racedeck questions

[leprcon]

hello all,
I have a few questions about racedeck and would like some feedback!

first i have a buisness that we do full custom stereo and interior, motor conversion's and suspension. we have 5 bays and some toolbox space that adds up to about 1500 sq feet. the concrete has been epoxyed before and is showing its age

questions?

1) standing weight ie big toolboxes, jacks holding up a car? can it handle it?

2) leaks? am i going to have a moldy mess under my floor because i didn't clean a water mess up quick enough?

3) this gets used commercially with alot of traffic 20-30 cars a day
is it going to hold up?

4) is the floor going to feel like a floor or does it always move under my feet?

just some questions and would like real world answers

thanks in advance

 

[RaceDeck1]

hello all,
I have a few questions about racedeck and would like some feedback!

first i have a buisness that we do full custom stereo and interior, motor conversion's and suspension. we have 5 bays and some toolbox space that adds up to about 1500 sq feet. the concrete has been epoxyed before and is showing its age

questions?

1) standing weight ie big toolboxes, jacks holding up a car? can it handle it?

2) leaks? am i going to have a moldy mess under my floor because i didn't clean a water mess up quick enough?

3) this gets used commercially with alot of traffic 20-30 cars a day
is it going to hold up?

4) is the floor going to feel like a floor or does it always move under my feet?

just some questions and would like real world answers

thanks in advance

Thanks for your interest in RaceDeck, I will do my best to answer your questions as outlined.

1- RaceDeck can handle vehicle rolling loads in excess of 50,000 lbs and extreme weight with casters. Huge commercial boxes of not an issue

2- Our floors are full-suspension with over 1/2" of channels to allow air to flow. Also RaceDeck is non porous and will not promote mold and mildew. There are many customer posts on this forum about this

3- We have never had a RaceDeck floor wear out yet ( over 100 million feet out there) , if you wear it out, I will send you a new one

4-RaceDeck interlocks with each module making it a full custom size floor. the weight of the floor, trimming in, and the weight of the items on the floor lock it in place. Just like a wood floor in a house

 

[mikeyr]

1. big enough caster and yes it will handle it, no issues. By caster size I mean width, you want to spread the load a little on the tile, Most of my stuff has standard 2" wide casters and no issues.

2. My OLD garage was flooded twice, the tile floats on top of the water and then you step on it and sink 6" and get your feet wet for a few days there was water seeping out at the garage door and I never did anything to dry it out, just kept working on my car. When I pulled up the floor to move it to my new garage, no mold, no nothing under it.

3, I will let Racedeck answer that but I think YES with no problems. (NO FAIR, we both replied at the same time and he hit the submit key before me) See his post above

4. Its a floor so it feels like a floor, its does not more around

 

[tom86951]

hello all,
I have a few questions about racedeck and would like some feedback!

first i have a buisness that we do full custom stereo and interior, motor conversion's and suspension. we have 5 bays and some toolbox space that adds up to about 1500 sq feet. the concrete has been epoxyed before and is showing its age

questions?

1) standing weight ie big toolboxes, jacks holding up a car? can it handle it?

2) leaks? am i going to have a moldy mess under my floor because i didn't clean a water mess up quick enough?

3) this gets used commercially with alot of traffic 20-30 cars a day
is it going to hold up?

4) is the floor going to feel like a floor or does it always move under my feet?

just some questions and would like real world answers

thanks in advance

I did my garage about 6 years ago with the original diamond pattern. Overall, I am pleased and would use it again. I use my garage for lots of heavy-duty home weekend mechanic works – jacking up cars, pulling engines, pulling transmissions, clutch replacements, tunes-up, etc. The only thing the tile does not tolerate well is welding. If the splatter gets on the floor, it melts into it and leaves pock marks. I also use plywood under my jackstands, so the metal ends don’t cut into the tiles.

Other than that, I have used floor jacks directly on it, and have moved lots of heavy stuff across it without issue, such as motors on stands, transmissions on jacks, big toolboxes, cherry pickers, etc. If you drag something heavy across it, you can get shallow cuts/scratches –and I have my share from pushing pallets with nails sticking out etc. I figure those types of things would also scrape up an epoxy or other floor, but at least with the Racedeck you can replace individual tiles pretty easily and cheaply.

Overall, with this type of heavy home use, it has held up pretty well. I’ve replaced a few dozen tiles over the years – mostly the white ones where my project car was dripping fluids over the course of years, and just sat. I’ve also dulled some of the colored tiles by scrubbing them to get off the caked-on grease and grime that had been ground in from pulling motors and the like. In a professional shop, you’d want to make cleaning the floor a regular part of the routine, so the grease and grime doesn’t rough-up and get embedded into the tiles. You can still clean them, but the tiles will not have the new look after.

