Neander shop and floor comfort

[Zahid Naqvi]

I have used the usual interlocking floor mats off and on for several years, but I hate them for various reasons. They are not the most steadfast surface for hand tool work in that if I am planing something they will slip and slide all over the place. They are a bear to clean dust and shavings off, and provide a very minimal protection to tools falling off (which almost never happens in my case -knock on wood- so that is not a big concern).
Just curious as to what others are doing to avoid standing on a concrete floor for extended periods when working on a project.

[john davey]

Sadly my basement shop floods from time to time so I am forced to stay with cement. I wear my crocs down there and they are surprisingly comfortable on the cement. I am gouing to get the pads you use but that is no help to you. If I had my druthers and a dry environment I would have a wood floor....John

[john brenton]

I have some kind of exercise mat that I found in the dumpster. I don't keep it at the bench, but I have it at the lathe. For some reason I get a lot of fatigue at the lathe. I suppose it's because I'm always moving at the bench, but pretty much stand in one spot at the lathe.

I think every mat is a PITA to get the shavings off of. I just take mine out and beat on it a few times every once and a while.

[Bob Stroupe]

I had an old tight weave carpet with cushion out of a bedroom in the house that I couldn't seem to give away. So, I cut it up and used it in front of the workbench. The carpet is slightly larger than the cushion so it stays covered up. It's very comfortable. The cushion seems to have enough grip to keep things from sliding around, but i bet carpet tape will most likely fix it if it does. It can be kind of a pain to clean though. Small wood chips and splinters in particular like to stick in it. A vacuum will take care of them, but I generally don't worry about it.

[Jeff L Miller]

I used a wooden OSB and plastic product called dri core http://www.dricore.com/en/eIndex.aspx

It is a tongue and groove product one can easily fit to any floor. No glue or fasteners, it simply slides together. Each piece is 2' X 2'.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af91/anneandjeffro/P1010006-2.jpg

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af91/anneandjeffro/P1010012-2.jpg

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af91/anneandjeffro/P1010020.jpg

Took an afternoon to install in a 175 sf shop and I like the result. The wooden top has a plastic layer glued to the bottom which is supposed to deter moisture transfer to the room. My floor was always dry so that was not an issue. The floor was not level however, and I was able to make it much better by shimming where appropriate.

I also finished the top with a coat of shellac and it seems to hold up well, a whole lot better than standing on concrete while trying to work in the shop.

Jeff

[Ben Beckham]

My shop is the sunroom of my rental house, which has ceramic tile flooring on a concrete slab. Rental means changing the floor is out. I keep wanting to put something down there, but have yet to find anything SWMBO approves of. Apparently, the room must remain "presentable." Frankly, I see nothing un-presentable about shavings and tools and half-finished projects, but that's another argument.

I'm interested to see if anyone has an inventive solution.

[Jim Matthews]

I have two floor mats, like this (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10672&Max=999) from Rockler.
One is the full length of my bench, the other is half that size.
I can generate sufficient force from these to move my bench while resawing.

I'm migrating to the the OvRX (http://www.ovrx.com/basement-flooring.html) polystyrene/osb panels.
I've used them before, and they're dead solid. Quiet to walk on and they act as a moisture barrier.

I like them for their ease of assembly. They can be cut to fit corners with a handsaw or power tools.

[Derek Gilmer]

I wear crocs as well when working in the garage. My only complaint is they get pretty slick with saw dust.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I have a pair of sneakers that seem to work pretty well avoiding getting slick with sawdust, but eventually even they get a little slippery - in the summer I move the boot brush inside to make getting the sawdust off my shoes easier . . .

We use some rubber mats at work - (I work in a semicon factory) and they're surprisingly comfortable when you're standing in one area, maybe moving around a bit, doing tasks in front of a machine for a while. They don't seem to slide around much at all on the smooth industrial tile floors, but they may be attached to floor with carpet tape, I'd have to check. They have a "bumpy" surface, of inch round dome type spheres rising up, and the ones we use in some other areas outside of the clean room are the restaurant kitchen type, a thick mat made like a lattice work - debris gets pushed aside into the lattice, and then can be cleaned up when needed by lifting the mat and sweeping out from under it. I'll have to see who makes them when I go in tomorrow.

I'd imagine someplace like McMaster or Grainger or something that sold to industrial places would be a good place to start looking, although I have no idea how much these things cost, as they're going to be marketing to places where standing for long periods of time, and preventing sliding around is an issue. I mean, I'm on my feet for most a 12 hour shift, so somebody has looked at these things. Restaurant supply companies might be another good place to look - their mats are often available in both quite large sizes and interlocking versions.

