Garage Floors Archives - Garage Tailors

Garage Flooring

June 24, 2021 by Rick Scully

All You Need To Know About Polyaspartic Garage Flooring

During your search for the right garage flooring, you have possibly come across options for epoxy and a newer product known as Polyaspartic. These concrete coatings look alike, so naturally, you would like to know the dissimilarity. So let us begin here.

Polyaspartic is a hybrid matter that looks like polyurethane and was 1^st developed in the ‘90s as a coating for steel in bridges and used for its corrosion-resistant properties. This alternative to epoxy is also known as an aliphatic polyurea sealer, which is a blend of ester and other materials.

The amount of ester can be altered by manufacturers to tailor Polyaspartic to have diverse qualities, such as limited gas emissions and quick drying times post application. Such advances make it more resourceful as compared to traditional epoxy.

Generally, this coating has a clear, polished finish. By itself, it creates the appearance of a wet concrete base. You can add colour to the blend for a bolder appearance if desired. Often, people will distribute decorative chips across the surface of a still-wet coating to bring in a little more colour and non-slip texture.

Applications of Polyaspartic Garage Flooring

The same as the epoxy, Polyaspartic will not appropriately bond to concrete which gives off a lot of moisture. Actually, for the reason that it dries so quickly, applying Polyaspartic is a quick procedure. The appearance and consistency of the material are much like water – it is clear (when not using colour additives), nearly odourless, and very fluid.

You will pour ribbons of Polyaspartic across the floor and evenly spread it with the help of a roller or a squeegee. The layer’s suggested thickness will rely on the manufacturer. In an hour or less, the initial coat will be dry enough to walk on, so you can start the 2^nd coating.

This 2^nd layer will comprise any non-skid traction materials you might wish to use. Disperse them by dusting them over the top after the 2^nd coat is totally spread but not yet dry.

Advantages of Polyaspartic Garage Flooring

Durable – It dries hard, but it maintains some flexibility. This helps maintain a stain and scratch-resistant finish.
Colourfast – The colour will not fade or yellow even after extended exposure to UV rays, meaning the garage will keep looking wonderful for longer.
Air Quality – With low VOCs and virtually no odour from off-gassing, you will be capable of breathing easier.
Versatile Application – It can be applied in a variety of temperature and weather conditions, so you will not need to wait around for the right time.
Speed – polyaspartic takes less than 8 hours to apply and is fully cured within 24 hours.
Maintenance Free – as a result of its strength and durability you’ll never have to worry about your floor needing any maintenance or re-coating. By using simple dish soap with water and a foam squeegee and your floor will look brand new.

Are you looking to get new flooring for your garage? Make sure to check out how the flooring specialists at Garage Tailors can help you. Call the professionals at 416.617.7551 today!

Finishing Touches for Your Garage Project, Part 1

January 30, 2020 by Rick Scully

2 car garage willowdale showcase - 4 post hydraulic car lift, garage cabinets, polyaspartic garage flooring, overhead platform storage, tire storage, satinless steel work station, flatscreen tv fixture

Previous articles have addressed the refinishing of your garage floor. We covered everything from the fundamental steps required for proper floor preparation to the application of your new floor covering. Next, you will want to consider what is commonly referred to as the finishing touches. In this case, finishing touches can be separated into three key areas: drywall, painting and lighting.

Drywall is an established garage wall covering material found on both existing and newly constructed homes. Unfortunately, in many cases the drywall installation is only about fifty percent finished. That is, when the home builder was done with the garage, he may have left the drywall both unsanded and unpainted. Now understand this is a common practice and totally above board. The builder is simply following the building code and completing what he needs to do to complete the job.

Yet unfinished drywall is not just found in newer homes. Actually, there are quite a few existing homes out there where the garage hasn’t actually been touched since the builder left. That’s quite common, and now that you have decided to move forward and upgrade your garage you can be sure it’s done right, the way you want.

You see, the time you have set aside to refinish your garage floor gives you the perfect opportunity to take care of that drywall. Here are a couple of options for you to consider. First, imagine the scenario where the drywall is already installed and thoroughly covering your garage walls. With this scenario, the existing drywall might only need to be sanded and painted. Also, there may be a few areas where the existing drywall needs to be patched or repaired and then re-mudded. “Remudding” is just contractor speak for applying new joint compound to the seams between the drywall sections. Remember, the point of the “mudding” process is to make the joints invisible so that your wall looks smooth and uniform. Of course, at this point you will want to choose a paint color complimentary to your home exterior and garage floor covering.

1.5 car garage, etobicoke - slatwall, overhead platforms, polyaspartic floor coating, shelves bike racks - before

Another scenario is when the drywall installation doesn’t cover as many walls as you want or is damaged in one or more areas. When this is the situation, you can choose to install drywall over any other areas you want as well as replacing or patching any damaged drywall. One thing to keep in mind with new drywall installation is that the building code requires newly installed drywall to be at least 5/8 inch think and fire retardant. After the correct drywall is installed, the same “mudding” process, sanding and painting procedures needs to be completed.

Once you have addressed the drywall in your garage, now you will want to consider painting. Of course, if your garage walls are drywall, they will have been painted as explained above. But what about exposed concrete or exposed brick walls? You will be pleased to learn that both of these garage wall surfaces are prime candidates for a new coat of paint. There are combination paints that serve as both a sealant and paint. We’re experts at making your garage interior match your home’s exterior as well as garage flooring, so whether you already have garage flooring or coloured cabinets, we can recommend colours which will make your garage match the rest of your home when the door is open and being enjoyed by your entire family during the warmer months.

T8 LED tube light

Lighting is the third area I’d like to discuss when considering finishing touches for your garage. The typical garage lighting is modest at best. Often times, there are either one or two incandescent fixtures with a single bulb. While that may be all right for the builder, it may not look so good once you refinish your garage. In fact, most people who choose to transform their garage use this opportunity to upgrade their garage lighting.