Regarding your specific questions: (1) big toolboxes/equipment are not an issue at all. (2) fluid can seep through the seams, but not much, and it does have airflow underneath. I put a membrane layer down – like you’d put under a wood floor kit – and it both prevents the fluid from getting to the concrete, but also makes the floor sound better when you want on it. (3) driving/walking on it all day is not an issue – heavy industrial mechanics will accelerate the type of wear I mention above though. (4) feels like a floor, nice and solid and never moves.

Here is a picture of my garage, after 6 years of heavy home use. This picture was taken right after I spent the day hand scrubbing with a brush and replacing a few white tiles -- from the street it still looks new, but close up you can see the wear I mentioned. In a nutshell, it performs as advertised and looks great.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Tom -
Thanks for posting a picture of your great looking garage and your post.

 

[cdseven95]

2) leaks? am i going to have a moldy mess under my floor because i didn't clean a water mess up quick enough?

I am referring to the free flow type
We had this floor at one of the places I worked at.... Alarm, starters, and audio shop.... If you live where it snows and do alot of starters you will get soaked with this type of floor(kneeling next to car)... We removed it after the first remote start season we had it... No way the easily squeegee the slush/snow. We had the "free flow" type... Any solid type would probably work perfect though

 

[camnick]

tom98651 what type of underlayment did you use? The thin foam style or tar paper? Did it quiet the floor as you walk on it?

 

[ViperJon]

tom98651 what type of underlayment did you use? The thin foam style or tar paper? Did it quiet the floor as you walk on it?

Interested in this as well. Can't be good to have any kind of foam type that would absorb and retain water. What's effective yet non porous?

 

[RaceDeck1]

If you choose to use an underlayment, be sure you do not use 'rubber'. Rubber reacts to most all petroleum products and rubber also does not smell very well.
You can use poly landscape felt, it's cheap and it still allows some moisture to escape. Also, you can just do certain areas ( walkways, work bench, foot traffic area, et) instead of the entire garage.

 

[leprcon]

are there any qty deals or some old stock or anything? im really trying to go this route just trying to justify the money in my head please help

 

[tom86951]

tom98651 what type of underlayment did you use? The thin foam style or tar paper? Did it quiet the floor as you walk on it?

It was thin blue foam/styrofoam with a waterproof barrier from Home Depot circa 2006. My salesman recommended against it, but it has prevented liquids from getting to the concrete underneath and I've had zero mold or other problems. Re the sound, it's hard to describe but just makes it sound more solid when you walk on it. Without it, there it more of a click/tap sound when you walk.

 

[drmarkr]

I used the underlayment that Costco sells for laminate flooring. Foam product....worked excellent at giving it a nice sound/feel when you walk on it. With our 8-10% humidity here in Tucson, mold is pretty much a non-issue.

 

[Dusty Floor]

I live in CT, where we have a pretty decent snow season each winter (especially this year!). It's pretty common for each of our two vehicles to bring snow and ice amounting to a gallon or two into the garage. Would RaceDeck handle this reasonably well?

 

[holland_patrick]

Yes it would...
I did something LIKE this before and it was a blessing after it was done as i HATE puddles under the cars. Anyways my new garage is pitched right but i will still use this method of the free flow under the cars with the solid around after i get done with getting the garage cleaned up

 

[RaceDeck1]

We just got 3 feet of snow out here in the home of RaceDeck ( Utah ) and works fantastic for these types of conditions

 

[Dusty Floor]

Will the water stay on top until I sweep it off? My floor has minimal pitch, so I would think any water the goes under the tile will take a long time to evaporate. If it stays on top, sweeping the water out will also help to flush out the sand, etc., that comes with the water.

 

[RaceDeck1]

Will the water stay on top until I sweep it off? My floor has minimal pitch, so I would think any water the goes under the tile will take a long time to evaporate. If it stays on top, sweeping the water out will also help to flush out the sand, etc., that comes with the water.

The hydro-static tension between the modules keeps 99.99% of water out ( and I would say virtually 100% of the water that drips off of cars). RaceDeck stands 1/2" tall and is channeled underneath to allow air to circulate underneath.

 

[lmtrader]

I have a 24 x 26 garage with the sticky vinyl tiles on the floor. I would like to install RaceDeck over these tiles, but I'm concerned about the floor sweating in extreme hot humid days. Should I factor some ventilation into my design?

 

[RaceDeck1]

Our floors are channeled underneath to allow max air circulation.

