Torn between PVC or Polyurea

[TheBebop]

Hey folks, first post here, there are a lot of threads to sift through but this seems like a great community.

We are moving into a newly built home in a couple of weeks and I definitely want to do something with my garage floor. Spent a few months now looking at all my options(so many), and I’ve narrowed it down to the two mentioned in the subject and I can’t decide.

Regarding the PVC, I’m not into the diamond or coin patterns, nor do I want the jigsaw edges, so that leaves me with a smooth and hidden lock type PVC. I know of Tuff Seal and Supratile that offer that and they get quiet pricey, especially Tuff Seal. But I do like the ease of install, the ability to remove it for whatever reason and that I could mess with different design patterns.

With the polyurea coating, I like their overall look with the paint chip flakes, the price is a lot easier on my wallet and the other side of me likes the permanency of it. Since it’s a brand new home, I think the only prep work is etching it, and that putting down the polyurea will be more work than locking tile together.

My garage is 20.3 ft x 20.3ft and I’ll have one car parked in it. I’ll use it for some car stuff, changing brake setups and other bolt on car bits, maybe some plastidip. I’m thinking of taking up some woodworking as well, no welding or anything like that though. I’ve recently seen the videos of Jack Olsen’s garage and that has been a bit inspiring as to what to do with the workshop side of it. I live about an hour from San Francisco so I’m not worried about crazy temp changes or snow getting into the garage, maybe just a little rain or lots of fire! I’m pretty sure California has more fire than water at this point.

Anyway, Im really looking for any guidance or any tips that’ll help me decide which route to go or if anyone has any comments or questions, I’m all ears.

Thanks for taking the time to read this all this.



Brandon

 

[Garage Flooring]

Hey folks, first post here, there are a lot of threads to sift through but this seems like a great community.

We are moving into a newly built home in a couple of weeks and I definitely want to do something with my garage floor. Spent a few months now looking at all my options(so many), and I’ve narrowed it down to the two mentioned in the subject and I can’t decide.

Regarding the PVC, I’m not into the diamond or coin patterns, nor do I want the jigsaw edges, so that leaves me with a smooth and hidden lock type PVC. I know of Tuff Seal and Supratile that offer that and they get quiet pricey, especially Tuff Seal. But I do like the ease of install, the ability to remove it for whatever reason and that I could mess with different design patterns.

With the polyurea coating, I like their overall look with the paint chip flakes, the price is a lot easier on my wallet and the other side of me likes the permanency of it. Since it’s a brand new home, I think the only prep work is etching it, and that putting down the polyurea will be more work than locking tile together.

My garage is 20.3 ft x 20.3ft and I’ll have one car parked in it. I’ll use it for some car stuff, changing brake setups and other bolt on car bits, maybe some plastidip. I’m thinking of taking up some woodworking as well, no welding or anything like that though. I’ve recently seen the videos of Jack Olsen’s garage and that has been a bit inspiring as to what to do with the workshop side of it. I live about an hour from San Francisco so I’m not worried about crazy temp changes or snow getting into the garage, maybe just a little rain or lots of fire! I’m pretty sure California has more fire than water at this point.

Anyway, Im really looking for any guidance or any tips that’ll help me decide which route to go or if anyone has any comments or questions, I’m all ears.

Thanks for taking the time to read this all this.



Brandon

A lot of what we suggest depends on how you use the garage. Basic automotive garage I would suggest a Polypropelene tile or the polyurea.

 

[TheBebop]

My girlfriend swayed me to get a polyurea coating, it's cheaper and she likes the paint chip flake style more. So I'll be ordering that today.

Quick question though, I know what a full broadcast would look like but not a heavy amount of flake. Any examples of it?

 

[Garage Flooring]

My girlfriend swayed me to get a polyurea coating, it's cheaper and she likes the paint chip flake style more. So I'll be ordering that today.

Quick question though, I know what a full broadcast would look like but not a heavy amount of flake. Any examples of it?

We have tons of customer submitted pics and what they used here: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/category/garage-floor-coatings/polyurea-coating-projects-reviews/

 

[TheBebop]

Thanks, I did just order a polyurea kit through your website, John and Sami were pretty helpful.