There are three popular options available to you when you decide to upgrade your garage lighting. Your first option and the most popular choice is replacing the incandescent fixtures with LED lighting fixtures. LED’s have exploded in popularity and dropped in price. They consume far less energy, put out more light, last a lifetime, have controls over the color temperature, and come in a variety of very attractive fixtures. Fluorescent bulbs are still a good option, but one precaution to be aware of is to make sure your fixture includes T8 rated bulbs. The ‘T8’ rating indicates those bulbs are designed to work in colder temperatures. Fluorescent tubes do go out and have to be disposed of carefully as many contain elements that are not appropriate for regular landfills. LED lighting is the fast and economical upgrade recommendation to your existing garage lighting.

On the other hand, the alternate lighting option is to install recessed lighting or what the home builders refer to as “pot lighting”. Recessed lighting or pot lights need an opening or recess to accommodate the new fixtures and is most commonly found in garages with finished ceilings or often, under our custom overhead storage platforms where we again have the space to recess the pot lights and run the electrical wiring.

Next month, we’ll review additional finishing options such as baseboards, casings and doors.

Maintaining the Garage Floor During Winter

February 19, 2019 by Rick Scully

Not only are driveways, walkways and sidewalks of our homes cause for concern, but we can’t help but bring in snow, ice, sand and salt into our garages. From the little feet of young ones running in from school to the vehicles we park inside the garage at night, the garage floor can become littered with salt, sand and snow almost on a daily basis throughout the winter months.

Depending on the type of garage flooring in your garage, there will be slightly different methods of cleaning the garage floors. If you have a bare cement garage floor, the regular collection of snow, salt and sand will likely cause pitting, cracking and other damage. In the spring, consider a garage renovation to get both an effective garage storage solution as well as a long lasting garage floor coating. A polyaspartic garage floor coating will protect the floor and ease the care and maintenance of the garage floor.

Keeping Salt, Snow and Sand Out of the Garage

To be prepared to clean the garage floor in winter, you’ll need some supplies. Here are some things you’ll want to keep hanging on your slatwall and in baskets hanging on your slatwall for the winter season.

It’s always best to look after the snow and salt dragged into the garage immediately after the vehicle has been parked instead of waiting until everything has melted and the run off water washes and spreads particles over the garage floor. Brushing off your vehicle and knocking the snow and salt build up from behind the tires of your vehicle before you even entire the garage or drive minimizes what gets dragged onto the garage floor.

This may not always be possible or you may forget to take this step before driving into the garage. If that’s the case, as soon as you’ve parked your vehicle get the push broom hanging on the slatwall. As you step out of your vehicle, you can knock or brush off excess snow and ice build up and then push it out of the garage with the broom immediately before it has a chance to melt and spread over the garage floor.

Protect a Bare Cement Garage Floor

While the bare cement floor of a garage is not ideal, this winter you may not have a lot of choice. One of the temporary fixes for the winter is to lay down some cardboard on the cement floor. This will help absorb some of the excess water and prevent some of the salt and sand from seeping into the cement. This also helps prevent some of the moisture build up in the cement. Reducing moisture absorption by the cement floor will reduce cracking and pitting of the cement floor.

In the winter, garage floor tiles are something which can be purchased and become a DIY project over a weekend afternoon. It’s a more effective solution to protecting the garage floor in the middle winter as it will cause water and salt to sit on top of the floor whereas wet cardboard will eventually allow moisture to seep into the cement floor below.

2 car garage, stouffville, left rear door, pvc floor tiles, punched aluminum baseboard, slatwall, custom overhead platform, shelves, bike rack, bicycle storage

Floor tiles come in a variety of colours and they are modular so that a variety of floor pattern designs can be created. It’s also easy to replace or repair a section of the garage floor if some damage occurs to the garage floor tile. The grip of the surface makes it safer for family members to walk through the garage without fear of sliding or slipping unlike loose pieces of cardboard or wet slippery smooth cement floors.

Tiles can be mopped to remove any excess moisture from the garage. Removing the moisture from the garage is important so that belongings stored in the garage remain dry and this prolongs the life of any of our family toys or equipment or supplies.

Using a dry / wet vac, any excess melted snow or road salt which you were unable to clean as you parked or as the kids ran into the house can be vacuumed off cement, tiles or polyaspartic garage floor coating. Some people like to use a leaf blower as a dual purpose tool in the winter to blow out light snow which has drifted into the garage. This is possible before things have melted and an alternative to the push broom if that’s not something that you might own.

Keep the Garage Dry during the Winter

With a blower fan, you’ll be able to reduce the moisture level in the garage instead of having melted snow dissolve road salt all over the floor. It will also help prevent cracking of cement floor if there isn’t either a polyaspartic garage floor coating or a protective garage floor tile. If you’re using cardboard as a temporary solution, it will reduce the moisture in the cardboard before it has a chance to reach the cement floor below.

Cleaning a Garage Floor

Garage floors such as garage tiles and polyaspartic garage floor coating can cleaned with vinegar and water. The vinegar does lower the freezing point of the water and with a blower fan running for a while afterwards, it will reduce moisture and prevent freezing of any excess water. Especially, if you’re using this method to clean off a bare cement garage floor, the blower fan will become particularly helpful.

A more thorough cleaning in the spring would be the ideal when the wet floor will be easier to dry with a little bit of warmth and sunshine. In the winter, the main goal is to avoid moisture and salt from further damaging a cement floor.

Getting a Polyaspartic Garage Floor

Ideally, a polyaspartic garage floor coating project by a garage renovation specialist helps protect the foundation of your garage. Each project starts by assuring the moisture level of the cement is adequately low before the application of a polyaspartic floor coating. This step assures that excessive moisture is not somehow locked into the cement. Cement which is too moist will expand and contract excessively during the changing temperatures of the four seasons. In addition to damaging the foundation of the garage, moist cement will also ruin a polyaspartic floor coating application.

Starting with an adequately dry cement base means the finished polyaspartic floor coating will have a beautiful and long lasting life in the garage. The beautiful colours of a polyaspartic floor coating are UV protected from sun and other weather elements means it is one of the best garage floor investments for any home.

