Garage Floor Mats:
Protect Your Floor The Easy Way
"Custom garage mats are very easy to install, require minimal garage
floor preparation, do not require adhesives, and offer great protection."
 Garage
Floor Mats are the easiest garage floor covering option with many
sizes, colors and patterns to protect and enhance your garage's
value. Standard sizes run from 7 1/2 to 10 feet wide and 14 to 24
feet long, with extended lengths available beyond 50 feet. It's
simple to customize and protect any garage floor.
Some people prefer to cover the entire floor while others choose
to protect only the area under a single car or truck. If you are
looking to cover stains, cracks and other concrete blemishes, using
a mat with a smooth finished edge will do the trick. However, if
you want to contain spills, drips, and potential fluid run-off,
you may want to look at styles with a raised outer edge. It's sort
of like using a placemat to keep your cereal and milk off the kitchen
table, except the "milk" may be melted ice, motor oil
or other automotive fluids, and the "kitchen table" is
your garage floor.
How Do You Choose?
With so many colors and patterns, how do you choose the right one?
Color is probably the easiest choice. Just match your taste or garage
colors. When choosing a pattern, the three most common are diamond
plate, ribbed and "coin" design.
The coin pattern tends to work better for home mechanics since
anything with smaller wheels generally rolls better, including tool
boxes, creepers, vacuums, etc.
G-Floor® Parking Pad® is probably the most common brand
on the market today. G-Floor® offers heavy duty PVC construction
in six different colors and four different patterns, with a variety
of sizes up to 10 feet wide. If you just want to cover the area
under your vehicle or you want to cover the entire garage floor,
the G-Floor® Parking Pad® is a great choice.
Park Smart Clean Park® garage floor mats are another popular choice,
but they are not designed as a complete garage floor covering option
and they are not recommended for studded snow tires. Park Smart
Clean Park® mats are placed directly under your vehicle to keep
automotive fluids, road grime, etc., off your garage floor, more
like a place mat than a table cloth.
What are the advantages?
Garage Floor mats are very easy to install, require minimal garage
floor preparation, do not require adhesives, and offer great protection.
Other advantages include:
- Easy to clean with soap and water
- Helps keep liquids out of the garage with built in channels
- Limits dirt and debris tracking
- Extended life for your concrete
- Helps keep automotive fluids contained
- Offers the benefits of an anti-fatigue mat, including working
and walking comfort
- Can be cut to perfectly fit your garage space
- Makes for a quieter garage
- Long lasting protection
- Covers discolored or damaged concrete
Like garage floor tiles, the impact to the look and feel of your
garage is extraordinary, with minimal work. With many colors and
patters to choose from, you can customize your garage in no time.
Plus, you can take them with you if you move!
What are the disadvantages?
Garage floor mats typically cost more than concrete sealers, garage floor paint or epoxy garage floor coatings.
If you have a large garage floor to cover, the cost can add up.
If you want a truly custom or "one of a kind" garage floor,
it is more difficult to achieve with garage floor mats as opposed
to garage floor tiles.
Cheap products can be deceptively attractive, but may not last.
Be sure to shop for high quality mats like G-Floor®, which is made
of 100% high quality polyvinyl. Some products use a layer of quality
material laminated to a layer of lesser quality material that may
not hold up as well. Lower quality products often cost less, but
deteriorate much faster. Choose wisely!
What does it cost?
Garage floor mats come in a variety of widths, colors and patterns,
with costs from about $1.40 per square foot at the low end, to more
than $2.50 per square foot on the high end for commercial and industrial
grade mats. Cheaper alternatives are available, but will not last
as long or hold up as well. Think "easy installation"
and long-lasting, instant protection.
If you want to spend a little more for a truly custom garage floor,
consider the benefits of interlocking garage floor tiles. Remember to compare your garage
flooring options first; then make your decision.
Garage Floor Mats are easily installed
and make an immediate improvement
Where do you get it?
You can certainly find garage floor mats at a variety of big box retailers, including Costco.
However, for the best selection and competitive pricing, I prefer to shop and buy online where
you can find a large selection of garage flooring and garage accessories from which to choose.
Summary
Garage floor mats are an excellent choice for dramatic, almost
instant results. If you buy quality, you will have a long-lasting,
durable and protective garage floor surface for many years of enjoyment.
Much like using garage floor tiles, you can turn
a drab, oil stained garage floor into a visually appealing, multi-purpose extension to your home in less than one day.
Plus, you can take it with you
if you ever move!
Return from Garage Floor Mats back to Garage Flooring
|
