How Can I Protect My Garage Floor?

The Problem

Garages are exposed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic daily. This can result in the build-up of dirt, oil, automotive fluids, road salt, and many other types of debris. These chemicals and debris can cause trips and falls, as well as damaging the concrete, resulting in expensive repairs.

The Solution?

Thankfully, there are countless options to protect your garage floor and there is no “correct” way to do it.

Some of the most popular options include:

• Epoxy coating
• Painting the floor
• Garage floor tiles
• Garage floor containment mats

Let’s break down the pros and cons of each of these options.

Epoxy Coating

Adding an epoxy coating to your floor can provide exceptional durability as it is resistant to chemicals and stains, making it easy to clean. This makes it a very popular choice for high traffic areas like warehouses and kitchens. The impressive finish can also be customised to your personal taste.

Unfortunately, epoxy coating comes at a significant cost and despite the initial impressive finish, the coating can chip over time leaving areas of your garage exposed to water and debris. It is also non-porous and therefore can be very slippery, a potential issue for a garage where water may ingress. It can also discolour due to UV exposure over time, spoiling what was once an impressive design. Epoxy coating is also incredibly difficult to remove if you change your mind.

Painting

Painting your garage floor is a cheaper option than epoxy and can provide an improved finish. If a quality paint is used, it can provide a protective barrier that can minimise concrete damage. The drawbacks, like epoxy coating, is the possibility of the paint flaking over time. This damage can happen much faster with a painted floor than with an epoxy coating. Also, if the concrete is not properly prepared before painting, it can result in the concrete floor retaining moisture.

Garage Floor Tiles

Garage floor tiles can be a quick solution to protecting your garage floor. For someone with a DIY mindset, it can be a fun project. The tiles are usually strong enough to absorb the impact of any dropped tools, preventing them from chipping the concrete floor. They are usually easy to clean, replace, and can help provide a modern look for the garage. However, during the summer, the heat can cause the tiles to expand and disconnect from the connections. This can result in constantly having to re-adjust the floor which isn’t ideal when you’re out in the sun. The tiles are also often not watertight, so any water dripping off the car can seep underneath and lead to mould, which can be costly and time consuming to resolve. It can also become expensive when there is a large area to cover. 

Garage Floor Containment Mats

We find that garage containment mats can be the most cost-effective and maintainable way to protect your garage floor. Garage containment mats are easy to install and come at a fraction of the price of the above options. They are also easy to clean and reposition, and avoid many of the negatives mentioned with the previous solutions.

Introducing the GaraMat™

Here at GaraDry®, we have developed the GaraMat™, a garage containment mat with additional innovations such as:

• 200 litres of water capacity: This is possible due to the design of the 30mm high sponge column edges.
• Textured surface: The PVC material used for the GaraMat™ has been specially designed to prevent slips and falls with a unique textured surface.
• A personal parking space: The white lines around the edges provide you with a parking space so you can ensure accurate parking. This is also paired with 2 GaraStop parking stops which guide you to park perfectly, avoiding the car hanging over the mat and resulting in water dripping on the floor.