This spring, consider either a full garage storage solution or just upgrading your garage floor with a polyaspartic garage floor coating.

Garage Floors to Weather All Seasons

September 19, 2018 by Rick Scully

One of the most valuable aspects of a garage renovation is the garage floor. It’s often overlooked and most people don’t realize what can be done with a garage floor. Some people feel that the basic cement floor is the only option for the garage. And, they put up with the grease stains from an oil drip from the vehicle or the dust that gets pulled up onto everything we store in the garage.

In fact, there are a few garage floor options. Some options are more desirable than others. Depending on your goals, you’ll find that some stand out for you more than other options.

Garage Flooring Options

The polyaspartic garage floor coatings offer the longest lasting results. It has UV protection with great overall aesthetics over the lifetime of the coating. And, there is a wide variety of colour options with colour chips adding some luster to the garage which in the past, has often been one of the less inspired rooms of the house.

Some people think of painting the garage floor which is quick and easy but it won’t last more than a few years. Some of the more industrial coatings such as epoxy or polyaspartic floor coatings have been known to last 30 years in a residential garage although they are both deemed to last a life time. When it comes to the polyaspartic floor coatings, they have some advantages over epoxy coatings.

Garage floor tiles are also an option for many people who are looking for a sporty garage floor design. They are easy to install even in the middle of winter and they will make your garage floor easier to clean and maintain.

Garage Floor Coatings: Polyaspartic vs Epoxy

While both are similar, there are some definite features of polyaspartic that we find more appealing. Firstly, the polyaspartic looks great for longer since it has UV protection built into the coating. So, unlike epoxy which will fade over time, your polyaspartic floor coating will look great without yellowing even after many years of heavy traffic through your garage. We add colour flakes to give the colours some vibrancy and improved grip to the floor coating. The multi-colour floor colours also hide small bits of dirt that may appear between floor cleanings.

In addition, the polyaspartic has low to no volatile organics or VOC’s so it is much safer for everyone while it is being applied to the cement floor base. And, the best thing is that polyaspartic coating cures quickly so you can put everything back into the garage the next day. With polyaspartic floor coating, the completion of a garage renovation can be completed quickly or the vehicles can be returned to the garage at night. With an epoxy floor coating, it will take approximately 72 hours for it to cure.

Cement Dust in the Garage

If you’re considering a garage floor coating, then you may have reviewed some of these benefits already to getting a garage floor coating applied.

One benefit is that a garage floor coating will keep cement dust from getting onto all the items stored in the garage. We all use the garage to store things. Cement dust makes everything in our garage look aged and may even impact the functioning of some tools or bikes. And, it leaves us with a lot of extra cleaning before we might be able to use anything again once we’ve decided to store it in the garage.

Keeping the Garage Floor Clean

The basic cement floor is very difficult to keep clean. Cement will absorb any liquids or oils that come in contact with it. So, when our vehicles have an oil leak, we end up with a grease stain that takes some work to remove. Cement floors cannot just be swept or mopped. It takes a few more steps than maintaining the floors in other rooms of our home.

Since cement will absorb moisture, it can cause damage to the cement floor. A higher level of moisture in the cement will also means the bonds that strengthen the cement will remain weaker and be less permanent than cement which has dried and cured properly and remains within the correct range for moisture content. This is what causes our cement floors to crack and potentially, become unsightly.

Keep the Moisture Out of the Garage Floor

Getting a professionally completed garage floor coating typically starts with assuring the cement floors of the garage are not retaining too much moisture. It is critical to a successful flooring project. So, if there is too much moisture, then reducing the moisture content of the cement floor is the first step. Without this first step, any garage floor coating applied will never last long enough to get the great return on investment that polyaspartic floor coating or other coatings offer.

Preventing Garage Floor Damage

As noted before, excessive moisture in the cement floor of the garage may cause cracks in the cement. Over several seasons, the water that gets absorbed may cause spalling of the cement. Spalling is when the water penetrates the cement floor from above and causes the top layers to lift or flake off.

The road salt that gets tracked into the garage from our vehicles or family members walking through the garage to get into the house causes water to stay on our cement floors longer. This gives any snow and water left on the floor even more time to get absorbed into the cement. Once within the pores of the cement structure, the water freezes and expands the cement.

Pitted cement floors occur mainly due to old age but it could also occur due to a poor cement mix. It leaves an unsightly pock like texture to the floor and may occur over a large area of the garage floor. These can be repaired but you might want to weigh out the benefits of the time and effort or expenses spent to repair a cement floor vs. some of the other floor coating options.

Garage Floors Allow the Family to Enjoy the Garage All Year

A garage floor coating can now elevate the garage to become more like other rooms in the house. It can add to the aesthetics of a garage making it a much more pleasant place to store all our valuable tools, golf clubs and household supplies. In addition, it makes cleaning a garage floor much easier. If you’re considering a garage renovation, remember to consider adding a garage floor coating or garage tiles.

RibTrax Floor Tiles to Winterize the Garage

January 23, 2018 by Rick Scully

If you’ve had a cement garage floor, painted garage floor or an old epoxy garage floor, you may not have gotten around to that garage renovation you were hoping to do during the warmer months. All the while, you may be getting tired of the worn out look and how much maintenance it takes to maintain the garage floor while keeping winter out of the house.

Winter is a constant battle of snow, slush and salt being brought into your mud room via your garage. It’s the kids running in through the garage to the mudroom after school. It’s the vehicles parking in the garage after a drive through the city streets dragging all sorts of debris and salt into the garage.

It’s not easy to keep up with maintaining the look and feel of the garage in winter with all that gets dragged into the home. Here’s where the choice of garage floor can help reduce the maintenance of the garage floor while also minimizing the amount of salt and debris that gets dragged into the house.

We’re talking about RibTrax Garage Floor Tiles.

Good Looking Garage Floors in Winter

With a wide variety of colour choices, the RibTrax Tiles are easy to put together with a sharp looking design or pattern across the garage floor. The colours can be matched to integrate with the colour scheme of the interior design of the house. Or, the design can give the garage it’s own unique look and feel. Maybe, you’re looking for a sporty car enthusiast’s design that is reminiscent of an Indy Car race pit or garage. Or, maybe, it’s some other bold colour pattern that resonates with the family.

