Garage Flooring Costs, Pros, and Cons
Choosing the right surface for your garage floor can be quite challenging. After all, there are so many options available, and they all have their advantages and disadvantages.
We’re here to help with some insight into the costs along with the pros and cons of each type of garage flooring. We are also here to help you with selection and installation.
Costs of Garage Floors
Here are the major types of garage flooring materials. Their cost ranges include professional installation.
- Epoxy Coating, $3 to $12 per square foot.
- Tile Flooring, $3 to $6 per square foot.
- Polished Concrete, $3 to $8 per square foot. Up to $15 per square foot, with demanding coloring and patterns.
Starting costs for a one-car garage at 250 square feet is $750. For a two-car garage at 500 square feet it is$1,500.
Do-It-Yourself Garage Floor
Of course, you could save some money with a do-it-yourself approach. However, it does take time and considerable effort. An epoxy coating includes purchasing the materials and tools, a rigorous preparation process including renting an electric floor maintainer, and getting the coatings onto the floor and dried over several days. Oh yeah, there is no warranty with all that effort, and it likely will need a follow up coating in a couple of years.
Garage Flooring Options — Pros and Cons
Now that you have a reasonable idea of the costs at play, it’s time to consider the differences between the major surface options. Note that all these options protect your garage floor, help prevent slips and falls, and add value to your home. They also look great.
Epoxy Coating
- Durable and long lasting, 15 years on average.
- Wide range of options in colors and styles.
- Can be applied to any hard surface, adheres very well to concrete.
- Short curing time of 18 to 24 hours before walking on the surface.
- Impact, chemical, and stain resistant.
- Easily cleaned and maintained.
- Con: Does not adhere well in high humidity environments.
Tile Flooring — Ceramic or Stone
- Available in a variety of materials.
- Choice of styles and colors.
- Extremely long life span.
- Con: they can stain, break, or crack.
Tile Flooring — Flexible Plastic
- One of the strongest and longest lasting tile systems.
- Wide range of options including hard plastic, flexible PVC, and vented.
- Easily cleaned and non-slip, even when wet.
- No cracking but are susceptible to stain and heat/cold expansion/contraction.
Polished Concrete Flooring
- Wide variety of color options using concrete dyes.
- Color pattern options are virtually unlimited.
- Polishing adds shine to the exact level you want.
- More durable than ceramic or stone tile and no grout.
- Withstands high humidity and moisture.
- Easy cleaning and maintenance.
- Con: Lengthy curing time is 2-4weeks.
As we noted above, the DIY approach can save some money on any of these flooring options, it’s just that it takes extra time, effort, and a certain level of expertise. With your hard-earned money and the look of your home at stake, it’s best to work with a professional to determine what works for your garage as well as what meets your taste and style preferences.
Not only that, but once you’ve made your choice of garage flooring, you can be confident that a professional will get everything done to your complete satisfaction, on-time, and within budget.
Now is the time to begin considering types of flooring, price ranges, and benefits to find out the exact prices for every garage flooring option you’d like to consider.
Contact Rhode Island Garage for a free on-site consultation and estimate.