Explore the seven best flooring options for your garage and evaluate the pros and cons before you commit.
Garage flooring should be resilient, durable, and damage-resistant. While these conditions may limit your flooring options, you still have some incredible materials to pick from. You might have noticed that concrete floors (typically polished) are the most commonly used option for the garage. However, you can try something out of the box and get creative. Garage floors remain under hefty strain and are susceptible to wear and tear from cars driving in and out 24/7. We have listed some good flooring options for your garage to help you make the best choice.
Rubber tiles are ideal for a playroom, gymnasium or garage. These interlocking tiles are available in various colours and can be customised with different borders and patterns. Interlocking rubber tiles are fantastic—if you want to conceal cracks in your concrete garage floor. However, they offer the best finish when installed on a levelled floor. This flooring option requires limited maintenance, can be cleaned easily, and has a reasonable cost.
Wooden flooring is an unconventional choice but it looks attractive and is feasible in specific environments. However, you should seek a structural engineer’s suggestion before committing to wood flooring. The use of wood in the garage might be hazardous, due to oil and fuel spills. In addition, it is not humidity and moisture-resistant, and the weight of your car can cause damage to the floors.
When thinking of a sturdy material for your garage floor, porcelain is a good choice. It is durable and is commonly used in industrial and commercial areas—especially the ones involving vehicles.
Porcelain tiles are low-maintenance and have a high density—making them impermeable to moisture. It is safe, resilient and reliable. They are available in various patterns and offer a luxurious visual appeal.
Epoxy flooring is an excellent choice for existing garage flooring. It is resilient and features a durable coating—it can also be installed on concrete or stone floors to enhance the durability and performance of your garage floor.
Cleaning epoxy flooring is hassle-free and is available in several attractive colours. Before installing epoxy flooring, you need to ensure your subfloors are moisture-resistant and there are no signs of dampness. Don’t opt for epoxy if your floors absorb moisture.
Vinyl flooring contains polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC)—which is very flexible and provides comfort underfoot. It is highly customisable and is available in a variety of prints—including natural-look vinyl floors such as timber, marble or stone.
Among all the other flooring materials, vinyl is not very durable—hence, it is not suitable for every garage. However, if you have a low-traffic garage, you may opt for vinyl flooring. To enhance the strength of vinyl flooring for garage use—you have to add urethane coating.
Stone flooring has many varieties—such as sandstone, flagstone and graphite—and these are some of the best options for garages. However, it is essential to note that stone flooring is expensive.
In addition, stone floors get very cold during the winter season—you must consider the local climate and your budget—before opting for this option. Stone flooring is extremely tough and available in appealing colours and designs.
We are not referring to standard carpets here—because they cannot resist the pressure exerted by tyres and will deteriorate quickly. It might also cause a fire hazard by soaking oil spills from cars.
However, specialised carpets are resilient enough to endure garage use. Outdoor carpet is impermeable, fire resistant and long-lasting—made from polypropylene synthetic fibres, polyester, and nylon. Not all carpets will be suitable for a garage. Therefore, research beforehand and choose a good option keeping your requirements in mind.
Consider all the pros and cons before choosing the best material that can withstand the pressure caused by your vehicles.