Mold and mildew have taken center stage in many areas of the home improvement market over the last decade. As issues with mold and mildew become more common, consumers are increasingly aware of the impact garage flooring might have. First and foremost, it is important to understand that issues related to mold and mildew cannot be broadly and categorically addressed. This is to say, nothing in this article is meant to provide certainty that you will not have a mold or mildew problem. Why you ask? Because garage flooring products do not exist in a vacuum. There are site specific issues which could contribute to an issue that we are not aware of. The article is designed to provide you with some general information about avoiding it.
Where Can Moisture Go?
With an increasing number of roll out garage flooring products on the market, one concern from consumers is that there is no place for moisture to go. Many consumers are concerned that the installation of a garage floor mat could lead to mold or mildew issues. Quality products like G-Floor from Better Life Technology are made from PVC. They are typically installed as a floating system and in normal conditions they will not create a mold or mildew issue, but they are also not going to prevent mold or mildew from occurring. G-Floor has been on the market for over a decade and I have not personally seen a single confirmed case of mold or mildew.
That said, many garage floors in the southern and western parts of the US, as well as parts of the great lakes are highly susceptible to moisture issues. Sheet goods do not provide anywhere for that moisture to go. While the manufacturers of sheet goods correctly state that the products are not the cause of mold or mildew, trapping moisture underneath of garage floor mats is probably not the best idea. To be clear, this is only a concern where known and substantial moisture issues exist.
Open Ribbed Tiles Do the Trick
The best option for situations like this is an open ribbed tile such as the TrueLock Ribbed garage floor tile or the Ribtrax brand garage floor tile. Unlike other products on the market, they sit a full ¾” off the ground. Additionally, they are open which increases evaporation. In addition to not trapping moisture on your floor, the ribbed tiles are great it for keeping boxes and tools out of the water.
Second best would be other open tile options such as those made by MotorMat – A Sport Court brand. These tiles have smaller holes and only sit ½” off the ground, but they still do a very good job of allowing moisture to evaporate as opposed to build up. Like the ribbed tiles, they do not trap the moisture and the moisture can flow out of the garage or evaporate.
Many solid garage tiles can also present a viable option for moisture rich floors. Quality products like those from Sport Court or TrueLock have highly engineered support systems that allow moisture to flow freely under the tile. Lastly, one overlooked option is the use of an epoxy primer prior to the installation of any garage flooring product. It is a great option to seal the floor and help reduce any moisture coming up through the floor to begin with. Since we are not concerned about hit tire lifting – as there will be no traffic directly on the coating, little prep is required.
Written by American Garage Floor, a company dedicated to leaving all their customers floored since 2005.