I made the mistake of filling my garage with bit and bobs shortly after building it - that was 8 years ago and the bits and bobs have multiplied!

Big mistake... should have sealed the floor and painted the block walls as it's now like the feckin' Sahara in there (I'm not joking!).

Not a huge problem if you just drive your car in and out, but when you're constantly moving heavy stuff and rolling about on the floor, then the dust-clouds soon become a serious pain in the rump. Touch... Clean... Touch... Clean... its probably taking twice as long to do simple jobs... and is hugely frustrating!!!

I can't decant everything out of the garage at this time of year, but I reckon I could gather everything into one half of it to allow for the other half of the floor to be covered.

So, solutions... ???

I could seal it with epoxy, or tile it with industrial ceramic tiles. Main drawback is that I'll then have to wait for the paint or the adhesive to set before switching across.

Which brings in the likes of interlocking mats - nice and quick, but could you put them down on an unsealed surface, or will the dust just eventually find it's way through???

Any recommendations - would prefer to employ the 'Locostbuilder' ethos, but also want the solution to last for at least the next 8 years!

Give it a coat of PVA solution?

I was going to say 2 coats ofPVA, one very dilute (5-10 to 1, lovely and soaks in nicely, followed by another about 2-1. That would be a good startfor any other coatings or probably pretty good by itself.

Cheers guys.

TBH, if I was to use a liquid for any part of the fix, then I'd likely go straight to an epoxy coating and use nothing else.

Hi Scootz

Make sure you seal it before you put epoxy on it.. it'll make a massive difference in how well it stays down.

Cheers Jim - so that would mean PVA to 'seal', then epoxy?

I'll go and have a look to see how long the PVA and epoxy take to cure before I can apply the next coating... and when I can put cabinets, etc. back on the finished surface.

Anyone have any opinions on the interlocking plastic tiles?

Hi

Yeah, if the surface is OK other than dusty, I'd seal it, let it properly dry out and then use a 2 pack epoxy paint.
Or for preference I'd go for PHS sealer and then SF41 2 pack off Flowcrete, but that's £'sss

But if the surface is a bit poor, seal it, leave a couple of days and the interlocking tiles are good - buy decent ones though, I've heard very good things about Ecotile, their extra thick (10mm) ones an ex colleague of mine used in a HGV workshop to good effect.

HTH

PVA does a pretty decent job - even on my horrible floor made of random bits of 1920's concrete and brick stitched together with some new concrete that I did by hand....


New_Shed
floor
(best before/after pics I could find)

I swept it all out and got it as clean as possible, then did a coat of diluted PVA over the whole thing, then a second coat on the new concrete and odd bits that had seemed to soak in a bit too fast - left it overnight between coats and that was the dust issue pretty much solved

the mistake I made was using the cheaper 1 part floor paint (mostly because I had some already) so odd bits haven't lasted as well as I'd like, but nothing another coat wouldn't fix (at least in the short term)


Also don't forget the walls - I just did a 10:1 cheap white emulsion and PVA mix - it reflects much more light and also helps with the dust that'll accumulate on the blockwork walls

Cheap watered down white emulsion on the walls makes a big difference! It reflects any light better giving you a better working environment. Don't piddle about with brushes either, put it on with a longer pile "exterior" paint roller - much faster and a better finish too. Did this in my Dad's home workshop a few years ago and he now spends more time in there. Doesn't seem to get any more done, but it's just a nicer place to be

I used Wickes floor paint, dries overnight and when I moved 12 years later it still looked good.
I painted straight on the concrete after vaccing up.

Empty

I had a new garage built at home in 2016. The floor was power floated but left bare by the builders (I asked them to do it this way) with just a white wash on the walls. I then 'fitted' floor tiles from Ecotile. https://www.interlocking-flooring.online/Ecotile/Workshop-Garage-Floori ng

They are not cheap and weigh a lot but are really quick and easy to install. I went for the 7mm garage tiles in dark grey as other colours will mark quite easily, OK for a show garage but not for a real garage. So far jacks, axle stands and engine lift have not damaged them but leaving the car on stands for winter I have put load spreading pads (OK bits of plywood) under each axle stand to be sure. Having said that if my budget allowed I think I would go for 10mm next time. They do often do 'deals' so worth talking to.

