A man cave dilemma, advice needed please

[Ed50]

Hi All,

I'm currently having a dilemma regarding the man cave floor having moved into our new build home.

The garage its self is brilliant and extremely spacious and has already been turned into a montage of my motoring history.

I've already white boarded the walls and fitted cabinetry that an F1 team would be proud of, however in my haste I didn't spend to much time considering the floor which I wrongly presumed would suffice my needs.

Now with every where else looking so neat and tidy whilst proudly displaying my photographs and assorted memorabilia my attention is drawn to the concrete floor thus leading me to ask for idea's on what is the best route to complete the cave.

Yes, I might have clawed in a bit sharpish here in hindsight without thinking......."hang on I should do the floor first", but hey ho its too late now..rolleyes

I recently had a quote to tile it in the usual black and white chequers but for the 34 sq/m's the quote slightly staggered me at what I thought was an eye
watering 3,723.00 of your earth pounds.

I daren't go to to her indoors with that figure as she'll do her nut, especially as she's still recovering from the cost of the fancy steel cabinetry.......mind you it is extremely smart so I've braved that b*ll*cking out and managed to survive that tongue lashing.

So do I carry on getting tilers round to rip me a new one or can you lot point me in differing direction from your own experience of whats best to use and what might offer a cost effective way of dressing up the man cave without the fear of divorce papers .

So will it be tiles, vinyl flooring, seal and paint ?, I'm open to all idea's on how to finish the project so if anyone can help with advice from their own experiences I would be most grateful as the good lady in my life just doesn't understand such manly needs.

Many thanks Ed.

Edited by Ed50 on Saturday 28th May 12:01

[Ed50]

Thanks for the response chaps which is very much appreciated.

Reading with interest the options put forward thus far I have the feeling our friendly neighbourhood tiler was possibly chasing his arm with his pricing.............. the naughty boy.

Under pressure now as visitors are here for lunch and apparently I'm the chef so back to the kitchen I must go but I shall investigate further later.

Plenty of food for thought here.

Cheers

[Ed50]

I quickly read that the Dottie tiles are suitable for garage floors but just wondered if anyone had suffered any cracking or breakages when in use.

I ask as our erst while tiler reckons I need special tiles and underneath membrane to avoid this...........is he sprouting bull do or is that a proper
consideration.

Wife now moaning that I'm on here typing whilst the luncheon burns........, but the man cave is winning over my priorities it seems.

Another tongue lashing no doubt coming my way......

[Ed50]

Hi Phil,

Garage looking very smart there may I say.

I'm very interested in the Dotti tiles and have found online this morning a local supplier so I guess I need to revisit the labour side of things as
our original guy seems to have gone mad......

One thing that does slightly worry me is the fact that our new build garaging does have a slight angle at the run off point to over come but I guess
thats the norm and tilers are used to over coming such things.

Her indoors prefers the Dotti's after having concerns about the Swisstrax for some obscure female reasoning that I'll never get to the bottom of.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and input as its helped tremendously, well have to see how things pan out going forward whilst trying to keep
on the right side of the petty coat brigade who claims to be able to spend money on more important things.......

They just don't get it do they.

[Ed50]

Morning,

I'm still mulling over the best solution or way to go on the garage floor after reading all the help and advice offered by your related posts.......thank you.

So one final question if I may please .

I've been reading up on painting the floor as her in doors is baulking at the tiling costs which when added to other aspects I want to add to the man cave is becoming some what eye watering to say the least........

With the tiling costs seemingly running a mock as it appears the local tilers around these parts are currently saving up for their annual Monaco mooring costs for their super yachts I'm being instructed to look at alternative finishes.

Having done a bit of reading up I'm beginning to feel that it might be a major false economy to paint it due to a limited life span, potential flaking and general tattiness from potential wear which are all things I don't really want so I'm boarding toward the DOTTI tiles and just running the wrath of hell from her indoors.

