Basement Shop Floors

[Doug Paul]

After a break for many years it looks like I am finally going to have a shop again. It will be a basement shop about 600 sq ft. The rest of the basement will be storage, an office, and a bathroom. I’m trying to figure out what to do with the floor. It is a brand new concrete slab.

Years ago I made custom furniture as an employee. This would be a personal shop with the hopes of one day making a small side business.

I have considered acid etching and dyeing. And I’ve also considered various wood options. So what does everybody do with basement shops?

[Bill Dufour]

I just read about used roll flooring used in gyms. Some sort of supper hard rubber mat. Can be bought used for cheap.
Bill D.

[Brice Rogers]

I sealed my workshop floor with a 2-part epoxy made for concrete (medium gray). Twenty five years later it is showing a few signs of wear but still in reasonable condition. If you wanted to get fancy, buy the type that comes with different colored speckles.

If you have any water issues (seepage, wicking, efflorescence), whatever you put down may lift or bubble up.

You are wise to seal it. It'll be easier to keep clean and it won't spot.

[Jim Becker]

If you have the head room, I'd do a floating wood floor...1.5" thick PT sleepers 16" OC with 1.5" foam insulation between and a layer of plywood or Advantec for the floor. That would be much more comfortable than the bare concrete. FW did an article on this method years ago and many folks have mentioned it over time.

[Jim Fox]

Just walk on the concrete with the occasional anti fatigue mat. Thinking of switching to horse stall mats. Interlocking fatigue mats just slide around too much.

[Dan Rude]

I like the Horse/Cow stall Mats, but thinking more about the floating wood floor. John Heinz used the dimpled water proofing membrane on his basement floor with OSB on top. https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/insulation/foundation-insulation-coatings/superseal-5-0-x-65-6-dimpled-foundation-membrane/sm50150/p-1444444226423.htm I was going to just do 1 " foam, but this will allow some drainage to happen if needed. My ceiling is low though, 7' 4", so very conscience of taking away any vertical space, and I am 6'4". The heating ducts are close too, because they are below the floor joists. Dan

[Bob Falk]

Just walk on the concrete with the occasional anti fatigue mat. Thinking of switching to horse stall mats. Interlocking fatigue mats just slide around too much.

I agree, plus they are a pain to clean around. I considered mats for my shop at one time and concluded that a good pair of shoes was cheaper and easier than a shop full of mats.
My shop has concrete floors and I had extra grit put into the sealer....not slippery even with dust or shavings and is easy to sweep.

[Carl Beckett]

I put industrial vinyl tile down in mine. Polished and waxed it and it looks fantastic!! Unfortunately with even a hint of sawdust it becomes an ice rink. I cant even stand a board on end and lean against the wall else it just slips out.

So dont do that.

Recently I laid the interlocking foam tiles over it (working around the equipment) and like these. Many here do not like these. I do not seem to have the slipping issue others mention.

Prior to these I used antifatique mats but like the interlocking foam better. But it has been less than a year, so maybe by next year I will hate it.

I have also seen interlocking wood flooring that has a rubber layer to it. Looks very straightforward. Generally speaking I do not like covering stuff up/adding layers in basements, too much risk for moisture/mold to form. But if it is certain to be moisture free then it might be ok.

[Frank Pratt]

Just get a good pair of shoes. They'll do your feet more good than a shop full of rubber mats. An unfinished concrete floor works well as long as it's not too smooth. About the only downside is when something sharp is dropped. In a perfect world, I'd have a hardwood floor sanded to about 80 grit & finished with just a coat or to of BLO.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

My basement shop has a plain concrete slab as its floor... well, I painted it with a thin layer of acrylic paint. On the other hand I live in a tropical country - actually at 12 mm from Capricorn line, so I can stay at 19-22°C at 99% of the year.

If I live at more cold place I would consider a hard wood floor with some additional insulation, just in case.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Errata: 12 km, NOT 12 mm, of course!

[Tom Bender]

Peel and stick vinyl tiles work great. They don't stain easily and they sweep well. Dropped things don't get damaged. Don't wax.

[Jim Becker]

Peel and stick vinyl tiles work great. They don't stain easily and they sweep well. Dropped things don't get damaged. Don't wax.
Vinyl tile can be slick with sawdust on it, however. Take care around that!

[Frank Pratt]

If I couldn't have a wood floor (I can't), I'd just have plain concrete (I do). No maintenance, no slickness, no worries.

[John Isgren]

I just ordered these rubber rolls for my shop.

https://www.rubberflooringinc.com/rubber-roll/commercial-rubber-roll.html

[Allan Speers]

Whatever you do, I recommend first putting down some chemicals to "waterproof" the concrete. Some products are better than others (I like the type that crystalizes, and can thus fill in new cracks if they appear over time) but they all do one thing really well: They cut done on humidity coming through the floor.

Shops have lots of expensive stuff that likes to rust.

As for the surface, IMO a good quality 2-part epoxy paint is all you need. It's much nicer than bare concrete.
- But I mean a GOOD paint. High solids and oil-based. Not that stuff they sell at Home Depot for garages.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Just walk on the concrete with the occasional anti fatigue mat. Thinking of switching to horse stall mats. Interlocking fatigue mats just slide around too much.

I'm happy with my concrete floor because I can roll carts and machines easily on it, as long as I don't run into a renegade wood chip. I don't use anti-fatigue mats as they interfere with cart movement .. I use good cushioned shoes.

[Ole Anderson]

Ground, polished and sealed would be ideal. Easy to sweep. Expensive. Anti-fatigue mats in key areas if that is an issue for you. My concrete floor was already beat up so I went over it (as well as the rest of the basement) with Pergo laminate. Sweeps very well and several tools that weren't already castored just have felt pads on the legs and they just glide around. Haven't noticed any slip issues with loose sawdust. I think it looks pretty good too.

[Jack Frederick]

One of the benefits of putting an epoxy or paint type finish on concrete is that it is easier to clean. Raw concrete both produces and hangs on to dirt/dust. I used a product called Rustbullet on my shop floor and it has held up well. It was both less expensive and easier to put down than epoxy. Not as good as epoxy either, but I'm happy with it. The other reason to put some type surface of a lighter color is lighting. I had a basement shop and it was kind of a cave. Lighting and shadows were an issue. A lighter colored floor will make a basement shop a brighter place.

[Matt Day]

Rolling machines and stills and carts are a priority for me. Anti fatigue mats placed strategically work for me and I can move them. I wouldn’t do interlocking tiles or horse stall mats or gym floor everywhere, unless you have your full shop layout perfected and don’t need to roll much weight around.