 

[MSG C5]

The hydro-static tension between the modules keeps 99.99% of water out ( and I would say virtually 100% of the water that drips off of cars). RaceDeck stands 1/2" tall and is channeled underneath to allow air to circulate underneath.

So would you recommend the regular Diamond or the Free Flow tiles for garages without drains? My concern is since I live in Florida, there are many days I drive in rain-soaked cars into the garage. As the rain falls off onto the floor, where does the water go? Would it be better to sit on top of the Diamond tiles until I sweep it off/evaporates or would it be better to fall through the Free Flow to the concrete and then run off/evaporate?

 

[RaceDeck1]

Is your garage pitched / sloped for water to run out the door?

 

[Dusty Floor]

My RaceDeck arrives Monday. I enjoyed browsing the pictures on various threads here and on the RaceDeck site to help me choose colors and a design. I'll post photos when it's in (hopefully next weekend!).

 

[RaceDeck1]

Thanks for choosing RaceDeck!

 

[roadrunner255]

So would you recommend the regular Diamond or the Free Flow tiles for garages without drains? My concern is since I live in Florida, there are many days I drive in rain-soaked cars into the garage. As the rain falls off onto the floor, where does the water go? Would it be better to sit on top of the Diamond tiles until I sweep it off/evaporates or would it be better to fall through the Free Flow to the concrete and then run off/evaporate?

Is your garage pitched / sloped for water to run out the door?

I have the same question my garage floor is sloped and water does drain out. I have a 3/4 ton truck that brings alot of snow (and salt) in the garage the eventually melts and drains out under the garage door.

Would you suggest a row of open tiles under the truck or just go with the diamond tiles?

I also have a compressed air motorcycle lift that when not is use stays in the lowered position, how would the tiles stand up to constant? Lift weights about 400lb with 2 wheels at one end and the other end just pivots.

Are there any photos of garage patterns, I'm color/pattern challenged.
Thanks!

 

[MSG C5]

Is your garage pitched / sloped for water to run out the door?

It is flat as my first girlfriend!

I think it might have a very slight pitch as the water heater failed once and started leaking and the water ran out the front of the garage. Will that matter in the choice of tile?

 

[mikeyr]

Would you suggest a row of open tiles under the truck or just go with the diamond tiles?

I would go closed tiles but I will Jorgen answer it for sure.

I also have a compressed air motorcycle lift that when not is use stays in the lowered position, how would the tiles stand up to constant? Lift weights about 400lb with 2 wheels at one end and the other end just pivots.

Both my lifts sit on the tiles and never any damage, my floor is near 10 years old now (I think about 8 years)

And in my new (current) garage, I took the tiles from my old garage

 

[RaceDeck1]

I have the same question my garage floor is sloped and water does drain out. I have a 3/4 ton truck that brings alot of snow (and salt) in the garage the eventually melts and drains out under the garage door.

Would you suggest a row of open tiles under the truck or just go with the diamond tiles?

I also have a compressed air motorcycle lift that when not is use stays in the lowered position, how would the tiles stand up to constant? Lift weights about 400lb with 2 wheels at one end and the other end just pivots.

Are there any photos of garage patterns, I'm color/pattern challenged.
Thanks!

check out our gallery http://www.racedeck.com/racedeckgallery/index.html

 

[RaceDeck1]

It is flat as my first girlfriend!

I think it might have a very slight pitch as the water heater failed once and started leaking and the water ran out the front of the garage. Will that matter in the choice of tile?

Hi
All of the RaceDeck garage floor styles are suspended floors with channels for air and moisture to flow, water will not get trapped and any moisture that does get under the RaceDeck either from rain, snow, fluids or through the concrete itself can easily evaporate with the air-flow

 

[MSG C5]

Hi
All of the RaceDeck garage floor styles are suspended floors with channels for air and moisture to flow, water will not get trapped and any moisture that does get under the RaceDeck either from rain, snow, fluids or through the concrete itself can easily evaporate with the air-flow

So there is no real benefit to choose the free-flow vs. the diamond tiles correct? Should the free-flow tiles only be used if you have a floor drain?

 

[RaceDeck1]

So there is no real benefit to choose the free-flow vs. the diamond tiles correct? Should the free-flow tiles only be used if you have a floor drain?

There are benefits if you live in a wet and/or snowy enviroment. In my garage I have it where my truck pulls in and all of the snow & slop just melt away through the floor and out the door, leaving me no mess in the morning when I come out to my car.

 

[Kebrock]

How easy do they sweep off? ie sawdust, dirt, leaves, grass, etc?

 

[RaceDeck1]

How easy do they sweep off? ie sawdust, dirt, leaves, grass, etc?

RaceDeck is really easy to keep clean ( non porous, smooth and easy to wipe)