The biggest difference for me, at work at least, was investing in good insoles, and learning to shift my position around, not stand in one position with legs locked for too long. Even just a slight shift every now and then helps.

[Andrae Covington]

I use a 2'x5' mat at my bench similar to what Jim shows, which I bought at Woodcraft some years ago. It is about 3/8" to 1/2" thick, so does provide some cushion, though I think thicker would be better. The surface is pretty flat, with just shallow texturing for grip. I have not had problems slipping and sliding, unless I'm standing on a pile of shavings, though the mat does occasionally shift a little. The minimal texture and no through holes makes it pretty easy to clean up with a broom and/or shopvac. I only wish that it was longer... say about 12 feet to provide "take off" and "landing" room when planing long boards. For stationary work though, it is more than long enough.

I had not seen the osb panels before, interesting system. In my humid basement I'd be concerned about trapping moisture between the concrete and the vapor barrier, potentially causing mold? I get efflorescence stains on the floor and underside of the mat as it is, but the mat only covers a small area and is easily removed periodically to sweep the floor.

[Jerome Hanby]

I've worked out a careful regimen of absent minded, practically random, setting tools and materials down. This keeps me in constant motion trying to actually accomplish something and usually ends in a refreshing course of primal scream therapy.

[Jay Maiers]

A lot of people seem to like horse stall mats. By default, they've got to be pretty easy to clean, but I wonder if they get slippery when you add sawdust?

[Jim Matthews]

I've used these before, directly on a slab that "sweated" all Summer.

Theoretically, these panels interlock so tightly that there is no air movement that wicks moisture out of the air.
As to efflorescence coming through the floor, no system will prevent this given the power of hydrostatics (a little water for a long time = Grand Canyon).


UGL Paint (http://www.ugl.com/drylokMasonry/masonryWaterproofer/latex.php) claims to be an effective barrier against that sort of infiltration, but I haven't tested it.

In that case, I would recommend sleepers of either PT lumber or composite decking with a hard foam overlay and plywood top layer.
If the sleepers are only glued in place with construction adhesive, they can be refreshed after a few years.

The OvRX and DriCore systems are much easier to install, and attractive for that reason.

FYI - The OvRX company also has a wall panel that I won't bother to use, as my walls effloresce each Spring when our rainfall peaks.
I'm considering an insulation blanket (http://www.jmhomeowner.com/insulation/install/basementandcrawlspace.asp), instead.

[Scott Stafford]

I'll have to check for the brand name, but I'm using one of the new generation linoleum products that have no memory and lay perfectly flat. This product also has about a 1/4" of rubber backing that makes it perfectly cushy. I'd have to check on the stock widths but I think it's 12 or 13 feet.

It is perfect in areas that might flood since it can be rolled up and taken outside, washed, dried in the sun, re-rolled, and re-installed. There is no need for adhesion of any type.

Although I have dropped chisels on it, I've never noticed any scars. If it should get cut, you can actually cut out the damaged area and glue in a patch; it's almost invisible in their sample.

And did I mention..... it's pretty cheap. I think it starts at about $1.40/square foot. I slipped an installer a twenty to cut it to shape for me and then I just rolled it out.


Scott in Montana

[Mike Olson]

I'll have to check for the brand name, but I'm using one of the new generation linoleum products that have no memory and lay perfectly flat. This product also has about a 1/4" of rubber backing that makes it perfectly cushy. I'd have to check on the stock widths but I think it's 12 or 13 feet.

It is perfect in areas that might flood since it can be rolled up and taken outside, washed, dried in the sun, re-rolled, and re-installed. There is no need for adhesion of any type.

Although I have dropped chisels on it, I've never noticed any scars. If it should get cut, you can actually cut out the damaged area and glue in a patch; it's almost invisible in their sample.

And did I mention..... it's pretty cheap. I think it starts at about $1.40/square foot. I slipped an installer a twenty to cut it to shape for me and then I just rolled it out.


Scott in Montana

Scott,

I'm VERY interested in this product for several areas. Please do share the brand & name of it.

Thanks,
Mike

[Scott Stafford]

Okay Mike, here is what I have. It is sold in the USA by International Vinyl Corporation and I believe the product name may be Flextech. I comes in 13' 2" widths but is easily seemed of just butted up next to the next piece. Here's the poor website for it: http://www.ivcgroup.com/us/Products-2.html?op=product_step_01&sSearchMode=selection# They have a specification link on this page.

