Shop Floor Color

[John Mark Lane]

OK, here's a fun topic (I think...). I'm about to finish up the walls of my shop (T-111 over concrete furred out with PT studs). I plan to paint everything white. I have some of that 2by2 basement floor stuff on the floor (plastic honeycomb with laminate over it). On top of that, I plan to put a layer of thin plywood (probably luan). I was going to paint it gray, like most floors. Then I saw a reference to painting it "ping-pong table green", and I thought that sounded really cool. ...

Then I was thinking about it, and it seemed to me sawdust etc would show up so visibly on such a color, it might always look dusty and dirty, even after a good vaccuming. And I wondered if maybe beige might be the best color for a shop floor.

So...what are your opinions on this? Experiences? Etc?

Thanks!

Mark

[Jeff Mackay]

I'm just finishing up my floor now. I put down tongue & groove 3/4 plywood over 1x2 treated sleepers. I haven't been happy with porch paint in the past, so I looked into epoxy to paint the floors, but the local big boxes only stock either Behr or Rustoleum garage floor epoxy--both get mixed reviews, and both don't recommend putting it on wood. So I thought about it a bit, and decided to put down Armstrong Excelon commercial vinyl composition tile (VCT) instead. The color is "Cottage Tan". The tiles are about 1/8" thick, and the color goes all the way through the tile. So I'm hoping scratches and gouges won't be as visible, and that it will do a good job of camouflaging the sawdust.

Jeff

[John Mark Lane]

I'm just finishing up my floor now. I put down tongue & groove 3/4 plywood over 1x2 treated sleepers. I haven't been happy with porch paint in the past, so I looked into epoxy to paint the floors, but the local big boxes only stock either Behr or Rustoleum garage floor epoxy--both get mixed reviews, and both don't recommend putting it on wood. So I thought about it a bit, and decided to put down Armstrong Excelon commercial vinyl composition tile (VCT) instead. The color is "Cottage Tan". The tiles are about 1/8" thick, and the color goes all the way through the tile. So I'm hoping scratches and gouges won't be as visible, and that it will do a good job of camouflaging the sawdust.

Jeff

Interesting. I thought about vinyl. But I read somewhere (and it made sense) that it would be really slippery, even dangerous, with a little sawdust. I assume this is not slippery stuff? Would it be possible for you to post a photo or two?

[Kevin Groenke]

We have VCT in our shop. It's tough and resilient, easy to install, easy to clean and available in a wide range of colors. It can be slippery, especially after a bi-annual strip and wax. As long as we clean up excessive dust regularly it isn't too bad.

Ours is black though that wouldn't be my choice (hardware and other bits can be VERY hard to spot). I would probably do a checkerboard or similar pattern since it would be so easy to do so.

-kg

[Mike Cruz]

"Behr or Rustoleum garage floor epoxy--both get mixed reviews"...Hehe, no pun intended, huh? :D

John, I have to say that "wood color" is the best color for a shop floor...especially if you want to hide dust/chips. I put hickory hardwood flooring from Lumber Liquidators in my shop for $1 a square foot. Sure it is "rustic" grade, with knots, short pieces, and such, but in the long run, it makes the shop perfect for me (as a shop) and for resale the shop could be anything, including a game room...and with hickory flooring, a very nice game room at that.

[Jeff Mackay]

I'll try to post some pics over the weekend. Right now it's a disaster area. I had faux wood vinyl planks on a previous workshop floor. (it wasn't initially intended to be a workshop). Even though they were "wood" colored, they really didn't do a good job of hiding the knee high piles of dust from planing 1100 board feet of maple for flooring upstairs :) The biggest problem with the vinyl planks was that the color layer was super thin, so scratches and gouges definitely showed up.

That's why I went with the VCT. I did put a coat of wax on the VCT, and I'm telling myself now that I'll do it every six months or so. We'll see. My track record isn't too good in that regard. In past shops, I've only truly cleaned up just before putting the house on the market.

The vinyl planks weren't too slippery, and the VCT stuff doesn't seem to be too bad either. Others may disagree.

[Devon Shannon]

My floor is painted very light sea-foam green which is very close to white. I like having a light colored floor because it makes the shop look brighter, and larger. It is actually the gray colored floor mats that show the most dust and dirt. I would agree that a wood colored floor would best hide saw dust, but are you going to have much of that? I have most machines hooked up to a DC. The dirt on the floor is mostly from my shoes, and stuff falling off of firewood being carried in. My dream shop would have a floor as smooth as a seal, and would be easy to sweep. I think I would have to wear special rubber sole shoes though... to keep from slipping. I'm curious how epoxy holds up to dropped hammers, and little rocks from your shoes?

[Chip Lindley]

OK, here's a fun topic (I think...)
So...what are your opinions on this? Experiences? Etc?
Thanks!
Mark

Um...Mark, I'm stuck with a concrete slab, for better or worse. Although a light hue would be preferred, coloring it "MinWax Dark Walnut" brown would hide lots of *imperfections*!!

[Jerome Hanby]

I'm thinking crimson so the blood doesn't show...

[David Hostetler]

I am thinking about doing my floor in a beige / tan color epoxy personally. That way all the dirt I track in from the yard, and the saw dust don't stand out too much...

Okay seriously though, My house is a sort of burnt orange color, so a Beige garage floor would actually be pretty complimentary. And I am SICK and TIRED of gray...

[Prashun Patel]

I'm a fan of light colors. I have WHITE on my floor precisely so dust shows up and to reflect light. It takes a beating, but it's very practical.

I vote for a very light grey or tan if you don't have the stomach for a white floor.

[Cassandra Roads]

Hi Mark:

My father painted his workshop (which I share) with a sky-blue paint. Like others above, the light color helps lighten up the shop. Also, the sky-blue color contrasts well with most things we have in the workshop. Sawdust shows up well, as does screws, washers, nuts and other things. Few things are close enough to sky-blue to blend in with the floor.

Cassandra

[Callan Campbell]

I used to have grey floors, then switch the paint over to a light tan. Much better light reflection all the way around. I highly recommend a light colored floor with whatever material you end up with.

[Lee Koepke]

I used a denim blue stain on my floor. With the concrete sealer on it, its easy to sweep up and it makes me want to keep it cleaner than the standard ole gray concrete.

[Rollie Meyers]

I had the color tinted as a "brick red", it turned out as a salmon color due to the soil in the area.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa308/RFM959/Picture493.jpg

Regretted not mixing both kits at the same time & blending them together keep the color consistant.

[Brian Hale]

How does the color of the shop floor effect colors when it comes to stain matching and such?

Just curious

Brian :)

[Tom Rick]

I keep admiring this shop & the photo has set me to thinking about a white or very light gray floor.

Of course in the new shop I am laying oak but will pine a bit for a nice bright floor...
:)


http://tcbfinewoodworking.info/fine-woodworking/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/wood2.jpg