Another shop floor question....

[brian cammarata]

So the wife finally agreed to let me take over a 20" x 25" section of the basement. This is a full fledged endeavor as the plan includes; excavation on the exterior for man door / shop access. Current stair situation makes it near impossible to carry full sheet goods in through the house. This is going to hamper my initial tool collection, but the garage is cold and the wife wants her parking spot back.

Long story short....current flooring is set up with the green make shift soccer field. These are 4x4 foam based fatigue type mats, with fuzzy tops.....would you keep or go down to bare concrete or some combinations.

[Von Bickley]

20 inches X 25 inches is not going to give you floor space to worry about.

[Jim Becker]

20 inches X 25 inches is not going to give you floor space to worry about.

ROFLOL! True dat.


OP, I'm not sure you'll like having a "Fuzzy" floor, so it may be better to remove what's there now for your workshop. I suspect it will be hard to clean.

For your "man/shop door", if you can, try to make it a double door, rather than a single door. It will give you a lot more flexibility with what will fit through it over time. If you buy the slightly more costly "outward" opening door setup, you'll also insure that open door(s) don't take up shop space. (outward opening requires special non-removable hinges for security so there's a slightly higher price)

[brian cammarata]

20 inches X 25 inches is not going to give you floor space to worry about.

duoh!!! my bad

[Bob Coates]

Could you flip them, or is back too soft? I have cow/horse mats that are 3/4" thick and work very well that's why I wonder if the back would be strong enough.
Bob

[Carlos Alvarez]

Could you flip them, or is back too soft? I have cow/horse mats that are 3/4" thick and work very well that's why I wonder if the back would be strong enough.
Bob

That was my first thought. If there is a non-fuzzy surface that won't hold junk, use them. Also I like to have my tools on the solid floor and mats everywhere else. But if you need to have mobile tools, you need to do all mat or non, because the transition is a real pain for heavy tools.

Of course, I'm assuming you're planning a really great dust collector since you'll be in a closed space? Perhaps mounted outside? You mentioned cold so maybe that's not a good thing where you live, unless you also return the air.

[brian cammarata]

That was my first thought. If there is a non-fuzzy surface that won't hold junk, use them. Also I like to have my tools on the solid floor and mats everywhere else. But if you need to have mobile tools, you need to do all mat or non, because the transition is a real pain for heavy tools.

Of course, I'm assuming you're planning a really great dust collector since you'll be in a closed space? Perhaps mounted outside? You mentioned cold so maybe that's not a good thing where you live, unless you also return the air.

I think I have middle of the road "real" dust collector. It is a Oneida V2000 (2hp) and Jet AFS-1000B air filtration. so hopefully that should handle my needs / space. I guess its my hoarder mentality and liking to re-use everything possible

Regardless the simplest solution is the one I didn't think of. Flipping over Brilliant!!!!

[Carlos Alvarez]

I think I have middle of the road "real" dust collector. It is a Oneida V2000 (2hp) and Jet AFS-1000B air filtration. so hopefully that should handle my needs / space. I guess its my hoarder mentality and liking to re-use everything possible

That might be good enough, only you will know in the long run. Will you be using 5" tubing in the shop? That will let you scale. I used to have a 2HP also, but did 5" backbone and 4" to tools. Realized it wasn't enough, but the 5" was still suitable for a 3HP cyclone system. Now it seems to get it all. I also had the AFS-1000B, but since I now work with the door open at all times and the DC is outside, I get all the fresh air possible without it. I liked it a lot when we worked with the door closed and DC inside.

[Tom Bender]

So outside where you have to excavate, will you be able to walk out straight or will there be stairs at a 90 degree angle? If fairly straight then a 36" door should be good for most projects and machines.

[brian cammarata]

So outside where you have to excavate, will you be able to walk out straight or will there be stairs at a 90 degree angle? If fairly straight then a 36" door should be good for most projects and machines.

this design from google was given to contractor as construction parameters / design concept. fresh-idea-walkout-basement-doors-tricks-for-installing.jpg .

It will be 8 or 9 poured steps, extend approx. 13 feet from house into yard with a 6' x 5' pad at bottom and 60 inch double door.

Current house only has 32" door into basement with turned stairs that make impossible to get anything large into basement, which is unfortunate and that I have to take such drastic measures. As this construction effort is going to impede my tool collection / upgrades.

[Bill Dufour]

If the steps have a narrow ramp on each side it will be much easier to make a wheeled sled to haul heavy stuff up and down.

[Walter Plummer]

Will you be able to tie the drain into a sump pump? Try to get as much step down from the new door to the new concrete as you can to keep the water away from the doors.

[brian cammarata]

yes drain will be tied into sump. and I expressed that I want 3 inch step / ledge above landing area due to my paranoia

[Martin Wasner]

If the steps have a narrow ramp on each side it will be much easier to make a wheeled sled to haul heavy stuff up and down.

This is the smartest thing I've read on the internet in a while. Golf clap