[J3000]

Just bought a new house. It's got a 2 car garage, which is something new for me. That having been said, we're not going to use it as a garage. It makes more sense for us to use it as flytying/craft-project/kids-playroom space.

Does anyone have any experience with any of the garage flooring options? I'm looking for something a bit nicer (and more comfortable in the winter) than just the bare concrete. Ideally it might be something with a little "give" it to protect against my idiot kids tackling each other or dropping something. So probably not the concrete garage paint that I've seen people use. But I don't think I'd like something quite as soft as those interlocking foam anti fatigue mats. Mostly because it would be nice to be able to pull a car in for some reason if necessary in the future.

I was thinking of this sort of thing:

http://www.amazon.com/BlockTile-B0US4230-Flooring-Interlocking-30-Pack/dp/B009RI6DW0/

Or maybe this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/G-Floor-...or-Cover-and-Protector-GF75CN1024SG/203450706

But I'm really open to just about anything.

Love some advice since I'm sure at least a few of you have looked into this before. Thanks.

 

[Steve Unwin]

The ones on the Amazon link would work pretty nicely. I've used similar tiles for some stuff at work. They are not soft by any means but would offer some protection to skulls cracking off it.

Tomorrow I'll check the vendor I used, it may be cheaper than amazon.

 

[Poopy McButtfart]

So does that mean you can't walk over and have a beer with me every couple years when I stop by Kulshan?

 

[mplutodh1]

Bought a kit from Costco (http://reviews.costco.com/2070/1147...oating-kit-by-epoxymaster-reviews/reviews.htm)

Happy with it. Have a few spots I didn't put enough effort into acid etching more and getting the oil up so didn't cover perfectly in those areas but only I notice it.

 

[Karry]

High density closed cell foam glued down to concrete, and sprayed with truck bed liner. It is used by Vets (animal DR. not old army men) Water proof, tough, and some what soft. If horse can walk on it you should be able to drive on it too.

 

[Karry]

Link to friend that did it. http://www.mtbullhide.com/indoor

 

[J3000]

So does that mean you can't walk over and have a beer with me every couple years when I stop by Kulshan?

Absolutely not. New house is like 60 feet from the old house. End of the block that I'm on now and across the street.

I'm still all about the Kulshan.

 

[Steve Unwin]

The ones on the Amazon link would work pretty nicely. I've used similar tiles for some stuff at work. They are not soft by any means but would offer some protection to skulls cracking off it.

Tomorrow I'll check the vendor I used, it may be cheaper than amazon.

The stuff I used was from Allmats.com. They have a ton of different options but the Amazon kit looks quite a bit cheaper. The ones I used (Tuff Seal Prime) is softer that the Amazon ones, more like rubber than plastic, but for the price those would be awesome I think.

 

[Jim F.]

I'd be inclined to coat the floor with something that leaves the advantages of having a hard-surfaced floor. Your garage door will remain as the largest entrance into the house; over time, you will find need to move/roll/transport something cumbersome or heavy through that portal. If a soft surface is desired, I'd put-down something that could be easily removed & replaced, such as interlocking foam mats or a dense carpet that could be rolled-up.

 

[Bob Triggs]

I'd be inclined to coat the floor with something that leaves the advantages of having a hard-surfaced floor. Your garage door will remain as the largest entrance into the house; over time, you will find need to move/roll/transport something cumbersome or heavy through that portal. If a soft surface is desired, I'd put-down something that could be easily removed & replaced, such as interlocking foam mats or a dense carpet that could be rolled-up.

I like Jim's reasoning here. You could coat the floor with a good epoxy sealant or industrial floor coating, to seal it. Then get some good quality carpeting, with a good under carpeting padding. And I would not go wall-to-wall, but leave a margin of the painted floor exposed around the edge of the carpet so you can handle it if you have to roll it up someday. This will add warmth and comfort to the cement floor, and be most versatile.

 

[weiliwen]

There's a guy who lives down the road with lots of time on his hands, plus a lot of nervous energy. He sourced those 1'X1' black and white tiles you see at grocery stores and laid that down on his entire floor. It looks very sharp, easy to clean, etc. The tiles cost him less than 10 cents each and he did the whole garage floor in an afternoon, plus a day to dry that was only one of about a million clever projects he's done with his garage, but that's for another thread! Were I to want a nicer floor for my garage, that's what I'd lay down. You can always put down those EVA mats where you need them for working, or even area carpets for the kids. Plus, your garage can always double as a French Bistro.

 

[Mountain Man]

Before you spend too much money, you might want to wait a fall/winter/spring to see how damp your slab gets. If you put something like those mats from Amazon over a slab that gets damp (even if you can't actually see or feel the moisture), you can wick the water to the top of the slab (between it and your mats), and end up with a mold problem. Wait until the wettest point of the year, and test the slab with a moisture meter, or some cheap-o moisture strips.

 

[Ernie Adams]

I glued 20 dollar bills to the concrete in my garage. I like the feeling of greenbacks on my feet when I go into the garage. It does make finding anything green hard when it is dropped though.

Go Sox,
cds

 

[Chris Johnson]

Keep the garage functional, send the kids outside to play.

 

[Grayone]

The amazon tiles look fine. It would make it easy to pull up and restore it to a garage for resale. I would make sure the garage door is insulated.

 

[J3000]

The amazon tiles look fine. It would make it easy to pull up and restore it to a garage for resale. I would make sure the garage door is insulated.

Yeah, that is the next challenge after the floor.

 

[J3000]

Keep the garage functional, send the kids outside to play.

Legit, except for the 6 months of rain and darkness we get every year.

 

[FinLuver]

Several options available...

* epoxy paints (with or without the chips)
* floating wood laminate flooring with vapor barrier
* ceramic tile (with a painted on vapor barrier)
* peel n stick vinyl
* vinyl planking with over/under pre-glued edges (Allure)
* snap together rubber flooring...comes in great colors (sports teams too)...durable to park car on.
* pre-padded carpet squares
* rolled carpet

All this stuff can be found at The Home Depots (5 years Rep'ing those products evidently comes in handy)

Be sure to check for moisture content of your concrete....and as suggested, wait to see what "water events" this winter brings.

 

[Guest]

Just paint the floor with concrete stain and be done with it. Walking on it bare foot will keep your toe nails worn down !

 

[FinLuver]

"Walking on it bare foot will keep your toe nails worn down ! "

Hopefully, you have been keeping cut before they get to the "claw" stage??