Making room for the 6

[bobjebb]

On a lighter note...

If it ever turns up, I've cleared some 'winter' space - can anyone recommend a suitable floor covering to improve on concrete? I'm sure there's a liquid self-levelling material for this king of thing?

[wildbore]

A few years ago I spent ages investigated treatments for my concrete garage floor - it looked just like yours does. I looked at several "flattening" and self-leveling compounds to give me a smoother surface. In the end, I established that, unless you want to raise the level of the floor noticably, none of them will work well - i.e. they won't bond properly in thin applications when you start driving cars over them (especially if you turn the wheel, which puts huge shear forces through the surface).

In the end, I just painted the floor with garage floor paint (after sealing it with garage floor sealer, which is essential). After I had finished, I realised that I had an 85% solution for a 10% investment.

There may be new, better flooring compounds around now that weren't then, or maybe an expert will provide better advice. But before you go too far down the self-leveling route, I would suggest that painting is mostly what is needed, and is well worth it.

[bobjebb]

Good advice thanks. Not tiles then? Probably more expensive still...

[doodlebug]

Question. Why bother?

[bobjebb]

Concrete is rough, dusty, flaky in places. Lots of other tools floating around dropping grass and mud etc, it's a pain to sweep clean with out a gas mask. Want something cleaner as a surface.

[doodlebug]

Gotcha. Thankfully my garage has not reached that point. Yet!

[wrekka]

Hi impact rubber tiles. Seen them in a lot of garages. Fit together like a jigsaw and you can drop hammers on them etc with no issues. Grizz at Unit 20 has some in his works garage. Easy to sweep too!

[wildbore]

Concrete is rough, dusty, flaky in places. Lots of other tools floating around dropping grass and mud etc, it's a pain to sweep clean with out a gas mask. Want something cleaner as a surface.

Exactly like mine was.

Hose the floor down and brush it with a stiff broom.
Allow to dry thoroughly for a few days.
Apply Concrete sealer (from the same company that makes the floor paint).
Couple of coats of floor paint.

End of problem.

I painted mine about ten years ago and the finish is still completely intact.

Tiles: Yes, they are in my fantasy garage, and the Snap-on toolkit is sitting on those tiles, next to the Ferrari Dino.

[Eddie555]

I've carpeted mine and just use an old Hoover to vac it when required. But the garage only ever had my toy in there and my SNAP ON tools.

[R55ENS]

This is what you want for your floor:


Heavy duty rubber/plastic tiles. Cost about £450 to do a 3.5m x 5.5m garage! Looks great and is easy to keep clean!

[bobjebb]

Nice, trouble is, my floor is nowhere near level enough to lay tiles!

[wildbore]

Your floor is clearly designed to distract anyone who looks in your garage from the fact that you are hiding ET in there, though I think he is about to escape.