I'm thinking a want to ceramic tile my garage floor. Is this a bad idea?

Question

I have a attached garage and live in the midwest. I am not sure if the concrete floor would get below freexing in the colder days of winter. I think that tires would not crack the tile. But having standing water once the snow melts of the cars might. Is this a dumb idea. I got a price to epoxy the floor and they want $3000. I;m sure a can tile it myself for cheaper. Any advise on this would be helpful.

Answer 1

I don't think it is a good idea. I have a friend who just tiled his garage and within two weeks it looked like crap. Cracked tile, dirty grout, rubber tracks on the tile. He went with white which wasn't extremely smart. He parks a 996 Twin Turbo and a CL500 which he parks in the garage. It looked great for the first week but no longer.

For other detail about tilling you can check my source site

Answer 2

I talked to a tile guy. He didn't think ceramic would hold up well. He suggested porcelain tile as its PSI rating is pretty high.

The good quality tile is pricey and the floor prep for a garage has to be perfect. No mastic, but mortar bed with full contact (back butter the tiles). You may have to make an expansion cut through the tile and about an inch into the concrete for expansion/contraction if you live in a very cold area of the country.



Not saying you can't do it, but vinyl tile, epoxy or those lay down mats (try Costco) might be easier and less $$.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

You can absolutely tile your garage floor and your tiles will not crack under the weight of the cars or standing water if you do the install correctly.



However, if your garage floor is spotted with grease, or if the concrete was topped with a curing compound (drop a bead of water on it and if it absorbs, you are okay), you are looking at a much larger project than an epoxy floor. Ditto if the floor is out of level.



If your floor is grease-free, unsealed and reasonably level:



You will need to begin with a porcelain tile rated for exterior (99.9% of porcelain is) and a PREMIUM thinset. Better still, you'll want to apply an anti-fracture membrane to the floor and , as "Lady" mentioned earlier, consider locating "soft joints" or expansion joints every 8-12' of the surface and around the perimeter to permit the natural expansion and contraction caused by cold weather.



The cost of the tile should run between $2-5 per square foot and the thinset + anti-fracture will come in around $2 per square foot.



If you have more questions, you can call the tech service number of any thinset mfr.

Answer 4

It would be a great idea... if only the tiles won't crack from the weight. See, it's not the tires that will crack the tile, but rather the change from cold to hot. Obviously, you'll need to do it with industrial tile (which means the price just went up enormously). You can't just use ordinary commercial tile (and if you do go ahead with this, don't buy wall tile as their is a mega difference and wall tile cannot withstand being on the floor.



Have you consiederd painting it yourself instead of having it done?

http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/products?catId=16&sc_name=Concrete+Floor+Coatings



Or consider this - garage floor tiles - yep... made especially for garages:

http://www.jnkproducts.com/garage-floor-tile-index.htm

Answer 5

Hi there, in my judgment Ceramic tiles are made from refined clay and other material. Maintenance is important through routine cleaning with mild soap and water. If you have some stains to remove, try a few of these suggestions to get your tile looking new again.

1. Clean the stained area with plain water and a soft cloth. Dry thoroughly.

2. Put on gloves. Use these to protect your hands even if the product is considered natural or non-toxic.

3. Mix borax and lemon juice together on a disposable plate or bowl. The consistency should be a paste-like substance. Rub onto the stain and allow it to dry completely. Rinse the ceramic tile with water and repeat until stain is gone.

4. Use a mixture of a vinegar and salt to make a paste. Apply to the rust stain and wait 4 to 5 hours and then rinse with hot water. Repeat as necessary.

5. Consider purchasing a Lustrous Italian cleaning kit. Apply to area with a moistened, soft cloth. This Lustrous Italian will remove the stain and not scratch surfaces.

These are the steps you want to follows remove the stain from the tile. If you want more information visit the website I search it on a net it helps me a lot if you were interested visit the website which is given below.

Answer 6

Tile will not hold up well in that application. Did you look at having a professional do the epoxy? It need not be that expensive. Most home improvement stores carry a 2 or 3 part epoxy kit for about $35-$50. The 3 step ones have a product to clean.prep the concrete, the base coat, and a clear coat to protect it. I know Rustoleum and Quikrete both make products like this but I'm not sure what the availability is in your area.



Good luck!

Answer 7

Well, you know you can do a 'do it yourself' garage floor coating, they sell it at home depot and places like that.

As far as tile, I think that porcelain is stronger than ceramic, and I know it's been done before. Not sure about the freezing thing, that might be a problem.

Sorry, best I can do. Good luck!

Answer 8

Just get a heated garage floor instead. It seems like a bad idea to me. That is a lot of weight to put on tiles, I dont think the good job you do would last.

Answer 9

laying tiel wouldn't be the best idea for your garage. Just think as soon as you drop something on there it's going to crack. the standing water really wont be a problem because the concrete pad should either have a drain in the center or it is pitched away from the back wall so all the water will drain out. Once cured concrete really doesn't flex to all that much but will crack. Also the colder weather will make the tiles more fragile. This is just my honest opinion, I would spend the $3,000 and get it done right because usually when people try to save money like this they end up with a mess and end up spending much more money in the long run

Answer 10

A garage floor is generally very uneven. It would be very difficult to tile.



Driving a car over tiles would crack them eventually. Why do you want to tile it anyway ? Its a garage, its not meant to be pretty.

Answer 11

It's a bit unrealistic. The constant and heavy pressure from the cars can and will break tiles. They are rubber but that rubber may be supporting 1000 pounds each.



They now sell epoxy floor kits at all the local home improvement stores and many sell tintable epoxy paints that you could easily do yourself for a few hundred at most. That way you can make it any color you want.

Answer 12

I think it is not a good idea.....If you or your husband drop something like a car jack on the tile, it will probably break....

If you're just looking for a trade in from ordinary concrete, you can try this special type of paint (i can't recall the name) and then put giant glitter on them (from Home Depot).....and then the overcoat

Also, you can get those really tiny rocks that get almost like glued together, they are really cool!!!!!!!

Answer 13

$3000 to epoxy a garage floor? This sounds ridiculous.



I think you need some more bids on this.

Answer 14

i think ceramic is bad idea. i had strong linoleum flooring for garage,our vehicles w/no problems.

Answer 15

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i would recommend cork flooring with a resilient underlayment. there are many benefits: it's more sound-absorbing, it's eco-friendly, durable, etc. it also has a warm and cozy look. you could use fabric-wrapped acoustic panels on the walls or ceiling if there is still too much reverberation.

Answer 16

don't tile, tile breaks if you drop tools, and as just as many problems with water as concrete.

Answer 17

If your going to park a car in your garage, forget it, all will crack. Cars typically weigh in excess of 2,000 -3,000 pounds

Answer 18

tile will crack if you use it as a garage

Answer 19

That sounds like a very bad idea.

Answer 20

Cracked tiles for sure...

Answer 21

don't waste your money- this is what will happen the tile will crack not by the tires but by the change in temperatures