Phil walks you through his ULTRAGRID™ DIY install in black, blue, and gray—and shows how easy it really is.
Phil from Aussie Garage transforms his space with Sleek Space ULTRAGRID™ flooring—black, blue, and gray—taking viewers through his DIY install bit by bit. Here's the story.
Why ULTRAGRID™?
Phil chose ULTRAGRID™ for its showroom-style ribbed look—different from the flat ULTRATUFF™ tiles Dan used elsewhere. He went with a gray insert under the car, blue capping along the front of the driveway, and black across most of the floor to match his future blue car. The open design makes it easy to hose out dust, grime, and oil; he advises using a board under jacks to spread weight, since the tiles have a tonnage rating.
Tools and Prep
Phil kept it simple: a marker for layout, a jigsaw (or drop saw) to cut tiles, and a rubber mallet to tap them into place. He used the Sleek Space floor planner to get his pattern and tile count, then worked in sections—starting at the front, moving gear as he went—because he had no extra space to store everything. He left a 5–10 mm gap at walls for expansion so tiles don't lift in the middle.
Installation Tips
Click-Lock and Cutting
Line up the grooves, overlap tiles correctly, and tap with the mallet—only one orientation fits, so it's hard to go wrong. For edges, he used the overlap method: place a tile over the last full tile, butt it to the wall, mark where it meets the previous tile, then cut. The tabs naturally give about 5–10 mm expansion space. He also used 5 mm ply squares under heavy items (like his toolbox) to spread weight and avoid cracking.
Order Extra
Phil ended up with a box of offcuts and was one gray tile short, so he brought the pattern in and used an extra row of black at the back. His advice: measure carefully and order enough for cut-offs, since trimmed pieces often can't be reused elsewhere.
The Result
Once the flooring was down and everything was back in place, Phil was thrilled: "The floor looks good. Everything's in place. Yeah, edges are all nice and squared." He added a Sleek Space tool organizer to keep drills, grinders, and bits tidy on the wall. "This slick space flooring is amazing. I love it… It's made a world of difference to my garage." He sums it up: "So easy to install. If I can do it with my disability and my brain, then any monkey can do it."
Ready to Transform Your Garage?
Phil's ULTRAGRID™ install shows how a DIY-friendly layout and the right tools can turn a busy garage into a clean, showroom-style space. Ready to plan yours? Start designing your floor with the Sleek Space planner and check out the full range of colours and patterns.
