Yes, porcelain tile is one of the more durable garage floors that you can install in your home today and the toughest of all garage tile options – really! For a variety of reasons, and a few of which are very understandable, some people are having a hard time accepting the fact that it can be such a resilient and long-lasting garage floor choice.
As a result, we have decided to cover some of the more frequently asked questions regarding the durability of porcelain tiles for a garage floor. If the idea of this type of flooring is new to you, you can learn about the many benefits of porcelain tile in our first article.
F.A.Q.’s about porcelain garage floors
Will floor jacks damage porcelain tile?
This is the most popular question by far. No, floor jacks will not damage or crack the tile. The key to this is in the installation.
When laying the individual tile, it’s important that each tile has thinset (mortar) applied to both the concrete floor and the back of the tile (back buttering) before setting it. This insures that there are no air pockets under the tile and provides for a solid footing.
It’s also important to make sure all the tiles are level with each other and don’t have any raised edges. This prevents a small edge of tile from being the only load bearing source when using jacks or jack stands. Small grout lines of 3/16” or less help as well and make for easy rolling of tool boxes, creepers, and jacks.
It’s not uncommon at all to see porcelain tile used in mechanics garages and various automotive settings where jacks, lifts, and other heavy equipment are use.
Can porcelain tile be used in cold climates?
Yes. Because porcelain tile has an absorption rate of less than .05%, it will not absorb water which could cause damage if it freezes. If your winters traditionally get below freezing and your garage is not heated, there are a couple of requirements you must follow however.
The first is to use a thinset with a latex additive added to the mix. This makes the thinset more flexible and able to withstand the freeze/thaw cycles that a garage floor can go through.
The second is to seal your grout or use a grout that doesn’t require a sealer. This will prevent water or snow melt from seeping into the grout and underneath the tile causing it to pop off when water refreezes. It also aids in preventing stains in the grout.
Can I use ceramic tile instead of porcelain?
If you can find a ceramic tile with a PEI rating of 4 or 5 and if you live in a climate without freeze/thaw cycles then ceramic tile can be used in the garage. There are a few things to consider however.
This is a ceramic tiled garage floor by Jack Olsen. It’s known as the 12-Gauge Garage because of the 12 gauge steel used for the Strong Hold cabinets he installed. You can visit Jack’s garage here.
Porcelain tile is more dense than ceramic due the manufacturing process. This high density is what provides for the extremely low absorption rate. Because ceramics have a higher absorption rate, they should not be used in cold climates as water absorption during the freeze thaw cycles will cause it to crack.
Porcelain tile is also colored through-out the tile whereas ceramic is not. If you chip ceramic tile it is very noticeable because of the different color underneath the glaze. If you do happen to chip porcelain, it is much less noticeable because the color does not change.
Won’t porcelain tile break easily in a garage?
No. When porcelain tile is installed correctly without any voids or air pockets underneath the tile, it is very hard to break or chip. The extreme density of the tile is what makes it so strong.
A good example is from this short video clip below. The flooring is actually ceramic tile from Jack Olsen’s 12-Gauge Garage as shown in the photo above. In the video, Jack pounds the tile with a sledge hammer without damaging it. The video camera on the floor actually jumps because he is hitting the tile so hard.
While we don’t recommend pounding on your floor like this, you need to remember that the tile being struck is ceramic. Porcelain is stronger yet.
Will road salts and deicing fluids damage porcelain?
No. Because porcelain tile is so dense and has such a low absorption rate, salts and deicing fluids will not damage it. This is why porcelain tile is extremely hard to stain as well.
One exception to this is polished porcelain which you would not want to use in a garage due to how slippery it would be – which leads us right into our next question.
Isn’t porcelain tile too slippery for a garage floor?
No, it won’t be slippery if you purchase tile with a higher coefficient of friction (C.O.F.) rating. Tile rated between .055 and .059 are generally considered equivalent to bare wet concrete. A rating of .060 and above is considered slip resistant and meets or exceeds OSHA and ADA requirements for a wet surface.
This is why it’s not uncommon to see porcelain tile used in entry ways in commercial settings. It reduces the chance of slip fall accidents that could cause law suits.
Will welding damage porcelain tile?
Yes. Welding can lead to small burn marks on the surface of the tile which is extremely difficult to remove. In fact, welding will eventually damage any surface including concrete. A welding blanket should be used.
Convinced yet?
Hopefully the answers to these popular questions have dispelled some of the myths about the durability of porcelain tile as a garage floor. If you still aren’t convinced, then porcelain probably is not for you. It’s important to be confident in your garage flooring of choice. If you are convinced however, then you will be rewarded with years of service, durability, and good looks that will make your neighbors envious.
We just finished tiling our garage and we love it! But our tile guy recommended garage mats or garage tire stops to protect the tile from possible rubber marks. I can’t find a good solution that is highly rated. Is this really needed? Thanks.
Hi Sandy. If you used a PEI 4 or 5 rated porcelain tile, then there is no need to worry about tire marks. They will clean right up.
Yes, we did. Thanks so much!!
Lots of pitting and surface cracks on our garage floor and sloping towards a drain in the middle of the floor. Can porcelain tile be used to recover the floor …and we are located in a cold climate.
