Garage Flooring Information,
Costs and Advice
"If you recently completed a garage organization project,
this may be the first time you have seen the floor of your garage in years!"
 With
so many options, how do you make the right choice? What will it
cost? Where do you start? In fact, why would you even want
to cover your concrete floor? Good questions. Here are some things
to consider.
Does your floor need a facelift?
If you recently completed a garage organization
project, this may be the first time you have seen your garage floor
in years! You probably forgot the ugly oil stains, tire marks, chips,
cracks, and other blemishes lurking under all that "stuff."
You now have choices.
You can ignore the floor completely or choose to live with what
you have. You can hide the problem by letting the "c.r.a.p."
ooze back onto the floor (bad for the psyche). Or, you can read
on and consider the many options that will not only beautify your
garage, but make it much easier to maintain.
What's wrong with smooth concrete?
Nothing, if it is properly maintained. Unfortunately, most homeowners
ignore the garage floor until it becomes a problem, with oil stains,
tire marks, etc. Once that happens, it can be difficult to reclaim
your floor's original luster. On the other hand, if you have new
concrete and you can stay off it for 30 to 60 days while it cures,
you then have the option to seal it and minimize potential staining
problems.
Concrete is porous. Consequently, it's more like a sponge than
a piece of glass. Liquids, dirt, pet "accidents," etc.,
will eventually find their way into the pours, leaving you with
stains, odors, and a generally distasteful floor. In addition to
the visual and olfactory problems (not only does it look bad, it
stinks!), concrete can be cold and hard to stand on for long periods.
How many options exist?
Ask that same question 10 or 15 years ago, and the answer would
be "very few." Today, there are so many that I have dedicated
separate web pages to some of the most popular options.
From garage floor paint (yes, there are paints specifically formulated
for your concrete floor) to epoxy garage floor finishes (most commonly installed by professionals), to garage floor mats (several options in this category), to floor tiles (no, not ceramic tile - these are easy-to-install
interlocking squares), there is a "flavor" for everyone.
In the "other options" category, you
could include carpet (not a misprint), terrazzo (basically, marble
chips and other rock particles set in a cement base with a variety
of colors, then exposed by grinding and polishing the surface once
it has set), "stamped" concrete toppings, and wood.
If the floor is dirty,
my wife won't work on the car!
What Will This Cost?
That depends on what type of flooring you choose and the size of
your garage (too obvious?). It also depends on where you live. If
you simply want to clean and seal your own floor, you can get by
for less than $.25 per square foot. If you decide to paint your floor, you can still spend less than $1.00 per square
foot and have a contractor do the job for you. If you prefer epoxy
finishes, you can spend from under $2.00 to more than $5.00
per square foot for installation.
What about floor mats? For a single car, you can
expect to pay from a little more than $150 to more than $400. For interlocking floor tiles, expect to pay from about
$2.00 to $4.00 per square foot, with many options in the $3.00 range.
What about high-end protection? For stamped concrete
overlays, you could spend as little as $5 per square foot and as
much as $15 or $20 per square foot for complex designs by an accomplished
professional. This is not the typical do-it-yourself project. For
terrazzo, it really depends on the design. Simple floor grinding
and sanding finishes can cost from $5 to $10 per square foot, and
you could spend five to ten times that amount for a truly custom
terrazzo floor created from scratch. Wow!
Conclusion
With so many garage flooring options, how do you decide? It really
depends on your taste, budget and visionl for your garage. Take
a closer look at your many options by following the links on this
page. With a little thought, time and energy, you could be enjoying
your new floor sooner than you might have imagined!
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