One of the most simple, most basic, and easy-to-use products for your garage floor is a garage floor mat. Garage floor mats come in a variety of styles, materials, and colors. For the purpose of this article, we will examine two different types of garage floor mats. Some garage floor mats are designed for just containment, while other garage mats are designed to be more decorative. There is no right or wrong answer here. It is all about what fills your need.
Decorative Garage Floor Mat
A PVC garage floor mat is a roll-out garage flooring product that can be used in wall-to-wall applications or just under your car. Since this article is just about garage floor mats for cars, we are going to look at them as they pertain to use just under a vehicle. With a PVC floor mat you want to consider function. If the most important feature of the garage mat is keeping things off the garage floor, a ribbed mat will serve you best. If however, you want a mat that is decorative and protects an epoxy floor coating from hot tires, a product like a coin, small coin, or diamond garage floor mat may be more attractive.
A carpet garage floor mat is an absorbent material over a PVC or rubber base. It is more decorative than a containment mat, but some would argue that it is not as attractive as a PVC garage floor mat. Mats like Garage Grip offer benefits not offered by PVC floor mats. They do not stain from tires, absorb and contain fluids and provide additional anti-fatigue properties.
Containment Garage Floor Mats
Containment mats are designed with one simple function. They are designed to keep the crud that falls off your car from getting on the garage floor. They typically have raised edges. Some offer a built-in raised edge, while others require assembly.
Lightweight containment mats like TruContain® and AutoFloorGuard® do an outstanding job of containing snow, water, mud, and dirt. The only real downsides are they are not decorative at all, and some customers say they are hard to get to lay flat. Installing the mat when it is a bit warmer and giving it a little bit of time will allow the mat to lay as flat as possible.
Best Garage Floor Mats — Containment
We have sold both the AutoFloorGuard® and the TruContain® containment mats and they are both great products. The truth is while the AutoFloorGuard® was the original one-piece containment mat, the TruContain® mats are designed around perceived flaws in the original. The edges are less ‘squishy’, they have strong reviews and are available in a HD version that has been very popular among people living on gravel roads or with gravel driveways. For this reason, we only carry the TruContain mat. We simply believe it is the best in the category.
Best Garage Floor Mat — Decorative
We firmly believe in selling American Made products wherever possible. The G-Floor brand of garage floor mats are made in the USA and shipped rolled, not folded. They are made of high-quality PVC . They do not have the issues that plague products like the Nitro flooring.
The garage grip product is a close second. We love carpet mats as they provide a ton of comfort, are more attractive than traditional containment mats and, along with the ribbed garage floor mat, they are one of only two true multi-function garage floor mats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best flooring for car garage?
If the main purpose is a decorative floor covering for the entire garage floor, we would highly suggest garage floor tiles or a garage floor coating over garage floor mats. If it is not for a wall-to-wall application please see the article above.
Are garage floor mats a good idea?
Garage floor mats are a great idea for parking mats. If you need more than a parking mat and are looking to cover your entire garage floor, they are not our favorite. A new product from Garage Grip, soon to be released, may change that.
Are rubber mats good for garage floors?
In a word NO. Rubber mats are an awful idea for an automotive garage. They are fine for a workout area within the garage.
How thick should a garage floor mat be?
While this varies some, we would suggest mats with a total thickness between 95 Mil and 120 Mil for PVC garage mats. Containment mats are not measured this way.
How much does a garage floor mat cost?
The pricing can vary from around $100 to over $1,000
What are parking mats?
The term parking mats is a generic term used to describe either (a) a mat used under the car to protect the garage floor or enhance its appearance or (b) a mat used to provide the driver with an exact location to park the vehicles.
Are car mats worth it?
Absolutely. They improve the appearance and keep your garage looking and feeling cleaner
What are car rugs called?
Garage Grip
Is rubber flooring good for garage?
No, rubber flooring will absorb and swell from automotive fluids. They also give off a rubber tire smell.
Are garage mats worth it?
Yes
Should I put rubber flooring in the garage?
Definitely not
What can I use to absorb water in my garage?
A carpet garage mats designed to absorb water is your best bet. We like Garage Grip
How do I keep my garage floor dry in the winter?
A containment mat such as the TruContain mat is a great option
Which type of car floor mat is best?
This depends on your application. Read the article above and give us a call with any questions you may have.