Either way, once it’s put in place, you won’t be seeing much more of the pitted cement floors or worn looking epoxy coating. In fact, even when looking down through the ribs of the tile, it’s still difficult to see the flooring below. That’s because the RibTrax tiles are ¾ of an inch thick so it’s difficult to see the floor below. It’s a true garage floor makeover that leaves homeowners with what people seek from a a new floor.

This is the thickest tile on the marketplace making them commercial strength. In fact, these tiles are so sturdy that they are used in airplane hangars and in warehouses or manufacturing floors carrying weights up to 70,000lbs and far in excess of a couple of family vehicles in a residential garage.

Minimize Slush and Salt in the Home

Also, the thicker ¾ inch tiles allow all sorts of debris to fall through the ribs and stay out of sight. Unlike thinner tiles, the RibTrax has space below the tile for salt and debris to stay in the channels built into the underside of each tile until it’s time to clean the garage floor at the end of the week. It becomes difficult for debris to find its way back on top of the RibTrax tile floor.

Typical uncovered cement floors or even old epoxy floors will have salt and slush sitting on top of the floor. Cement dust continues to build up on the floors. Salt stains continue to linger and get dragged into the house with every step of each family member walking through the garage. And, as vehicles drive in and out of the garage, salt inevitably makes its way onto the garage floor and back onto the vehicle again as well.

With the RibTrax tiles, all this debris stays under the tiles or falls below the tiles until it’s time to clean the garage floors. It protects the home, the family and the vehicles from salt.

Garage Floor Maintenance is Minimal

With RibTrax tiles, running a shopvac once a week over the tiles will keep the slush, salt and dust on the garage floor below from accumulating. It’s the best of all worlds. The floor looks great. The debris stays hidden and safely away from loved ones, the home and the vehicles. And, cleaning can happen once a week to assure there isn’t an excessive accumulation of slush and salt under the tiles.

The RibTrax tiles are so durable, they are resistant to UV, alkalis, acids, solvents, oils and other automotive fluids. As needed, a damp string mop run over the top of the RibTrax tiles will keep the tiles looking bright and sharp. It’s quick and easy to prepare for the most impromptu visit from good friends or neighbours without a big fuss.

DIY or Garage Renovation Specialist Installation

Even though a full garage renovation might not be practical during the winter, a quick DYI installation of RibTrax tiles is possible. Floor preparation is minimal or none at all if you choose. Runninig a shopvac over the garage floor is adequate preparation before applying the tiles.

Then, design the floor with the SwissTrax Floor Designer tool or if you’re unsure of a design that will leave you feeling like you’ve made the right choice for a savvy garage design which will endure the test of time, our garage renovation specialists can lend a designing hand.

Get a free in-home consultation to find out if RibTrax tiles would be a fit for your garage and family lifestyle needs.

Ribtrax Garage Floor Tile Colours

Black	Yellow	White	Red	Purple	Pink
Orange	Mocha	Light Gray	Green	Gray	Dark Brown
Dark Blue	Cream	Charcoal	Brown	Blue	Aqua

Clean Your Garage Floors

July 7, 2017 by Rick Scully

It’s summer. The kids are playing in the yard and it’s a day to enjoy being outdoors. It is finely time to look after one of the renovation projects around the home or garage. One of the maintenance projects is to get rid of the unsightly stains on the garage floor while the children seem to be getting along and entertaining themselves.

Here are some tips to make this unglamorous task simpler and more straightforward.

Clear the Debris & Dust

One of the easiest ways to clear small debris from the garage is to use the leaf blower. As long as this is being done regularly, the leaf blower is a great way to clear dust and debris to the outside. If there’s too much dust around, the leaf blower may not be the best option.

The leaf blower works particularly well if you have a polyaspartic garage floor or floor tiles including the Ribtrax type tiles. The debris should be blown from rear to front. With the Ribtrax, it’s the same. With many channels below the tiles, debris and dust will flow forward and out the front edge when the leaf blower is used.

When bare cement is exposed or the garage floor has not been cleared of dust and debris regularly, there may be a lot of unwanted cement dust and general debris flying through the air. A lot of the dust will end up on bikes, toys and other storage items. A better alternative would be to use the shop vac or a dust broom and pan.

The leaf blower makes the job easy and quick. There’s no need to move heavy objects out of the way because the blower will dislodge hidden dirt, dust and small objects from behind large items in the garage. Use a lower setting to start on the leaf blower.

Take some precautions when using the leaf blower. Use a dust mask to protect your lungs. Leaf blowers are powerful enough to lift small debris such as nuts, washers and nails. It can also lift and peel loose areas of a painted garage floor. All of these objects can become painful projectiles. Move vehicles safely out of the way and assure your family is safely spending time elsewhere in the yard or house.

Getting Rid of Oil Stains

If you have a polyaspartic coated garage floor, oil spilled won’t soak into the polyaspartic floor. Instead, it will sit on top of the floor coating. While polyaspartic floor coatings are highly chemical resistant, look after the floor by cleaning up spills immediately. Remove oil spills soon after they happen to prevent it from being spread all over the garage or dragged into the house by younger family members walking through the garage.

To clean an oil stain, start by using an absorbent material to soak up the oil. Some good absorbent materials include cat litter, saw dust, baking powder and diatomaceous earth. Cover the entire oil stain completely and leave it there for 24 hours so the oil has a chance to absorb fully.

Once the oil is absorbed into one of these materials, it’s easy to scoop up the absorbent material along with the oil soaked into it. Dispose of them safely at a drop off depot for household hazardous waste.

Finally, a little dish soap and hot water to wash the area where the oil was sitting will eliminate any remaining film. Dry the area with disposable paper towels and your polyaspartic garage floor should be back to its original condition.

With garage floor tiles, you can just replace specific tiles or use a similar process to clean the tile. The quality of the cleaning results will depend on the floor tile.