I also have a lot of there ESD tiles at work on an electronic assembly line. They don't see lots of heavy weight but do have a LOT of people traffic 5 days a week. With a weekly mop after 7 or 8 years they still look and work like new.

They are GREAT to work on with just a tiny bit of 'give'. They are comfortable to sit or kneel on and keep the chill from the concrete below off. My barn I built the previous car in had a painted concrete floor in and working on these tiles is so much better I would not go back.

I sweep up quite often and have mopped it out once in 12 months and today it still looks like new

I'm starting an extension soon, and will be using a 2-part epoxy paint on the floor (to start with). Friend of mine has his landy in the garage, and uses the cheap Halfrauds foam mats on the floor, with an old carpet on top - sacrificial, especially noticeable after welding. His has held up well, so may follow suit.

Looking at the 10mm EcoTile, I'm not sure I could justify the £40/m2 against the Halfords/Rolson RRP (before any discounts) of approx. £2.70/m2....

[That's not to say the EcoTiles aren't worth it, but this is LOCOSTbuilders!]

[Edited on 12/1/18 by Charlie_Zetec]

quote:

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Originally posted by Charlie_Zetec
Looking at the 10mm EcoTile, I'm not sure I could justify the £40/m2 against the Halfords/Rolson RRP (before any discounts) of approx. £2.70/m2....

[That's not to say the EcoTiles aren't worth it, but this is LOCOSTbuilders!]

[Edited on 12/1/18 by Charlie_Zetec]

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i used the sheets of 22mm waterproof chipboard never had a problem i jack and weld , grind been great and it takes the cold off when yo lay on it , just a thought , not dear either its a green colour cant remember its proper title, its tongue and groove locks together

[Edited on 12/1/18 by rash12]

T & G Moisture Resistant Chipboard Flooring P5 M/R 22mm
£11.40 Inc VAT

2400mm x 600mm x 22mm Chipboard
Tongue and groove

I degreased, swept, hoovered and painted 2 coats of screwfix grey floor paint. 1st coat was thinned down a little. It’s done the job and it’s alot cheaper than the epoxy. That stuff won’t set properly if you fart in its general direction. if you’ve got the money let the pro’s do it for you. Theres a fair few stories of diy kits not fully hardening and needing scrapping up and re doing. It’s all in the prep/mixing, get it wrong and it gets expensive quickly.

I am currently helping both my parents and my flatmates doing their garages. Same issue - too much stuff to take all out, having to do sections:

Floor sealant: Coo-var G136/T
http://www.coo-var.co.uk/floor-sports-line-paints/floor-sealer-clear-g136/

I used Wickes stuff initially, far too watery and needed lots of coats. On the contrary, Coo-var is thick and fills in the pores/gaps nicely, leaves a 'plasticy' finish. Two coats, first diluted by 10% with white spirit. I left the coats to harden overnight.

Or:

Kingfisher Ultimate Topcoat (Concrete Sealer)
https://www.kingfisheruk.com/ultimate-topcoat-concrete-sealer-item-78u5#78u25

This is more watery and the finish is more like a non-dusty concrete floor. I did three coats just because there was plenty left. Also seems to melt one's gloves very easily, nasty stuff! Can be re-coated more quickly.

I'd choose Coo-var personally, I prefer the finish and it is cheaper. Not as quick to apply though - I was a masochist and did my parent's garage with a paint brush, just so I could get into all the imperfections in the floor.

Paint:
Take your pick! In both garages, we went for two coats of slate/grey paint from Wickes (and some other online retailer).

I'm about to literally go down to the flat's garage and start moving boxes onto the finished side to paint the other half of the floor. It's a long process to do all this, especially painting the walls and ceiling (which obviously needs doing first!). The ceiling we did with chipboard and leftover masonry paint, seems to do the trick. I'll try and remember to take a photo.

We've now done 3 coats of paint on three walls, 3 coats of sealant on the back wall (skimmed with concrete for some reason) and the floor, 3 coats of paint on the ceiling and 2 coats on the floor. I really think it's worth doing though!

Do you want to come and do mine too James!? What's another one!!!



Tea and biccies will be supplied! You might even get chocolate ones!

quote:

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Originally posted by scootz
Do you want to come and do mine too James!? What's another one!!!



Tea and biccies will be supplied! You might even get chocolate ones!

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Floor RHS

Floor LHS

Yup - that looks tidy!