Our Best Durable Garage Flooring Ideas
Back in the 1920s, when the first garages were built, almost no one paid attention to the flooring.
Now, a century later, things have changed just slightly.
While the selection of garage flooring options is more expensive than ever, many homeowners still settle for the same old grey concrete slab look that, in some cases, looks almost unfinished.
However, it seems like things might slowly be taking a turn as we enter a new garage design era, in which how the garage flooring looks matters.
However, the garage flooring shouldn’t only be pretty but also durable.
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After all, you probably don’t want to have the emergency garage flooring repair on speed dial (but you might want to have an emergency garage door repair number ready to be dialed. These tend to break more often and, in most cases, are more dangerous).
Back on the flooring topic – garage flooring should last you for several years, and for that to happen, you need to choose the right one.
Since we understand that, we decided to help you and share some durable garage flooring ideas.
So, if you want to find out more about it, all you have to do is keep reading.
🚗 Garage Flooring Options
As we already mentioned, nowadays, there is a significant number of options when it comes to upgrading a garage floor.
However, you must remember that not all of them are a good choice for decorative improvements.
For instance, garage floor patching products, such as crack fillers, are there to help you repair the garage floor and not decorate it.
The same goes for roll-on sealers, which aim to protect the floor.
When it comes to decorative floor renewal products, here are some of the options:
- Epoxy coatings – usually found in DIY garage floor coating kits like upstart epoxy, but can also be applied by a professional
- Polyaspartic floor coatings – slightly more advanced but has some advantages over epoxy coating.
- Concrete Floor paint – easy to apply and affordable, but has some limitations.
- Interlocking floor tiles – cost-effective flooring option, usually available in rubber, vinyl, PVC, porcelain, and plastic tiles.
- Floor stains – while they might not be as commonly used as the ones mentioned above, it is still a great choice if you want to add a natural-looking stone effect to your garage floor.
🚗 What Are The Pros and Cons Of Each Type?
Even though the options are countless, only one will be the best choice for your garage.
However, how can you know which one is “it”?
Well, you might have to consider the pros and cons – they will tell you more about what you will have to deal with once you install it in your garage.
Since listing the pros and cons of all options will take too much time, here are some of the most commonly used ones.
🏠 Garage Floor Tiles
✔️ Pros:
- Easy to install – even if you don’t have experience in this kind of stuff, you should be able to install them without a problem, as the installation process is not only quick but also effortless
- Several color and pattern options – if you want your garage to have a floor of a different color than grey, then this is just the right option. There are so many different shades available that you can easily find one that will suit your vision. Moreover, many homeowners use the tiles to create a checkered pattern.
- Easy swap – if something happens to one of the tiles, there is no need for you to change the whole garage floor. You just need to replace the damaged one.
❌ Cons:
- Price – this depends on what type of garage floor tiles you purchase. There’s no denying that garage floor tiles have the widest price range regarding flooring options – you can pay $1.50 for a square foot or up to $7.00 for the same amount. However, the good news is you are getting what you paid for, as in most cases, the more expensive the garage tile is, the more expensive material was used.
🏠 Epoxy Garage Flooring
✔️ Pros:
Price – epoxy paint options are one of the cheapest on the market, as you can get a square foot for as low as $0.50. If you ask us, that’s not a deal; that’s a steal.
- Color and texture options – like with the tiles, there are plenty of color options. This means that you will most likely find one suitable for it, no matter your garage’s style. What’s more, you can also choose between gloss, flecks, and so on.
- Non-slip capabilities – with some coatings, you can add an extra, non-slipping layer. This is great if, for example, you plan on working with liquids in your garage or have kids that tend to run around.
❌ Cons:
- Preparation – Before applying the epoxy coating, you must prepare the floor accordingly. This involves a lot of sweeping, grinding, pressure washing, and in some cases, an acid wash. While the result will be worth the work put into it, this might not be the best option if you prefer to get things done straight away.
- Durability – epoxy definitely lasts less than the tiles. If your subfloor breaks, the epoxy is most likely going to break as well. Contrary to tiles, where you can replace them and move on, the matter is not as simple – if your subfloor breaks, you must repair it before applying the epoxy.
- Customization – while customization is possible, it’s not something you’d do on your own unless you are a professional. If you are doing it yourself, it’s better to stick with one look. If you’re worried about “How much epoxy do I need“? It’s a sign that you should hire a professional to apply it.
🏠 Garage Flooring Rolls
✔️ Pros:
- Ease of installation – rolled vinyl flooring is probably the easiest to install. After all, all you need to do is roll it out, make all the necessary cuts with a knife, and you’re done. Easy, right?
- Color and pattern variety – while the variety might not be the widest, there is still a fair share of options available, both in colors and patterns.
- Maintenance – the installation is not the only simple thing regarding flooring rolls – maintenance is even easier if that’s possible. To keep it shiny, you must sweep or hose it off whenever needed.
- Cost – vinyl garage rolls are one of the cheapest flooring options – the prices range from $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot. The price is usually based on the color, thickness, and whether you buy a pre-cut roll or a custom-sized one.
❌ Cons:
- Customization – when it comes to vinyl garage rolls, there’s not much to customize, as you will always end up with one pattern and one color.
- Replacement options – unfortunately, if a roll gets damaged, you will have to either live with it or buy a replacement. However, remember that you cannot replace only one section like you can with the tiles.
- Time to shine – don’t be surprised if the floor will not look the greatest for the first one to two weeks. That’s because it’s not uncommon for flat spots to develop – because of them, the flooring might become wavy. However, after a week or two, they should disappear.
🚗 What to Look For in your Next Garage Floor
As you can choose, there are many options – all of them have their pros and cons, making a choice even harder.
So, how can you decide?
Well, here are some things that you’d want to take into consideration that might make the decision easier:
- Garage use – what are you planning to use on your garage floor? Instead of parking their car, some people transform it into a home gym or an entertainment room. Think about what you want to do with yours.
- Installation – Consider whether you are OK with installing the flooring by yourself or if you want to hire a professional. If you are DIY-ing, remember that some options are easier to install than others.
- Budget – since the price range can be relatively high between different flooring types, make sure you choose one that will suit your budget.
- Esthetic – you are the one who is going to look at it, right? That’s why the flooring must look just how you want it to. Don’t hesitate to use colors, even if other people tell you not to – unless they live in your house, there’s not much they can do about it.
🚗 The Bottom Line on Garage Floors
Garage floors are one of the things that often get overlooked.
However, it seems like this might be changing soon.
With the number of new flooring options, it would be a shame if people settled for grey, concrete floors.
However, the number of possible options introduces a new problem – how can you choose one when so many are available?
Well, you just have to – unless you want your floor to be a mix of everything, but that’s probably not the case.
We understand the struggle, so we created this short buyer’s guide.
We hope that it was at least a little bit helpful to you. Good luck!
Want to learn more about your home? Feel free to check out our other Home Improvement Articles!
