you clean out the floor? Every few years when you pull then floor out to wash the flooring underneath do you dump the landscape fabric and just replace it? I'm still trying to figure out tiles vs epoxy (been here a few months but finally registered)

Also any specific landscape fabric that people recommend? Or a specific thickness?

Honestly, I never pulled my prior RD diamond tile floor out to clean it. I cleaned it in place with a mop bucket; maybe once a year. I used the black non-woven landscape fabric from Sam's club that comes in 4'x100' rolls. I now have RD FreeFlow with no fabric.

 

[mepstein]

I have free flow on my concrete and solid tiles on the loft. I just grabbed whatever landscape fabric was at the big box store. Worked great. Don’t overthink, just get it down and enjoy your new floor.
* I use a sliding miter saw with the blade in backwards. I used it on all my vinyl siding and then on the floor. Works great. Any old blade will work. Just turn it around backwards so the teeth don’t grab the tiles.

 

[ixlosxi]

So if I plan to use free flow then don't use the fabric but on sections where I use the diamond tile I can.

 

[CSRPenFab]

So if I plan to use free flow then don't use the fabric but on sections where I use the diamond tile I can.

Correct. The fabric is only used to quiet the "click clack" of solid tiles. On FreeFlow, there is no noise.

 

[RaceDeck1]

So if I plan to use free flow then don't use the fabric but on sections where I use the diamond tile I can.

You do not want to use any underlayment on RaceDeck FreeFlow, and most customers really don't use under our floors in general.

 

[Al G]

I've done 3 garages with RD and never put anything under the tiles. I've used both free flow and diamond tiles. I don't understand the concerns about noise. Never bothered me.

 

[drmarkr]

For those that install landscaping fabric how do you clean out the floor? Every few years when you pull then floor out to wash the flooring underneath do you dump the landscape fabric and just replace it? I'm still trying to figure out tiles vs epoxy (been here a few months but finally registered)

Also any specific landscape fabric that people recommend? Or a specific thickness?

No cleaning necessary with diamond. I bought the cheapest fabric I could find when I did my first one in 2007...in fact I'm going to take credit for being the first (on this board) to use landscape fabric!

 

[RaceDeck1]

No cleaning necessary with diamond. I bought the cheapest fabric I could find when I did my first one in 2007...in fact I'm going to take credit for being the first (on this board) to use landscape fabric!

Long time customer.. You just might be the first to try it

 

[RaceDeck1]

I've done 3 garages with RD and never put anything under the tiles. I've used both free flow and diamond tiles. I don't understand the concerns about noise. Never bothered me.

95% of our customers over nearly 30 years do not put anything under RaceDeck, noise is really not an issue as many floors each have a unique sound when you walk across. For those that do, we recommend a synthetic breathable material ( no felt, rubber or non-pourus )

 

[PAndaemonium89]

Following...planning on going with free flow here pretty soon as my garage gets finished. Hoping it gives it a cleaner look with all the slush we deal with during MN winters.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Following...planning on going with free flow here pretty soon as my garage gets finished. Hoping it gives it a cleaner look with all the slush we deal with during MN winters.

sounds good to us! thanks for choosing RaceDeck

 

[Shocker]

I have had my Racedeck floor for about 10 years now. Been great, zero issues.

I do lay down a 3x5 piece of hardiboard when grinding or welding anything to keep it from being damaged.

The only damage I have sustained is a large bold stuck in the tread of my truck tire. Rolled in, no damage until the end and it punched a single hole. No big.

 

[CSRPenFab]

Every Halloween we sit by the fire in the driveway and hand out treats. It never fails that many of the dads who come by admire the RD floor and want to know more about it. Heck, I should have pamphlets to pass out! Last night was no exception, and I had at least a dozen who wanted a closer look.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Every Halloween we sit by the fire in the driveway and hand out treats. It never fails that many of the dads who come by admire the RD floor and want to know more about it. Heck, I should have pamphlets to pass out! Last night was no exception, and I had at least a dozen who wanted a closer look.

This is great, thanks for sharing

 

[pdl2mtl90]

Put down Racedeck in my 3 car garage when we built our home 14 years ago. I detail part-time out of it and I get tons of compliments and even had a neighbor go with Racedeck after seeing it and walking on it.