Correct Adhesive For Garage Floor Tiles

[DarkSource]

I am planning to put down ceramic tiles on the garage floor (concrete slab), but want to insulate the floor first using 20 mm Marmox multi-board. What type of adhesive should I use for the tiles on top of the Marmox, given that it is a garage floor and will need to stand the weight of a car? I am proposing to use tiles that are 600mm square.
Many thanks in advance!

 

[On one]

I would be more concerned about using 600x600 CERAMIC tiles on a floor and point loading issues than tile adhesive

 

[White Room]

You've got to be looking at porcelain at least.

 

[DarkSource]

You've got to be looking at porcelain at least.

Yes, you are quite right, porcelain tiles would be (much) stronger than ceramic. But would porcelain be good enough? If not do you have any recommendations for doing a tiled, insulated garage floor on top of concrete?

 

[White Room]

I'd be looking at a grade 5 as in heavy commercial traffic and getting rid of the marmox, as mentioned there is point loading on the marmox.
What does a car weigh...1 ton.

 

[SJPurdy]

Remember that even though the adhesive may have set sufficiently to walk on, with a Portland cement based adhesive it will be several days (weeks?) before it will have sufficient strength to drive over. Some adhesives are based on another type of cement and reach there full strength much quicker. Someone else may have better information on this.

 

[White Room]

Nearly all adhesives will take 2-3 weeks to cure properly.

 

[CJ]

Bal Motobond.

https://www.toppstiles.co.uk/s_moreinfo/2944_1_Bal_Moto_Products.pdf

 

[Stef]

From Ray's place, porcel-thin, about 6 hours are being tiled with TileMaster setaflex.

 

[DarkSource]

From Ray's place, porcel-thin, about 6 hours are being tiled with TileMaster setaflex.

View attachment 81979

Thanks to all for your help!
However does anyone have an answer regarding an insulated garage floor? From the replies, I'm sure I can choose tiles and adhesive that will be strong enough if laid directly onto concrete, but I need a solution to insulate the floor as I want to use the garage all year round. I could use celotex and then put loads of screed over the top, but this would raise the floor by about 10-15 cm, which causes allsorts of other problems and isn't an option. From other forums people have suggested ditching the insulation and just using a space heater. This doesn't meet my requirements of a room that is easy to keep warm all year round i.e. well insulated with a couple of radiators. Surely someone has done this before? I can't believe I am the only person to have thought of this.
Kudos to the person who has a solution!

 

[peteablard]

I can't remember who it was made by(I will find out) but I used some insulation boards a few weeks ago that were far more sturdy than anything I've used before. It would be worth a phone call to the manufacturer to ask their opinion. I know cars are heavy but the weight is spread over four points of contact, each point approximately 25-30" square. I think it might work. You could always stick a couple of boards down,tile them and drive over them, park on them overnight etc.

 

[DarkSource]

I can't remember who it was made by(I will find out) but I used some insulation boards a few weeks ago that were far more sturdy than anything I've used before. It would be worth a phone call to the manufacturer to ask their opinion. I know cars are heavy but the weight is spread over four points of contact, each point approximately 25-30" square. I think it might work. You could always stick a couple of boards down,tile them and drive over them, park on them overnight etc.

Thanks Peteablard, fingers crossed that you can remember . I know that (some) car dealerships have underfloor heating with tiles on the top, so they must have a solution that can deal with the loads (as you say about 6-700 kg per corner for a heavy 4x4).

 

[peteablard]

If it's a 4x4 then the tyres are bigger so the point of contact is greater, in terms of point loading per square inch it's probably not much different to a smaller car with small tyres..... I think! A layer the of fibre reinforced SLC over the boards would help too.

 

[DarkSource]

If it's a 4x4 then the tyres are bigger so the point of contact is greater, in terms of point loading per square inch it's probably not much different to a smaller car with small tyres..... I think! A layer the of fibre reinforced SLC over the boards would help too.

I measured my car; the tyre patch is about 250x100mm (10x4") with a total weight of 1500kg. This gives just under 10kg per square inch. That doesn't sound excessive to me. Marmox is rated at 40 tonnes per m2, which is 26 kg per square inch. 10x4" could hardly be described as a point load?
What thickness of FRSLC would you recommend?

 

[Ian]

I've had a bit of a think about this and I'm confident it's possible. There isn't essentially going to be any point loading as it'll be spread over a 600x600mm (0.36 m2) tile. Now, marmox say their boards can cope with 40 tonnes per m2 so with a tile + adhesive ontop you'd have to have an immense amount of weight to get any compression. Even a 3000kg van is only 750kg at each corner which is well within the capabilities of the products and each tyre has a contact patch of around 200x200mm so, not exactly a stiletto!
It is maybe worth doing a test beforehand but, a 20mm board, then an S1 adhesive (tilemaster setaflex) or if you really want the belt and braces approach an S2 (tilemaster ultimate), then a grade 4/5 porcelain tile, would be my choice.

 

[Ian]

You posted while I was writing my essay! Some similar figures!

 

[Time's Ran Out]

We've put electric UFH down in a few domestic garages - usually to keep the Porche warm!

 

[One Day]

All totally pointless of course if the tiles are then dot n dabbed!

 

[DarkSource]

I've had a bit of a think about this and I'm confident it's possible. There isn't essentially going to be any point loading as it'll be spread over a 600x600mm (0.36 m2) tile. Now, marmox say their boards can cope with 40 tonnes per m2 so with a tile + adhesive ontop you'd have to have an immense amount of weight to get any compression. Even a 3000kg van is only 750kg at each corner which is well within the capabilities of the products and each tyre has a contact patch of around 200x200mm so, not exactly a stiletto!
It is maybe worth doing a test beforehand but, a 20mm board, then an S1 adhesive (tilemaster setaflex) or if you really want the belt and braces approach an S2 (tilemaster ultimate), then a grade 4/5 porcelain tile, would be my choice.

Thanks Bri - that really helps. Will start insulation and drywall in a month or so, so tiling is still a little way off, which gives me time to experiment.

 

[Kevbos]

I've had a bit of a think about this and I'm confident it's possible. There isn't essentially going to be any point loading as it'll be spread over a 600x600mm (0.36 m2) tile. Now, marmox say their boards can cope with 40 tonnes per m2 so with a tile + adhesive ontop you'd have to have an immense amount of weight to get any compression. Even a 3000kg van is only 750kg at each corner which is well within the capabilities of the products and each tyre has a contact patch of around 200x200mm so, not exactly a stiletto!
It is maybe worth doing a test beforehand but, a 20mm board, then an S1 adhesive (tilemaster setaflex) or if you really want the belt and braces approach an S2 (tilemaster ultimate), then a grade 4/5 porcelain tile, would be my choice.

Make sure you flat the back of each tile also to fill any frogs. Or undulations in tile this'll help strengthen the tile and relate a solid bed

 

[rabw]

Hello, any update on this or updated advice? I'm investigating a similar project. My garage floor (attached to the house) could do with coming up an inch or two anyway because of my slightly downhill driveway, so it makes sense to me to try and add a little insulation if possible before tiling.

 

[Lou]

Don't mind me while I bump up some older but good threads. If you can contribute to the thread, go ahead. But if it's nothing for you then don't reply and it'll soon drop off the What's New page etc.
Worth linking to our new forum structure while I'm doing stuff:-

• USA Tile Forum for DIY and Professional Tile Fixers
• UK Tiling Forum for UK tiling advice
• Canada Tile Forum
• Tiling Advice Australia
• Ireland Tiling Forum
• Tiling Tools
• DIY Tiling
• Tiling Courses
• Tile Import / Export