SHOP TIP of the WEEK - How To Tile A Shop Floor

I recently decided to tile my shop floor. I thought it would make the floor easier to clean and make the shop brighter. Dirty cement absorbs a lot of light. But a shop floor also takes a beating, especially when you work mostly with metal, as I do.

I wondered if it would be possible to use a commercial tile that would stand up, and if damaged, could be easily replaced. The tile I selected was the Congoleum commercial type, CH-14. Each tile weighs nearly 1 1/2 lbs. and has the pattern all the way through. Such tile is somewhat brittle, but it does bend before breaking. The price is also attractive, at 50 to 60 cents apiece for a 12-in. square tile.

I think my method of installation is unique. As I said, I want to be able to replace any tiles that become damaged. I put just a small amount of adhesive under each tile, about the size of a quarter. I found that such a small amount of adhesive in the center was able to secure the tile and as these tiles are heavy and nearly1/8 in. thick, they’re not going to curl. The adhesive I used was Locktite PL-3, a construction adhesive.

I used a brick as a weight, putting it in the center of the tile and leaving it in place for several hours. I've proved my system will work because I carelessly ran an air nailer staple into a tile, chipping it. To make the repair I just broke out the old tile and removed the adhesive (it has to be sanded or ground off) and then replaced the tile, all in just a couple of minutes.

A word of caution on using the PL-3 adhesive: I haven't found any solvent that removes it, including gasoline, so it's best to wear gloves when working with it. I didn't scrub or wash the floor prior to tiling. I just made sure the floor was clean by using a vacuum and an air gun to make sure there was no loose debris left.

Another advantage of tiling a floor this way is that it lets me tile a little at a time.

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