Garage flooring

[Dick Sylvan]

I am trying to upgrade my current garage workshop into something more user friendly. I currently have a concrete floor which I would like to either paint or cover with wood flooring. One thing that I would like to avoid, if I can, is completely emptying out the garage as I have nowhere to put my tools ,etc. That is one of the reasons I was thinking of wood over concrete rather than epoxy paint; I could do part of the floor, then move tools onto new floor and do the next section. However, it seems that applying wood flooring over concrete requires sealers/vapor barriers, etc. Anybody have any suggestions as to how to get this done relatively simply? Thanks.

[john tomljenovic]

you can epoxy paint one half at a time. I know I did.

[Jim Becker]

If wood is an option, that's really great. Typical installation would be T&G ply over 2x laid flat as sleepers over a polyethylene vapor barrier. Foam insulation between the sleepers helps keep things cozy and provides additional support. You might also get away with 3/4" T&G ply glued together and floating over a poly vapor barrier if your floor is flat and even, but sleepers give you a little more structure.

Painting would be "easier" in a sense, although all the cleaning is both essential and time consuming work.

One thing...is your concrete floor sloped or level? (Many garages are sloped for drainage)

[Pat Germain]

Wood would certainly be easier on your feet and joints. After I'm in my concrete-floored garage for awhile, my dogs are barking! (I need to get some of those rubber pads). I think the wood option would be worth the effort, if you could make it happen.

If you read far enough into the New Yankee Workshop web page, you'll find the one thing those folks regret is going with a concrete floor instead of wood; for the same reason I mentioned.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

When a discussion of flooring materials for a shop occurs I feel that consideration for GOOD SHOES is in order.:) Quality foot wear will make a world of difference in foot comfort in a shop. Red Wing work shoes are highly regarded. It is certainly worth a shot. Even good shoes are much less expensive than putting in a new floor.

[mark page]

I'm on the dogs 60 hrs a week in my day job and I have always used Redwing shoes/boots. And they last forever if taken care of. I know it sounds strange, but when I purchase new boots, I first soak them in water for a short time and then wear them dry. You must pick a day that you can do this without discomfort like around the house on a weekend. This conforms them to your feet faster than anything and they are to me more comfortable. This is for leather boots and non insulated. I haven't tried this with insulated ones as I am afraid it may affect the linings, and would take virtually forever to dry when wearing. My Redwing boots average about an eight year cycle before I wear them out and back again for another pair.

[Dick Sylvan]

One thing...is your concrete floor sloped or level? (Many garages are sloped for drainage)

Yes, I think it is slightly sloped toward the front. Does that hurt anything? It appears to be flat, but I really have no way to check. I would think 3/4" plywood would rise and fall with slight variations in flatness.

[Sam Shank]

You can lay engineered wood over concrete. The bottom 1/2" is plywood, and the top 1/4" (or so) is solid hardwood. It doesn't cost much more than solid wood, and can come prefinished or unfinished. You will need to put a trowel-able vapor barrier down. The place you buy the wood from will have this and tell you how to do it. It's easy. Pretty much pour it on from a 5 gal bucket, and then squeegee it around. You can glue your floor on top of this rubberized barrier. The barrier will fill cracks to 1/4" (maybe 1/8", I forget), add moisture protection from the concrete, and some cushioning.

I'm sure if you google engineered wood floor concrete you'll get hundreds if not thousands of hits.

Good luck, Sam

[Doug Shepard]

I did my epoxy painting in two halves also. But another option might be the large rubberized tiles that snap together.

[Dick Sylvan]

I did my epoxy painting in two halves also. But another option might be the large rubberized tiles that snap together.
Do you have any experience with those? Can you move machines and cabinets easily on them?

[Wayne Watling]

I am trying to upgrade my current garage workshop into something more user friendly. I currently have a concrete floor which I would like to either paint or cover with wood flooring. One thing that I would like to avoid, if I can, is completely emptying out the garage as I have nowhere to put my tools ,etc. That is one of the reasons I was thinking of wood over concrete rather than epoxy paint; I could do part of the floor, then move tools onto new floor and do the next section. However, it seems that applying wood flooring over concrete requires sealers/vapor barriers, etc. Anybody have any suggestions as to how to get this done relatively simply? Thanks.

Hi Dick,

I'm in the middle of doing exactly this. After much consideration I decide to lay T&G pine over the whole floor on sleepers. What helped my decision was getting a good deal on 1.5" think boards which meant I didn't have to lay any paneling below. I'm at the point where I have just moved all my tools onto the new floor and will start the other half, some of the tools weigh 2000lbs so it was slow going but it feels really nice on the feet, legs and back. I'm now glad I went this route as opposed to epoxy. The total floor area is 21' x 23'

Wayne

[Doug Shepard]

Do you have any experience with those? Can you move machines and cabinets easily on them?

