Commercial Grade Vinyl Tile

[kgelliott]

Have you used commercial grade vinyl tile for your garage floor? I'd like to do this but am wondering...
My garage is up about a 2" or less step from the drive. It is a kind of lip to prevent easy flooding. How far back of this should the first row of tile be? Can I butt it right up to the edge with no problem caused by the car tires force each entry? Anyone with any experience with it?

 

[Yoda]

Gary

I put vinyl Black & White tile in my garage in California and I centered the area with a chock line (like doing a normal room) then cut the tile to extend about 1/2" or so beyond the garage door to the outside.

Here is a photo from the inside of the garage with the door closed

Here in Amarillo I had the floor commercially epox coated

Bud

 

[Lucy64]

I did the same. I used Armstrong commercial tile and did 1/4 of the garage at a time starting from the center. It has been down almost 4 years with no problems and the black and white checkerboard looks great.

 

[kgelliott]

I really like the look both of you have achieved! Can't wait to get mine going. I take it both of your garage floors are flat with the attached driveway? My garage has a1-2 inch step up. I'm wondering about having the tile right up to the edge of the step, if the pressure of the tires when entering the garage might cause it to try to slide back and buckle. Do I need to offset that first row about an 1/4 or 1/2 inch back from the step? Thanks for opinions!

 

[Yoda]

Gary,

I would offset it about 1/2" from the rise I used the Armstrong vinyl tile too, I just don't recall if it was called commerical grade or not.. (crs)... but to continue with my thoughts...

The first time I jacked up my car on it and used jack stands... the jack stands cut through the tile, then when I let it down off the jack, the rear wheels cause the two tiles the tires landed on to slide due to the IRS ad

I only did the half the garage that Rare sat on and left the other side plain concrete for working on Rare Grease/Oil/Water didn't bother the tiles at all

Good luck, and thanks for the compliment

Bud

 

[JimVette]

I also used the commericial grade black and white Armstrong tile to do my garage. I stopped about 1" short of where my garage door seal mates with the floor. Then I bought some bright red floor paint and painted the area under the door seal. My garage is built on a 5" raised ledge which I also painted the bright red. It looks pretty cool. The only problem I had was when the wife turned the steering wheel on her Camaro without moving and spun one of the tiles off the floor. If you haven't looked into it yet you will find out the white tiles are pricey.

 

[waterboy1976]

Is that stuff peel n stick or glued down....???

 

[richscorvettes]

We also used the Armstrong commercial grade tile. When we did that job the various epoxy coatings and tiles (such as Race Deck) available now weren't around then. It's been down now for thirteen years and has stood up to some pretty tough abuse in that time.

In addition to preparing the surface well we also coated the installed tile with three coats of sealer and two of a heavy duty wax. It's been relatively easy to maintain. We do take some precautions when using jack stands. We also experienced the tile moving when a car was taken down from the lift. That can be avoided by placing a carpet tile under each wheel before lowering the car to allow the wheels to move.

At the front of the garage (where the tile ends just under the garge door) we glued an edge piece in place which has worked well. The garage doors also have a rubber seal under them.

It's also a good idea to buy more tiles of each color than you need should you ever damage one. That was another thing we liked about tiles as you can easily replace one if the worst happens.

If we had to do it again we'd look at everything that's available now but, from how well this has stood up, we would probably go this route again.

Good luck with your project.

Rich Lagasse

 

[kgelliott]

A lot of good information here about tiling my garage! I'll start keeping an eye on any type of sale HomeDepot may have. I'm a couple months away from getting to do it, but I won't pass up a sale before hand if it happens. I'm just glad to know the peel and stick tile approach will work! I know I can do this.
JimVette - Do you mean the white is priced differetnly than the black or other colors?

 

[richscorvettes]

I'm just glad to know the peel and stick tile approach will work! I know I can do this.

Not sure where the peel and stick was mentioned in our responses but the commercial tile is glued down.

Rich Lagasse

 

[Lucy64]

Not sure where the peel and stick was mentioned in our responses but the commercial tile is glued down.

You really have to use the glued down. The peel and stick just won't last and that is not the commercial grade tile. It really is easy to glue it down. Divide the garage in to four quarters with chalk line then work on one quarter at a time starting from the center. Just smear the glue down with the small plastic trowl and let it sit for about 30 minutes then start laying the tile from the center out. But remember, when it is down it will not come back up. So take your time. My wife and I did our 20x20 garage in one afternoon.

 

[kgelliott]

Is that stuff peel n stick or glued down....???

I think it was the power of suggestion!! I knew I read peel and stick somewhere!
No problem, I've had more experience with ceramic tile using a sticky agent, so I'm sure I can handle this. I thought the peel and stick idea seemed too easy!