The Ribtrax floor tiles will allow you to remove a single tile or multiple tiles to clean a stain in the concrete floor below. If you have exposed concrete where the oil spill occurred, start with the steps above. When using the soap with water, leave it in place for up to an hour. Then, use an absorbent material to soak up the soapy spot and oil mixture. A paste can also be made from the soap and water mixture plus absorbent material. Leave the paste in place until dry. Always remove and dispose of the paste at a drop-off depot. If the stain is older or deep, you may have to repeat this process a few times to draw out all of the oil from the concrete.

There are also a variety of non-toxic commercial cleaners such as Simply Green or Oil Eaters which people have found to provide success. Check manufacturer’s instructions for applicable surfaces and steps to using these products.

Maintenance and General Cleaning of the Garage Floor Surface

Polyaspartic floors are the easiest to clean. A general cleaning of the surface of the typical polyaspartic garage floor is easy to do with a string mop and a bucket of water with any of a wide variety of floor cleaning products such as vinegar, a couple of drops of dish soap, a wide variety of green cleaners and non-toxic commercial cleaners. This can also be done with garage floor tiles as well. You can also wipe dry any remaining water so the cleaning can be done most months of the year.

With a concrete floor, you may need a long handled scrub brush to remove and lift other types of stains along with a stronger soapy mixture. Finally, hose down the garage floor with garden hose. And, you’ll want to make sure you do this on a warm day to give the cement time to dry. In the GTA, this means cement floors need to be cleaned in the few summer months available.

Cleaning Ribtrax Garage Floor Tiles

This video shows how easy it is to clean Ribtrax garage floor tiles:

The main advantage of the Ribtrax floor tile is that the tile surface is easy to clean with a degreaser spray and a mopping of the surface. Maintain the tile surface regularly so kids and other family members are not dragging all sorts of oils and chemicals into the house. When weather permits, remove the debris and dust below to keep the entire system clean.

Make Garage Floor Maintenance Easier

To maintain your garage floor more easily, look after oil stains soon after they occur for improved success and thorough stain removal. It will make general cleaning of the floor easier.

Of course, the concrete floor is the most difficult part of the floor to clean and maintain. It is also more difficult to remove oil stains from concrete than some of these other materials. To reduce the maintenance work, consider garage floor tiles or polyaspartic floor coatings to keep the cleaning task easy and free from concrete dust. If you’re interested in renovating your garage this summer, the garage floor is a great project to consider. If you’re looking to upgrade your garage floor, contact our garage renovation specialists for a complimentary in-home consultation today.

Winterize the Garage Floors

January 26, 2017 by Rick Scully

We seldom think about the garage floor. However, this important surface undergoes continuous abuse. It must bear the weight of vehicles, withstand damage caused by debris tracked in on tires and shoes and hold its own against leaking automotive fluids. Fluctuating temperatures of sweltering summer heat and frigid Canadian winters cause concrete floors to expand and contract. Then there is the battle of the elements: rain, sleet, snow and salt that gets tracked in on shoes and tires.

Protect the Garage Floor from the Elements

Winterizing your garage floor may not be the first thing on your garage renovation list of to-do’s, but it is important not to be missed. Your car and your family will undoubtedly track snow and salt into your garage this winter. Ensure the protection of your floor from road salt and other damaging de-icers. Road salt on an untreated concrete floor can easily be absorbed and within a few years, it can destroy an unprotected floor.

By preparing your garage floor now, you can reduce the inevitable damage to your floor this winter. Consider applying a durable waterproof and stain-resistant protective floor coating to prevent harsh damage and preserve the life of your garage floor.

Prepare the Garage Floor

There are several reasons why durable garage flooring is a key part of a long-lasting garage renovation. Concrete floors are vulnerable to degradation caused by the elements including salt and oil. Thus, concrete floors often become pitted, which is not only unsightly, but generates dust causing the concrete to become more difficult to keep clean and maintain.

Bare concrete floors generate dust and are susceptible to staining and cracking that gets worse with moisture. Garage floor coatings and coverings are not only beautiful, but functional. They protect concrete floors from stains and other damage.

Refinishing your floor will protect it from the elements, while at the same time reducing the dust which covers your tools, bikes, garden equipment and other items. The household items and tools stored in the garage become easy to appreciate when you’re reducing the concrete dust that can affect the operation of work and garden tools or that can give your belongings a prematurely aged look. Of course, garage floor coatings or floor tiles look great too!

Painted Garage Floors Peel Up After Just a Season or Two

A lot of people consider painting floors. The issue with paint is it only coats the top layer of your concrete. Whether you prepare a concrete floor or not, paint based materials sit on the top of concrete which means that paint doesn’t protect or enhance the concrete floor unlike some other options.

Because paint sits atop the concrete, it’s not forgiving when the concrete floor expands and contracts with the changing seasons. Whether we know it or not, our garage floor is subject to thermal expansion and contraction. This means that the concrete swells up and expands in the heat. In cool weather, the opposite effect occurs; your concrete floor shrinks or contracts. Often times, it is these expansion and contraction cycles that tend to lead to cracking and peeling of painted floors.

Polyaspartic Floor Coatings are Durable and Last

Polyaspartic flooring is always a great choice for any garage, but especially those with drywall that extends down to the floor. A polyaspartic flooring system is a tough, durable floor coating with the sophisticated look of granite. Unlike paint which sits on top of the concrete, the polyaspartic coating seals concrete and keeps moisture out to prevent the garage floor from cracking. Not only does a polyaspartic floor coating reduce concrete dust, it provides a non-slip grip to make the garage a safer place for little ones during wet and slushy weather. All the snow and mud of the various seasons get tracked into the garage by everyone in the family but having a floor coating makes the garage easy to keep clean and dry.

A professionally installed polyaspartic flooring system includes a ten-year warranty and is available in a wide range of colours. The colours of the floor can be selected to match the exterior brick, siding or trim of your home for a matching look and feel as seen from the sidewalk or edge of the property. The variety of coloured flakes makes it possible to transition from exterior house colours to interior colour schemes.

