November 24, 2009

Garage Floor Coverings Versus Other Options

In modern garages, garage floor coverings are have become fairly popular. Paint is the most comprehensive solution, but there are a lot of reasons why someone might want to, instead, use a garage floor covering. If you are stuck deciding how you want to do your floor, take a look at the different reasons why one would want to pick garage floor coverings instead of paint. Garage floor coverings, for our sake in this article, will include pretty much everything but paint.

Garage Floor Coverings Install Easier

There are mats available in sizes for both the entire garage or for smaller contained areas. The mats that are used in specific areas of the garage are called garage compartment mats since they do only cover one actual compartment. The garage floor mats, rather they cover the entire floor or just one or a few compartments, are easy to install compared to tile or paint. For the entire garage floor one would simply cut the mats down to the proper size. Although compartment mats cannot usually be cut, they come in a variety of sizes and can be snapped together to form a liquid proof seal or even stacked upon each other. If one had the inclination to cover the entire garage floor with the compartment mats it could be done, but at a cost considerably higher than the approximately $100 for a paint kit. Keep in mind also that the compartment mats move easily, regardless of many manufacturers claims to the contrary, and car tires cause them to bunch and bend.

Garage Floor Coverings Are Easily Replaceable

Coverings are also a lot easier to replace. A damaged or stained epoxy garage floor coating means either living with it, or replacing it, which may include sanding down to the concrete. A garage floor mat can just be tossed in the garbage, or recycled. Convenient but, again, expensive. Both paint kits and mats claim that they cannot be stained and are not easily damaged, but what is advertised and what actually happens may or may not be the same. Tile are also easily replaced, provided you can get replacements that match and that your old ones are not too faded.

Garage Floor Coverings Are Pleasantly Squishy

Epoxy kits claim that they make walking through the garage less jarring, and I'm sure that in comparison to a concrete garage floor, that is true. But garage floor coverings made of thick rubber are going to be a lot better at absorbing shock. This is true whether you're walking around, or laying on them to work. That's not to say you can't get a garage floor mat and set it on top of a painted floor, of course.

Garage Floor Coverings Might Be Cheaper

For many cases, garage floor mats are going to be a cheaper solution. If you are planning to cover your entire floor, right now, and are able to apply a paint kit yourself, then epoxy will be cheaper. In any other case, it will not. Paying someone to apply epoxy is expensive, but there aren't many people that can't throw down a garage floor mat without help.

Check out Gabriel's sweet garage floor for more information on garage floor coverings.

Filed under About Flooring by Gabriel Flores

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