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View Full Version : Introducing myself & a question on shop floor



Tim Malyszko
01-01-2007, 11:33 AM
I've been browsing the forums for some time now and finally wanted to introduce myself since I've been getting so much good information from here. This forum has influenced the majority of my recent tool purchases in one way or another. Fortunately, this year was really good for me, so I was able to pick up some of those fun tools that I never really could justify spending the money for in the past.

I got into woodworking back in high school when I was volunteering for the Special School District of St. Louis, MO. The school I worked at took in the worst of the worst from the local public schools and put them in an environment that was one part day jail and another part school. They did however, have a full woodworking shop and a fantastic woodworker on hand that tried teaching the kids that were willing to learn woodworking skills. Fortunately for me, my assignment was in the woodworking classroom.

I immediately fell in love with the hobby and to this day, still use my first project - a handy, wood tool tote made out of birch plywood. I was amazed at all the tools because you would swear from working with my dad that everything could be built using a circular saw, jig saw and sander.

Fortunately, we live in a very old house here in Webster Groves, MO that always requires work, so I'm always having to buy some new tool to get the job done. I've been able to justify it since I save so much in labor by doing it myself.

Now, 13 years later after my first experience in a real woodworker's shop, I have my own with enough tools to really churn out some neat projects. I'm currently building a cedar lined blanket chest built from soft maple with cherry panels and I'm getting ready to build a full set of deck furniture (1 umbrella table and 6 chairs) out of Afromosia to compliment the cedar deck I completed last summer.

To the question...

My woodworking shop is essentially the old 2 car detached garage that is not deep enough to even put 1 car into it. It was at one time more than likely a stable or oversized shed with a dirt floor. When the driveway was poured years ago, a garage floor was also created using asphalt.

The asphalt garage floor is very uneven and it makes it difficult to move stuff around even on casters and I'm always having to shim up my stands to make them level. Is there anything out there that I can use to level and old asphalt floor?

Thanks in advance.

Billy Chambless
01-01-2007, 11:39 AM
Welcome to the Creek, Tim!

One approach for the floor would be to build a wood floor atop the asphalt. Lay down treated 2x4s, use shims of some kind to get them level, then lay 3/4" plywood on top of them.

Ken Fitzgerald
01-01-2007, 11:40 AM
Tim...........Welcome to the Creek! I'm afraid I can't answer your question but I'm sure some other members will chime in.

Jim Becker
01-01-2007, 11:48 AM
I think that Billy's suggestion is worthy of considertation. That asphalt was probably laid by hand and it's not unusual for it to be a bit, umm...uneven. PT 2x on their sides with shims will allow you to put a little foam insulation between them before capping with T&G plywood underlayment, too, without losing much height. If it were concrete, you could do a pour of lightweight leveling concrete, but not over a soft surface like asphalt.

Oh, and welcome to the 'Creek!

Dan Oliphant
01-01-2007, 12:12 PM
Welcome to the creek Tim. How much head space do you have from the existing floor?

Tim Malyszko
01-01-2007, 12:17 PM
Welcome to the Creek, Tim!

One approach for the floor would be to build a wood floor atop the asphalt. Lay down treated 2x4s, use shims of some kind to get them level, then lay 3/4" plywood on top of them.

Wow. Thanks for the quick responses. A subfloor would be the perfect solution and should provide a very stable surface and would be a very cheap way of leveling the floor.

I'm going to start looking into it today. Once complete, I'll post some pictures to show how it turns out.

Tim Malyszko
01-01-2007, 12:47 PM
I just realized that I still need to use my garage to wax the cars and make the occassional repair, so the sub-floor may not work unless I make the middle section easily removeable.

The usable garage dimensions are approximately 17' wide by 15' deep by 7' high.

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

Dick Aubochon
01-01-2007, 1:13 PM
Hi Tim,

I also am in an old one car garage that just barely fit an old car. My dimensions are 12x20. It can be a little cramped but I manage to work in there. The actual building that was once the garage is sitting directly on the ground and showing exactly how old it is. The floor is concrete and was poured (at a later date) inside the wall perimeter. as the building sinks lower, the floor stays somewhat in place. I simply laid down 6 mil poly (on the concrete due to some moisture), 5/4x6 PT deck boards, not attached to the concrete , and finished with 3/4" advantek T&G. I also insulated between sleepers using 3/4" blue board insulation. The floor is comfortable, warm, and dry.

Don Bullock
01-01-2007, 1:24 PM
I just realized that I still need to use my garage to wax the cars and make the occassional repair, so the sub-floor may not work unless I make the middle section easily removeable.

The usable garage dimensions are approximately 17' wide by 15' deep by 7' high.

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

It sounds like you answered your own question, especially if you use the garage mostly for woodworking. If you did that you't have to find a way to make the shims a perment part of the subfloor. It wouldn't be possible to reinstall them every time you removed and replaced the floor. You would also be limited to removing the floor during good weather unless you have a place where it could be protected from the weather.