 

[Darryl2]

Ask for FULL FLAKE TO REJECTION. That’s what we did and it seems indestructible.

 

[TheBebop]

Ask for FULL FLAKE TO REJECTION. That’s what we did and it seems indestructible.

Yeah we ordered the full broadcast and picked a color from the Torginol line up of blends. Also some glow in the dark flakes for fun.

 

[ducksface]

I'm putting supra slate pattern tile in a garage right now, this minute, like taking a break between rows and typing this right now.
The floor has sssooo many cracks and rifts and peaks and valleys. It was poured in15x15 foot sections by about six different crews over a one year period using what seems to be extra truckloads from other projects.
The supra is going down like a dream.

I canceled the floor grinding guy after experimentally laying some of the tile over a place, I kid you not, with a half inch rise, a relief cut done with what appears to be a shovel handle and another half inch rise... Over the span of less than 9 inches.
Covered it like a dream.
I have a place where where there's a sharp 3/8ths inch rise across from one side of a pad to the other and I'll grind that down a bit.
I think the pvc is actually cheaper because your prep is just a good sweeping.
Figure in acid etch, ********, grinding, ********, sealing, water penetration, dragging a sharp leg across the epoxy, hot tire transfer.... Coat g the epoxy with something else someone else recommends, add in the sheer ho hum of a chip floor, and then ask anyone how long it's supposed to last....
I have, no bull, 36 gallons of epoxy we didn't put down. There's going to be a hellofa floor epoxy adv on Craigslist soon.

In a garage which has welding things dragged around or bottles dragged around or the slightest chance of water penetration, even a spare wheel rolled across the floor or a kid dragging a rake I'd paint any floor long before I'll do epoxy again.

Sure some here are ecstatic with their epoxy floor. Some people have to be....

Buy the pvc. I'd whine about it if I could find a reason to whine, I sure can't.
And
One of my prior garages now sold, had expensive carpet. Like $22psft expensive.
New buyer didn't want that or 50ft of craftsman tables and benches and lockers.
The carpet can pop right out and I took it and the cabinets with me.
The supra will do the same.
We're horse mats in one garage and pvc in the other.

I'm hesitant to even say the unbelievable ugly I've covered with this tile.
The picture isn't the worst of it. This is in a spot never to see traffic. Saved me THOUSANDS of dollars by not having to prep and seal.

As usual, pics are proofs of experiences.

 

[TheBebop]

I've already ordered the Polyurea kit and I'm confident in the route I'm going with, If I'm not a fan later down the line I can go and cover it with tile.

Prep wise since its a new garage I believe all i need to do is etch it.

the tile you have look good, you should post more pics once its complete.

 

[GRivera]

I'm putting supra slate pattern tile in a garage right now, this minute, like taking a break between rows and typing this right now.
The floor has sssooo many cracks and rifts and peaks and valleys. It was poured in15x15 foot sections by about six different crews over a one year period using what seems to be extra truckloads from other projects.
The supra is going down like a dream.

I canceled the floor grinding guy after experimentally laying some of the tile over a place, I kid you not, with a half inch rise, a relief cut done with what appears to be a shovel handle and another half inch rise... Over the span of less than 9 inches.
Covered it like a dream.
I have a place where where there's a sharp 3/8ths inch rise across from one side of a pad to the other and I'll grind that down a bit.
I think the pvc is actually cheaper because your prep is just a good sweeping.
Figure in acid etch, ********, grinding, ********, sealing, water penetration, dragging a sharp leg across the epoxy, hot tire transfer.... Coat g the epoxy with something else someone else recommends, add in the sheer ho hum of a chip floor, and then ask anyone how long it's supposed to last....
I have, no bull, 36 gallons of epoxy we didn't put down. There's going to be a hellofa floor epoxy adv on Craigslist soon.

In a garage which has welding things dragged around or bottles dragged around or the slightest chance of water penetration, even a spare wheel rolled across the floor or a kid dragging a rake I'd paint any floor long before I'll do epoxy again.

