S W I S S T R A X F L O O R
I CHOSE A SWISSTRAX FLOOR BECAUSE BARE CONCRETE IS BENEATH ME
After many years of enjoying and appreciating my RaceDeck floor, I began playing with the idea of taking the floor in a different direction. Since installing the floor in 2010, it has attracted a lot of attention and the colour scheme has become quite popular among garage enthusiasts all over the world. I decided to move towards a more muted colour scheme as well as incorporate some solid style tiles into the mix. My RaceDeck system was comprised entirely of "Free Flow" tiles, which do a great job of wicking away moisture, but not all areas of my garage get wet. I wanted the garage to exude a dealership showroom vibe so that meant deleting the red accent band as well as repainting the majority of red and blue wall stripes in grey. With a new design direction in mind, I began exploring my options.
My research process culminated with a telephone conversation with the owner of Swisstrax. Randy was gracious enough to virtually tour me around his headquarters in California and provide me with design input. With his guidance, I made the decision to install a floor that incorporates a variety of Swisstrax styles. The quality of the floor is as impressive as the level of customer service I received throughout the process.
My Swisstrax floor consists of combination of four different tile styles. The center portion of my garage is comprised of slate grey "Ribtrax" tiles with a pearl grey border. I have solid "Vinyltrax" tiles in a black oak pattern around the perimeter of the garage. I did have a backlit panel featuring my garage logo, but water on the floor became an issue so that has been removed and I am contemplating where to relocate it. I had four grey "Carpettrax" tiles at the base of the stairs, but those were removed and replaced with black oak solid tiles. I love the appearance of this floor and I am very happy with the level of class and sophistication it lends my space.
M Y S W I S S T R A X F L O O R
I S S W I S S T R A X T H E R I G H T C H O I C E F O R Y O U R G A R A G E ?
Determining whether Swisstrax, or any other brand of garage tile system, would work in my space was something I had to seriously consider. Over the years, I have come to deeply appreciate the way this floor has improved the look, efficiency and function of my garage. I have enjoyed hundreds of conversations with people regarding the benefits of a Swisstrax flooring system, so do not hesitate to reach out if you are considering one. In an effort to help garage owners determine if Swisstrax would make sense for them, I have produced a variety of videos that highlight various aspects of what they can expect with a floor such as this.
D R A I N I N G T H E S W A M P
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In the winter of 2020, I upgraded the drainage system of my garage. A channel drain and catch basin system were added to help prevent water escaping, accumulating and freezing on the driveway. This system will allow me to do complete water-related projects in the winter, including washing the floor. In this video, you will see the process I will use to clean my garage floor and then clean and empty the channel/catch basin system. I use a 1/6 bhp sump pump and my wet vac to clean out the water and other debris that gets tracked into the garage in the winter months. There is no perfect answer to winter's woes here, but this system is working well so far.
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T H E R I G H T C H O I C E ?
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In this video, I walk viewers through my personal step-by-step process of cleaning my Swisstrax floor. It is a process that has evolved over the past decade and I want to share it with people who are considering whether or not a Swisstrax floor makes sense in their garage. Every garage is different, so this process may not be a regular requirement for every garage out there, but this should give you a clear picture of what necessary steps you can anticipate taking when the time comes to thoroughly clean your Swisstrax floor and the garage floor underneath. The process shown in this video takes me approximately 30 minutes on a good day.
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I N S T A L L A T I O N V I D E O
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This is a video I created to showcase how easy and satisfying it is to install a Swisstrax floor. The install process was straightforward and I accomplished it in the span of one afternoon. Being able to design and install my garage floor to my personal design preferences was a major selling point for me. As functional as epoxy is in some applications, having to hire a professional installer and subject the space to harsh chemicals was nothing I wanted any part of. From design to installation, I enjoyed every step of the "Swisstrax experience". Installation is something anyone can do as long as they own a saw and rubber mallet.
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T O P 1 0
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Over the years, I have posted numerous videos demonstrating how much I appreciate the way my Swisstrax floor enhances and supports the projects I complete in my garage. On occasion, these videos elicit negative comments about what a waste of time it is or how stupid it is or how trendy it is. I’d be lying if I said those comments don’t irritate me, but I instead of striking back, I decided to make a video that clearly articulates the reasons I and thousands of others prefer a Swisstrax style floor to any other flooring system. I hope this video allows viewers to see that a Swisstrax floor can do more than simply make your garage look cool.
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W I N T E R C L E A N
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My floor maintenance processes are highly weather dependent. During the summer, I can take my time and enjoy the process. In fact, I created a video in the Spring of 2020 that demonstrates how deeply therapeutic a good floor clean can be! In winter, it's a bit of a different story. On mild winter days, I try to take full advantage and perform the same thorough clean that requires dragging the floor out on the driveway and pressure washing it before bringing in back in and refastening the sections. If the weather is too cold for this, I use my vacuum and mop to clean the surface of the floor. This quick "vac n' mop" process takes ten minutes.
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R E A D Y T O P U L L T H E T R I G G E R ?
I have enjoyed countless conversations with people regarding the benefits and suitability of a Swisstrax flooring system, so do not hesitate to reach out if you are considering one. If you are going to pull the trigger on a Swisstrax floor, please consider using one of my affiliate links. In Canada, orders can be placed by email or by calling 1-855-444-8729. Simply mention my "RAD GARAGE" discount code and you will receive a 25¢ savings per square foot on your order.
For my American friends, I invite you to click on the Obsessed Garage banner below. By doing so, any Swisstrax flooring purchases made will earn me valuable referral credit which helps me continue to enhance and improve my own garage. Obsessed Garage is the one stop shop for the finest in all garage related products, equipment and tools.
If you have any questions or comments regarding my garage's floor, feel free to contact me