Lowe's Flexi-Tile garage floor tiles ??

[DWJ Honda]

Any one have experiences with these and able to recommend or offer other words of insight? Looking to install some tiles on my garage floor to at last transform that area of our home, and of my life!

Found these at Lowe's . . .

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&Ne=6000&category=Garage+Flooring&N=0+5001845

Flexi-Tile interlocking Tiles. Look well made and that they will hold up. A small concern of mine is that water might somehow leak through the tiles the way they link up to one another. Otherwise they look sweet.

For a single car garage, 12 X 24, the cost would be about $600 or a bit more.

Whatever I do I want it to last and not be re-visiting the problem in a year or 2! Thanks for the help.

[Ranger314]

My garage floor sweats pretty bad when it's humid, and I looked at that type of floor. Looks pretty nice, but a little pricey.

[Birdman]

Water will get under it - it's not a sealed floor.

[Rob Hephner]

Ah, I remember that vendor. Griot's Garage carried that product and dropped it after having to deal with the horrible mold (product design, not water) they have.

The edges do not line up with the tiles as a whole unit. I worked with Griot's and the vendor resent them and me 7 different sets of tiles and they NEVER lined up.

Check them out and I think you'll find the issues I did.

[DWJ Honda]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Rob, what did you end up doing with your garage??

I checked out Griot's site, pretty impressive.
Looks like the prep work they recommend for painting is a bear, and the cost of the "tiles" they presently sell would exceed $1,200 for a single car garage.

Am now also considering a large mat to cover most of the floor. Easier install and lower cost and still get most, but not all, of the end result.

Anyone purchase a mat from Griot's, or another vender, and have any comments?

THANKS again all.

[nm6r]

Has anyone condidered laying down VCT in their garage? The tiles are very durable, 1/8" thick with the colors 100% thru, can be cleaned and buffed, gouges can be sanded and polished or individual tiles can be replaced. They are easy to install and very cost effective. About $1/sq.ft. as I recall. I used them in our laundry room.

Ray

[Rob Hephner]

I got my floor covered by a local professional installation company and then I use the Rubber Motorcycle mats that Griot's sells.

Click and scroll down, you'll see my ST1300 in my garage, with the mat underneath. (http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/having+fun/testimonials.do)

Click for mat. (http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/in+your+garage/garage+flooring/grooved+motorcycle+mat%2C+5%27+x+10%27.do)

The mats you are looking at are OK themselves, but the finishing edges are not straight and will not stay straight when attached. If you are OK with the unfinished edge they are OK.

[DreamST-er]

I've been looking at these for my garage, cost is good and I believe they should hold up pretty well.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=6344

[sennister]

In our area I know that one of the pickup truck bed liner companies is now doing garage floors. I don't recall if it was Rhino Liner or Line-x but it was one of them. That would be another interesting optoin. They have a portable unit that they bring out and just spray it down like they would do to a truck. Actually I just went to both web sites and it looks like they both will do it.

[Texas]

By far the best way to go is Armstrong Linoleaum Tiles. They are very inexpensive, and when you cut one, and you will, it is easy to take one up and replace it with another one. If I recall, the replacement cost of each tile is less than 50 cents. I tiled my whole garage for less than $200. The original tiles, outside of a couple have been there for 2.5 years, and every week someone walking by our house stops to ask about our garage (when I am out there with the door open). I use the powerwasher on it every other week, and have never had a problem with the water. We power wash it out, then mop the rest out. It is a beautiful garage. Here is a fairly recent picture of the garage (although it is highlighting the bike):

http://www.dpdphotography.com/ebay/IMG_3266.JPG

Texas

[coty_jim]

I like the tile look, and when clean it is great. My problem with it is the winters here in Illinois. We also park cars on it and when driving a car that just commuted 40 miles in snow/ice, the stopping distances increase dramatically on a smooth surface. ABS does help, but the wife has come close to creating a new rear exit door for our last garage at the old house. I have the two part epoxy floor (sold at the home centers around here made by Loctite I think) with the color flecks in it. It has lasted well, cleans easily and looks ok, but not a nice as the tile.

[juddspaintballs]

If I had a garage floor to cover, I'd probably call a Line-X company and have them coat my floor and about 6" up the walls all the way around. Or if you wanted to do it yourself, Herculiner is pretty affordable and comes in colors.

[MileHigh]

Has anyone condidered laying down VCT in their garage? The tiles are very durable, 1/8" thick with the colors 100% thru, can be cleaned and buffed, gouges can be sanded and polished or individual tiles can be replaced. They are easy to install and very cost effective. About $1/sq.ft. as I recall. I used them in our laundry room.

