Wooden shop floors

[Peter Scoma]

So I just finished the basement remodel on my new (to me) home and will be moving all of my tools out into the garage to make room for the carpet guy. As I mentioned in a previous thread, my future shop will be a 1/2 car garage measuring 9 x 10 ft with a magnificent ceiling height of just under 7 feet! Ive drawn it out to scale several times and plan to fit a 6" joiner, 10" SCMS, rollaway and chest, drill press, planer and 7ft cabinet bench with just enough room left to breathe.

I've always wanted a nice wooden shop floor that wouldn't destroy my chisels should I clumsily drop one and is nice to stand on for long periods of time. Being that the space is a total of 90sq ft, I was thinking of quickly laying some 3/4" utility oak flooring before I moved everything in. There will be large carriage doors replacing the overhead door to give me additional height and enable me to hang some lights. The driveway slopes away from the garage so i'm not superconcerned about water coming in and ruining the floor but just thought i'd seek some feedback from those with wooden floors before taking the plunge.

Are your wooden floors worth it in your opinion??

PS

[Jim Becker]

If I could fund putting in a wood floor, I'd do it in a second. Much easier on the feet and just plain nicer to look at!

[Chip Lindley]

A wood shop floor WOULD be nice!! But, beware of just throwing in a wood floor below grade without proper construction. It's *Just a shop* but if you go this route, you risk dry rot, mold, and mildew if wood is laid directly over concrete.

Remember, LEAKS HAPPEN! Water heater, water softener, washer hose, or a foundation crack can send water pouring into your basement overnight!

There are some nice industrial MATS that can be thrown down where you stand! I would go this route over concrete rather than invest in anything *sub-standard*!

[Sonny Edmonds]

Wise advice, Chip. My shop has those mats that interlock in the walk ways, over concrete floors. Just partway...

I've spent my whole life on concrete it seems. If I was to put down a wooden shop floor, I would probably use OSB because it is so cheap to use.
But I just walk on the concrete and don't pay it no mind. ;)

[Roger Frazee]

Not a woodworker but I see no reason not to do this to a small shop. I wired one several years ago that was similar to what you describe. the shop was still open studs of course. He brought in a metal man/roofer. He spread a asphalt mastic over the concrete after determining it was a dry enough slab. Otherwise just forget it. He then flash panned the perimeter. Then a layer of poly (pretty thick stuff I remember). Then 3/4 treated marine grade ply and they gapped it. Then laid 6" wide 3/4 oak planking not tight to the walls just gapped enough for trim to cover. Anyway I believe that floor is still good after about 20 years now. Anyway the shop is not overly large so to do it right whatever that might be could be worth a bit of investment to get the wood floor. I suupose the biggest issue is water leaks occurring and is it a dry slab.

[Tom Clark FL]

While I'm sure that standing on a wooden floor would be better than concrete, I went with a slightly different idea. This is the second shop that I have laid a carpet remnant in the work area.

It is wonderful for standing on, and is very cheap. The first time carpet was used it was with the idea of just replacing it when it got worn or ratty looking. I used it for nine years and tossed it when moving to the current shop.

The current remnant is 11 years old and still going strong. A shop vac is used for cleaning up now and then.

Just one more idea to toss around, and certainly an inexpensive one…

[Bob Slater]

My problem is that I have a crazily uneven floor, so it is a pain to roll anything across. It is above grade. I am either going to have to figure a way to pour a new level floor over it, rip it up entirely, or maybe a shimmed wooden floor might be a better solution. I was thinking maybe if I used the Drycore squares at Home Depot that were properly shimmed, then put some cheap oak over it (if cheap oak exists) that would be a good solution. It would be nice if it came out like those old floors in hardware stores, rather than a glossy plastic finish. I have about 400 sq feet to do, so cost /benefit comes into play.

[Sonny Edmonds]

My problem is that I have a crazily uneven floor, so it is a pain to roll anything across. It is above grade. I am either going to have to figure a way to pour a new level floor over it, rip it up entirely, or maybe a shimmed wooden floor might be a better solution. I was thinking maybe if I used the Drycore squares at Home Depot that were properly shimmed, then put some cheap oak over it (if cheap oak exists) that would be a good solution. It would be nice if it came out like those old floors in hardware stores, rather than a glossy plastic finish. I have about 400 sq feet to do, so cost /benefit comes into play.

Oh, cheap Oak exists.
They call it "pallets". :D
I used to just saw it off the stringers because there wasn't enough wood where the nails are for the bother.

[Joe Chritz]

Unfortunately you will have to lay sleepers and a subfloor before putting down hardwood. You could likely get by with 2x4 treated on the flat and 3/4 OSB for a total height loss of 3" after the hardwood is in. Standing them upright is better but you lose another 2 inches.

If I could afford a wooden floor in mine I would have it yesterday. I wish I would have spent the money and had a pro do the floor so it was a bit flatter which is the real reason I would switch to wood. Mats are cheaper and easy to move around but if you will be there for a lot of years it shouldn't be to much for your shop.

You need 11 2x4x10, 4 sheets subfloor, some plastic vapor barrier and suitable nails. I would also run a bead of construction adhesive under each sleeper. Probably $200 or so before the hardwood floor.

Joe

[Rich Souchek]

Peter,
With 7' of headroom, if it was my shop, I wouldn't give up one inch of the headroom.
Got some 1/2" black,sponge rubber mat by my lathe to stand on that is near perfect. Think it came from a borg for relatievely small money. I cut away the area where the lathe feet are so it slips about 8" under the lathe. Give me real nice footing and protects my tools when they drop.
I wouldn't do the entire shop either, just where one will be spending a lot of time stationary.
Rich S.

