Has anyone used ceramic tiles to cover a garage floor? Will any ceramic tile adhesive work? Thanks.

 

Due to our variable climate, I was advised by flooring experts to "not" do it.

 

You would normally use thinset mortar to set any tile on a concrete substrate. Mix it with a good quality latex admix like Latticrete and you will be set. If you want real stain resistant grout lines, stay away from portland cement based grouts and use an epoxy grout.

The only other suggestion I can offer is if you have cracks that show on your slab, then use a crack isolation membrane to prevent the cracks from telegraphing back through in the future. The membrane will de-couple the finished tile surface from the slab allowing it to move without cracking the tile. Nothing pisses you off more then seeing cracks in your new tile floor!
:seeya

 

There's a thread over on C1/C2 forum talking about this subject specifically. Is your pad already poured? If so, ceramic tiles might not be the best option. There are epoxied floor products which resist automotive fluids. A variety of options available out there.

If you haven't poured yet, there's things you can do to help prevent cracking and provide a warmer floor. A couple of veterans suggested putting a particular type of insulation and a vapour barrier BEFORE pouring the pouring the pad. As well, you can run radiant heating pipes.

 

The pressure points from floor jack wheels, or jack stands will crack the floor. I would NOT recommend under any conditions for a garage floor,
unless you never worked in it.

 

If this is a real working garage, I would use the epoxy coating. It's durable, resists solvents, and it's easy to clean. On the other hand, if its a "trailer queen" display garage...well, I would still use the epoxy coating.

Ceramic tile is expensive, very work intensive and requires a lot of careful planning. I have put that kind of effort into my living space, but never into a garage floor.

John's right on the adhesive...you should only use thin set mortar when laying ceramic floor tiles on concrete substrate. On any other substrate, I think you have to use the thick mortar bed approach, or maybe lay down a thin cement layer first. Mastic adhesive is only suitable for ceramic wall tiles. I would never use it in a shower, but some cheap out using WR gypsum board and tile attached with mastic adhesive.


[Modified by Chuck Sangerhausen, 6:54 PM 9/16/2002]

 

What I'm after is a black and white checkerboard pattern. Is epoxy paint my best option? The house and garage are 35 years old...I doubt any vapour barrier was used under the concrete floor.

 

No, epoxy coating would be nearly impossible to apply and look good...you would have to lay out guide lines and then carefully paint every square. After about three squares of painting inside the lines, you'll wish you had never started.

I have seen a few cases where guys use vinyl or composition tile for that checkerboard look. It is much less labor intensive since you only have to lay the tile down using an asphalt based adhesive, but better not spill any solvents on that flooring. Not practical for a garage in my opinion, but to each his own. Maybe someone here has tried the vinyl tile.

 

Check your slab with a piece of plastic taped down to the slab, If the plastic collects moisture on the back side then you do not have a moisture barrier. If this is the case then you are damn near screwed as far as putting any coating or Vinyl tile on it. The moisture will just lift the VCT tile or epoxy coating.

If you have a moisture barrier then Vinyl tile will work well. It will not be as durable as ceramic or Epoxy but will be very easy to get the checkerboard pattern. Usually a 2' X 2' pattern will look best in most garages, as a 1' X1' pattern gets a litttle busy. If your garage is primarily a storage garage and not a restoration shop, then it wil hold up well and can be waxed and buffed to a very high gloss.

You can also get a checkerboard pattern with epoxy, but it will require a lot of layout and masking. If your garage is a working garage then I would reccomend that you stick with a very light solid color as it makes it much eaiser to find little tiny parts that have fallen on the floor. Alot of the epoxy floor coatings try to market the speckled look on garage floors, This is a bitch trying to find small parts on, especially when your eyesight is not that good to begin with!

The biggest question is whether your slab has a moisture barrier, if it does not then your options are very limited. Good luck!
:seeya

 

I visited 'VanSteel' in St Pete last Christmas season and one of their employees, John, was busy doing just that. They'd had the floor cleaned, shot peened and epoxy painted (yellow, I recall) and he was busy laying out and hand painting a black checkerboard pattern (they were officially closed for the holidays). Looked like a lot of work to me!

 

Do NOt use ceramic.Not only does it crack but it is slippery when wet.Do a search on floor coverings .There was a company somebody used that sells a plastic interlock blocks that you can assembel in any pattern.It just lays down and interloks no glue.I had sent away for samples and they were teriffic to deal with.If I was working with a old floor I would use this product.I am putting up a new garage and plan on using the rustoleum epoxy product.

 

I spent a LOT of time evaluating the alternatives for a "dream" garage floor when we were designing our retirement home, and talked to guys who had done the different kinds of paint, epoxy paint, vinyl tile, asphalt tile, etc., etc. and looked at most of them that were a few years old as well. Without exception, all the floors that had been muriatic acid-etched and painted were peeling, chipped, and lifting after less than a year, and the tile floors were full of black tire marks and leached tire tread oil stains that couldn't be removed without destroying the surface of the tile.

Fortunately my architect advised me on a heavy poly vapor barrier and the foil/foam/foil insulating sheets before the floor was poured to eliminate moisture migration, and I finally decided on the shot-blast and 2-part (and two-coat) industrial epoxy resin treatment (the "Classic System" floor shown at http://www.homeprofloors.com ). Incredible hardly describes it - it's been down for 2-1/2 years now, and still looks like it was done yesterday - it's indestructible and is a snap to keep clean. The photo below shows it now - worth far more to me than the $1.82/sq.ft. it cost to install.

 

From my experience:
1. they will crack & chip with jackstands, floor jacks and implements dropped..
2. the grout will stain regardless of sealer used
3. creepers will not roll on them
4. if it rains / snows in your area you will slide into something sooner rather than later :lol:
They do look nice for a while though
jer

 

John - What???

You're using a picture that I DIDN'T take?

I'm offended!

;)

 

Patrick -

Well, when your services aren't available, we have to improvise :D