That said has anyone any experiences of painted floors and if so how did it go and hows it lasting etc and is there any preferable brands to trust in and go for bearing in mind I was hoping as its a new clean floor just to give it a couple of coats of sealer primer followed by 2 coats of the coloured finishing coat.

Well that was the plan until I spoke to the very friendly and ever so helpful Watco Paints technical department recently where upon after listening to their advice I came away with a bit of a head ache regarding whether to bother painting it on not.

After listening to everything I'd need to do by way of prep and then followed by the list of the costly products I'd need to purchase from them to get the job done I began to waver.

In honesty I was hoping to apply a ready mixed paint on top of a sealing coat as mentioned earlier but they advised a 2 part high build epoxy mix which when added up in monitory terms along with the rest of the products and kit required your half way to the tiled finish anyway and thats even before you bust ya hump applying it all.

Any final thoughts would be appreciated before the wife makes my final decision........

Edited by Ed50 on Monday 6th June 11:32

[Ed50]

Thanks Adam.

I presume you can get a man in for polishing concrete, well I hope so as I've not got the kit to do the job.

Did you polish your garage ?.

Thanks again.

[Ed50]

Vasco said:

Clear advice on all similar related issues is to get rid of the wife.

Now theres something to consider, however I think that might be more painful and more expensive than actually putting up with the ensuing
tongue lashing and cost of the tiler.

But there again is a good Barrister less expensive then the tiler...........a close run thing

[Ed50]

M1AGM said:

Polishing concrete floors is a big job. We have been looking at polished concrete floors as an option in our house renovation project and its more expensive to do than tiling, plus it will depend on what concrete you have as to whether it will work well or not, or require a screed to be poured to then be polished. Then it needs sealing.

How big is the garage? I have a load of 7mm plastic interlocking garage pride grey and antracite floor tiles I could part with for the right money (had them in my previous garage and no home for them presently).

34 square metres according to the tiler but that may include tile wastage.

[Ed50]

Hi Guys

Just to sign off the wife has now stamped my card allowing me to get the man cave floor tiled.

I've finally found a local tiler who is talking sensibly price wise to do the job, he has no interest in super yachts or helicopters it
would seem .

I have decided to go with the Dotti tiles which i've ordered this morning so thanks for all the help and advice which has been much
appreciated.

I say I've ordered the tiles this morning, well it had to be done as her indoors is out this morning at some meeting of the local coven
so while the cats away and all that the deed had to be done .

I'll break it to her later from a safe distance after I present her with a nice but extremely large Pink Gin...........

And now onward in the quest for the Big Screen TV, Giant American Fridge Freezer and additional flash cabinetry.

Just the simple things every man needs and should be allowed to have in his garage.

I'll slip that idea into her after the second even larger Pinky later and I'll let you know how that goes after I get out of A and E.....

All the best Ed

[Ed50]

Hi John

Hoping all is well with you both and that you have settled into your new abode nicely.

As you've probably read I've settle into our new hutch nicely and have now got time on my hands to do blokes stuff.

Keep up the dancing and lets hope I get to see you again real soon.....

[Ed50]

Phil74891 said:

Ed,

Just fyi - I got my flash cabinetry from www.garagepride.co.uk

The Sealey range. Bolted it together and to the wall and it’s perfect.

Hi Phil,

Yep, already gone with the Sealey stuff as I know it well from my days in the trade.

I've initially fitted a 3 metre run of the American Pro range very similar to yours and plan to add another couple of metres when I complete the wall boarding
along the final wall.

I've ordered all the materials for the wall cladding so I'll need to get my finger out to get that tricky little job sorted prior to the tiler starting.

I've left this wall until last as its the wall with all the pipe work on that will need cloaking and trust me I'm no chippy....

The Sealey kit does look very smart when fitted I must admit and I would recommend it to anyone thinking of sorting out their cave..

Take care Ed.