[vertigto]

Something different today...

I've been told that a carpeted garage floor can be helpful in acting as a moisture barrier on a garage slab. Not sure how true this is and/or any caveats, but thought I would look into it as my resto nears completion. I have a spare large portable dehumidifier, but seems like it would also increase temps in the summer. Garage is insulated (walls/ceiling) and slab appears to be somewhat polished. Also thought about a portable AC unit, but not sure what is overkill vs. helpful.

Has anyone used Garage Grip on their floors or a similar carpeted solution as a moisture barrier for the underside? Pro/cons...or pure snake oil?

The Garage Grip stuff is pretty cool, but $$$. Of course thoughts went to a large indoor/outdoor carpet remnant or tiles (maybe with some plastic?), but thinking mold might be an issue, unless used in conjunction with a dehumidifier/AC. Thoughts?

[vertigto]

Maybe this...Armor All Original Garage Floor Mat as a cost effective alternative??

[West Coast GTO]

The Garage Grip is self extinguishing where the Armor All product is not. If a garage fire breaks out, the garage grip will not support the fire but the armor all product would.

[pontiacstogo]

Different climate, but carpeted garage floors are the 'norm' for most newer houses in NZ;



It's a 'needlepunch' carpet that is bonded to the concrete floor. It's waterproof so it doesn't smell (or rot). I lay down cardboard boxes when I'm doing anything that might spill onto the carpet. It's definitely a nice surface to work on.

[max 93]

I would think carpet would hold the moisture and stay damp longer.

[Stuart]

It may work in the desert, but if you live in a region that has snow and salt covered roads I think carpet would be a nightmare. And besides moisture and salt, any garage inevitably gets dirt, sand and gravel tracked in from the car tires which would require constant vacuuming.

[dhcarguy]

My garage gets heat and A/C. Just a 4" hit from my house units, (not legal) , but NO return. keeps my humidity in my single car garage down to plus or minus 50% all year (SE., Pa.) I always have a very plush carpet in there wall to wall mostly. When ever we get new carpets in the house, the old expensive carpet goes in the garage. NEVER have a humidity problem. My car does not get wet and if it does, I wait til it stops dripping. Been doing it for almost 20 years. It is also sooo comfortable to work on the car.

[vertigto]

This would be for a 'fair weather' driven restomod and in the South (NC), so no real issue with snow/salt or really any precipitation of any kind. Seems like the Garage Grip (recycled plastic bottles) and marine/outdoor carpeting would be more mold/mildew resistant. Assuming a dehumidifier and/or portable AC unit (vented outside) would help with humidity. Don't want corrosion on the underside after a frame-off, if at all possible. Though maybe the outdoor carpet on a roll from Home Depot/Lowes might work on the cheap for a moisture barrier with some heavy duty two-sided tape.

Also thinking this would be for one stall of a two car garage (wifey's SUV gets the other).

[78w72]

depends on climate/location. here in the midwest when going from winter to warm humid spring temps (like right now) the entire floor gets heavy condensation (wet) like a cold bottle of soda on a hot summer day.

any floor covering will get damp/wet when that happens, once the floor gets warmer it stops & doesnt return, but for that initial shock of warm/humid air onto a very cold concrete floor, it gets very damp/wet & any covering will either hold that moisture until it dries out or the moisture will get trapped under the harder coverings like the plastic/rubber sections you lay down & lock together.

this is in a ceiling/wall insulated garage that has a hanging reznor 40k BTU heater but is only used when working out there & only heated to about 60*f each time, not heated year round. also, carpet & most floor coverings make using a floor jack difficult, hard to roll around & carpet can bunch up from the wheels. same applies if you ever use those rolling car dollies.

[vertigto]

FWIW...I've not seen condensation on the garage floor at any time (including seasonal changes)...although heat/humidity can still get into the uncomfortable region.

[66sprint6]

It could work here, but not for a driver going in and out frequently, and in the winter you wouldn't dare open the garage door. The slab itself would have to be insulated underneath with the styrofoam sheets even extended a couple of feet out from the structure. That's fairly common practice now, but an older slab probably wouldn't have it, and therefore you would get mould no matter what you do.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by vertigto

FWIW...I've not seen condensation on the garage floor at any time (including seasonal changes)...although heat/humidity can still get into the uncomfortable region.

thats good, consider yourself lucky your location doesnt have that issue, just wanted to mention it for those that live in a climate like the upper midwest & northern states that get real winters.

yesterday & the next few days are unseasonal summer like temps for iowa, 90+ degrees & 80-90% humidity... even with some nice upper 70/low 80s temps for the last couple weeks, when i opened the big overhead garage door yesterday for a few hours the floor is sweating like a cold pop bottle, literally wet anywhere the sun didnt reach which is about 80% of the garage.

[4dblnkldude]

Originally Posted by dhcarguy

My garage gets heat and A/C. Just a 4" hit from my house units, (not legal) , but NO return. keeps my humidity in my single car garage down to plus or minus 50% all year (SE., Pa.) I always have a very plush carpet in there wall to wall mostly. When ever we get new carpets in the house, the old expensive carpet goes in the garage. NEVER have a humidity problem. My car does not get wet and if it does, I wait til it stops dripping. Been doing it for almost 20 years. It is also sooo comfortable to work on the car.

Same deal here but I don't have it wall to wall. I have two 10 feet by 20 feet or son in each bay. I am climate controlled however. It does get vacuumed once a month or so. I like it.