Racedeck vs Swisstrax Flooring

Over the years, people have grown into cars, which have raised the importance of garage flooring. When it comes to the best garage and outdoor interlocking floor tiles, RaceDeck and Swisstrax are two of the most popular and reliable names known. They both have their highs and lows, so let’s check them out. 

RaceDeck and its parent company Snap Lock have been in garage flooring business for over 40 years, producing multiple styles and interlocking options for their customers to choose from.

Swisstrax, on the other hand, is a Swiss brand developed by Randy Nelson over 19 years ago. Despite being much younger than RaceDeck, they quickly grew to be one of the best interlocking flooring companies. 

The major difference between both companies is that RaceDeck uses a pattern called Diamond, while Swisstrax uses Diamondtrax. However, both companies use artificial materials to produce high-quality flooring for their consumers.

The table below compares the features of RaceDeck and Swisstrax

FeaturesRaceDeckSwisstrax
Flooring technologyPowerlockRibtrax
Mixing of panelAll panels can be mixedNot all panels
DurabilityDepends on the panelYes
Resistance to stainYesYes
Size of tilesConventionalLess conventional
MaintenanceEasy to maintainEasy to maintain
Warranty15-year warranties20-year warranties
Cost$3.49 to $12.49 per square foot$3.00 to $7.00 per square foot

Differences between RaceDeck and Swisstrax flooring

There are lots of differences between RaceDeck and Swisstrax flooring, but the significant ones can be found in their flooring technology, size of tiles, mixing of panels, durability, cost, and resale value

  • Flooring technology 

Before choosing any floor tile for your garage, one of the most important factors to consider is the technology behind the construction of the tile. RaceDeck and Swisstrax use the same high-quality polypropylene plastic material to produce their tiles, giving them an edge over their competitors. However, there is a difference in the way they construct their tiles.

RaceDeck uses a technology called PowerLock. This multi-patented technology sees that there are 4 connections on each side of the tile, making it 16 large pegs and loops on the panel of each tile. Racedeck stated that after trying several connections, this combination proved to be the strongest, leading to their construction slogan “the power of 4”. 

In contrast, Swisstrax uses 5 connections for each side of a tile totaling 20 pegs and loops on each tile. The 24 pegs and loops option comes with the high-grade Ribtrax tile, meaning it has 6 connections per side. Though having 5 or 6 pegs and loops on each side sounds satisfying, it might be a compensation for their smaller and thinner sizes compared to RaceDeck.

  • Size of tiles

RaceDeck and Swisstrax offer different sizes of tile. This makes sense because the small tiles will work for a small garage while the bigger tiles will work for a big garage, saving time and effort. Racedeck tiles come in a standard 12 by 12 inches and their bigger 18 by 18 inches size, called RaceDeck XL. Both sizes are ½ inch thick, and the RaceDeck XL is only available in the Diamond and Free-Flow styles.

Contrarily, Swisstrax uses less conventional size options for their interlocking tiles. They offer 13 by 13 inches and 15.75 by 15.75 tile sizes, both of them ½ and ¾ inch thick, respectively. They called the larger tiles Ribtrax, and it is one of their most popular tiles. However, it is lesser in size compared to the larger size of RaceDeck. 

  • Mixing of panels

Mixing of panels allows you to be more creative when flooring a garage. For instance, if you live in an area that experiences heavy winter, panel mixing allows you to floor the part of your garage with the heaviest snow impact with a high-grade tile that allows snow to melt and flow through. 

All the panels from RaceDeck can be mixed and matched because they all maintain the same ½ inch thickness irrespective of their sizes. With their panels, you can mix and match anywhere in your garage. It allows you to design your garage floor with any style, put a draining tile anywhere under your car to prevent pulling liquid, or have your Lambo spot designed with the RaceDeck Pro aluminum tiles.

For Swisstrax, you can only mix and match tiles of the same thickness size and the same number of connections on each side. This means you cannot mix any of their tiles with their most popular Ribtrax tile, limiting your design choice to colors only. And if you want to benefit from the self-draining feature of the Ribtrax, you have to use it throughout your flooring. 

  • Durability 

The durability of your garage floor matters a lot. Nobody enjoys fixing their highly expensive garage floor all the time, so this is a must check when deciding which flooring to use.

Racedeck tiles are durable, but the durability depends on the type of tile you choose. However, they are all waterproof and can withstand a load of up to 80,000 pounds, making them a great flooring for a garage with heavy machines and lots of cars. 

All Swisstrax tiles are durable, U.V resistant, and can also support a load of up to 70,000 pounds. 

  • Cost 

Factors like size and style have a huge influence on the prices of these floorings. However, the price range for RaceDeck flooring starts from $3.49 to $12.49 per square foot, while that of Swisstrax begins at $3.00 to $7.00 per square foot, making it a much option for anyone on a tight budget. 

  • Resale value

Both floors will increase the value of your home. They are high-quality flooring from high-profile brands meaning they are in popular demand; therefore, anyone will be willing to pay for them. The difference, however, lies only in the cost of each flooring.

Conclusion 

If you carefully follow the details above, you cannot go wrong with any flooring you choose. RaceDeck and Swisstrax produce durable tiles that can stand the toughest garage conditions. Their tiles are very easy to maintain, and their interlocking panel system offers an effortless installation process. They also offer a good warranty and tile replacement deal. All these features are reasons why they have remained at the top of the garage flooring industry. Racedeck will best meet your needs if you want garage flooring with different styles, while Swisstrax is best suited for anyone on a tight budget who does not want to compromise quality for the price.

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