hello all,
I have tiles in my garage, but I am seeing the tiles are getting cracked.
What options do I have to protect the tiles after replacing it?
Can I do it myself?
Thanks in advance.
Hello @chanakya
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about your garage tiles.
When replacing cracked garage tiles, the goal is to remove voids, increase flexibility, and use tiles rated for vehicle loads. Using the right Bunnings products makes a big difference.
Start by making sure the slab is flat and fully supported. Any hollow spots under tiles will cause cracking when tyres roll over them. After cleaning and grinding high spots, use a flexible heavy-duty adhesive such as https://www.bunnings.com.au/davco-20kg-ultraflex-ceramic-tile-adhesive_p6656384 or the commercial-grade https://www.bunnings.com.au/davco-20kg-smp-evo-tile-adhesive_p6650266 . These are flexible cement-based adhesives designed for porcelain and heavy floor applications, helping spread the load and reduce cracking. Back-butter each tile as well as the floor so you get 100% coverage with no air gaps.
Tile choice matters just as much. Thin ceramic tiles often fail under car weight, so switching to thicker porcelain tiles helps. For example, something like https://www.bunnings.com.au/duratile-60-x-60cm-1-08m-crema-porcelain-indoor-floor-and-wall-tile-3-carton_p0087517 or https://www.bunnings.com.au/practa-solutions-60-x-60cm-nero-porcelain-indoor-floor-wall-tile-3-carton_p0087520 is much stronger than standard ceramic and better suited to garages. Porcelain is denser and handles compression loads from tyres far better.
Also leave proper grout joints and use a flexible grout. Tiles installed tight together transfer stress directly into neighbouring tiles, which leads to cracking when turning wheels. A simple extra step is adding rubber parking pads where tyres sit, this spreads load and dramatically reduces cracking over time.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Thanks, Eric.
"A simple extra step is adding rubber parking pads where tyres sit, this spreads load and dramatically reduces cracking over time."
I didnt understand the above suggestion. Where am I adding it?
Thanks
It sounds like Eric was referring to rubber pads at the locations where the tires sit when the car is parked in the garage @chanakya. A precautionary measure that doesn't directly relate to your issue at hand. However, you could potentially add https://www.bunnings.com.au/jack-100mm-x-1m-anti-vibration-pad_p3961983 along the leading edge of the front tiles, where the cracking is occurring. Sticking it down without damaging the tiles could prove difficult.
Mitchell