No experience. I did briefly do some investigating prior to deciding to do the epoxy painting. I have the sense though, that there's more than one type out there - some which make it a PITA to roll thing, and others where it's no problem. In the end, for me it came down to not having a dealer closeby for the ones that did look rollable and not being able to check things out before ordering something on line and having it shipped. It's definitely more money than epoxy painting, but might compare favorably with doing a wood floor and I think would go down very quickly. I liked the idea of having it be easy on the feet, still being able to park a vehicle on it, and ability to clean it but never saw any of it close up. I think I had 6-8 links to various makes while I was looking, but discarded them after painting.

[David DeCristoforo]

If you can go with wood, you will love it! It's worth the extra cost and work. Not only is it more comfortable it's much nicer to look at and here's the coolest thing: You can attach all manner of jigs and fixtures to the floor any time you want! Poly vapor barrier, 2X4 sleeprers laid flat, 2X6 T&G pine = one awesome floor! Forget plywood. You will be through the face layer in no time and after that...problems you don't want or need.

[jason lambert]

Wood is the way to go but also the most involved. What I did in my basement is used the industral lenolum tile. Worked good, I used it because my floor was not 100%level, holds the moisture down and gives some insolution, will not bubble like paint or peel, never liked painted concreat also very slippery if you spill anything. Also with the tile if you destroy one you just chip it out and put a new one in it is a repairable floor, machines also roll easy on it.

[Norris Randall]

If you drop a sharp tool on wood it is not as likely to loose as much "edge" as it would on "corn creet".:D If you know what I mean.

And as already mentioned, much easier on the feet/legs.

[Zahid Naqvi]

A friend of mine used some sort of hard plastic sheets that can be snapped together. These are more prevalent as shop floors in the automotive industry. Don't know of much details besides that, but he loves it. He had previously used epoxy and prefers the plastic based sheets much better.

[Dick Sylvan]

Hi Dick,

I'm in the middle of doing exactly this. After much consideration I decide to lay T&G pine over the whole floor on sleepers. What helped my decision was getting a good deal on 1.5" think boards which meant I didn't have to lay any paneling below. I'm at the point where I have just moved all my tools onto the new floor and will start the other half, some of the tools weigh 2000lbs so it was slow going but it feels really nice on the feet, legs and back. I'm now glad I went this route as opposed to epoxy. The total floor area is 21' x 23'

Wayne
What did you do about vapor barriers and attachment of the sleepers to the floor?

[Jim Becker]

Dick, in theory, you can fasten the sleepers together as a grid without fastening them down to the floor...the whole thing isn't going to move once it's in place, especially with the flooring on it. Think of it as a thick floating floor and no punctures in the vapor barrier. You also don't destroy the underlying floor that way with a bunch of nail holes should the space need to be converted back in the future.

[Dick Sylvan]

A friend of mine used some sort of hard plastic sheets that can be snapped together.

Do you have any idea of his source?

[Wayne Watling]

What did you do about vapor barriers and attachment of the sleepers to the floor?

Firstly I put down a moisture barrier of 6mil plastic and then tar paper over the entire floor. Then marked the levels around the entire room and layed sleeper around the edges of the walls. The most time consuming part was rippingl the sleepers to the slope of the floor so the top surface ended up level but there will be a bit of shimming to do and I used PL Premium to glue the sleepers to the paper and shim material. Probably overkill but I also put another layer of tar paper on top of the sleepers.

Wayne

[Denise Ohio]

http://www.americangaragefloor.com/

We're going to install over slab the smooth version of this tile in our new kitchen. Don't laugh---we both cook and so I designed the kitchen to be more of a workshop than a decorator den. Tools in handy spots, sharpening area, and no upper cabinets.

I've used the Lasti-Seal/Nuvion/Radon-Seal products---penetrating sealers---and they're quite good for sealing concrete. But you'll still be standing on concrete. Now, I love concrete, I really do, but it can be hard on your legs and back. Ouch.

I'm also installing a hardwood floor (from our maple trees) in my GF's office. PT notched sleepers with concrete between them to hold the hydronic tubes in place, covered by 30# building felt, then 1/2" plywood, then hardwood. I want the floor to be able to breathe.

But that's me.

Good luck to you.

[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Dick: My garage shop floor is T&G over plastic vapor barrier and PT @x's following the article in FWW in 2000 or so. I've enjoyed it very much as it is easy on old runner's legs and feet; and also on sharp tools when dropped.

If you would like to see the results after 4 years send me a note.

Tom in Pearland, with a T&G floor in his shop.

[Matt Neil]

It seems that most people are using 2x sleepers. Can 1x4 sleepers be used on top of concrete and 2x6 t&g pine on top of that? Or what is the reasoning for 2x sleepers?