A quick note today about garage renovation and what I’ve been learning…

I thought rubber flooring or large rubber mats might be nice to have in the garage since it will be partially used as a workspace and could even be converted into an exercise room in the future if done right.

You start by measuring the floor space and order mats from there. Keep in mind that all garage floors have some amount of slope from the back wall to the front wall (this allows water runoff).

Note to those who might be converting their garage to a living space: You’ll need to change the grade in your new living area to be level by adjusting joists. I wouldn’t even consider tackling this myself, but if you’re handy you might like to go ahead. I read that you need to adjust the joists perpendicular to the slope, by either ripping down or shimming up.

After surfing around however I see that even though this is an inexpensive option, it’s not great if you plan to park a car or truck in your garage at a later date. Better still to seal the existing garage floor and use mats for standing or work areas.

Sealing A Garage Floor First

By sealing you’ll be protecting the concrete from damage and stains, reducing the repeated dust from a concrete floor, and make regular cleaning much easier. This adds a day onto your renovation, but most of the time is drying time.

We’re using a clear acrylic sealer which can also be used on walks, patio stones, and driveways. The sealer we picked was for previously untreated floors. If your floor has ever been painted or coated, check with your paint specialist before you buy and apply any coating.

Tools required for this job include gloves, goggles and a vapor mask. You’ll want a paintbrush and roller plus 1/2 gallon of sealer per 100 square feet of floor space.

  1. Clean the floor of dirt, grease and oil using your stiff brush and a degreaser. Rinse thoroughly.
  2. Put on your protective gear, keep all available doors and windows open for ventilation and apply the sealer. Start in a back corner so that you have easy access to the door when finished.

About Rubber Matting

Recycled rubber matting has very little resistance to petroleum products (oil leaks could seriously damage the flooring) and the melting point of rubber flooring is low (heat from car tires might cause the tires to melt the mat).

I thought I’d post that here. If you’re planning to remodel your garage and you are also considering changing the floor, please understand that rubber flooring or mats are great for insulating a dog’s living quarters (should your dog sleep in the garage), insulating the impact for a workout space, or as mats below your workshop counter area.

Here’s the one I was looking at - there are a few here (on the Home Depot site of course since that’s where we’re ordering our other garage supplies) at cheap prices ($10-$36).

One last tidbit, many people are now using rubber mats and flooring in their home theater rooms as it reduces noise
transmission. Can anyone say ‘great for a teenager’s room’ with me?