“The garage has become an extension of peoples’ homes,” says Don Sneed, president of Better Life Technology, a company that specializes in easy-to-install garage flooring. In addition to being bigger than they were a few years ago, garages are also becoming showplaces, with painted walls, custom storage and even fancy floors.

If you’d like to keep your new garage looking new, or give your older garage a facelift, start at the bottom, so to speak, with the G-Floor roll out garage flooring from BLT a Kansas-based company. The coin-patterned flooring is easy to install, durable and attractive.

Created by Don’s son Brett, the G-Floor, made of specially formulated polyvinyl, hides cracks and stains while protecting floors from oil, battery acid, grease, brake fluid, antifreeze, salt, mud and other dirt that finds its way into the garage. The G-Floor puts a moisture and vapor barrier between the cold concrete and parked vehicles, making it a favorite of car buffs.

“Anyone who lives in a colder climate knows what a mess winter snow, slush and salt can make both in the garage and in the house,” says Sneed. Because the G-Floor resists mildew and rot, it is perfect for damp areas, unlike carpeting. “Not only does our flooring beautify your garage, it also helps in keeping dirt outside, where it belongs.

The flooring comes in six attractive colors, and installation is a snap: Simply unroll and cut to size using a utility knife, overlapping or butting the flooring together for seamless protection and a custom fit; no adhesives are required. The flooring comes in a variety of different widths, up to 10 feet wide, and a typical garage will require two or three rolls of flooring, at a cost of $500 to $1,000. To clean, simply hose off the floor.

Among the company’s happy customers is Steve Scalise of upstate New York. He says the product “protects my floor through our harsh winters, and it cleans up with ease. People who come to visit always comment on the floor.”

Once you’ve finished sprucing up your garage, consider other uses for the G-Floor. The coin pattern looks great in other areas of the house, such as a workshop, laundry room, basement storage room, even a wine cellar. The floor is great for these areas, since it provides enough cushioning action to make it more comfortable to stand and walk on, offers impact resistance in case of dropped tools or wine bottles, and the surface pattern lets spills be easily wiped up.