The granite arrangement of colour flakes also camouflage the dirt, dust and debris left behind! You’ll be glad to know that this system also protects concrete floors from corrosive elements including winter’s biggest culprit – salt.

The quality of a polyaspartic floor coating system is in the preparation of the concrete floor before applying the polyaspartic coating. By grinding and preparing the concrete floor, any application of the polyaspartic floor coating bonds to the concrete for lasting results.

Challenges of Other Floor Coatings

Other types of floor coating include epoxy which is also applied concrete floors. While it is sold in big box stores, homeowners run into problems when applying epoxy because they miss the importance of surface preparation. More than a simple, weekend DIY project, applying epoxy to a garage floor still requires several steps and specialized equipment.

Unlike polyaspartic floor coating, epoxy floor coating can take a few days to cure and it tends to be more brittle the polyaspartic. On the other hand, the 100% UV resistant polyaspartic floor coating doesn’t yellow with time.

PVC Garage Floor Tiles

Alternately, a garage floor made of an interlocking PVC tile floor will hide imperfections and protect floors from further damage.

Interlocking PVC tiles are sturdy, attractive and chemical-resistant. They can easily be adapted to fit any garage configuration. Since no adhesive is used, simply remove and replace a single tile in the event of damage. PVC tile can be hosed down, pressure washed, mopped or hand scrubbed.

A variety of floor designs can be accomplished with a series of coloured floor tiles.

Baseboards in the Garage Protect Walls, Brick and Concrete Blocks

The baseboard in your garage serves a couple of functions. Perhaps the most important function is that of protection. If your baseboard is installed properly, it protects the interior of your garage from small animals from making a home in your garage. Baseboards also provide protection from dust, dirt and water seeping behind the drywall or slatwall and into the exposed brick or concrete.

Another function of your garage baseboard is aesthetics. Some of the baseboard finishes include a polyaspartic finish, vinyl baseboards or even, punched aluminum wainscoting or baseboards. With a garage flooring makeover, many homeowners choose to finish the floors with a baseboard trim.

Planning You New Garage Floor This Spring

There are several factors to consider when selecting the best garage flooring system. Budget and personal preference play a major role. However, the condition of your garage floor is also a factor. Substantial pitting or cracking requires that voids be filled before any coating is applied.

Consult with a garage renovation specialist and then plan the de-cluttering of belongings so there is unrestricted access to the entire garage floor space to apply a new floor to your garage.

Three Ways to Make Your Garage Floor Look Great and Withstand Use and Harsh Weather

August 23, 2016 by Rick Scully

Examine your garage floor. Is the surface beginning to show wear? Bare concrete tends to crack, stain or become pitted with age. Cracks and stains not only diminish the beauty of your garage floor, they can compromise the surface, making it vulnerable to degradation. A garage floor coating or covering can preserve the surface and add instant pizzazz. Let’s examine three different garage flooring system options that will enhance the look of your garage and reinforce your floors to better withstand use and harsh weather.

Cover and Protect with PVC Tiles

There are several factors to consider when selecting the best garage flooring system. Budget and personal preference play a major role. However, the condition of your garage floor is also a consideration. Substantial pitting or cracking requires that voids be filled before coating is applied. Alternately, an interlocking PVC tile floor will hide imperfections and protect floors from further damage.

PVC tile offers a less permanent solution. Individual 19 5/8” x 19 5/8” square tiles lock together like puzzle pieces. Available in a range of colors, this modular flooring system can quickly and easily transform the look of your garage while hiding stains and imperfections. Choose tiles in a smooth, matte finish or select a raised medallion surface for additional skid prevention.

The area where drywall meets the floor is susceptible to damage caused by moisture or abuse—like dents from scooters or bicycles. Protect this vulnerable area of the wall by finishing off the look off with six-inch vinyl baseboards. This prevents water damage to the wall and stops water from seeping beneath the tiles, creating mildew.

Seal the Deal with Epoxy Coating

Epoxy is a floor coating that is applied directly to concrete floors. While it is sold in big box stores, consumers run into problems when applying epoxy because they dismiss the importance of surface preparation. More than a simple, weekend DIY project, applying epoxy paint to a garage floor requires several steps in order to achieve the very best results.

Properly applying epoxy to a concrete floor can require three or four days—during which the garage must remain empty. Major cracks must be repaired to create a smooth finish. Most importantly, the moisture level of the concrete must be checked to determine if a barrier is needed. Skipping this step is the critical mistake most DIYers make. If too much moisture is present, it will seep through the concrete, preventing proper adhesion of the product. When applied under such conditions, the coating begins to flake or chip within a year.

Next, a professional garage floor installation team will use a commercial grinder to remove 1/16^th of an inch of the uppermost layer of concrete. This opens the pores of the surface and prepares it to accept the coating. Some may consider bypassing professional installation and using muriatic acid to clean and open the pores of the surface. We do not recommend the use of this hazardous chemical, which isn’t always effective on older concrete surfaces.

Once the surface is properly prepared, a moisture barrier must be applied if the concrete has a high moisture content. After application of the water seal, the epoxy is rolled onto the surface. It must cure before the surface is used.

Epoxy coats the top layer of the surface, sealing it. This stain-resistant coating causes water and oil to bead on the surface, so it can easily be wiped away. Epoxy comes in a wide range of colours and provides some skid resistance. The look is finished with vinyl baseboards in a complementary colour.

Epoxy provides a great, water-resistant coating that can give your garage floor a new look. While it costs much less than polyaspartic coating, application takes at least twice as long. Since the coating sits atop the surface, it is vulnerable to cracking and fading over time due to thermal expansion and contraction of the concrete. However, an epoxy coating application can provide a beautiful, stain-resistant floor for many years.

Polyaspartic Coating—Beautiful, Flexible and Long-lasting

At Garage Tailors Garage, polyaspartic coating is the preferred garage floor coating. The same preparation steps described above, are required. However, since polyaspartic coating doesn’t take as long to cure, it can be applied in as little as one day. It can also be applied over minor cracks in concrete flooring.

