A garage is a garage, but if you dream of making your garage into a space you use for more than parking your car, you must have the right flooring. For example, you may want a gym or workshop space. Rubber flooring can provide an ideal surface for gym equipment or a woodworking shop. Some of the advantages of rubber flooring are:
- Durability
- Easy Cleaning
- Easy Installation
- Shock Absorbent
- Sound Dampening
- Anti-microbial.
Rubber flooring can transform a garage into many types of usable space, but if you also want to park your car in the garage, the brand and type of flooring matter. Not all rubber floors stand up well to parked vehicles. Rebonded rubber, which uses polyurethane-based glue, can easily break down if motor oil drips onto it. Vulcanized rubber or virgin rubber floors stand up much better to car oil and other substances you might drip onto a floor in a workshop. You must consider how you will use your garage before choosing flooring. Here are some we found:
Goodyear Diamond-Plate Rubber Flooring
The Goodyear Diamond-Plate flooring comes in black, dark gray, or brown. It’s thicker than some flooring, 3.5mm, and has a width of 36″. You can buy lengths of 4, 5, 6, 8,10, or 25 feet. The diamond-plate surface has an industrial look that mimics steel plate flooring and provides excellent traction so you don’t slip or slide when the floor gets wet. The thin, raised lines on the surface allow your shoes to lock in place.
It’s made from a thermoplastic rubber, which retains strength and resistance properties to UV rays and oxidation much better than natural rubber, making outdoor use possible. The non-permeable surface is highly resistant to many chemicals and liquids. It is completely water resistant, so it protects your cement flooring beneath. The flooring absorbs impacts and vibrations that would damage tile or wood floors. This is a good option if you plan on parking your car in the garage.
GarageDeck Coin Pattern Interlocking Flooring Tiles
As an alternative to rolled rubber flooring, GarageDeck offers their coin pattern interlocking floor tiles made from non-slip copolymer. The high-impact material resists oil, grease, antifreeze, and other chemicals and can stand up to 40,000 lbs. Its coin surface makes it slip-resistant. It’s also easy to clean.
Each tile measures 12” x 12” and comes in packs of 12, 24, or 48. The packs are shipped with four tiles already assembled into a 24” x 24” square. With the many colors available, including black, alloy, beige, graphite, royal blue, white, and red, you can create a unique design and color scheme from solids to strips or checkerboards. Installation is fast and easy, and these tiles are USA-made.
Rubber-Cal Diamond-Plate Rubber Flooring Rolls
The Rubber-Cal Diamond-Plate rubber flooring is made from 60A durometer 100% synthetic rubber, comes in rolls, and has the industrial look of metal diamonds. The rubber flooring is superior to the original metallic industrial flooring because the rubber is much more forgiving when it comes to absorbing impact and protecting the floor beneath. It’s also much more affordable. This flooring has enough density to protect the flooring beneath it, making it last much longer in high-traffic areas.
The raised diamond pattern works to prevent slips when the floor is wet or oily. Shoes can get a secure grip. People like these mats for everything from outside stairs and industrial kitchens to at-home gyms. They are even often used inside large trucks and vans. It’s easy to clean and long-lasting.
Rubber-Cal flooring rolls are installed easily, usually without adhesives. You can use double-sided adhesive if desired for indoor or outdoor installation. Using it outdoors is fine because it stands up to any weather. All the flooring is black and comes in 3 mm X 4 ft rolls. Choose between 8 varied lengths to minimize product waste.
Rubber-Cal Diamond Plate Metallic PVC Flooring
Rubber-Cal has another type of diamond finish flooring that’s thinner, only 2.5mm, and lighter in weight. It’s made from PVC rather than rubber or synthetic rubber. It’s still tough, protects any flooring under it, and stands up to lots of foot traffic. There may be better choices than this flooring for parking your car. PVC is chemical and light oil-resistant, making it a popular choice among industrial workplaces. Typical spills won’t cause damage to this flooring, and you can use household cleaners or degreasers to clean up easily.
Like its other diamond products, the Diamond-Plate Metallic has a unique industrial design. It comes in beige or silver, and the raised diamond shapes prevent slips and falls in the workplace. This could be a good choice if you want a safe surface for a garage workshop. Installation is simple. You can use double-sided tape to secure it in place. The rolls are 2.5mm thick and 4 feet wide. You can get lengths up to 25 feet. The flooring can be cut easily with a utility knife for further modification. Because of the lighter weight, some buyers use this as temporary flooring for inclement weather. It rolls up and stores quite easily.
American Floor Mats
The American Floor Mats are 3/8in (9mm) thick by 4 feet wide and come in lengths between 3 and 17 feet. These heavy-duty rubber rolls are for indoor use and provide excellent protection as exercise or home gym mats. Choose between 9 fun speckled design colors to match any decor: green, blue, blue-gray, gray, purple, tan, yellow, black, or red. You may have seen this flooring at your local gym.
The mats are easy for anyone to install, and multiple mats fit together perfectly without curling, so you can cover the entire garage. The flooring is non-porous, so moisture is no problem. You can wash it with household cleaners. The 100% vulcanized rubber mats have a slight texture to prevent slipping but are smooth enough to use for exercise or dance. The material easily absorbs the impact of dropped weights and humans jumping around. They are sturdy enough to stand up under treadmills, stationary bikes, and other gym equipment. If you plan to park your car in the garage, this is not the right flooring. Great for a home gym, workshop, or man cave, but not for parking your vehicle.
Resilia Heavy Duty Garage Floor Runner & Protector Mat
This heavy-duty flooring is .09” thick (2.286 mm) and also has the diamond plate design for good looks and superior traction. It comes in black, sandstone, or silver and in 4 feet by 8-, 10-, 15-, or 20-feet lengths. The mats stand up to water, grease, oils, and other chemicals and can be easily washed with a hose or by hand. You can cut these with a utility knife or scissors for a custom fit. These mats protect your garage floor and stand up to anything, including the impact of your car driving on and off it.
This is an eco-friendly choice, containing as much recycled tire rubber as possible without getting the old tire smell. This is also an American-made product by a family-owned company.
Whether you want to convert your garage to a home gym, workshop, or recreation room, adding a rubber floor will help protect the cement floor from spills while adding insulation and shock absorption. If you want to also occasionally bring your car in, be sure to choose a product that will withstand the weight.