Anyone using garage tiles under their heavy Rivian?

[Geralt919]

We have had the Snaplock Tiles for 3 years now, no issues whatsoever, from hot summers to cold winters in Utah. We had the epoxy but decided we preferred the look of the Snaplock.

Am I the only one having garage-envy/inadequacy issue seeing these photos of immaculate, well-organized garages???

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[Mousetrap]

Am I the only one having garage-envy/inadequacy issue seeing these photos of immaculate, well-organized garages???

It's definitely not just you. It gives me feelings somewhere between envy and motivation. It'd be a long road to have mine looking that clean/good...

 

[mkhuffman]

Am I the only one having garage-envy/inadequacy issue seeing these photos of immaculate, well-organized garages???

Yep.

My goal is for my garage to be a room in the house for the cars to park. Right now, it is a garage, and it looks like one.

I am following this thread with interest because maybe this year I will start the process of changing it from a garage into a room.

The tiles worry me because it seems like they are much harder to clean. I don't think I want to remove all the tiles yearly just to clean the floor. I am leaning toward the epoxy, since that can be easily cleaned. My vehicles bring in all kinds of crap, especially in the winter.

 

[Yota2R1T]

I wish my garage wasn't as old as it is... the floor is cracked in a few places so I can't do tiles or epoxy...

Same here - I was going to respond that I went with the ghetto cracked slab look that ants continually undermine in my car-hole!

 

[FraserC]

Here's some load data: Vehicle weight = 7,200 pounds, so 1,800 pounds on each tire. Since the tires are inflated to 48 psi, that gives an area of load of 48 pounds per square inch, which gives a tire contact area of 37.5 square inches. So the pressure on those tiles is significant, but not huge.
Easy way to compare: Vehicle A has 42 psi in it's tires, vehicle B has 48 psi. The pressure vehicle B applies to the garage floor is only 6 psi more than vehicle A. A workbench might have a higher pressure load than your Rivian.

 

[CrazyOne]

Psi is not the only thing that matters. Total weight matters too.

 

[ebellinder2]

I have been parking my R1T on my interlocking garage tiles for almost 4 years now. The tiles directly under the wheels show wear and are a bit stained but are still usable. Something I have learned is if you want to rotate tires in the garage when you lift and lower each side of the vehicle due to the suspension design it will grab and stretch the tiles and unhook them from each other, so now tire changes are an outside task

 

[FraserC]

Psi is not the only thing that matters. Total weight matters too.

This is wrong in this context, because weight distribution is precisely what matters in it's effect on specific materials placed between the vehicle and garage floor. The floor material needs to support 48 psi, the more or less flexible tile needs to support that precise same pressure. If you still disagree, then please elaborate!

 

[1stPlace]

I was looking at the tiles that allow water and dirt to fall through, but was wondering how well tool chests and other smaller wheeled cabinets and things would roll across them. Not sure how big the gaps and ridges are on those types of tiles.

About a half inch center to center on the ribs, so most wheels should roll smooth.

Am I the only one having garage-envy/inadequacy issue seeing these photos of immaculate, well-organized garages???

I've since changed some things, but this was last Winter.

 

[CrazyOne]

This is wrong in this context, because weight distribution is precisely what matters in it's effect on specific materials placed between the vehicle and garage floor. The floor material needs to support 48 psi, the more or less flexible tile needs to support that precise same pressure. If you still disagree, then please elaborate!

Tiles usually crack because the support underneath isn't perfect. Idk about construction techniques for garage, and if something can be done to make them perfectly supported by cement?

When support isn't perfect, the tile will hold a certain weight before cracking. Extreme, example below. I don't think this will crack any tile, but the psi is very high.

To get PSI (pounds per square inch), the key thing we need is the contact area of the screwdriver tip. The weight alone isn’t enough — pressure = force ÷ area.
Step 1: Force from 1 kg
1 kg of mass exerts a force due to gravity:
1 kg ≈ 9.8 newtons
9.8 N ≈ 2.2 pounds-force (lbf)
So the force is about 2.2 lbf.
Step 2: Pressure formula
Step 3: Example pressures (typical screwdriver tips)
Here are realistic examples depending on tip size:
Small flathead or Phillips tip
Contact area ≈ 1 mm²
1 mm² = 0.00155 in²
PSI ≈ 2.2 ÷ 0.00155 ≈ 1,420 PSI
Very sharp / worn tip
Contact area ≈ 0.5 mm²
PSI ≈ 2,800 PSI
Larger flathead tip
Contact area ≈ 3 mm²
PSI ≈ 470 PSI
Big takeaway
Even just 1 kg on a screwdriver tip can produce hundreds to thousands of PSI because the contact area is so small.

 

[SadHill]

Going back to the tiles. Does water go under them in the winter and then freeze and push them up? I am worried about mold too because of so much moisture always sitting under them. Anyone have those issues?

 

[kanundrum]

From a few years back, 2 kids later RIP my time

From Early October, forgot to post here.

So ended up finally have time to do my own paint correction and Ceramic Application. GW is a interesting beast as its very hard to find/see swirls but also you need a massive amount of light to see imperfections. I counted probably 6 small pieces of contaminants in the clear that would require some wet sanding.

Needless to say while I can do it, I won't be doing it, I just went with a ultra conservative with a fine pad and fine polish and got about 80% of imperfections maybe more but its so hard to tell I doubt anyone can see besides my self with a LOT of light.

Started off with a proper wash/coffee

All washed up

Followed in after washing

Getting Setup

Rupes Bigfoot + Fine Polish

First pass at correcting

Another Friend

Ceramic Time

Reflection Test

All Done!

 

[stormbreaker]

Racedeck is fantastic. I enjoyed their design tools as well. Excellent product.

 

[FraserC]

Tiles usually crack because the support underneath isn't perfect. Idk about construction techniques for garage, and if something can be done to make them perfectly supported by cement?

When support isn't perfect, the tile will hold a certain weight before cracking. Extreme, example below. I don't think this will crack any tile, but the psi is very high.

To get PSI (pounds per square inch), the key thing we need is the contact area of the screwdriver tip. The weight alone isn’t enough — pressure = force ÷ area.
Step 1: Force from 1 kg
1 kg of mass exerts a force due to gravity:
1 kg ≈ 9.8 newtons
9.8 N ≈ 2.2 pounds-force (lbf)
So the force is about 2.2 lbf.
Step 2: Pressure formula
Step 3: Example pressures (typical screwdriver tips)
Here are realistic examples depending on tip size:
Small flathead or Phillips tip
Contact area ≈ 1 mm²
1 mm² = 0.00155 in²
PSI ≈ 2.2 ÷ 0.00155 ≈ 1,420 PSI
Very sharp / worn tip
Contact area ≈ 0.5 mm²
PSI ≈ 2,800 PSI
Larger flathead tip
Contact area ≈ 3 mm²
PSI ≈ 470 PSI
Big takeaway
Even just 1 kg on a screwdriver tip can produce hundreds to thousands of PSI because the contact area is so small.

Thanks for the physics lesson, as a 46 year aerospace design engineer I know how to calculate stress! That said, who would put rigid tiles directly on a wonky surface and then be surprised that they crack?
The 'total weight' needed clarification, thanks for that. It translated nicely into "don't do dumb stuff and expect it to work".

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