Shop Floor Suggestions

[Jeff Ranck]

So I need some help from the collective wisdom of the forum. We're in the middle of a remodel of a home we purchased not too long ago. The home has a downstair garage are that I'm turning into a shop. The garage floor had a drain so the floor slopes toward the drain. I didn't need the drain since it isn't a garage any more, so I had them cut the drain when they redid the some of the plumbing underground in other parts of home. The question becomes what to do with the sloping floor and what to do for a shop floor.

If I lay a board across the floor, the drain is probably about 1-2" down. Not all the floor slopes to the drain, but an area about the size of a pickup truck does.

I have a guy that will use some sort of polymer material to level the floor. It is really pricy, however, about $1700 to just get the floor leveled. Then I'll still need to think about what to finish the floor with - an epoxy coating or whatever. I have relatively low ceilings since it is a basement garage and so want to keep the height/buildup of the floor as low as possible, so a tall sleeper system probably doesn't really work. I might be able to use some low sleeper system of 3/4" something shimmed appropriately for the drain slope. But what would go on top of that? I wouldn't want to put a subfloor and then flooring on top of that if it caused too much of a buildup. My concrete guy talked to the suppliers and they said that a 2" over pour of the whole floor would work. A lot cheaper than the $1700 leveling, but I also loose the 2".

I'm just about out of ideas, but can anyone think of options that I haven't considered?

Jeff.

[James Conrad]

You can buy leveling compound at most home centers, Quikrete makes a decent one for about $25 a bag.

[Jeff Erbele]

How big is the shop area and what is the ceiling height?

Filling in the sloped area with the leveling compound James suggested is not going to reduce the ceiling height along the walls. That sounds like a workable, reasonable compromise. Most concrete shop floors are not perfectly level anyway. Get it close and call it good./?

What do want in a finished floor? Wood being warmer and easier on the body; concrete being very durable?
Terrazzo floors are poured in place, self-leveling and is the finished surface with all kinds of options in appearance.
Epoxy coated floors look great, with numerous options in appearance.
Concrete paint cost less and is easier to apply.
Concrete with a sealer is very common.

If ceiling height is a real big issue, would it be feasible to remove the floor, excavate and re-pour it?
Cost and labor becomes an issue, as does drainage and water, but you gain the ceiling height and level floor.

[Jim Andrew]

You might check with your local concrete supplier, but years ago I had to put a thin layer of concrete over some existing concrete, and used a product called thorobond, or maybe thoroseal to coat the existing slab and then put a thin layer over it with regular concrete. You could paint the product on the sloping area and use a sand mix to fill in just that area, and not put a layer on the entire floor. The sand mix has fewer rocks so would be better on the thin part of the floor. Just paint the tapered part of the floor with the bonding agent, think you can let it dry, then use a 2x4 long enough to cover the entire drainage area, and place the sand mix concrete in the area and screed the mix with the 2x4 till it is filled in, then float and trowel to your satisfaction.

[Jeff Ranck]

How big is the shop area and what is the ceiling height?

The shop is about 477 sq. ft. and the ceiling height is something less than about 8'. The home was built in 1965 and around here that means about 8' for ceilings or a bit less. My shop in Seattle had 15' ceilings (except a small 8' section - which I was always banging with stuff). I'm not looking for dead flat, but a 1-2" dip right where the workbench will be located isn't going to work. I also have to get the part toward where the outer doors are more level so that water doesn't seep underneath when its wet outside.


Filling in the sloped area with the leveling compound James suggested is not going to reduce the ceiling height along the walls. That sounds like a workable, reasonable compromise. Most concrete shop floors are not perfectly level anyway. Get it close and call it good./?

I'll look into the DIY stuff, but what was down there before (another DIY job) was real cracked and had no adhesion to the underlying concrete. We had to bust it out - and all it took was a hit or two with a sledge to totally pulverize it. I'm a bit worried if it isn't done right, I'll be unhappy over time. My table saw and bandsaw aren't light, and while they won't move too often, they will move around to clear space for different projects as they progress.


What do want in a finished floor? Wood being warmer and easier on the body; concrete being very durable?
Terrazzo floors are poured in place, self-leveling and is the finished surface with all kinds of options in appearance.
Epoxy coated floors look great, with numerous options in appearance.
Concrete paint cost less and is easier to apply.
Concrete with a sealer is very common.

Ah, therein lies the problem. I think I'd prefer wood overall, but by the time I put everything in, I think I'd lose another couple of inches. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I was constantly banging my 8' ceiling in my seattle shop when I worked under the small overhang that I had at one end. You have to be pretty careful breaking down longer boards, etc.

I suspect that I'll end up with either just sealing it or putting epoxy down. Although I'm wondering about those interlocking tiles that you see in showrooms, etc. They are quite thin and seem to hold up pretty well.



If ceiling height is a real big issue, would it be feasible to remove the floor, excavate and re-pour it?
Cost and labor becomes an issue, as does drainage and water, but you gain the ceiling height and level floor.

I don't think that would be an option given it is part of the basement and has a driveway running to it, particularly given the scope of the remodel we've just finishing up to get moved into the home. At least it is heated space. I've worked in an unheated shop for so long, I can't wait to have a bit of heat!

Jeff.

[Jeff Ranck]

I'll definitely look into that stuff. Thanks for the lead!

[Alan Schaffter]

Jackhammer up the old floor and re-pour or build a framed floor.

[Jeff Erbele]

Jeff,

Thanks for the additional info. I better understand your quandary.

The previous DIY job sounds like a failure.

Jack hammering and lowering the floor may not be a good choice, given a basement on one side and a driveway on the other, especially with the concern of water coming in. Resale is something to consider as well. A future buyer may want a vehicle garage, not an unusable pit, literally.

Should you decide to jack hammer the existing floor, considering it is part of the basement, you may want to consider sawing or at least scoring the concrete to prevent busting out pieces under the basement wall, or into the basement.

I have no experience with showroom interlocking tiles you mentioned, but it caused me to think of another option:
23/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. OSB Tongue and Groove Flooring Board

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-23-32-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-OSB-Tongue-and-Groove-Flooring-Board-920924/100054132?N=5yc1vZbqpq

If you can fill in the bowl area for the former floor drain with a good quality & performing over-lay product, get the floor level or within reason and overlay it with 4 x 8 OSB T&G, you may have the best combination of your criteria, a decent, workable, wood floor while preserving ceiling height at a cost that does not break the bank. The overlay product is key.