Think Twice Before Installing One Of These Alternatives To Garage Floor Tiles

Using tiles is one of several garage flooring hacks you didn't know you needed that will help keep the place clean. They're comfortable to stand on for long periods if you're working on a vehicle or if you use your garage as a workshop or hobby space. The peel-and-stick vinyl variety made specifically for garages can be very affordable, but there's also a huge variety of interlocking tiles made of polypropylene, PVC, and rubber that provide a non-slip, oil- and stain-resistant surface. These are usually more expensive than vinyl, so you'll want to consider the pros and cons of putting rubber flooring in your garage before purchasing. Of course, there are cheaper and easier alternatives to using garage tiles — you may be tempted to leave your concrete floor exposed and untreated, use old rugs or carpets to protect the surface, or cover it with a nice-looking wood finish. If you've thought about going with any of these options, though, you should think again.

For starters, choosing to do nothing to the concrete surface is certainly the easiest route; after all, it's only a garage, so why spend money on it? The problem is that plain concrete is porous, so everything you spill on it will soak in. Paint, oil, fuel, wood stain, or whatever else you're working with will be absorbed and will likely cause a stain. It won't look good, it could smell bad, and it may cause damage to your floor. A popular solution is to use a garage floor coating like Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield. These products seal the concrete so chemicals can't penetrate it and leave a smooth, easy-to-clean surface.

Using old rugs or pieces of carpet to protect the garage floor might seem like a cheap and effective alternative to tiles, but this is not a good idea. Household carpets are not strong enough to support the weight of vehicles, and it's also a fire hazard. You might have seen what appeared to be ordinary carpet in a garage, but it was probably a product such as Armor All's Garage Floor Mats, which are specifically designed for use in that area. These products will absorb water, oil, and gasoline spills, and they're designed to be washed off with a hose from time to time.

Another material that you shouldn't consider (unless you're thinking of converting your garage into an apartment) is wood. It's likely to readily absorb anything that's spilled onto it, it's an obvious fire hazard, and it doesn't have the strength to support vehicles. However, there are a couple of exceptions, provided you're primarily using your garage for storage or as a workshop or leisure space. Fire-retardant plywood is one option, although it is more expensive than standard sheets. You might also consider engineered wood flooring, which is more durable than softwood or hardwood and more comfortable underfoot than concrete. However, this material is very pricey and not suitable for garages with heavy vehicle traffic.