FAQ's

What do I need to consider when using your floor tiles within a garage environment?

Garage Style interlocking floor tiles have been used in thousands of commercial and domestic garages creating a smart, clean and dust free workshop environment but there are two important considerations to take into account:

  • Heat Sources- when part of the floor is likely to be exposed to much higher temperatures than the rest of the floor (e.g. adjacent to a south facing door) we would recommend gluing down just the tiles in the affected area. If gluing is required the simplest adhesive to use is Uzin MK92S which is available in our online shop.

 

  • Potential staining from car tyres -Rubber tyres will stain almost every type of floor including bare concrete, painted and vinyl flooring. The stain is a chemical reaction and will not damage the tiles or impact on their durability. How to avoid the staining issue? Because the stain in a dark grey / green it is far less obvious in the darker colours and is almost indistinguishable from the colour of our Graphite Grey Tile (which also happens to be one of the smartest and most popular colours). It is also less obvious in the black and green colours. If you wish to use the lighter coloured tiles to brighten up the garage or workshop you can design the floor in a layout that incorporates different colours using the darker coloured tyres where the car will be parked or in line with the cars tyres. If any tile does get marked you can replace just the one tile so it's very quick and easy but the darker colours are more practical in areas where tyres will be in contact. We can also supply an anti-colour sealant to prevent tyre staining if required.

Can your tiles be used with under floor heating?

Yes but please ensure that the underfloor heating has been turned on and allowed to reach its usual operating temperature before you start installation. Lay all full tiles, allow them to acclimatise and settle to the temperature of the underfloor heating for at least 24 hours before you cut the tiles up to the walls or any fixed points.

What Cutting Allowance / Wastage Factor should I allow?

We recommend that you allow a 5-10% wastage factor. To make your calculations accurate measure to the nearest 25 centimetres. Any unused tiles can be kept as spares or returned for a refund so it's best to be generous when calculating how many tiles you will need rather than running out of tiles during installation.

What tools are required to install our tiles?

A rubber mallet to connect the interlocking joints and a Jigsaw or Stanley knife with a concave blade are the bare essentials required. You can use a table saw or bandsaw to cut the tiles, a blade suitable for timber is best. We use a guillotine to cut the tiles which we can also rent out by the day, you can email us for price and availability. We also offer nationwide installation at competitive rates if you would rather leave it to the professionals.

Can I use a floor jack on your floor tiles?

Garage style interlocking floor tiles are extremely tough and hardwearing. It is a vinyl product so it will compress under heavy loads but will always return to its original shape so no problems with jacks, engine hoists, tool boxes etc.

Does the floor need to be dry / do I need to degrease the substrate?

No, one of the main benefits of the Garage Style flooring system is that it can be laid on damp and contaminated substrates. The tiles allow the floor to breathe so any moisture will evaporate up through the joints. Because the tiles are not glued down oil contamination will not create a problem.

Will water get underneath the tiles and start to smell?

The joint is extremely tight but we do not claim that it is 100% waterproof. If large amounts of water are left to sit on the floor it is possible that some will seep through the joint. The most common concern people have is that the water will become stagnant and start to smell but this will not happen. Firstly the chemicals in PVC act as a natural biocide that prevents the growth of the bacteria that would make the water smell and secondly any moisture under the tiles will evaporate back up through the joint because the temperature above the tiles is almost certain to be higher than that under the tiles.

Do I need to carry out repairs to the substrate before installation?

No, except for major cracks or missing cement pieces, no skim coating, sealing, sand blasting or detergent washing is necessary. Just sweep or vacuum the floor to make sure that there are no loose items that will get stuck under the tiles and you’re ready to start installation.

Do I need to use an adhesive with the floor tiles?

The only instances in which the tiles need to be glued is when part of the floor is likely to be exposed to much higher temperatures than the rest of the floor (e.g. adjacent to a south facing door). If gluing is required the simplest adhesive to use is Uzin MK92S which is available in our online shop.

Can I use these tiles outside?

No,we do not recommend the use of our garage/ workshop floor tiles outdoors although we do now offer our outdoor range of floor tiles. See the category outdoor flooring for more information.

Can the floor tiles be installed over a painted / vinyl / carpeted floor?

Yes to the first two but we recommend lifting carpet where possible.

What are the differences between the various thicknesses and designs of floor tiles available?

Very little, it is primarily down to personal choice. In areas of very heavy commercial vehicle traffic it may be sensible to use the 10mm tiles but in most other applications, thickness and surface design is the customer’s choice.

Price and value for money

We guarantee to offer the best value for money for like for like product (material, size and thickness). Because we are using state of the art machinery and our process is fully automated we believe that there is no one in the market who can compete on a like for like basis.

The only way a competitor’s product will be cheaper is because they are using an inferior raw material compound that will impact on quality, durability, maintenance and performance. For projects that are extremely price sensitive speak to us about the availability of tiles manufactured from recycled material, the quality will be similar but the price lower although availability is limited.

We would be happy to answer any other questions you may have feel free to contact us.