Neander-Shop.. with Carpet?

[Steven Harrison]

Looking for some advise. My wife offered to let me turn our spare basement bedroom into a hand tool shop since working in the garage isn't really enjoyable most of the year. My power tools would still live in the garage, but all hand tool activity would be conducted in a nice bedroom. The only issue I have right now is the carpet. I don't have the funds to put down new flooring, and I feel like I would rather have carpet and padding (and hopefully a vapor barrier) than tearing it out and having the concrete. I know it will be more difficult to clean, but are there any other downsides to leaving the carpet? She doesn't care if I rip it out, and eventually I'd like to put a rubber floor down. Anyone been in a similar situation?

[Tony Wilkins]

I think plane shavings would work well enough with carpet but you might get a tarp for saw dust.

[Matthew Hartlin]

I have some carpet in my basement shop. It works fine and is comfortable, but the carpet gets pretty filthy when the saw dust gets ground into it. I'd recommend a roll out garage flooring over the carpet to eliminate the issue if you hope to use the bedroom or resell the house without needing the replace or do a deep cleaning of the carpet.

[Steven Harrison]

I think plane shavings would work well enough with carpet but you might get a tarp for saw dust.


I have some carpet in my basement shop. It works fine and is comfortable, but the carpet gets pretty filthy when the saw dust gets ground into it. I'd recommend a roll out garage flooring over the carpet to eliminate the issue if you hope to use the bedroom or resell the house without needing the replace or do a deep cleaning of the carpet.

I'm not too concerned about the carpet. It's cheap builder grade and my wife hates it. We'd most likely replace it before moving even if I didn't put a shop in there. I was going to add a dedicated wet/dry vac to that room and was thinking about adding a few foam tiles around the bench area. Those might not work over carpet though.

[ken hatch]

Check out Brian Holcombe

https://sawmillcreek.org/member.php?113011-Brian-Holcombe

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

One of the forum members who does outstanding hand tool work inherited a carpeted-floor work space in his house and it has not slowed him down at all. We have joked over his carpeted shop, but he (a self-described meticulous type) not complained at all of undue cleaning issues that I can recall. Like you, he does not want a carpeted shop, but you have to roll with the punches sometimes. I do see a vac in his shop photos, but the carpet is usually fairly clear of debris and he does not shy from hand planning, chiseling and sawing tasks at all. It seems to me that you have cleared the (potentially) worst hurdle in this case - THE WIFE.

[Steven Harrison]

Check out Brian Holcombe

https://sawmillcreek.org/member.php?113011-Brian-Holcombe

ken

He does excellent work and it doesn't look like the carpet gets in his way at all. Thanks for this!


One of the forum members who does outstanding hand tool work inherited a carpeted-floor work space in his house and it has not slowed him down at all. We have joked over his carpeted shop, but he (a self-described meticulous type) not complained at all of undue cleaning issues that I can recall. Like you, he does not want a carpeted shop, but you have to roll with the punches sometimes. I do see a vac in his shop photos, but the carpet is usually fairly clear of debris and he does not shy from hand planning, chiseling and sawing tasks at all. It seems to me that you have cleared the (potentially) worst hurdle in this case - THE WIFE.

All great to know. I am extremely lucky that she's so supportive and this whole thing was her idea. The only power tool that I wish I could bring down with me is the bandsaw, but it's 220v and I just had an outlet put in the garage over the summer. Maybe in the future.

[Matt Lau]

I was going to second brian.

[mike holden]

First woodworking school I attended had carpeting in the bench area. We were asked to "police" our areas at the end of class, and did not find it difficult.
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Willow Tree Academy circa 2002

[Steven Harrison]

First woodworking school I attended had carpeting in the bench area. We were asked to "police" our areas at the end of class, and did not find it difficult.


That's great. If it's good enough for a school, it's good enough for me

[Matthew Hartlin]

I'm not too concerned about the carpet. It's cheap builder grade and my wife hates it. We'd most likely replace it before moving even if I didn't put a shop in there. I was going to add a dedicated wet/dry vac to that room and was thinking about adding a few foam tiles around the bench area. Those might not work over carpet though.

I'd go with the carpet. I actually prefer it over the foam tiles I have in another section of the shop. I do shop vac it from time to time.

[chris carter]

I would be included to try working with the carpet at first and see how it goes. It's easy to take out, but hard to put back in!!

[Andrew Seemann]

I have cheap oriental rugs in my shop in various areas that serve as anti-fatigue mats, including in front of the hand tool bench and the table saw. The only thing I notice is that the finer sawdust is hard to get out of them when I vacuum them every few months, other than that I prefer standing on them to the concrete.

