When I built a new office at work we compared a wet system to the electric mats and the wet system was a much more cost effective system in the long run so it might be worth doing a proper check yourself mate. Personally I'd go with normal rads / electric heaters as they are quicker and easier to control and probably cheaper too.
Don't have the issue of cold here for the concrete. I have a 2 1/2 car garage and 1 1/2 is bike stuff and work area. I am inclined toward getting epoxy coating but take the point about not wanting a slippery finish. Mixing a product like Shark Grip has some good write ups without taking away from the look. I did a search through the thread to check if this had been mentioned. Anyone have an informed view of this stuff? https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/hc-sharkgrip-slip-resistant-additive
I already have 2 electric oil filled rads, so it was just a thought as these cost a fortune if you leave them on. They are effective though, heating the garage quite quickly when you need them.
With Electric at around £0.12 / kWh and gas at £0.03 / kWh it should be 1/4 of the running costs to use a water fired UF heating system - assuming that your combi boiler has sufficient capacity... but the install means you need to empty the garage... lay the tubing - lay a new floor on top as well as as the extra controls and pipework, mixer valve and pump for the UH system. Doing it yourself is probably £1500 in materials over and above the floor covering cost.... Electric is probably less install work - but not much.... Me - I just fitted a large double radiator - T off my upstairs heating system and added a second wireless thermostat T to the main upstairs thermostat - so that if the garage calls for heat (set at 7 degrees) the upstairs is completely heated including the garage... but ALL radiators except one in the main bath room have thermo rad valves... so only take supply if the room needs it. Ideally the garage feed would have its own dedicated control and supply circuit - but retrofitting was not something I wanted to do on a new house with plasterboard walls and sheet rock flooring.... I did persuade the builder at end of build to take a hot water and cold water feed and a heating supply and return feed from the adjacent en-suite to the garage... house was 95% built by the time we agreed to buy. Then I fitted the radiators and control from there..(radiator in garage and dog lounge - room behind garage for the then pair of Rotties... now sadly gone..) as well as hot and cold water for the garage. Another alternate - which while using Electric - has a super high efficiency factor - is to fit an A/C system.... can be left on low all time - or on when needed - also acts as a dehumidifier... similar running cost to gas.. Easier to fit - depending on location and pipe run... Theoretically you need an engineer to commission and turn on... but I fitted 3 systems myself... once you have the gauges, flare tools, torque spanners, vacuum pump (£250 to £300) as long as you buy a system big enough with sufficient charge and pump capacity to suit your pipework its easy. The actual commissioning - is less than 2 hours - including an hour vac and 30 min leak test... install time varies depending on location of units, pipe runs, ducting, electrical supply etc.... But we digress away from Floor Covering...
On boats I mixed wood shavings in the top coat of deck paint. Works really well. After a year or two, use a sanding machine to takes off the top coat (where worn) and repeat. The problem with using micra beading / sand etc is that it is hard to get rid of it if you need to redo the surface whereas the wood shavings sand down easily & quick. Other people I know laid the epoxy on the deck, then scattered bath crystals on the surface whilst it was drying, using a roller to push the crystals into the epoxy. Afterwards you hose it down, the crystals dissolve and the surface has a great non slip surface.
Just mailed Ecotile for a quote on the smooth tiles. They look cheaper than Duramat from your pricing. I like the checkerplate too for under paddock stands and my bike lift.
I have a couple of rads Simon. They are great, heating the garage up quickly, but leaving them on low to take the chill off is expensive.
I found Ecotile for sale on eBay so whilst awaiting my official quote, I’ve used that as a baseline. I can do my 18.5sqm for around £300 which is cheaper than Duramat. Not a fan of checkerplate as probably not nice for the little wheels on paddock stands etc. I’m thinking smooth or cointop. Even their smooth has an anti-slip texture though which is good.
Now eyeing up wall mounting some old Land Rover defender rear seats https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/332110066314
I got mine from south coast matting About £4 for a 500mm square 7mm leather effect tile, restricted on colours but was value for money in comparison to other tiles available.
I’ve got these, been down for 3 years and no a problem, being 17mm they really insulate too https://www.grassmats.co.uk/product/heavy-duty-gym-mat/
Yeah, you gave me a few off-cuts, remember Nige? You're cracking up. I use them to stand on in front of my workbench.
No Rob, I remember, just thought it may be useful to anyone else who may be looking at the rubber mat option, I’ve been really impressed with em
Got my ecotile quote through. Samples look good too. I prefer the look of the cointop, but in the darker ‘graphite’ that’s adjacent to it.