Sure some here are ecstatic with their epoxy floor. Some people have to be....

Buy the pvc. I'd whine about it if I could find a reason to whine, I sure can't.
And
One of my prior garages now sold, had expensive carpet. Like $22psft expensive.
New buyer didn't want that or 50ft of craftsman tables and benches and lockers.
The carpet can pop right out and I took it and the cabinets with me.
The supra will do the same.
We're horse mats in one garage and pvc in the other.

I'm hesitant to even say the unbelievable ugly I've covered with this tile.
The picture isn't the worst of it. This is in a spot never to see traffic. Saved me THOUSANDS of dollars by not having to prep and seal.

As usual, pics are proofs of experiences.

Looks good- I assume this tile will let liquid/oil easily pass through seams and onto concrete surface below?

 

[TheBebop]

Looks good- I assume this tile will let liquid/oil easily pass through seams and onto concrete surface below?

From what I've read and the sample I've received they don't let any liquids through. With the hidden interlocking edges there is a channel or groove that prevents liquids from getting to the concrete. It's different from the rigid tiles.

 

[ducksface]

A flat floor is essentially watertight.
I did the youtube test of putting a paper towel under two interlocked tile. No leaks.

My floor isn't anywhere near flat so there will be leakage.
None of it worries me in the least.
Race deck will let something the size of a nut accumulate under it. My few gaps are in the 1mm range.
I can at any time seal it entirely by using backing tape. Plucking out individual sections.
Or
I could easily build a jig and seal the grout lines with a hot glue gun
Or
I think I could hot weld it into a monolith using something as simple as the harbor freight plastic welder.
Lots of solutions if you do get a gap and you regularly spill oil/whatever and if that somehow is a problem sitting on the concrete.
But
You won't get a gap.
But
I don't care the slightest slight about oil getting underneath it. I haven't in my lifetime spilled more than a teaspoon of oil at a time.
If I do spill, the tiles come up at a rate of about 2 seconds each,clean with a pressure washer or a paper towel and will go back down at a rate of about 30 seconds each.

I couldn't find a downside except the normal plastics downside of welding and cutting.
I needn't do it in the shop but if I do I'll lay down something or build a foldable platform/floor.
With the color going all the way through these a welding divot won't have a ready visual affect.

As a test I skidded, sideways, some ugly ugly old casters on the bottom of a 900lb piece of equipment. The marks it left weren't seen except from certain angles. With the slightest of polishing effort you'd need to be on your belly to find them.

The gaps are a non issue. Welding is a slight issue if you have church meetings or something in the shop and a pock on an easily replaced tile is obscene.

You can't do a bad job on the install and the pot time isn't hours. The pot time is years.
If you don't like the pattern, switch it up later.

I see no value to epoxy over this tile other than you lose 4.5 mm of ceiling height and you'll have to trim a truly well Installed door to clear the 5.5mm depth of tile.

If anyone has reason other than cost to not do these tiles, I'll sure listen.
I can pull them up pretty easily.

 

[GRivera]

Sounds promising- what is the cost per SF? And where did you buy? Also, how is the entryway transition piece?

Sorry fo hijack OP

 

[TheBebop]

Don't worry about it, I believe Ducksface ordered from www.supratile.com which is by Armorpoxy and I think they're rep or whoever frequents this forum too.

 

[ducksface]

Don't worry about it, I believe Ducksface ordered from www.supratile.com which is by Armorpoxy and I think they're rep or whoever frequents this forum too.

I didn't need a threshold piece and they're only 5.5mm thick so you might not either.
But
They make very nice transition pieces.

The supratile guy is a vendor here.
Very prompt, very professional, dealt with all my inquires during the first week of the COVID work from home the crew can't come in, ****. They didn't miss a beat, arranged shipping, put up with my questions when the shipping company dropped it off at a subshipper and posted it as delivered.

 

[ducksface]

No need for hijack sorry.
Op made his order and is done with his decision and is still helping others with his tile comments.
He did research, I did research, I can't think of another supra tile thread on gj recently.
I'm posting for those who saw the title.