I find that it is just the right amount of padding for me. However I mainly bought it initially for protecting chisels I might drop and for easy clean up. It had a bit of static cling for the first week or two but that subsided to zero. In your humidity I doubt you will ever see any.

If I am flattening a large piece of material with a plane or standing relatively still for long periods of time working on inlays, I will pull out my thick 30" x 50" anti-fatigue mat that I bought before I found the Flextech. I find it too small and too cushy for everyday use... and it was a couple hundred dollars.

Hope this helps you find the product.


Scott in Montana

[Scott Stafford]

Mike,

I was wrong on the Flex Tech name. That's the adhesive they use if you should need to stick it down in a commercial use. Mine is free floating and doesn't move.

Scott in Montana

[Scott Stafford]

One further addendum.

I just got a return call from my flooring retailer. The product's actual name is Flexitec. Too similar to the adhesive's name if you ask me. Here's a link to one of the internet dealers: http://vinylflooring.org/ I see that some patterns are much cheaper than what I paid; some at .84 per foot.

Scott in Montana

[Dominic Greco]

A lot of people seem to like horse stall mats. By default, they've got to be pretty easy to clean, but I wonder if they get slippery when you add sawdust?

I've gotten my horse stall mats wet plenty of times. Especially when turning wet wood. I never had a problem with slipping on them. Plus their weight makes vacuuming up a breeze. You can't say that about those light weight floor mats. What a PITA they are! Every time I'd use a shopvac it's pick them up!

[jamie shard]

+1 on horse stall mats... except I call them cow mats <shrug> :)

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

My shop is the sunroom of my rental house, which has ceramic tile flooring on a concrete slab. Rental means changing the floor is out. I keep wanting to put something down there, but have yet to find anything SWMBO approves of. Apparently, the room must remain "presentable." Frankly, I see nothing un-presentable about shavings and tools and half-finished projects, but that's another argument.

I'm interested to see if anyone has an inventive solution.

Ha, that's the same situation I have. Only swap "guest room" for "sun room." Right now our "guest room" is about a foot deep in shavings! I guess I'll tell her we're having a giant hamster visit. Luckily I'd just finished trying out my new shop vac a couple weeks ago when the landlord's fixit guy came by to check our smoke detectors. You could see the floor then.

Only thing I can add here is that I keep a big piece of half inch thick hard foam insulation I had left over from lining a shipping crate. I stand on it for both the padding and the difference in height when needed. I'm working on a poorly sized "bench" so it helps. Not ideal but having something soft makes a big difference.

[Zahid Naqvi]

So I guess the best option for me right now is to get old of some crocs, that is until I can find a local source of horse/cow mats. Considering I live in Texas I should be able to find something locally.

[McKay Sleight]

I have used horse stall mats at the jointer and the planer. IMHO they do not get slippery. I have used the interlocking mats at the workbench but every time I use the #5 and #6 to plane, the stupid things would move and un-lock. I taught high school shop for 31 years and my legs and feet always killed me. I finally found a pair of shoes that work extremely well. I do not think that we can name brands on this blog, but having said that,:rolleyes: I will chance being censored. Reebok makes a shoe called the ZIGTECH. They are about $100 dollars. I bought another pair yesterday. Cleaning the shop floor is SOOOO much easier now without those stupid mats in the way. I gave my mats to a fellow shop teacher. He can now cuss them instead of me. :)

[Mike Olson]

I just checked out the tractor supply web site and it's $40 for a 4' x 6' horse stall mat. I'm going to be heading out to the store maybe this weekend and take a look. I used to use Crocks in the shop but a little bit of sawdust under them and they slipped. I now use an old pair of loafers, not as comfy but much more traction.

[Jay Maiers]

I just checked out the tractor supply web site and it's $40 for a 4' x 6' horse stall mat. I'm going to be heading out to the store maybe this weekend and take a look. I used to use Crocks in the shop but a little bit of sawdust under them and they slipped. I now use an old pair of loafers, not as comfy but much more traction.

I'm sure you're planning on it, but please post your opinion. I think the nearest Tractor Supply store is an hour from my house, but I'll be passing by in a couple of weeks and will make plans to swing by if it is worthwhile.

[jamie shard]

Agree, cow mats aren't that bad when covered with sawdust and shavings. The concrete floor in my basement (pre- mat covered) would get very slick with a little sawdust. Wasn't kind to dropped chisels either, not that ever happened. Just one word of warning: they are stinky until they air out. Kinda like car tires... probably what they're made of!