[Brian Backner]

Bob,

You might want to consider an old style of floor that used to be put into machine shops. It would work very well, though it would be a lot of work, with a sloping floor.

I've been in several 100+ year old shops that had pine floors - on end. Think square edged 2x4's on end glued to the floor. End grain is much stronger in compression and one of the shops I was in several years ago had 25-50+ TON machines sitting on it with no real damage evident.

You would need to cut the bottoms to fit the slope of the floor and use some relatively waterproof glue to attach them to the floor. Do NOT glue the pieces to each other, however. If you were ever to destroy one somehow, this would allow you to chisel it out and replace it by merely slipping a new into place.

Such floors can be anywhere from several inches to several feet (yes, feet) thick, depending on the application and weight of the machinery to be placed on it. For the typical home woodworking shop, regular old pine or fir 2x4's several inches longer than that needed to take out the most deeply sloped part of the floor would be fine and should hold up with no problem.

For really heavy machinery, white oak was typically used here in New England, where it was fairly abundant 100 years ago. There was one shop that went out of business several years ago in Lowell, MA - a salvage company came in and bought just the floor - all white oak, 20" long 3x6"s and 87,000 square feet! They only paid $5k for it - must've take 5 times that for the labor to remove it, but they were happy, they ended up with a gazillion 18" long 3x6" chunks of beautiful white oak.

Let's see, that would be approximately 1.3 Million board feet for $30,000. Not bad at all.

Brian

Anyway just a thought.

[David Freed]

Unfortunately you will have to lay sleepers and a subfloor before putting down hardwood. You could likely get by with 2x4 treated on the flat and 3/4 OSB for a total height loss of 3" after the hardwood is in. Standing them upright is better but you lose another 2 inches.
Joe

If you really want a wood floor, I would go this route. I think Chip's suggestion of industrial mats would be easier on the feet and legs than a wood floor, and you wouldn't lose as much ceiling height. I have seen the floors that Brian is talking about in a few old factories I have been in. As he said they are incredibly strong and durable.

[Peter Scoma]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

If you think I definitely need sleepers then the floor will just be painted as I cant spare the headroom. I was thinking of laying a vapor barrier on the floor, shooting OSB over that and then laying the floor. Also, just to clarify the floor of the garage isn't below grade. Its nice and smooth and crack free. The oak flooring is around 89 cents sq foot at lumber liquidators. If you check it out look at the reviews; one guy used it in his shop and snapped a couple pics.

PS

[Thomas Bank]

You might want to consider an old style of floor that used to be put into machine shops.

all white oak, 20" long 3x6"s and 87,000 square feet!

Those are referred to as "cobblewood" floors. Not sure that you're going to be able to do that without losing too much headroom. You won't need the 20" long, but you're also not going to be able to do it with 3/4" or 1" pieces...

Peter, I see you refer to "utility" flooring. If you're talking about Lumber Liquidators, I just put in a 3/4" hickory utility grade floor from them in my woodshop. Turned out nicely, but one word of warning is that they mention that it "includes" short pieces under a foot. I'd say that most pieces were under 18" long. Just an FYI to think about.

[Michael Koch]

Pete, I just did that for my shop. 600 sq feet. I put down a vapor barrier on the concrete, then tongue and groove plywood. Nailed it right to the concrete. I found some very nice white oak flooring from a local flooring guy that he could not get rid of because to the rough times that the builders are having. bargined for 1.00 per sq ft. Put it all down with an air stapler. Here is what it turned out like. It is much better on the knees and body overall. Hope thi[/URL]s helps. MK

[URL="http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=109223&d=1233959799"]http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=109223&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1233959799 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=109223&d=1233959799)

[Ed Rosen]

You may want to consider these

http://www.ovrx.com/basement-flooring.html

or

http://www.dricore.com/en/eIndex.aspx

v. easy to install - don't need to lay anything else on top - very easy on the feet

I used the OVRX in the basement shop I am building

I believe both are available through Lowes.

[John Messinger]

I bought 7/16" OSB at Lowes last spring for under $6.00 a sheet. If it gets moldy or soft, I'll buy some more. This is my shop floor and it paid for itself with just a few dropped tools. I feel it is much better on the feet and knees, and is less expensive and quicker to heat the shop.

[Peter Scoma]

I looked at the dricore system Ed which actually costs more than laying sleepers, ply or OSB, then quality flooring. I'm still on the fence. The local lumber liquidators near me has walnut, ask, hickory, pine and oak utility flooring in stock so I'm gonna drop in this week and have a look.

Certainly I dont NEED a hardwood floor as cheap ply will serve the same purpose but the thought of a solid walnut floor seems so nice. Also, I recently discovered that the ceiling in the shop is a plaster material my electrician calls "2 inch solid" with blown insulation above it. I may knock it down to give me some storage space between the rafters which will raise the ceiling height a few inches. I've been standing on 2x4 scraps to simulate how low the ceiling will be with a wood floor and its not to bad. Before I do anything I need to build 2 monster carriage doors for the garage so I can trash my overhead door so I still have some time to think. Thanks for all the great feedback everyone.

PS


You may want to consider these

http://www.ovrx.com/basement-flooring.html

or

http://www.dricore.com/en/eIndex.aspx

v. easy to install - don't need to lay anything else on top - very easy on the feet

I used the OVRX in the basement shop I am building

I believe both are available through Lowes.