Water-soluble polyaspartic coating penetrates the concrete, providing better surface protection than coatings which only coat the top layer. The water-soluble nature of polyaspartic coating makes it fluid, allowing it to shift with the concrete through the expansion and contraction caused by hot and cold temperatures.

Polyaspartic coating is available in an array of attractive colours. A professional garage floor installation team can even create a custom colour for you. To achieve the look, a base coat is applied to the floor. A specified combination of colour flakes is sprinkled over the base coat and allowed to cure. Excess chips and sharp edges are shaved off and vacuumed away before the final sealant is applied. This textured coating looks great and provides excellent skid resistance.

Standard vinyl baseboards can complete the look. However, polyaspartic coating affords an additional baseboard option that gives a garage a more polished finish. The thicker consistency of polyaspartic coating is ideal for creating a seamless baseboard or wainscoting effect. Plywood is attached to the walls. Then the coating is applied over the wood to create a unified baseboard.

Polyaspartic coating is versatile and provides a durable, attractive finish that is guaranteed for the life of your garage floor. To maintain it, simply clean the floor with soap and water or pressure wash it twice a year.

Bare concrete floors generate dust and are susceptible to staining and cracking that gets worse with age. Garage floor coatings and coverings are not only beautiful, but functional. They protect concrete floors from stains and other damage. While garage floor covering or coating is an investment, it can protect floors indefinitely while improving the look and value of your home. Prepare your garage floor to withstand the beating of heavy use and thermal expansion and contraction. Request a consultation to review the available garage flooring systems and see which one is right for you.

Baseboards in the Garage, Did You Know?

October 22, 2013 by Rick Scully

In this informative article we will cover garage baseboards:

The function of garage baseboards.
Materials baseboards come in.
Baseboard installation facts you will want to consider.
Our garage renovation services.
FAQ on baseboard costs and needs.

Are you considering a garage makeover? How about an idea that both serves an important function and provides an aesthetic touch?

Garage baseboards are the ideal solution to protect your walls and floor and they help pull together the look of your interior garage design.

Want To Know More About Our Garage Flooring Products?

What Are Garage Baseboards?

A baseboard runs along the base of an interior wall. It covers the joint between the lowest part of a wall and the floor. You may encounter different terms for this wall covering; everything from skirting board, floor molding, or even a mopboard. In most cases, the baseboard is constructed of wood or a type of vinyl board.

A garage baseboard is no different. In your garage, you will find the baseboard (if there is one installed) at the bottom end of the walls at the floor level. Typically, a baseboard is from 4” to 6” in height and designed to hide the joint as well as protect walls from damage.

What Is The Function Of A Baseboard?

The main function of baseboards is to protect drywall against water damage. The baseboard in your garage is no different. It’s most important function is that of protection and if installed properly, it protects the interior of your garage from all types of foreign invasion.

To understand why this is important, consider how your garage is built. You have a vertical wall sitting on top of a concrete floor. The joint (seam) between the wall and the floor is typically 1/16” to 1/8”. If left unsealed, this joint can become a liability.

For example, no matter how small, insects will consider an unsealed floor joint to be an open invitation to come on in. Also, depending on the exterior structure of your home, an unsealed floor joint could become a source of water getting inside.

Garage Baseboards For Aesthetics

Your garage is just as important as any other space in your house, so why not make it beautiful. Since the typical garage for a new home does not have baseboards installed, a garage renovation project is a perfect time to look at how baseboards will enhance your garage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baseboards And More

What Materials Do Garage Baseboards Come In?

There are a few options to think about when you plan for your new baseboard. Not surprisingly, the first choice you have is material. Do you want to install a wooden baseboard or are you interested in a different material? For example, some enthusiasts will install punched aluminum (often referred to as diamond plate). Others choose to install a wooden baseboard, but request a specific paint color or finish.

The look you want to create is entirely up to you!

Types of Baseboard or Trim used in Garage:

PVC Trim – PVC is a form of plastic that’s used in a hundred different ways, including for plumbing pipes. PVC is a great choice for a garage baseboard because it can last forever. The PVC (polyvinyl chloride) trim is also referred to as cellular PVC. It’s PVC all the way through. Don’t confuse it with high-density rigid polyurethane or PVC-coated products. The trim comes in various thicknesses and widths, but it’s most often sold in common sizes similar to other wood trim products.

Diamond Plate Trim – Diamond plate trim is made of steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. Diamond plates are sometimes referred to as tread plate or checker plate but are always made from a metal stock with a regular pattern of diamonds or lines on one side with the other side being featureless. The diamond texture is great for industrial settings because of its non-skid properties. If you have a lot of foot traffic in your garage this could be the ideal material for your space. Its high polished aluminum look also makes it aesthetically pleasing.

More Baseboard or Trim for Garage

Wall Base Molding: You will typically find wall base molding in places like hospitals, stores, and offices. Also known as cove base, it is often made of rubber or vinyl. While wall base molding is generally found in commercial settings, it can still be a great option for your home garage. It serves as a great protective barrier to the outdoor element that can damage or ruin your garage.

Wood: Wood baseboards are the most popular and should be chosen based on the location of your baseboard. Some woods are better suited for different locations based on moisture content. When choosing a wood baseboard you should know that hardwoods stand up better to dents and scratches, and if you want them painted a specific color you will need to purchase a more expensive wood.

Wood Coated: Polyaspartic coating is when the wood baseboard is coated in the same material as the floor. It is similar to the appearance of granite and just as tough while also providing ample grip to make it skid-free.

No matter what type of baseboard material you decide on, our team at Garage Tailors Garage has the experience and knowledge to help you make the best choice for your garage renovation.

For A Free In-Home Consultation CLICK HERE.

Factors to Consider

There are a few factors you will want to keep in mind.

Slope Effect

You will notice that your floor has a slight slope. This slope is required by the building codes used when your home is built. The slope angles toward the exterior of your garage for proper drainage.

However, a sloping floor means we need to consider the floor slope when applying a new baseboard.