[Steven Harrison]

I don't think I'm going to worry about the carpet anymore and just give it a go. Thanks everybody!

[David Eisenhauer]

Of course Brian has been accused of wearing a smoking jacket, ascot and carpet slippers while he works on his carpeted floor, but that does not appear to throw him off his feed any.

[Vincent Tai]

The key is vacuum often. Especially if your carpet isn't the tight knit stuff like Brian's. I had normal carpeting in my shop for years and the sawdust really likes to get into it. Health hazard when it builds up and you walk around with puffs of dust. Big advantages over concrete when you think about a chisel rolling off the table. Mine also saved a few boxes and the likes from getting dented in a drop/fall situation.

[Steven Harrison]

Of course Brian has been accused of wearing a smoking jacket, ascot and carpet slippers while he works on his carpeted floor, but that does not appear to throw him off his feed any.

That's called dressing for success :D


The key is vacuum often. Especially if your carpet isn't the tight knit stuff like Brian's. I had normal carpeting in my shop for years and the sawdust really likes to get into it. Health hazard when it builds up and you walk around with puffs of dust. Big advantages over concrete when you think about a chisel rolling off the table. Mine also saved a few boxes and the likes from getting dented in a drop/fall situation.

Mine isn't tight knit so I'll probably be vacuuming every few times I work. I did like the idea of some cushion for when I inevitably drop something or it rolls off the bench.

[Nathan Johnson]

I have carpet in my basement "shop." (Doubles as my exercise room.)
I collect bigger chunks and plane shavings by hand in a dustpan and then vacuum the small stuff and dust. Works fine. I also put plastic sheeting down when using an glues or finishes, just to be safe. Cheap and easy.

I did buy a cheapo vacuum though to dedicate to the shop. I didn't want to go upstairs to get it all the time and figured it would be better than sucking up sawdust all the time with the good vacuum.
A shopvac is a waste of time for sawdust in carpet.

[Steven Harrison]

I have carpet in my basement "shop." (Doubles as my exercise room.)
I collect bigger chunks and plane shavings by hand in a dustpan and then vacuum the small stuff and dust. Works fine. I also put plastic sheeting down when using an glues or finishes, just to be safe. Cheap and easy.

I did buy a cheapo vacuum though to dedicate to the shop. I didn't want to go upstairs to get it all the time and figured it would be better than sucking up sawdust all the time with the good vacuum.
A shopvac is a waste of time for sawdust in carpet.

That was my plan, to pick up the larger shavings. I guess I need to do some tests to see if my vac from the garage will work on my carpet. Good to know I might need to get a regular vacuum. Thanks

[Steven Harrison]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input! I started the hand tool migration over the weekend. Working on putting up lights now and I can't wait to outfit the space!
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[David Eisenhauer]

Lighting is very important for my older eyes. Sounds like a good plan to address it up front.

[Jon Shank]

My last shop had carpeting in it and was perfectly workable. That said, if I had the choice I wouldn't have it.
Pros- easy on the feet, especially with padding.
Cons- gets dirty quick and looks like it, I guess different pile carpets would be better or worse, but the neutral beige I had was pretty ugly pretty quick.
But a bigger issue than just looking ugly was that it held dust really badly. So unless you vacuumed really often and really well you'll be kicking up fine dust every step you take. Again, that would depend on the pile or depth of the carpet I'm sure, mine was pretty standard I dunno, 3/8 or 1/2 inch pile and it was pretty bad even if I vacuumed alot. If yours is a nice short pile that isn't going to hold onto the dust this might be a non-issue for you.
Jon

[Steven Harrison]

My last shop had carpeting in it and was perfectly workable. That said, if I had the choice I wouldn't have it.
Pros- easy on the feet, especially with padding.
Cons- gets dirty quick and looks like it, I guess different pile carpets would be better or worse, but the neutral beige I had was pretty ugly pretty quick.
But a bigger issue than just looking ugly was that it held dust really badly. So unless you vacuumed really often and really well you'll be kicking up fine dust every step you take. Again, that would depend on the pile or depth of the carpet I'm sure, mine was pretty standard I dunno, 3/8 or 1/2 inch pile and it was pretty bad even if I vacuumed alot. If yours is a nice short pile that isn't going to hold onto the dust this might be a non-issue for you.
Jon

Your carpet sounds similar to mine. I'm going to put interlocking tiles around the bench so hopefully the dust and shavings I create will fall on that where I can clean it up easier instead of the carpet. I won't be doing large rip or crosscuts in here, that will all be handled in the garage. I'm going to be picking up a vacuum that will be dedicated to this room so I can try to stay on top of it. It won't be perfect, but I think I'll like it more than my uninsulated garage.