New Shop Started - Floor Advice

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JohnW

New User
John
Haven't been around here much the past year because all tools are in storage. That's about the change. New shop should be move in ready in a few weeks. 20' x 28' single story, 9.5' eave, behind my house on a slope with crawl space. Right now it's under roof and wraped awaiting me to start/finish the electrical rough-in. (Having a little issue with the city elec codes that change every couple of months)

I'd like your opinion on what floor to put down. The sub-floor is down and that's all I have planned for. Does anyone have any suggestions on what type of wood floor to put in? Money is running tight and I don't care if it's not perfect. Just looking for something affordable and...WOOD.

Any suggestions?
What type of wood floor do you have?

In case there are still pic police lurking around NCWW...Pics are coming.
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
Lumber Liquidators sells a cheap flooring called "utility oak", but it's still $500 for a shop that size. Another option would be to just put down ordinary plywood. With a router and long straightedge, you can give the illusion that it's separate boards. But you're still looking at $400 for that, and it's a lot of work.
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
The Wife gave me a bunch of the interlocking foam rubber tiles for Christmas. It's not a wood floor, but it is real nice to when you are standing all day. Cleans up with a broom or vacuum. And you can change the layout real easy. Each piece is 2 foot square.

Garage-Shop_236.JPG

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Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
I'll tell you what I did in my shop, but personally I like Mark's floor better.

3/4" T&G subfloor (4x8 sheets). Then two layers of 30# roofing felt. Then 7/16" OSB (4x8 sheets) laid at 90* angle to the subfloor. Two coats of a heavy duty floor paint.

HTH

Bill
 

kernnal

New User
Eric
I can tell you from experience how slippery a finished wood floor gets when saw dust is layed down...No matter how well you clean, you can't pick all of it up. Therefor, I would highly recoomend against a finish wood floor in your shop. I removed my bamboo floor and installed a padded floor system similar to the one mentioned above and love it. It is chemical resistant and easily cleaned with a shop vac and mop.

FWIW.

-Eric
 

JohnW

New User
John
Hey, Thanks for the info. I really like Mark's floor. Wanted wood because it's easier on knees and back but interlocking rubber floor would be much better. Re-configuring work areas is also a nice feature.

Does anyone know a good NC source for this type of floor? (Other than ordering on-line)

Great info...Thanks again.
 

smallboat

smallboat
Corporate Member
I'm only dealing with a garage shop but I found some utility floor mats at the local Tractor Supply.
I think they sell them for horse stalls.
I don't recall what I paid, its been a few years, but they weren't too pricey.
still it would approach the other options if you did the whole floor.

would you consider doing just the traffic areas?
looks like that's what Mark did.
If your machines are stationary (unlike mine) that might be a worthy option

They're great to stand on and friendly to dropped tools.
The grooved side up traps dust, but the shop vac sucks it out easily.
Spilled paint is another story!
 

JohnW

New User
John
There are trade-offs to most decisions. My back & knees are the priority in floor choice and I really really like Mark E's floor suggestion. (Coulda had a V-8 moment when I saw it)

All my major tools have wheels but that's because my old shop was just a bit larger than a closet. The new shop should eliminate the need to move them around so I think I'll set up shop without anything down on the subfloor. After I get settled in and satified with equip location, I'll put down plywood floor where the tools set w/ the plywood being same thickness as the rubber mats. The rest of the floor will get mats or plywood depending on where I do the most standing and walking.

I really like this floor idea. Mind is made up. Thanks.
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
Look around for a sale on the rubber tiles. They can cost $2-$3 sq/ft. My SIL got a bunch a couple of years ago at Dollar General.

This place has a sale going now. $.99 sq/ft. It's a closeout, so you may need to get them quick.
 

TBone

Tommy
Senior User
Also check close out stores. I ran up on a great deal at Big Lots couple years ago. They were selling these rubber tiles in packs of 4 for $5. I bought about $30 worth and wish I had bought more.
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
Big Lots usually has the interlocking foam rubber mats for $15 -18. The package has 6 - 2 x 2 mats & enough borders to make a 24' square.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
I got my 2x2' rubber tiles at Sam's Club. Don't remember cost but was not expensive. And they are black on one side and 4 different bright colors on the other. I used them for a while but had problems with them buckling once I had more than about 4 x 4 of them hooked together.

I have a lot of tools on casters due to limited space and moving them over the tiles was a pain. I also found that they tended to slowly migrate a few inches in one direction or the other. Maybe the ones from Sam's were too cheap to be good ones but I gave up on them for other than small spot uses.

But the wife put a bunch of them in the horse barn were some water was leaking in and really likes the way they make a nice dry path. But I digress.
 

Dudelive

New User
Dude
Big Lots is where I got mine as already mentioned before...just be sure you buy more than you need to start with, cause getting them to match later may be hard if not impossible. In areas where you do most of your standing, older feet and legs will thank you for a second layer there.
 

Drew Roy

New User
Drew
John,
If you drop into Lowe's they have a interlocking "grilled" mat that is super nice and the saw dust will go to below level and not be a slip hazard. They are 36" x 36" squares and will run $20 each.
 
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