Garage floor coverings compared

Interlocking foam for comfort, rubber mats for spills, coatings for permanence.

Interlocking foam tiles are the least expensive and easiest option. They cushion a standing area, insulate against a cold slab and go down in an afternoon with no tools. They are not the answer under a car: point loads from a jack or a stand will dent them, and hot tires can mark them.

Rubber or PVC roll matting handles oil, water and traffic far better and can be laid in a strip where the car sits. It is heavier, more expensive and needs a reasonably flat slab to lie properly.

Epoxy and polyurethane coatings look best and last longest, but they are a project rather than a purchase. The slab has to be clean, dry, sound and properly prepared, and moisture coming up through an uncoated slab is the usual reason a coating fails.

Whatever goes down, deal with the moisture question first. Tape a square of plastic sheet to the slab overnight; if there is condensation under it in the morning, you have a moisture problem to solve before you cover anything.

Part of the Stalwart guides. See all guides.