Cork floor in workshop?

[Keith Avery]

I have been working on my shop a little at a time for about 2 years. Walls are finally painted and I am maybe 10 hours from having the drop ceiling and all lighting done. The last step before I start permanently moving machines in is the floor. It is currently a concrete slab. I was planning on putting an epoxy down, but have been thinking I might try cork. I need about 750 sqft and have found a source at about 2.50 per sqft. I have cork in my kitchen and think it is the most comfortable flooring product made. It seems pretty durable and while it comes prefinish more polyurethane can be added. I will do mostly woodworking and some restoration work on old machines in the shop. I have 3 pieces of equipment that each approach one ton(old big iron). These won't be moved often. I am pretty tall and am planning to keep most of the shop equipment on pallets, built to fit just right, to move when needed. I am thinking I would either clean all the pallet jack wheels carefully once the floor is in or maybe even wrap them in thin felt. Sandblasting, grinding, and painting will probably be done in the unfinshed part of the barn. What do you think? It is warm to walk on, great on the knees, absorbs sound well, and really reduces breaking from drops. My only major concern is tearing it up with the weight of some of the owwm.

[Bas Pluim]

I'd go for it. Much, much better than a concrete floor. And cork is pretty tough too. So what if you ding it here and there when you move heavy machinery. If it gets really bad you can always put in a patch.

[Thomas Bank]

I had looked into it for my shop and ended up the same as you being concerned about the weight of the machinery. However, keeping the equipment on pallets will distribute the load much better. Maybe get a sample of the cork and put it under one of your machines for a week to see how much it compresses?

[Sam Murdoch]

Lay plywood pads under each machine and then enjoy a very luxurious floor. I would be envious if I allowed myself such trite feelings :D.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Keith
Why not place your largest machines in place and lay your cork flooring around them? In the 1940's machine shops that worked on the war effort often had 4" x 4" end grain pine or dougfir floors, about 3 inches thick. Dropped items did not need rework. All the one I have seen are covered with a black paint. Tom

[Carl Beckett]

Same questions here Keith. I like the idea of cork, but am concerned its too soft and once down nothing would roll on it.

The big heavy machines I do roll in and out, but with cork even a modest weight might dig in.

Im considering old fashioned vinyl tile. Still not soft, but better than concrete (maybe?).

If all your big stuff stays in place, then cork would be a great luxury!

[Brian Elfert]

Keith
Why not place your largest machines in place and lay your cork flooring around them? In the 1940's machine shops that worked on the war effort often had 4" x 4" end grain pine or dougfir floors, about 3 inches thick. Dropped items did not need rework. All the one I have seen are covered with a black paint. Tom

I've been in an old building that had a floor like that. How do the pieces of wood stay in place? Are they laid on concrete or just right on sand like pavers?

It has been a long time since I was in that building. I'm not sure if that type of floor would be much better than concrete for the body.

[Todd Burch]

How thick is the cork? How is it laid? PSA or contact cement?

Todd

[Damon Stathatos]

For moving them in on a pallet jack, you could use two sheets of plywood as a 'runway' over the cork. Obviously, when you get to the end of the second sheet, move the first in front of it and then keep going.

I had either forgotten or didn't really realize that they use cork for flooring. Sounds like a great idea to me. The idea is a non-starter for my shop (12k sq. ft.) buuuut...the floor in my (small) office really needs replacing. Needs painting and patching too. Probably new lighting as well...darn you...now look what you've got me into !!!

[Kevin Groenke]

what about recycled rubber?

tougher than cork, easy on dropped tools/work, looks nice, kind-of a bear to sweep though.

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/all-rolls.html

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246697

[Carl Beckett]

what about recycled rubber?

tougher than cork, easy on dropped tools/work, looks nice, kind-of a bear to sweep though.

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/all-rolls.html

-kg
246697

yes! that is my #2 choice. And if you look you will find some on clearance at $1/ft

[mike holden]

Keith
Why not place your largest machines in place and lay your cork flooring around them? In the 1940's machine shops that worked on the war effort often had 4" x 4" end grain pine or dougfir floors, about 3 inches thick. Dropped items did not need rework. All the one I have seen are covered with a black paint. Tom
Those types of floors are still used in many stamping plants, the presses on isolated concrete pads. The flooring is both durable and kind to your body (and tools!). BTW, that is not black paint, but an oil based preservative - similar to the black creosote on telephone poles.
Mike

[Thomas Bank]

Keith
Why not place your largest machines in place and lay your cork flooring around them? In the 1940's machine shops that worked on the war effort often had 4" x 4" end grain pine or dougfir floors, about 3 inches thick. Dropped items did not need rework. All the one I have seen are covered with a black paint. Tom

The term for them is "cobblewood" floors. I've seen some done with fairly thin pieces - about the same as a standard hardwood floor. But the old factory floors were a foot thick or more. I seem to recall that there are cobblewood floors in the Smithsonian in some places?

[Brian Backner]

How about ResinDek?

[Ole Anderson]

Is your cork just thin cork squares, sticky back or glue down or is it engineered to float with a snap lock fit and some type of ply or other backing? I did my bedroom in cork from HD, it was about twice the price you are getting but it was snap lock and went down like a charm. It has a durable aluminum oxide type finish (hard on blades). It would be nice in the shop, but I would be concerned with rolling heavy equipment on it.

[Keith Avery]

The cork is a floating floor with a click installation method. I did my hardwoods and cork(master bath, laundry, and kitchen) in my house and I must say the cork installation was much easier than the hardwood. Clean up on the cork is simple, the difficulty of cleaning dust off rubber makes me very leery of a rubber product. The flooring is total thickness of about 13/32", with a finished top layer of cork that is about 3/16" then an inner material(sometimes it is mdf type material, sometimes it is more like a super compressed felt) that is about 3/16", and then cork again on bottom. The bottom cork looks just like a cork bulletin board, it is somewhat grippy and doesn't move easily once laid down without some lifting.