Ray

By far the best way to go is Armstrong Linoleaum Tiles. They are very inexpensive, and when you cut one, and you will, it is easy to take one up and replace it with another one. If I recall, the replacement cost of each tile is less than 50 cents. I tiled my whole garage for less than $200. The original tiles, outside of a couple have been there for 2.5 years, and every week someone walking by our house stops to ask about our garage (when I am out there with the door open). I use the powerwasher on it every other week, and have never had a problem with the water. We power wash it out, then mop the rest out. It is a beautiful garage. Here is a fairly recent picture of the garage (although it is highlighting the bike):

http://www.dpdphotography.com/ebay/IMG_3266.JPG

Texas

+1 to both.

Inexpensive and easy to maintain.

Throw on a few coats of Armstrong or Zep wax and good to go.

Rent a low speed floor scrubber/polisher from HD tool rental to give it a quick scrub once a year and, it will look perfect for many years.

[sennister]

+1 to both.

Inexpensive and easy to maintain.

Throw on a few coats of Armstrong or Zep wax and good to go.

Rent a low speed floor scrubber/polisher from HD tool rental to give it a quick scrub once a year and, it will look perfect for many years.

I have been thinking more and more of this. I just wonder if I am too tough on the floor.

How does this hold up to jacks, jack stands and other heavy stuff such as welding and grinding? I know I can replace a damaged tile but just wondering how well it holds up to heavy use area.

I was looking at going the epoxy route until I discovered it will not hold up to welding.

[bygdawg]

By far the best way to go is Armstrong Linoleaum Tiles. They are very inexpensive, and when you cut one, and you will, it is easy to take one up and replace it with another one. If I recall, the replacement cost of each tile is less than 50 cents. I tiled my whole garage for less than $200. The original tiles, outside of a couple have been there for 2.5 years, and every week someone walking by our house stops to ask about our garage (when I am out there with the door open). I use the powerwasher on it every other week, and have never had a problem with the water. We power wash it out, then mop the rest out. It is a beautiful garage. Here is a fairly recent picture of the garage (although it is highlighting the bike):

http://www.dpdphotography.com/ebay/IMG_3266.JPG

Texas

Looks nice. The bike too.

[Texas]

I have been thinking more and more of this. I just wonder if I am too tough on the floor.

How does this hold up to jacks, jack stands and other heavy stuff such as welding and grinding? I know I can replace a damaged tile but just wondering how well it holds up to heavy use area.

I was looking at going the epoxy route until I discovered it will not hold up to welding.

Well welding is tough on anything. I would either suggest doing your welding somewhere else, or throw down wool blankets where you are doing your work. I have some old moving blankets that I use for just such a thing. As far as floor jacks goes, the motorcycle jack is fine, but if you put a regular jack support on the floor, or put the bike up on the center stand, I would suggest putting something below it (I use some old thin plastic cutting boards that work fine).

Texas

[Texas]

Looks nice. The bike too.


Thanks. I sold the bike some time ago. Love the bike, but we were looking for a way to save money every month, so we sold it because the ST met all of our daily needs.

Texas

[sennister]

Well welding is tough on anything. I would either suggest doing your welding somewhere else, or throw down wool blankets where you are doing your work. I have some old moving blankets that I use for just such a thing. As far as floor jacks goes, the motorcycle jack is fine, but if you put a regular jack support on the floor, or put the bike up on the center stand, I would suggest putting something below it (I use some old thin plastic cutting boards that work fine).

Texas

Ok, I guess they aren't going to work for me then. I do more work on vehicles than I do on the bike. This is my main shop area. While I could weld in one of my other buildings I think the vehicle floor jack and jack stand limitations will be enough to make me think of something else. While I could put the jack on something to lift my truck that isn't an option with our car. I have a tough time getting the jack under the car as it is. We are putting in a vehicle hoist but I still don't know where it is going for sure. That may eliminate much of my jacking. The problem is that I think I am going to have to put my lift in the back part of my pole barn because the cement is much thicker there. This isn't where I have my shop. It is in the main part of the pole barn. Anyhow. I think I will be forced to reorganize how my shop is layed out and when I do that it would be a good time to do a floor covering of some sort. Because of the limitations I have been reading about my options really seem limited. The Line-X type covering may be my only option. The raised type tiles won't work in my shop because of my floor drain. I don't know if I would like the course texture of the Line-X finish though. How do you sweep out the floor? Wouldn't dirt and stuff just get trapped in the texture? Oh well....