No surface is perfect. But I think tile is the best all-around solution. Porcelain is better than ceramic, but ceramic is definitely no slouch. Here's my ceramic tile contending with a 4-lb Sledge Hammer:
(Click on the image for a video of the hammer doing it's best.)
After five years and more abuse than you might imagine from a garage that cleans up so nicely, I've still never replaced a piece. My lift is covered with the same tiles, and the body of the car simply rests on them.
^^ The Man. The Legend 
My floor is actually 3/4 inch plywood on 2X4 sleepers with a vapour barrier underneath. The voids between the sleepers are filled with 3/4 inch crush. I have a 15 X 20 concrete slab in the front part for heavy work, but we mostly work off the plywood because it is more comfortable.
I actually went this route because it was cheap and I could pick away at it in the evenings instead of committing to a big concrete pour job. But it has worked out really well.
Wow! I had no idea there was tile durable enough to stand up to garage use (jackstands, rolling a jack around, dropping tools, etc.)
This opens up a whole new world for me.
z31maniac wrote: Wow! I had no idea there was tile durable enough to stand up to garage use (jackstands, rolling a jack around, dropping tools, etc.) This opens up a whole new world for me.
Go look at the service bay at most BMW dealers. The entire floor is tile (they use the smaller brick-shaped tiles)
bearmtnmartin wrote: My floor is actually 3/4 inch plywood on 2X4 sleepers with a vapour barrier underneath. The voids between the sleepers are filled with 3/4 inch crush. I have a 15 X 20 concrete slab in the front part for heavy work, but we mostly work off the plywood because it is more comfortable. I actually went this route because it was cheap and I could pick away at it in the evenings instead of committing to a big concrete pour job. But it has worked out really well.
I've been thinking of something similar for my garage: 2x thick foam between runners with 2 layers of 3/4" ply over that, maybe sealed with polyurethane or paint with some anti-slip particles added. Or maybe some cheap tile or engineered wood flooring. Partly to get my butt off cold concrete in the winter and partly to build up around my scissor lift so I won't need runners anymore. For the parking area in the winter, I'd put down a ribbed mat to catch slush/snow/rain and direct it towards the garage door.
irish44j wrote:z31maniac wrote: Wow! I had no idea there was tile durable enough to stand up to garage use (jackstands, rolling a jack around, dropping tools, etc.) This opens up a whole new world for me.Go look at the service bay at most BMW dealers. The entire floor is tile (they use the smaller brick-shaped tiles)
Tile seems to be the norm for dealers these days. MINI, VW, BMW, the Lexus dealer I was in last week...
JackOlsen wrote: No surface is perfect. But I think tile is the best all-around solution. Porcelain is better than ceramic, but ceramic is definitely no slouch. Here's my ceramic tile contending with a 4-lb Sledge Hammer: (Click on the image for a video of the hammer doing it's best.) After five years and more abuse than you might imagine from a garage that cleans up so nicely, I've still never replaced a piece. My lift is covered with the same tiles, and the body of the car simply rests on them. <img src="http://12-
Is this the real Jack Olsen? Kick ass to see you here!
hollywood jack olsen------> Wicked! I have a 911 in my garage and strive to your excellence!!!
http://newyork.craigslist.org/jsy/for/4075039747.html
Dang! Jack Olsen. The Michael Jordan of garages... Sorry to be a giddy little biotech.
JackOlsen wrote: No surface is perfect. But I think tile is the best all-around solution. Porcelain is better than ceramic, but ceramic is definitely no slouch. Here's my ceramic tile contending with a 4-lb Sledge Hammer:
When did Thor show up? Good to see a hammer swinger.Good old fashion Mash hammer too.Welcome.
I've had a short block MG engine fall over on its stand and hit my porcelain tile with nary a chip. And a 40 lb vise dropped on it from a few feet. The weak point is the grout, but there are ways to address that.
In reply to DaveEstey:
That garage is sweet, I'm super jealous! I just got my garage resealed a couple months ago, and it was free! My garage is the parking lot of my apt. complex though...
Words cannot express the jealousy...
