Usuing two floor types epoxy and tiles.

[600SL]

I'm considering a combination of floor tile and epoxy for my garage.

The idea is to put porcelain tile around the outer border of both my garage and machine shop and Armorpoxi with military top coat in the center.

I like this idea because I really like the epoxy as a work surface to walk on and run cars and jacks on but I realize that keeping it up will mean repainting every so often.

With the Epoxy only in the center I do not have to move the whole shop out to repaint and repainting footage is also reduced.

The porcelain tile on the other hand will possibly be a 3 foot band around the walls used mostly where work benches and machines are stored.

Has anyone seen a setup like this?

 

[Dakota00]

I like this idea because I really like the epoxy as a work surface to walk on and run cars and jacks on

Why?? because those things can't be accomplished with porcelain tiles for some reason??

 

[600SL]

Why?? because those things can't be accomplished with porcelain tiles for some reason??

Not sure if I'm sold on the porcelain.

I like the epoxy for doing thinks like rolling a car on the jack or an engine on a crane or dolly. I'm not sure if I can roll a jack with a car on it easily over grout lines. I also like the feel of epoxy when laying on it. Its like an insulator. It was a night and day difference between laying on a concrete floor and an epoxied floor. No more need for cardboard.

I love Jacks 12 gauge garage and certainly appreciate his 4 pound sledge hammer video but the level of work I perform is much more severe than what he does.

The tiles PEI level 4, Jack used are still available for $0.99 at HD. That actually cheaper that the Armorpoxy I priced out but its not something I could install myself therefore they cost a little more. The Epoxy is very easy once I get everything out of the garage so therefore, if it is limited to the center of the garage it becomes very easy to maintain. If I'm to go with a PEI level 5 tile, I cant find anything under $5.00.

I guess the perfect tile for me would not have a beveled edge and grout lines ~1/16" for easy rolling. I also would prefer a single light color no fleck.

So this is kind of a cost verses practicality issue for me.

1) how do cars roll on jacks over grout lines.

2) is the $0.99 solution really practical for heavy fabrication.

Another option is something like a Race Deck perimeter and Epoxy center.

The wife has put me on a budget of $3000 for about 1350 ft sq.

 

[Shea]

I can understand your thinking, but I think it may create more of a problem with two different elevations present on your floor. It can create a possible trip hazard as well make it difficult if you want to roll a tool box for example, from the middle of your floor back to the perimeter.

I believe either floor type would get the job done for you. There are many automobile dealerships that are extremely busy that have tiled floors. Of course commercial installed epoxy coatings are used successfully as well.

My suggestion would be to use a rectified tile with a smaller 1/8" grout line. Tool boxes, creepers, and engine hoists roll just fine over this kind of floor.

 

[600SL]

I can understand your thinking, but I think it may create more of a problem with two different elevations present on your floor. It can create a possible trip hazard as well make it difficult if you want to roll a tool box for example, from the middle of your floor back to the perimeter.

I believe either floor type would get the job done for you. There are many automobile dealerships that are extremely busy that have tiled floors. Of course commercial installed epoxy coatings are used successfully as well.

My suggestion would be to use a rectified tile with a smaller 1/8" grout line. Tool boxes, creepers, and engine hoists roll just fine over this kind of floor.

Thanks for the reply and I appreciate your web sight.

One of the things I have taken out of this forum is that every type of flooring has some kind of issues with the exception of porcelain. I have not heard about issues with porcelain but there are not to many people using it. Jack Olsen's 12 Gauge Garage forum is very informative with an inexpensive tile but the wide grout lines and tapered tile edges do give me concern.

The rectified porcelain tile with 1/8" grout lines seems to be the way to go but cost may drive it off the edge. In any case I did put this option out for bidding but lets see the cost if its manageable.

I do concur about concerns with an uneven edge between tile and epoxy and that is true with porcelain but the plastic race deck type tiles have an edging available and another option I just learned about here is the VCT 1/8" tiles.

My experience with the Armorpoxy II coating was limited in that I only had it for 6 months. While it looked great for 6 months so did the previous Home Depot Rustolium installation look good until it started to lift in large sections during cold weather 2 years later.

I expect the Armorpoxy to do a lot better than this but I believe for shops of this type 5 year floor repaints are a reality. I know from the Areospace industry I am in that we paint our production floors about every two years with top of the line very heavy duty very thick floor coatings. The goal here is to make that repainting process easy.

Perhaps the Aerospace industry will go to porcelain, I now see some kind of tile in Mercedes Benz Dealers. Does anyone know what MB typically uses.

Thank John

 

[Dakota00]

If I'm to go with a PEI level 5 tile, I cant find anything under $5.00.

I guess the perfect tile for me would not have a beveled edge and grout lines ~1/16" for easy rolling. I also would prefer a single light color no fleck.

So this is kind of a cost verses practicality issue for me.

1) how do cars roll on jacks over grout lines.

2) is the $0.99 solution really practical for heavy fabrication.

Another option is something like a Race Deck perimeter and Epoxy center.

The wife has put me on a budget of $3000 for about 1350 ft sq.

I don't know where you are located? For example, a quick search on Lowes showed many PEI 5 tiles in the $1-2 range. You can find deals out there, if you look. The thing is, if you have a tile setter that installs the tiles for you, that will drive up the cost and eat your budget fast.

Grout lines if kept tight at 1/8" or less, will raise no concern with floor jacks, engine stands, etc...

Please don't waste your time and money on applying those "big box stores" epoxy if you plan on redoing the floor coating every other year. Do you really want a floor that requires that kind of never ending maintenance, cost and still look like ****?

What ever flooring you do decided, do your research!! Tons of info on all flooring types in this forum. BTW, stick to one type of flooring for your space.

 

[600SL]

I don't know where you are located? For example, a quick search on Lowes showed many PEI 5 tiles in the $1-2 range. You can find deals out there, if you look. The thing is, if you have a tile setter that installs the tiles for you, that will drive up the cost and eat your budget fast.

Grout lines if kept tight at 1/8" or less, will raise no concern with floor jacks, engine stands, etc...

Please don't waste your time and money on applying those "big box stores" epoxy if you plan on redoing the floor coating every other year. Do you really want a floor that requires that kind of never ending maintenance, cost and still look like ****?

What ever flooring you do decided, do your research!! Tons of info on all flooring types in this forum. BTW, stick to one type of flooring for your space.

Just updated my profile. I'm in North Carolina

Took a look at Lowes and the only PEI5 I can find at any reasonable cost is 6"x6" @ $0.88 per tile = 0$3.52 per sq ft.

Right now it looks like if this is going to happen I will need to find on heck of a deal on Craig's List.

Unfortunately not only am I trying to do the tile but also building the whole Garage so I have competing cost.

Will not be wasting my money on the big box stores epoxy. Been there done that was not impressed. I really liked the Armorpoxy I used last year unfortunately I wasn't around to evaluate how it holds up. I think the best compromise I can come to is go with the Armorpoxy and lift my steel wall panels 1/2" for a possible future tile install. Who know the Armorpoxy may surprise me in 5 years.

Thanks John