Undecided between tiles and mats

[MBen]

Greetings everyone,

I'm having a hard time decided on which flooring to use in my 20x20 garage. Originally, I wanted to use epoxy but since the floor would require heavy sanding/etching/prep and crack repair, I decided to use mats or tiles instead. The level of the floor seems to be acceptable, though some cracks have a slight difference in "elevation", about 1/16-1/8".

Choices (open to other suggestions for a similar price):
Coin Grid-Loc Tiles
G-Floor 10x24ft Coin Commercial Grade

Garage usage/conditions:
- basic car repair, no/minimal use of a jack (I can do it on the driveway if needed)
- some woodworking and light workshop activities, minimal metalworking
- laundry, utilities, household storage
- NorCal weather, no snow, hot summers (though, I can UV tint garage windows)
- flooring that can last close to 10 years without meticulous care

Concerns:
- mats would be hard to clean from chemical spills/tire marks
- mats might shift over the years and not stay flat (though, there would be multiple furniture around the perimeter to hold it, but obviously not in the middle)
- tiles might make crackling sounds when walking even if underlayment is used (which one is recommended?)
- tiles might crack/scratch if I were to move a washing machine on it
- which one resists better to dropped tools? (hammer, wrench, etc)

I'm open to any ideas, thoughts, or suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[cb804]

I had the mats in my garage and did not like them. They became stained with tire marks from the car tires. You may not have a moisture issue in California, but I had moisture trapped underneath the mats. When I removed them, I could see the start of mold.

I went with Racedeck tiles but I have a light duty garage so maybe others can chime in on their experiences. As far as noise from the tiles, I used a landscape liner underneath and I don't get any crackling sounds.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi, we carry both, and believe that tiles are a much better choice. They are easily replaced if damaged too, mats can't be readily repaired.

See www.supratile.com for our offerings. Some other excellent choices also available from others.

 

[pinkerton]

I vote for reconsideration of epoxy, but do dig those racetrack tiles.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Greetings everyone,

I'm having a hard time decided on which flooring to use in my 20x20 garage. Originally, I wanted to use epoxy but since the floor would require heavy sanding/etching/prep and crack repair, I decided to use mats or tiles instead. The level of the floor seems to be acceptable, though some cracks have a slight difference in "elevation", about 1/16-1/8".

Choices (open to other suggestions for a similar price):
Coin Grid-Loc Tiles
G-Floor 10x24ft Coin Commercial Grade

Garage usage/conditions:
- basic car repair, no/minimal use of a jack (I can do it on the driveway if needed)
- some woodworking and light workshop activities, minimal metalworking
- laundry, utilities, household storage
- NorCal weather, no snow, hot summers (though, I can UV tint garage windows)
- flooring that can last close to 10 years without meticulous care

Concerns:
- mats would be hard to clean from chemical spills/tire marks
- mats might shift over the years and not stay flat (though, there would be multiple furniture around the perimeter to hold it, but obviously not in the middle)
- tiles might make crackling sounds when walking even if underlayment is used (which one is recommended?)
- tiles might crack/scratch if I were to move a washing machine on it
- which one resists better to dropped tools? (hammer, wrench, etc)

I'm open to any ideas, thoughts, or suggestions.

Thank you.

Our TrueLock HD Coin is very similar to the product you are considering, and has a very similar price point. Regardless of whose tile you go with, get two FULL SIZE samples.

Right now if you are going to get the 10x24 G-Floor, I honestly can't even have it delivered at that price at my cost. It is a great deal.

I have G-Floor small coin in my garage and I love it. All things considered, tiles are a great fit for a lot of our customers.

Mats:

Relatively seamless
Protect the substrate
Attractive
Easier to stain
Limited selection of sizes
Expansion and contraction needs to be addressed during installation

Tiles:

Easy to use and install
generally don't stain
expansion and contraction issues easier to deal with.
Size becomes irrelevant.
Make your own pattern.
Chemical resistant.

If you PM me your info, I can send you samples of tiles and the coin mats.

 

[MBen]

Thank you everyone! I ended up going with TrueLock HD Coin instead.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thank you everyone! I ended up going with TrueLock HD Coin instead.

Thank you!