Flooring - Install Last??

[Matt Hutchinson]

So here's the situation. I live in MI, got a low paying job that has cut back hours in the summer, and won't pick up 'til late August. I am not complaining really (I love my job), just giving some background. I have been trying to set up shop, and obviously don't have a lot of funds to do so. I estimate that I still have at least $4000 that needs to go into the building itself, the electrical, and machine repairs.

My shop is an old two stall garage, with a very undulating floor. It dips twice (once in each stall) to 2" lower than the highest points. So, not only would I be working on cement, but it's slanted (yet being cement the footing and grip is just fine).

Here's my two options:

1.) Leave the floor as is, and get a machine repaired or get the electrical run. Get the shop up and running, and deal with it. I would then simply wait about a year before putting in the floor.

2.) Lay the floor (without styrofoam insulation between the 2x4s) while the tools haven't been placed, tuned, leveled, etc.... BUT this means I have to postpone having working machinery a few more months.

I am already leaning in one direction, but do y'all have any thoughts on the matter? Thanks

Hutch

[Matt Meiser]

I say if you wait you'll never do it. I waited to paint my floor because the contractors I talked to about doing it didn't want to do it in the winter. That was 7 years ago. There's no way I'll ever do it now.

[Mike Wilkins]

Personal opinion only here. I would wait until the floor is done to begin any type of work. Working on a tilt may have some safety issues of their own. You may have to take a different approach to making a level floor than simply laying 2 X 4's down and applying foam insulation and plywood. You may have to lay them on edge, cutting tapers to match the slope, and shim where needed. Try to get as much done prior to beginning work, or the day you lay the floor may never come. Been there done that.

[Don Bullock]

I delayed getting my shop equipment into the shop for several months so that I could do the epoxy floor first. I have no regrets, Yes, I had to wait to get a functional shop, but now that it's done and all the equipment is in the shop there is no way that I could do the floor. Even though the equipment has only been in the shop for about a month the delay time is becoming a faint memory. In your situation it sounds like fixing the floor would be even more important than it was in my shop.

[Prashun Patel]

If it were me, I'd leave the floor for now. First, SOME slope in a garage is intentional for water drainage. Second, if yr finding footing not to be a concern, then who cares? Just make sure yr tools are level and adequately stable.

Make yr shelving/cabinetry all wallmounted, and keep as many of yr tools on mobile stands as poss. Clearing yr floor in the future won't be an issue at all. NONE of my tools are on mobile stands, and I moved my shop across the basement by myself in a couple hours.

[Russ Boyd]

I have to agree with Shawn. Get up and running. If you never get around to the floor, it will probably be because you really don't need too. I would think the possibility of making some extra money with the shop would be very important right now. As Shawn said...BE SURE IT IS SAFE!

[Narayan Nayar]

Also with Shawn on this one. Getting the machinery up and running safely and making stuff can potentially be an income source and at the very least, a huge emotional supplement in this work situation.

My workshop is also my 1.5 car garage and no, it's not level. That doesn't prevent me from leveling my large tools and working very efficiently and very safely. I've been doing that for 3 years now in this space, and I've made a lot of stuff in that time.

If anything, waiting to do the floor might allow you to establish a preferred workflow which gives you some insight as to whether or not to run any electrical or DC under the floor.

[Thom Sturgill]

Is it feasible to compromise? Floor one bay and put the equipment you really need level and/or don't want to move (lathe) there and still get the electrical in (at least in part). Then finish the floor, electrical, and repairs next year?

If you do that, I can pretty much guarantee that you'll do the other half :mad: whereas if you move into the shop now and level each piece separately, you'll probably just learn to live with it, and never really be happy with the shop.

[Matt Hutchinson]

I am not sure a compromise would work well. I hope to use cart to ease work flow and parts transportation, and I don't think a step up/down would prove manageable. Well, I know that I would trip enough times to wanna pull my hair out.

Thanks all for the input. I am kinda thinkin' that I should get the ball rolling and worry about the floor later. Assuming I find it safe, I think I will be able to handle an uneven floor.

Hutch

[Thom Sturgill]

... I don't think a step up/down would prove manageable. Well, I know that I would trip enough times to wanna pull my hair out.


That's why I was sure that you would finish it as soon as you could.

[Ben Hatcher]

Matt,
Is leveling the floor with 2x4s the most cost effective solution? What about having it capped with more concrete or even asphalt?

If you weren't also working fewer hours, I'd say fix the floor. However, fewer hours at work means more time to work on projects. I say get the tools running and use this down time at work to get that honey do list knocked out.

[Matt Hutchinson]

I suppose it would make me finish the rest quickly indeed! :)

Ben also brought up another important issue though. I have a fixer-upper house and there is a lot of work that could be done in that dept. Not to mention the yard. So, I guess I should take a more balanced view. Right now I have been putting all my extra time and money into the shop, and I should probably think about getting the wiring completed in the house too. :eek:

Hutch

[Jim Foster]

If you put 2x4 in, how much overall ceiling height do you lose? In the shop, any extra height is good. If you leave it for now, I'd still consider painting it with an epoxy paint. That way you can keep the floor clean of dust & grit, etc.

Also, if you have not yet leveled a floor like your suggesting, you may be in for a surprise on how hard it is to do (level) and how much time it takes. I had a garage remodeled into interior rooms and leveling the floor was a pain and took the contractor a long time, and did not come out as well as he hoped. A better way to do it would have been to have a service that levels floors for tiling come in and level the floor with the liquid material hey use and then run the 2x4s and plywood. It's not cheap though.

I vote for a good epoxy coat and and an up & running shop :)

[Matt Hutchinson]

Yeah, I looked into the cost of floor leveler and it's much more costly in the long run than to grind through hours of scribing and bandsawing the 2X4s.

As for the ceiling height, I only have 8 Ft. currently. If I scribed and bandsawed the 2x4s I would only be saving a max of 2" over simply laying them wide side flat and shimming the snot out of it. I think losing the extra 2" isn't good, but I am thinking it may not be worth the effort of the other method. I think I could live with only a 7'9" ceiling.

Hutch

[David Hostetler]

FWIW, and mine dips about 2" from the entry door from the kitchen, to the garage door openings, to allow for any water drainage to occour, This has NOT been a problem. Unless your garage floors are more like bowls or something, I wouldn't even worry about a slight slope.

It is hard to separate workshop, from home repairs as much of what goes into fixing the house, comes out of the workshop.

[Jim Foster]

I'm not sure what your ultimate goals are (we all have our own shop dreams :) ) but... when I was in my garage stall for a number of years the biggest challenge I had with the concrete floor (It dipped also) was that it was always dirty because it was bare concrete and if a chisel or some other precision tool fell it would get damaged. Other than those two issues, the concrete floor was not a problem. I can't help thinking that if I was taking over another garage stall or two, putting money and time into electrical, heat and lighting would be the most optimal use of time and resources. I don't want to dissuade you if this is important to you, just give yet another opinion. I'd also epoxy the floor.