Thanks
Tom
Hello Thomas. Yes, in most cases that can be done. It’s highly advisable to knock out any loose concrete due to pitting first. Degrease the surface well and then apply a self-leveling underlayment to the pitted areas to smooth things out. Something to consider in terms of the drain is that large format tiles (> than 12×12) don’t react to changes in pitch very well. Make sure to use a flexible thinset such as FlexBond, for example. Porcelain does very well in cold climates when laid correctly with the right materials.
Where can I purchase porcelain tiles for garage floor?
Hi Delsita. Some of the best deals that people find on the PEI 4 and 5 rated porcelain tiles are from their local home improvement centers. Many times they are running specials on 12″x12″ tiles or similar for around $1 per square foot. Also, just do a search for “porcelain tile store near me” and you will get many results.
Thank you very much!!
Is PEI important for strength of cracking or pitting? I’ve found a few PEI only rated at 3.
Do you recommend a certain thickness of thinset? My installer is worried about the weight of a car 🙁
PEI 3 tile will not work for a garage floor. It’s a low foot traffic tile only. I answered most of your questions in the other article. If the proper rated porcelain tile is used and applied correctly, it will withstand many thousands of pounds of weight per square inch. It’s used in repair shops, car showrooms, hotel porticos, and variety of other places where vehicle traffic is encountered. Here is a long term review of such a floor.
I’ve been trying to find a way to cover my floors but was not comfortable with paint etc.. I’m so glad I found this site. My garage floors are clean with no cracks. I live in So. Florida. Can you give me a shopping list of recommended materials, not quantities, to install over 388 sqft. I’ll us the PEI 5 tiles 12 x12.
Thanks.
Hello Mark. The list of materials is not large. Besides the tile, you will need a quality thinset such as FlexBond or similar. You will also want to use a high quality grout that resists stains. Epoxy grout is some of the best you can find. Since you are in Florida and ground water can sometimes be an issue, you may want to consider applying Red Gard first before you lay the tile. That is about it in terms of materials. You may want to read this thread at the Garage Journal. There is a lot of information there as well as many other helpful threads regarding installing porcelain tile for a garage floor.
K great.. I appreciate your quick response. I’ll check the recommended site.
Hello — I found a PEI 5 porcelain tile at Home Depot, but they refused to install it, stating that its “Break Strength” is rated at only 500 lb, so it would crack under the weight of a car. There is no PSI rating for this tile. Who is right?
Separately, I can’t find anyone in my area (Washington, DC) who is willing to install porcelain in my garage, out of sheer ignorance. Can you (or anyone else reading this) give me any referrals?
Thank you! Amazing the amount of misinformation out there!
Hello Jay. Yes, there is an ignorance barrier for some when it comes to porcelain tile. Break strength ratings for porcelain are based on an unsupported tile. The rating is almost useless. In other words, two steel rods are spaced a predetermined distance apart underneath a tile and then a force is placed upon the midpoint. The amount of force required to break the tile and the distance between the rods determine the breaking strength. Tile should never be laid with unsupported sections. Breaking strength and compressive strength are different. Porcelain tile for a garage floor, automotive repair dealership, hotel drives, and etc. is always laid with a full layer of thinset underneath the tile (no air gaps) to fully support it. Such tile will typically support over 20,000 lbs per square foot. It’s more than a 4″ thick cement slab is rated for.
I wish we could help you with a referral. We would suggest visiting a few tile stores (not home improvement stores) and ask them who they refer for tile installations and start with that.
Two questions:
What needs to be done to an epoxy floor to prep for tile? It’s good industrial epoxy and very well bonded everywhere so I’d really like to not have to remove it.
What’s the best grout to withstand spilled oils, etc?
Thanks!
Alex
Hello Alex. At a minimum, it’s going to require an aggressive sanding and chemical wipe with denatured alcohol. We suggest that you contact customer service at Laticrete or Custom Building Products and discuss the situation with a tech. Paint definitely has to be removed, but quality coatings can be adhered to the concrete much better. They usually have a required thinset and prep requirements for actual coatings. We recommend a type of epoxy grout. KeraPoxy is an example. It does not require sealing (sealers will not adhere) and resists staining extremely well.
Is there a thickness for a porcelain tile that is stronger for a garage floor? At Home Depot I see thickness of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. I see porcelain tile talked about on the internet that is up to 1″. What is best?
Hi John. The thickness does not matter as much as the PEI rating. You need a 4 or 5. Most PEI 4 or 5 rated tile is 5/16 – 3/8″ thick. It’s the compressive strength of tile that matters, not the breaking strength. Most PEI 4 or 5 tiles have a compressive strength of greater than 20,000 lbs per square inch.
After some research I did, it seems that PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) rating has nothing to do with compressive strength of the tile. It is only about the hardness of the surface.
“It should be noted that the PEI rating involves testing of only the surface wear layer of a tile’s enamel glazing; it does not measure the fracture strength of the entire tile, nor does it offer any rating of the slip-resistance of the tile.”
Hello Theo. That is correct on both points. PEI 4 or 5 is required in a garage for the proper wear characteristics. You need to refer to the DCOF (dynamic coefficient of friction) rating of an individual tile to determine its slip resistance. However, the original question had to do with the thickness. Most PEI 4 and 5 tiles are floor tiles that average 5/16″ – 3/8″ thick. These tiles typically have a compressive strength of well over 20,000 PSI. This is not to be confused with “breaking strength” which is how much weight an unsupported tile will withstand over an unsupported span of a particular length.