Garages of golfmk7.com: picture thread

[oddspyke]

So epoxy is actually better for tooling around in the a garage?

I think so, especially if you ever spill any fluids. Another consideration is surface prep though. New concrete is easy - scrub, then etch and you're ready for epoxy. If your floor has oil and paint and stuff all over it though, it could be days of work to get it ready. I'd consider tile in that case.

 

[YamR1rider]

So epoxy is actually better for tooling around in the a garage?

I think so too, as mentioned. Although those tiles I had are fine for spills etc, they lock together well and it's easy enough to mop up oil etc although over time is more prone to staining than epoxy in my experience. The patterns on them are also a hindrance (you can now get smooth though). The rubber used is extremely hard but still has a slight bit of give in it too and if you are doing heavy work the tiles can flex a little bit.

 

[riceburner]

yeah i;m really quite conflicted on which route to take. I don't have too much crap in my garage so hoping either solution can be done relatively easily.

Am I getting these assumptions right?

Tiles:
* Pros:
Easier installation
Has more 'give'/easier on the feet
Can replace tiles as needed
*Cons:
More expensive
Water/oil can seep through the cracks and not clean up
Depending on the tile, rolling around a jack isn't very easy
Certain tiles (such as swisstrax?) ,can crack doe to their construction design when jacks are placed on them

Epoxy:
* Pros:
Cheaper
Can make my own look
Can go up the walls a bit to truly seal the garage for water /washing the cars
May clean easier than tiles (due to homogeneous surface)
Possibly have non-slip formulas?
* Cons:
Obvious prep work necessary
Application takes careful practice and time to dry fully, so whatever is pulled out of the garage needs to stay out for some time
Possibly too slippery when wet?
Durability - this is a question, I just can't see how well it can withstand jacks scraping around, rocks being turned around by my tires, stuff like that.

 

[Golfs everyday]

So epoxy is actually better for tooling around in the a garage?

It's good until the concrete cracks.. it's bound to happen over the years even with the best practice.

 

[YamR1rider]

yeah i;m really quite conflicted on which route to take. I don't have too much crap in my garage so hoping either solution can be done relatively easily.

Am I getting these assumptions right?

Tiles:
* Pros:
Easier installation
Has more 'give'/easier on the feet
Can replace tiles as needed
*Cons:
More expensive
Water/oil can seep through the cracks and not clean up
Depending on the tile, rolling around a jack isn't very easy
Certain tiles (such as swisstrax?) ,can crack doe to their construction design when jacks are placed on them

Epoxy:
* Pros:
Cheaper
Can make my own look
Can go up the walls a bit to truly seal the garage for water /washing the cars
May clean easier than tiles (due to homogeneous surface)
Possibly have non-slip formulas?
* Cons:
Obvious prep work necessary
Application takes careful practice and time to dry fully, so whatever is pulled out of the garage needs to stay out for some time
Possibly too slippery when wet?
Durability - this is a question, I just can't see how well it can withstand jacks scraping around, rocks being turned around by my tires, stuff like that.

Yes that's about right, although if you get the right kind of tile (like I linked), there is very little chance of oil or water seeping through as they interlock very well indeed. I'd just recommend you clean up spills relatively soon, if you left them for days or weeks I'd say there is a greater chance of staining vs Epoxy. The one area where they fall down a bit is tire marks on the lighter ones....the tire compound seems to leach into them over time (where you always park in the same spot say) and you can't get these marks up at all. Other types of tiles like the swisstrax you mentioned are hard plastic and seem designed to let fluids straight through....and to clean up you'd have to take the tiles up. Seems awfully dumb to me. And yes, cracking with jacks I expect could be an issue with the plastic ones and rolling your jack could be even more annoying or with greater potential to 'stick' than even the patterned rubber ones.

You are right for Epoxy (and there are hugely varying degrees of Epoxy and how good it is). My current garage I had done by pros as I was having my house painted top to bottom prior to move in at the same time and they threw it in as part of the deal. It seems very hard wearing stuff indeed. In yet another previous garage I did DIY from Lowes and that was largely fine and cheap, although over the course of a few years pulled up where the tires sit here in hot Florida), didn't seem the same quality as this pro-stuff. Regardless, I still expect over time to accumulate scrapes etc from my jack and stands but so far so good and I've been doing a lot of jacking up recently.

 

[Diggs24]

It's good until the concrete cracks.. it's bound to happen over the years even with the best practice.

This. I'd love an epoxy floor but with our clay-based soils that expand and contract with moisture changes make the cracks in the floor open and close throughout the seasons.

 

[oddspyke]

Epoxy:
* Pros:
Cheaper
Can make my own look
Can go up the walls a bit to truly seal the garage for water /washing the cars
May clean easier than tiles (due to homogeneous surface)
Possibly have non-slip formulas?
* Cons:
Obvious prep work necessary
Application takes careful practice and time to dry fully, so whatever is pulled out of the garage needs to stay out for some time
Possibly too slippery when wet?
Durability - this is a question, I just can't see how well it can withstand jacks scraping around, rocks being turned around by my tires, stuff like that.

Epoxy can get slippery when wet, but there's an additive you can sprinkle over it to prevent it (Amazon link). I have had durability issues with the cheaper epoxy coatings (hot tire peal, gouges from jacks and stands), but I used the better stuff this time (Amazon link) and it's freaking invincible. The best tips I can offer are don't skimp on the surface prep, make sure it's thoroughly dry before you apply, and you will need way more than they say, like nearly double for a good coating (I used 2x 2.5 car garage kits for my 3 car garage).

 

[riceburner]

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice! Maybe this next spring I will finally make it happen, probably with epoxy.

 

[Charlotte.:R]

I have yet to see a DIY Epoxy floor that didn't peel up where the tires sit, or at the garage door barrier where it gets wet.

 

[oddspyke]

I have yet to see a DIY Epoxy floor that didn't peel up where the tires sit, or at the garage door barrier where it gets wet.

Mine has neither of those issues. Granted, I'm only 2 years in so far, but I had issues within that time when I used the cheaper kits in the past

 

[KyACRASH]

I paid a premium to have my floor professionally epoxied. I was all set to DIY it but the prep that would have been needed to do a good, long-lasting job was more than I was prepared for.

For me, the price was worth it.

 

[oddspyke]

I paid a premium to have my floor professionally epoxied. I was all set to DIY it but the prep that would have been needed to do a good, long-lasting job was more than I was prepared for.

For me, the price was worth it.

View attachment 268422View attachment 268423

Can I ask what you paid and how big the garage? I got 2 professional quotes and they were insane ($5-6k for a 3 car garage, nearly $10/sqft). I told them both no thanks and did it myself for $500. If it had been something more like $1-2k I'd have gone for it. I suspect they were attempting to price gouge me based on my home/neighborhood.

 

[KyACRASH]

Can I ask what you paid and how big the garage? I got 2 professional quotes and they were insane ($5-6k for a 3 car garage, nearly $10/sqft). I told them both no thanks and did it myself for $500. If it had been something more like $1-2k I'd have gone for it. I suspect they were attempting to price gouge me based on my home/neighborhood.

I think I paid about half that. My garage is about 500 sq ft and I'm pretty sure it cost about ~$5 a sq ft.

This was pre-covid when labor/things were cheaper, so I wouldn't be surprised if it costs double that now.

 

[MonkeyMD]

I’ve been thinking about this thread lately. I’m happy for you actual adults that can manage time well enough to have a clean garage. IDK WTF I’m doing.

I gave up on a clean tidy garage. Anytime I organize and free up space, it gets filled up with kid's stuff

 

[LobinBR]