LOOK FOR VALUE IN LOW COST GARAGE FLOORING OPTIONS
Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield garage floor epoxy
Many times we get requests from our readers about cheap garage flooring options that we can recommend. Typically though, cheap and good are not always synonymous with quality. However, it doesn’t mean that with a little effort on your part that you can’t find the best value for your money when you are on a budget.
Another fact worth mentioning is that “cheap garage flooring” is relative. In other words, what one person finds as too expensive for their budget another may find as affordable. With that in mind, we decided to put together a few garage flooring options that are relatively inexpensive in their respective category for you to review.
PAINT
Undoubtedly, the most economical flooring option is concrete garage floor paint. All it requires is a bit of effort to clean and prep the concrete prior to painting it.
Painting a garage floor
Though paint is one of the least durable of garage flooring options, it can give you the greatest positive change in the look of your floor for the least amount of money. Keep in mind, however, that this is certainly an area where cheap and good is debatable.
Out of the different painting products available, be sure to choose acrylic 1-part epoxy paint. For only a few dollars more per gallon, 1-part epoxy paint will last longer and adhere better than standard latex acrylic concrete paint. Depending on brand, you can purchase it for a little over $35 a gallon and it will cover 300-400 square feet. You can review our recommendations for the best garage floor paint here.
ACRYLIC SEALER
If you have a relatively blemish free garage floor, then another inexpensive garage flooring option would be an acrylic sealer.
Acrylic sealers are actually a topical coating that will highlight your bare concrete floor by coating it with a clear, thin acrylic film. This topical layer helps to prevent concrete dusting, efflorescence, and gives moderate protection to your floor from chemicals, oils, road salts, and fluids.
Acrylic coatings are easy to apply, requiring only a garden pump sprayer or a paint brush and roller. Most are available in a satin or glossy finish, with a choice of water based or solvent based formulas. Pricing varies depending on brand and quality. Expect to pay around $35 per gallon for a coverage rate of 250-300 square feet for a basic water based formula. For the best performing acrylics available, we recommend solvent based acrylics or MMA acrylic sealers similar to this one here.
EPOXY
One of the better values when it comes to cheap garage flooring is an epoxy coating. Not to be confused with the multi-coat commercial quality garage floor coatings, we are referring to the single coat, DIY epoxy garage floor kits that you can typically purchase at your local home improvement center or online retailers.
An epoxy coating does require the most work in terms of preparing the surface. It generally requires etching the concrete to provide the proper surface profile in order for the epoxy to achieve a mechanical bond. Grinding may even be necessary if your concrete has previously been sealed.
These economical DIY epoxy kits are extremely popular. They offer longer lasting coverage and better protection than garage floor paint or acrylic coatings. Though they are a good value for the dollar, you need to have realistic expectations regarding their performance when comparing them to commercial quality product. We suggest you read this article here to learn more about these easy to use DIY epoxy garage floor kits.
MATS
For the easiest of flooring options, nothing can beat the simplicity of garage floor mats. No preparation of the floor is necessary and they do a great job of hiding imperfections, oil stains, and other unsightly surfaces in your garage. Because they just roll right out over the concrete, installation can take as little as an hour to cover your entire garage floor.
While a full floor covering might be more than what some people may want to spend if on a tight budget, you can always purchase smaller sized parking mats that are designed for your car to park on. Garage floor mats are easy to clean and can be hosed off in your driveway.
VINYL COMPOSITE TILE
If you have some skills as a DIY home owner, one popular garage floor option that will give you a genuine custom look for a good value is vinyl composite tile. They are available in a multitude of colors with the most common being the traditional black and white checkered design.
Also known as VCT flooring, these tiles can be purchased for as little as .79 cents a square foot if you shop around. This is one of the best values for a good looking garage floor. VCT provides good protection of the floor and makes cleaning a breeze. Just be aware that the floor does require routine wax maintenance and your concrete may involve some preparation before installation.
INTERLOCKING TILES
Lastly, if you really like the custom look of a tiled garage floor but don’t want the installation and maintenance requirements of VCT, then interlocking garage floor tiles may be the perfect solution for you. They require little to no preparation to your garage floor and can be installed in only a few hours or so depending on the size of your floor.
Plastic garage floor tiles
Made of polypropylene plastic, these tough tiles can withstand the rigors of most garages. They are extremely stain resistant, clean up easy, and do a great job of protecting your garage floor from the elements.
Interlocking garage tiles can cost upwards of $3.50-$4.00 a square foot and more for the popular premium brands. However, you can purchase quality American made tiles for around $2.00 a square foot if you know where to look. We have more information about purchasing budget garage floor tiles here.
FINAL TIPS
One type of product that we did not include is penetrating sealers. Though bare concrete sealers are definitely affordable and do a good job of protecting your garage floor, we decided not to include them here since they offer no aesthetic value to the floor and technically are not considered flooring. You can find more information about penetrating sealers here.
As a tip, if you are shopping for garage flooring online, don’t forget to look for discounts through coupon codes. Sometimes it helps to contact the vendor directly as well and ask if they give discounts or have any upcoming sales. Many of these vendors want your business and may offer an additional discount to secure a sale.
While some of these garage flooring options may not be cheap to some people, most are a good value for the dollar if you are on a budget. Just keep in mind that the least expensive garage flooring is generally the least durable as well.
Nonetheless, whichever option you may choose you are guaranteed to transform the looks of your garage. It will make for easier cleaning, better spill protection, and provide better protection to your concrete against the various elements that a garage floor encounters
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