Look at that, Jack Olsen in the house. Famous for his garage, but I pay more attention to the aero work on the Porsche haha
The different types of imported polished marble used at Villa Gasolina help hide oil leaks.
In reply to Gasoline:
I've never seen an S-Class look so... "pedestrian"... and I'm sure it's the top of the line AMG V12 model...
Ian F wrote: In reply to Gasoline: I've never seen an S-Class look so... "pedestrian"... and I'm sure it's the top of the line AMG V12 model...
? I have not paid much attention to it; being the butlers car and all....
Gasoline wrote: ? I have not paid much attention to it being the butlers car and all....
LOL! Nice. 
My garage floor had a couple of cracks and qute a few stains. It also has a pretty rough broom finish. I didn't have the budget or want to invest the time in grinding the floor smooth repairing cracks I wasn't sure would stay repaired and applying a epoxy floor I was sure would get scratched up. What I did want was a floor that would not absorb fluids and be easy to sweep.
I ended up pressure washing the floor and did a muratic acid etch. I was heavy enough on the muratic acid that the concrete fizzed quite a bit. I then rinsed the floor very well and let it dry for a couple hot summer days with no foot traffic. I coated the floor with Behr Concrete Sealer (Home Depot) mixed with Behr Concret Floor Paint (light tan) at a ratio of 1/2 gallon paint to 1 gallon sealer. I premixed everything with enough for 2 coats and the amount left over was rolled on heavy use areas. The paint added enough tint to cover the remaining stains.
Its been down for 7 or 8 years now and still looks good and has been durable. I have not had any adhesion problems. I use this area as a shop so not sure as to how hot tires might effect it. The paint/sealer did reduce the roughness some but it is still pretty rough. When I finish the project I have been working on I plan to remove everything from the shop and try pressure washing the floor to get it real clean again. That will probably be the test for adhesion. This may not be for everyone but it was very inexpensive to do and has served me well
I sometimes use a shop with very well used/abused, polished/sealed concrete, I hate it. The second it gets wet, and lifts some spilled oil out of it, the place is a skating rink, and then this oil/water E36 M3 get stuck on you shoes, and makes driving cars in the shop really hard, compounded by how its full of nice drag cars.
Thanks, guys.
I initially went with tile because I didn't know any better. My slab was poured in 1925 and was a real mess. Somebody had extended it out with some bag mix and that portion had sunk down about an inch and a half. Add to that the fact that there was no vapor barrier -- so epoxy was definitely not an option. One day I saw tiles on sale for .59/sf at a big box store and figured a couple hundred bucks would be worth the risk. Five years later, I couldn't be happier with it as a floor. The only thing that leaves a mark on it is welding slag, which makes little pinhole burns when I forget to put down a blanket. Grease, oil, paint, even paint stripper just wipe up with a paper towel or rag. Unlike epoxy, I never have to worry about hot tires leaving stains or lifting patches of the stuff up. The whole job was under a buck a square foot (including buying the tools) and I had never set a tile before I got online and gave myself a crash course.
If I'd known about self-leveling concrete, I would have a much flatter floor out there. But it's a garage, and the stuff has held up to everything I've been able to dish out.
And it's a lot less ugly than my home-engineered aero pieces. :)
Here's mine, shortly after I painted it. I did it with Rustoleum Industrial Floor Epoxy (not the standard rustoleum floor paint). In 7 years it hasn't chipped, lifted or flaked anywhere, so in that sense it's a winner, and it cost a LOT less than many other floor coatings. The bad is that stains, especially rust stains, are difficult (not impossible) to remove. If I was to do it again on a new floor like mine, I'd go with a clear epoxy. The colored paint shows every little piece of dirt, dusty, whatever, and is a real pain to keep looking good in a working garage.
duplicate
I think I need to say this again. U Coat It epoxy. It doesn't stain, tires will not lift it, welding slag is OK, it doesn't chip, you can put in on old concrete with no vapour barrier. It's more expensive than concrete paint but it works. You can put a flek in it so it hides dirt. http://www.ucoatit.com/2011web/pages/photogallery.htm
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