How to Stick This to the Garage Floor?

TromboneAl

TromboneAl

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Jun 30, 2006
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I got one of these for guiding the parking process:

71VvRk6tIeL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


But despite cleaning and scratching the floor, the thing came loose after a few parking tryouts.

Any suggestions for how to stick it to the floor?
 
I'm a believer in the fishing bobber hanging from the ceiling, but if I was going to use that and it wouldn't stick to the floor, I guess I'd drill a couple of small holes in the concrete and screw it down.
 
I have two of those in the garage; one for each car.

Clean the floor well and a glob of Liquid Nails will hold it down for years.

You can get just a fairly small tube of it at your local hardware store.
 
I like using landscape adhesive when bonding concrete to concrete. Perhaps this might work? It may stick to the pad. Maybe rough up the underside before applying the landscape adhesive. It is important that the concrete is free from dust and grease. I would run a bead around the perimeter near the edge so it oozed out just a bit when pressed down, and a big "X" from opposite corners.

From the Amazon 1-star reviews, it looks like the adhesive is a major issue.
 
I don't have any idea of how to stick that to the floor, Al! I wish I did. Rubber cement, maybe? As you can tell I am no good at this type of thing.

I use my late mother's method: I turn my headlights on when entering the garage, and I can very easily and clearly tell how close to the back wall I am, by the reflection of the headlights on it.

OK, I admit that I have a fairly huge oversized double garage, and only one car parking in it, so it's not a very tight fit.
 
I'd bolt it down either with a powder actuated nail gun or drill and bolt with a hammer drill.
 
Tapcon screws. Drill holes in floor with hammer drill and masonry bit. Then use drill to screw tapcon screws through the plastic into the holes in the concrete floor.

ETA - maybe try Braumeister’s tip first with liquid nails. Easier. Then tapcons if liquid nails doesn’t work.
 
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My Dad used a washer hanging on a string from the garage ceiling. If I wanted to hit the exact same spot that's what I'd do too. But I have a existing reference mark (e.g. drywall seam and window blinds) on each wall for both cars that tell me when I have just pulled in with a couple inches to spare - and I'm never more than an inch or two off. If I had a block glued to the floor, it would just be a matter of time before one of us tripped over it when the car was out. :wiseone:

My own fault, but I put tape down on the floor like the OP and started backing in using the backup camera. I think the OP had a relatively straight shot backing in, whereas our garage is side entry with a small pad, requiring a sharp turn in (almost full lock on the steering wheel). Despite that it worked well for a couple of days, until I came home late one night and it was dark, and I tapped the wood trim framing the garage - been fronting in again ever since... :blush:
 
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Bet you anything you could get away with just putting a piece of shelf-liner foam under it.
 
Tapcons are your best choice. Be careful when drilling the holes. You have to drill at least as deep as the tapcon or they will snap when installing. Using liquid nails or better yet construction adhesive will work (liquid nails may not last) but removing the adhesive later will be a pain. If you do end up using either of those, put a heavy weight on the piece after it's glued down for at least 24 hours. A 5 gallon bucket of water (about 44 pounds) should be enough. Pressure will help set the glue.



Tapcons can be removed and the holes filled very easily.



Ronstar said:
Tapcon screws. Drill holes in floor with hammer drill and masonry bit. Then use drill to screw tapcon screws through the plastic into the holes in the concrete floor. <<SNIP>>.
Click to expand...
 
Harrald said:
Tapcons are your best choice. Be careful when drilling the holes. You have to drill at least as deep as the tapcon or they will snap when installing. Using liquid nails or better yet construction adhesive will work (liquid nails may not last) but removing the adhesive later will be a pain. If you do end up using either of those, put a heavy weight on the piece after it's glued down for at least 24 hours. A 5 gallon bucket of water (about 44 pounds) should be enough. Pressure will help set the glue.



Tapcons can be removed and the holes filled very easily.
Click to expand...

Good point with the hole depth.

Also, if you use Tapcons, don't use longer bolts than you have to. They have a tendency to break off if you're going down several inches, especially the 1/4" ones. For holding something down like that, you'd probably only need an inch or two at most.
 
+1 on Tapcons. Also, don't use the ones with a Phillips head, use the hex head versions instead. They are much easier to drive and remove.
 
The problem with concrete is that it is hard to get really clean. Any oils that it has absorbed will defeat adhesives. When I was still racing sports cars, I used to clean with oil-dri mixed with aviation gas, brushed back and forth across the oil stains. Not the safest approach but very effective. The garage still stands.

Cleaning a small patch like you need will be easier and less dangerous. I'd try acetone or MEK with the oil-dri. Maybe two applications. The concrete will look distinctively dry and white when you've gotten it clean.
 
I use two electric outlets on the garage walls to orient myself fore and aft, as well as side to side. When I am sitting in the driver's seat with the car in the proper location, one is straight ahead, right over the center of the steering wheel, and one is directly to my left. If you didn't have a handy outlet, you could just put colored stickers on the wall in the necessary places.
 
I just use the car washing towels on a rack in front of the car. When the engine fan moves them I stop. Easy problem to solve with many solutions.
 
Tesla cars have ultrasonic sensors, which are basically proximity sensors.

Are these ultrasonic sensors of any use as a parking aid? It seems to me Tesla can display clearance distances around the car as measured by these sensors on the large display.

How else will the built-in autopilot park the car later on with updated software, if not by using these sensors?


mpeirce said:
Or spend the big bucks and buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VUGP9A/
Click to expand...


Here's a DIY version.

 
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NW-Bound said:
Then, how 'bout cinder blocks? They are $1.50 at your nearest HomeDepot. To reduce slipping, a non-skid liner can be bought at a dollar store.


cinder-blocks-30165803-64_1000.jpg
Click to expand...

That'd be the cheapest way to go, until I stub my toe on it, and have to see the doctor. Then, my copay is $80 for the initial consultation! :LOL:
 
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