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?...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?...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.
WTA031carpet.jpg
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.