Where to Cut and How To Seam G-Floor Roll Out Garage Flooring
Today’s post is based off a conversation we had with a customer today — combined with a few other questions we have been asked over the years. One of the most important decisions you will make about your G-Floor Garage Floor mat is where to place the seams and how to lay the product out. In other words, “Layout”. While each job has specific issues that need to be addressed, this is some general information based on best practices. It is also important to note that we always suggest the G-Floor Brand Seam Tape if a seam tape is to be used.
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- Seams should run perpendicular to the garage door.
- Seam tape should not be used until after the mats have been cut, installed and have fully relaxed
- Seams are often necessary, but the fewer the seams the better your install
- Avoid using small pieces to fill in the gap
- Use factory edges for the seams and cuts unless you are an experienced professional and are familiar with the ‘double cut’ method. So in general your cuts are done along the wall.
- Seam tape is used between two sections of flooring to hold them together. It is not used at the perimiter and does not hold the mat to the floor.
Seams should run perpindicular to the garage door
In other words, if I were installing the product in my garage, I would start at the garage door and roll my mat into the garage — there is no real reason that you can’t start at the back of the garage and roll the floor out of the garage. I would then cut it 1/2″ from the back wall. This leaves me with a factory edge at the entrance to the garage. While I may drive over my seams, I am not going to be driving across my seams, and especially with 4-wheel drive vehicles I am not going to pull the mats apart at the seams.
Seam tape should not be used until after the mats have been cut, installed and have fully relaxed
While it is completely natural to want to get your floor done right away, we suggest holding off on installing the seam tape until after your flooring has been installed and acclimated. Why? First of all its easier. Second of all you are less likely to get bubbles at the seams or to have expansion and contraction pull them apart.
Seams are often necessary, but the fewer the seams the better your install
This is one of those that is “always true until its not” so be careful and understand what we are saying. Lets assume that you are going to do a 30×20 garage. You could use 4 pcs 7.5 x 20 or 3 pcs 10×20 (which means you would order 3 10×24 stock rolls). Using the 3 10′ pieces is going to give you a better installation.
Sometimes this does not hold true. You have to look at where the seams fall in the garage and if there are any special circumstances. Its just a good rule of thumb.
Avoid using small pieces to fill in the gap
Customers will often call us and order three rolls. The intent is to roll out the first two rolls and split the third roll to cover the the uncovered areas on both sides. In some cases this may be ok, but in general: The smaller the piece, the less it weighs and the more liley it is to move. What we generally suggest in this case is center the first roll and cut equal amounts off the roll on the left and the roll on the right.
When would I not follow this rule? If you take the same garage and the homeowner has rows of shelving running down each side and the flooring is going to be mostly under the shelving, I might consider using smaller pieces in that area. I would also consider doing it without seam tape. The mats that are under the shelving may not expand and contract freely and it might cause a bubble in the floor (which in this case would be under the shelf). If we use seam tape that bubble might extend into the main area of the floor.
Use factory edges for the seams and cuts unless you are an experienced professional and are familiar with the ‘double cut’ method. So in general your cuts are done along the wall.
Using the example above, we sold this gentleman 3 8×22 rolls. The first and third roll were going to be trimmed. While the professional installer can use a ‘double cut’ method, our factory edge is generally preferrable for the DIY customer. Use a factory edge between rolls 1 & 2 and again between rolls 2& 3. Make your cuts where roll 1 meets the wall and where roll 3 meets the wall.
Seam tape is used between two sections of flooring to hold them together. It is not used at the perimiter and does not hold the mat to the floor.
The G-Floor brand seam tape is not sticky on both sides. It keeps the mats or rolls together without adhering them to the floor. You do not need to use it at the front edge of the flooring or at the walls. If circumstance dictates that you use something in those areas we suggest 3M #80 spray adhesive after the floor is fully relaxed.
Remember you will generally have one less seam then you have rolls. So if you are using two rolls, you will generally have one seam. If you are using three rolls, you would have two seams.
