First time doing a garage floor (to be driven on)

[barki]

OK

I've done quite a bit of tiling in kitchen and bathrooms. But I'm finding that however neatly I prep & paint my garage floor, it never lasts long before I spill some brake fluid on it or something.

I've got a week off coming up so thinking of tiling it. But I have a few questions....

This is the garage in question;




Dimensions = 5.3m width x 5.4m depth

Existing surface - Concrete base primed & painted with Ronseal 'Diamond Hard'.


Flatness

Looking at the pic - from left to right, it's quite level. Only varying a few mm all the way across.

However, from back to front, the floor drops, uniformly, by about 3". So the whole floor is sloped gently towards the door.


My questions;

1) I was going to use self-levelling compound to level out the ridges in the concrete finish, but will the drop towards the door make this not possible?

2) How can I neatly end the run of tiles along the doorway...I was going to end them about an inch beyond where the door actually comes down, and then use my rubber strip to create a seal under the door. With a ramp/slope of grout to from the concrete up to the height of the first tile. Is there a better way?

3) Obviously I don't want any air under these tiles at all. I intend to back butter each tile (flat edge) and use a small-ribbed trowel for the floor, in straight lines for the adhesive. Any other recommendations?

4) Im planning on using 300x300 tiles with tight 2mm spacers....anything wrong with that?




Again, any tips on how to get the floor level would be a big help




If I should turn back now then pls tell me!


Cheers

Tom

 

[SFK]

Tom,
Sorry I am not able to answer your questions - but I was considering the same as seems a good idea and good value and FYI this is the website I was looking at which I felt gives some good info: http://allgaragefloors.com/porcelain-tile-garage-floor/

And here - someone asking some similar questions to you:
http://www.tilersforums.co.uk/threads/tiling-garage-floor.7354/

My personal feeling would be that I would not bother with leveling compound; I would get the paint off the concrete; I would use a good quality primer and adhesive (BAL?) straight between the clean concrete and the tiles; I would have no air gaps, I would be happy with the slope you have.

Regarding teh edge of teh tiles, I did consider this and thought I could either have 1) a stainless steel 'L' length screwed to concrete with L bit then under leading edge of tiles. Or 2) use angle grinder to take a section from leading edge of concrete to bury tiles into.

If I had the money I would also have small tile section as a skirting up side of wall (like in Hospital) so I could wash out room with hose.

I felt that my biggest cost would be Adhesive more than the tiles.

But as said - I never got round to doing this, so this is simply my thoughts.So take my advise with care. :>
SFK