Garage Flooring

[James]

I've just had the rep on the phone about PVC tiles.

They come with a 5 year guarantee, which includes damage from all solvents!

Interestingly there are other tiles available which are cheaper. The cheaper tiles contain plastic fillers, which have a habit of absorbing solvents causing the flooring to bow! The rep has asked me to throw some petrol, diesel, solvent etc on the tiles she left me here at work. Very confident that nothing will happen to them!!

I'll let you know what happens. I've got some paint thinner in the factory. Give me an hour or so!

Regards,

J.P

 

[James]

1 litre of neat Toluene poured onto tiles.

Left to stand for 5 minutes.

Wiped clean & dry.

Left to stand for 30 mins.

No sign of any distortion etc.

Impressive.

Regards,

J.P

 

[Malcolm]

I'll send you an ounce of oil from my GTD40 engine to try. Trash a floor tile in seconds! Comma Multigrade is evil! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Malcolm

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hi Jim -
Great looking floor - Would be a shame to park such machinery on anything less really!

James - 5L of Tolulene eh? - very usefull for turbocharged motors if you know what you're doing. Anyway - I digress, I'm not sure that a 5 minute dunk, or 30 minute for that matter is the problem. Spillages of fuel, brake fluid, anti-freeze, cleaning solvents etc etc, even in small quantities will get under the tiles - even if wiped straight away. They then sit there and go to work on your tiles. I would not expect them to curl immediately, but as you do not know the liquid is there, they have a lot longer to do their stuff. Also, if your workshop gets warm enough, it may be possible for some of the fluids to evaporate - again, a process that may possibly attack the tiles from below.

Just a thought.

 

[James]

Yeah Paul that toluene rocks! But not with tiles. On close inspection the spec sheet for these tiles specifically warns against spilling toluene. However they guarantee them for 5 years - and that includes piss! So they must be good!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Regards,

J.P

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Just as long as you don't spill your beer on them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Hershal Byrd]

I saw Pat's floor up close and I love the way nothing sticks to it when you sweep it. It looks shiny all the time and even offers a nice light reflection which really brightens up the garage. I'll probably do mine if I can ever get it empty long enough to do it.

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Thanks Hershal. Here's a how-to I put together for my friend who has the decorative floor. The basic are the same for any of the basic garage floors although some of the details change depending on the specific material. Sorry if I've highjacked this thread.

 

Well I tried to attached a .doc file and then a .pdf file to no avail. If anybody wants a copy just let me know.

 

[Malcolm]

Pat

Please can you email a copy of the .doc file. You have not hijacked this thread but given out tons of useful info. How much hard work you have encouraged me to take on is another matter but I will deal with that when the time comes!

One downside to the speckled finish is when you drop that tiny nut or washer etc. You may have trouble finding it with the speckles acting as camouflage.

I fancy a shiny light grey finish for my garage. We shall see what actually transpires....

Malcolm

 

[Bill Musarra]

We have the same problem in the operating room. Drop a needle and it is a major hunt and search for it as the speckles will hid it. The clean single color floor is the best for finding things that have found their way there.May not be as pretty, but you won't loose that cotter pin to find it a week later.
Bill

 

[Brian Kissel]

Here is another vendor for floor coverings.
U coat it
There is going to be some TV coverage on this product also. The air times and dates are on the second page in. Pat I agree that a black light will always pickup hydrocarbons. However the dye helps define the origin of the leak from the residual oil.
Regards Brian

 

I just looked at their MSDS for the U Coat Gloss finish and it says not for automotive flooring. So you have to use their Gloss AF over the finish, so just make sure you order the clear coat finish. Not sure about anything else.

Graemlin thanks to my daughter Allison.

 

Bill, many operating room floors are coated with methyl methacrylates, and those usually don't look good unless you body them up, hence the need for flake. But they are good for resisting blood and betadine!

Again, crazy face thanks to Allison Barry. <font color="red"> </font>

 

[Bill Musarra]

They have the same product or similar for finding radiator leaks as well.
Bill

 

[Brian Kissel]

Thats a strange deal on U coat it. I have a flyer in my hand from the PRI show in December. Here's a few quotes from it:

Front cover (large print) " Now you can turn your garage into a showroom"

Inside trifold " car dealerships have it ...race shops have it... retail service centers have it... NOW YOU CAN HAVE IT TOO !!!"

Boy, it sounds like they are trying the old bait and switch deal /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
It also states " the cost to do a two and a half car garage is under $200.00." I think I'll keep looking !!
Regards Brian

 

[Malcolm]

My thanks go to Pat for all his comments and advice, both on and off air, for painting garage floors. I am now just waiting for a week for the final cure to take place before I load the garage up with stuff. It looks great.

I ended up using Bradite two pack expoxy paint having used a degreaser and then an acid etch prior to paint being applied. Painters do paint for the high! I had eight gallons of the stuff put down!

However I did chicken out and got some guys in to do the work, which, in accordance with Pat's instructions, should have left me with the hard task of drinking the beer. But as those of you who know me will know, beer and me don't mix that well, at least not from my prospective!

Four post lift to be fitted in two or three weeks time and then we are away....

Malcolm

PS lucky I can still walk as whilst clearing out the garage to make space for painting I found my old skateboard! Big empty garage plus skateboard equals lots of fun! However just like when I was younger, I still don't have any skill on a skateboard...

 

Glad to hear you're waiting a good week to cure, should really help with the life of the coating. So all went well then? Did you put down a urethane finish or did your men say the epoxy was good enough?

 

[James]

I'm waiting for the air temp to creep up a bit more before I lay the expoxy down in my garage.

I'm also stocking up on the beer, unlike Malcolm I quite enjoy getting completely wasted, but I'm not sure what effect that will have on my painting skills!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Regards,

J.P.

P.S I had my factory floor tiled with the PVC interlocking tiles. They have been down for over a month and look great, easy to clean etc. The fitters did the whole factory in a about 6 hours. approx 1000 sq/ft.

 

[Malcolm]

Hi Pat

No, didn't do the urethene finish. If you knew me as some do, a perfect polished finish and me are mutually exclusive items! I normally persuade Julian in to polish my car for me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Malcolm