Tiling a "ramp" in the garage

[pgray007]

I'm about to pull the trigger on porcelain tile, but have one potential challenge. The floor at the rear of the garage has a minor (couple degrees) rise in the last 2-3' until it hits the wall, presumably for water to roll away from the wall. You can see the line where the "ramp" starts in the picture below.



If I were to tile, is this as "simple" as making sure the grout line is where the angle changes, and the back tiles follow the angle of the concrete? Is the best way to ensure I accomplish that to dry fit a section of tile to get the spacing right or is there some other trick? I am currently assuming I want to start tiling at the front of the garage but perhaps I should start at the back?

Is there a reason I'd ultimately want to grind this down? My garage doesn't have a floor drain so everything is slightly angled to the outside.

 

[mrramsey]

Re: Tiling a "ramp" in the garage

You could do that but how straight is the slope where that line would be?? The most aesthetic part of doing tile is making sure it is square with the room.

Is that an area that will see any substantial weight or traffic? Is that slope along the entire length of that wall?
This is an example of cut tile at a slope. It is what i did in my shower and is a wall but the principal is the same.


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[signcrafter]

You can start wherever you want but yes you will need a joint where the floor changes planes. It can be a grout joint or you can just cut a tile right on the line. It's important to make sure both the floor and the ramp are "flat". As in not wavy.

If it was me I would start my tile where the floor meets the ramp with a grout joint and do the garage floor first working towards the front. After the floor was done I would go back and tile the ramp area starting at the floor tile with a grout joint and then when I get to the top of the ramp where it looks like it levels out again I would just cut the tiles if that change doesn't land in a grout joint.

 

[Cave Creek Ray]

Either way...

You can start at the ramp joint and tile back to the door and then finish the ramp portion....

OR,

You can start at the door and work toward the ramp, cutting the tile for a joint at the base of the ramp.

The first choice would be great if the ramp line is near perfect in distance back from the far wall. If it is true and square, you won't have a problem. Problem is, as it was done by hand, I bet it isn't square with the room, i.e. parallel with the back wall. The second approach may allow you to cut each tile to account for the angled ramp line. Will you see it? Sure... but, if you move your grout line over the same amount each tile, it will simply look like an angled grout line. The alternative is grinding the concrete to get the ramp line parallel with the rear wall.

A THIRD alternative is to cut a 4" (or as needed) transition piece for the angled ramp line. Set that piece in thicker mud -it will support the weight of a car no problemmo. If your ramp line wiggles back and forth under these tiles, you won't notice.

The ball is in your court. Time to do some "measuratin' 'n cipherin'. One thing I found helpful was using yellow chalk to mark things on the floor to get an idea of what you are dealing with. Once you spread wet mortar across the chalk, it will disappear into the mortar and become part of the mix. If the ramp line wanders back and forth but stays within an inch or three, that should be pretty easy to resolve. You could even lay up to the line, let it dry. Then use the cut piece as a spacer and set all the back ramp tiles and let them harden before installing the partial ramp transition pieces. I would want to support the ramp pieces because there is a potential for movement. You might want to lay one row and let that cure before doing the rest of the ramp.

CHOICES! CHOICES!!!

Keep us tuned! Take loads of pics.

Ray

 

[pgray007]

This is great advice, thanks all! The drywall guys are finally done, so the garage is "mine" again so I'll do some measuring over the coming days and keep y'all updated.


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