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Tips for Installing the Tile The best thing about all these tiles is how easily and quickly you can install them. Just snap or tap them together, as shown in the upper left photo. And if you need to fit a tile around a wall or corner, simply trim them on the table saw. The table saw works on the flexible PVC tiles as well, but a straightedge and a sharp utility knife handle the job easily. Finally, you don't need to tile the entire garage. You can use the dies to create a smaller work area. Individual trim pieces or cut-to-fit rolls of trim, like you see in the photos at right, make it easy to smooth the transition between the tiled and untiled areas. photo). Of the rigid tiles, the Dynotile features an overlap design along the edges to provide a leak-resistant surface. Rigid plastic tiles, like the RaceDeck and Dynotile, have a tendency to be a bit noisy as you walk around on them. If you'd like a quieter shop, you may want to consider using FreeFloiv tile. Although it's made from rigid plastic, the open design seems to provide a little "give" to mute the sound. Plus, dust and debris fall right through, so you can clean up later (lower right photo opposite page). PVC PLASTIC A second type of interlocking tile creates a totally different floor surface. Instead of thicker, hard tiles, this floor system is made from W-thick, flexible PVC (photos at upper right). But that doesn't mean they're lightweights. These tiles stand up to most chemicals and parked cars without leaving a mark. Another thing that sets the PVC tiles apart is that they're self-sealing. The edges come together like a f Resilia Self-Sealing. The interlocking . design of the Tuff-// / Seal makes a virtually /■ y waterproof floor. sandwich bag. These floors end up looking more like a continuous sheet. The result is a shop floor that's easy to keep clean and won't leak liquids to the concrete below. Like the tiles on the opposite page, the Resilia flooring is 12" square. But the Tuff-Seal (main photo on opposite page and above) is 18" square, while the Lock-tile is just a bit larger (195/s"). So laying down even a large floor goes pretty quick. Pick a Pattern. Other than the FreeFlozu and Dynotile flooring, all the tiles can be ordered in different surface textures — the coin (or raised disk) and diamond plate are two of the most popular. And most come in a wide range of colors — Tuff-Seal Lock-tile making it easy to create a one-of-a-kind floor. Cost. Of course, having the nicest shop floor in the neighborhood comes at a price. The rigid tiles will set you back around S3 a square foot, while the PVC tiles range from just under $4 to almost $5 a square foot. (See Sources on page 51). Still, the look and feel might be worth it. If you're not sure, keep one other thing in mind — if you ever move, you can simply pull up the tiles and take them with you — try that with any other type of floor. & ▲ Flexible PVC. The PVC material used for these tiles is easy on your feet and quieter than solid plastic tiles, but it's still tough enough to drive a car on. ► Trim Pieces. Individual edging strips and corners simply snap in place like the tiles. ▼ Long Rolls. To add the edging shown below you cut it to length, miter the corners to fit, and then it under the edge of the tile with a bit of adhesive. |
