Installing Snap-together Garage Floors and Play Surfaces

Intro

Snap-together modular flooring systems, also referred to as suspension floors, make garage floors and athletic surfaces more attractive and comfortable underfoot than blacktop or a concrete slab. Most systems simply lay on top of a concrete slab, so they can be taken apart and reassembled. The most common of these surfaces are made from interlocking polypropylene or PVC tiles designed to provide more traction underfoot than concrete. Because the material gives, it reduces knee strain. Tiles designed for outdoor use have a wafflelike appearance that allows water to drain off quickly. The garage floor systems typically feature a coin- or diamond-pattern top designed to clean easily and not be damaged or stained by common chemicals.

Checklist

Time
About 3 hours for a double garage or a 15x20-foot outdoor surface, not including subfloor preparation

Tools
Tape measure, utility knife, pencil, electric saw (optional)

Skills
Measuring, setting, and cutting tiles

Prep
Pour and/or clean concrete subfloor.

Materials
Tiles

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Step 1

Start by making sure your subfloor is clean, level, and firm. If you are installing the floor in a garage, start the installation at the center point of the overhead garage door and work your way toward the back wall.

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Step 2

Measure the length and width of the room and divide the dimensions in two. Locate and mark the center of the room. This is the approximate starting point for the installation. Check the number of full tiles and the width of part tiles required to reach the walls in each direction.

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Step 3

The tiles are designed to fit tightly together. Use a rubber mallet to hammer the tiles into position. On reaching the walls cut the edge tiles to leave a 1/4-inch-wide gap between the tiles and the wall.

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Step 4

Use a sharp blade to cut the edge tiles and use a good nonslip straightedge. Make several light cuts rather than one heavy cut.

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Other Snap-Together Products

This attractive indoor/outdoor surface floats on top of a concrete slab. If you choose to move the surface, you can add or subtract additional tiles to fit any location. The tiles come in a variety of colors so you can create a floor to match your high school, college, or professional team's colors. Neutral tones are also available.

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