Floor Covering

One option you want to keep in mind is continuing the floor covering up to the baseboard. The polyaspartic coating we use here at Garage Tailors Garage can be applied directly to your new baseboard.

With this option, you are left with a seamless finish from your garage floor up to the top of the baseboard.

Slope or Square?

One more choice you have with your new baseboard is how you want the baseboard to look along the floor. In other words, do you want the baseboard to follow the slope of the floor exactly?

Or, would you prefer it to keep it square and level so that your eye doesn’t notice the natural slope of a garage floor?

Baseboard Height

Some people choose to have their baseboard extended further up the interior wall to meet the slatwall. While others choose to install punched aluminum wainscoting which reaches waist height. The advantage of a custom height, especially with the choice of diamond plate is that your interior walls are much better protected from interior damage from errant tools or toys.

Can You Wash Your Car Inside The Garage?

Yes! If you enjoy washing your vehicles inside the garage, a waist-high punched aluminum wainscoting will protect drywall from getting wet.

Contact Us Today And Get Beautiful Floor Boards In Your Garage.

Our Services – Who We Are

At Garage Tailors Garage, we transform garages from a neglected space in the house to one of the most useful and used spaces in your home. We take the time to truly understand what each homeowner needs for their garage to function properly. We know that every garage is unique, and so is each garage owner.

Whether a sports enthusiast, an avid gardener, an exotic car enthusiast or someone who simply wants to get the junk out and the car into the garage, we can organize and transform the garage into a fully functional room in your home.

We are personally involved with each project from start to finish, guaranteeing a professional job done to his exacting standards, on time and budget.

CLICK HERE

Extreme Garage Makeover – Check out this great example which is similar to our work and how we can turn your garage into a beautiful and functional space!

FAQ:

What type of baseboard is waterproof?

PVC, Diamond Plate, and wall base molding are all waterproof. The only type that is not waterproof is wood.

Does my garage really need a baseboard?

Yes! Your garage is most susceptible to the elements. Things like insects and water can easily seep in and do damage to your walls and other items stored in your garage. Baseboards are the best way to protect your space.

How much do baseboards cost?

The cost of baseboards will generally vary depending on the material you choose and the size of your space. You will also need to take into consideration installation and any treatment that will need to be done to your baseboard material. Contact us at Garage Tailors Garage and we can help answer any cost questions.

Garage Flooring, The Rest of the Story

August 27, 2013 by Rick Scully

With our most recent post, the crucial steps to properly preparing the floor for the application of a new finish was thoroughly discussed. Now that the existing garage floor has been properly prepared, the actual finishing process can begin. At this point, it is time to get into high gear and ensure best practices are followed to install the best floor finish possible.

Before we begin, here is a quick note about your choices of materials and why professional garage designers Garage Tailors Garage recommends using polyaspartic coatings. As you probably know, there are two other popularly recommended materials for garage floors: paints and epoxy based coatings. The challenge with both of these choices is twofold. For one thing, both paint and epoxy only coat the top most layer of your concrete. Whether you open the pores or not, paints and epoxy based materials essentially sit on the top of your floor. Alternatively, water soluble materials such as polyaspartic coatings actually penetrate deep down into the concrete pores. Of course, now you can see yet another reason that opening the pores in the preparation phase is such a crucial step.

A second issue with paints or epoxy materials is that they are not so forgiving when your concrete floor moves. You see, whether its apparent or not, your garage floor is subject to thermal expansion and contraction. The term thermal expansion and contraction means how your concrete actually swells up and expands in the heat. In cool weather, the opposite effect occurs; your concrete floor actually shrinks or contracts. Oftentimes, it is these expansion and contraction cycles that tend to lead to cracking and peeling from painted or epoxy coated floors. Alternatively, polyaspartic coatings are significantly more forgiving. Polyaspartic coatings tend to move with your floor instead of breaking apart.

Now it’s time to get back to work. At this point, the professional installation team applies the first application of your new polyaspartic coating. One thing to note here is that polyaspartic coatings actually dry extremely fast. Don’t be surprised if you see the installation teams pick up the pace a bit to complete the next steps before the drying process completes. They know they have to be deliberate and focused as they work to apply the first coating. Once this first coat is applied, the installation team brings out the color flakes you have chosen. Remember, you have an incredible array of colors to choose from, we’ll help you with a choice that matches your garage and home exterior. Just make sure you’ll be happy with your choice for a while. You will see the installation team applying the color flakes as the base coat is curing. Applying the color flakes at this stage allows the flakes to become firmly and permanently embedded. At first, it will look like your floor is covered with these color flakes. That’s okay, though, it’s all part of a professional installation.

Next up, the floor needs to be cleaned up. You will see the installation team fetching their brooms and scrapers. Once the polyaspartic coating with the color flakes has dried, the team works to clean up any loose flakes. First, you see the team take a broom to sweep up any excess. Next the team carefully goes over your floor to scrape off any rough edges going both ways, that is up and own. Now, your floor is vacuumed to remove any remaining flakes or other debris on the floor so that your floor is ready for the remaining steps in this process.

Now you are in the home stretch, where a specialized sealant is applied as the last stage in your floor refinishing project. This sealant is carefully and methodically rolled onto all sections of your garage floor. You will be pleased to learn this sealant serves as a final lockdown for your new floor finish. Think of it as a protective shield. At this point in your floor refinishing project, a specialized sealant is applied as a top coating. This sealant is “rolled” on to your floor and serves as a final lockdown for your new floor finish. It serves as a protective shield. The sealant includes an Ultraviolet (UV) ray inhibitor which protects the floor from fading in the bright summer sun. This sealant is allowed to thoroughly dry. You will see the installation team conduct a final walk through to make sure the new floor finish is complete and ready for your enjoyment.

Now that the project is complete here is a little bit more about your new floor finish. The polyaspartic floor is good for the lifetime of your garage floor. Unlike some of the other garage floor refinish options that must be redone every 3 to 5 years, you can count on your new polyaspartic floor finish for the lifetime of your garage floor.