[OP]
Member
Hi Creekers,
I've been inspired by Alexander's thread to get back to neandering.
There's a space in the garage where I can set up a small workbench and make sawdust.
However, the area has a hard concrete floor.
Do you guys recommend some sort of flooring?
I'm thinking of putting in some type of foam or cork tiles, so it's easier on the feet (and any chisels that fall off the bench).
Contributor
With a concrete floor in my shop, I have a death fear of bumping or rolling a chisel or steel square off my bench. I have some of those interlocking-piece rubber mat sections to help ease the feet/legs/back in places of my shop but cannot use them at my bench where I do lots of heavier planning because the mats slip when I lean into the plane. I have not tried to tape them down or something similar because I like to move them for sweeping up. When I win the lottery, I will have hardwood flooring laid over my slab. And I mean the expensive, pretty looking stuff too.
David
Member
Interlocking foam tiles work pretty great, are affordable and can allow you greater flexibility with regards to floor plan/other uses around the house. Definitely enough to deaden a plane's fall, but it's not going to stop a direct hit from a chisel from penetrating through.
Contributor
I’ve been thinking of replacing my rug with plywood. Just had about a month long episode of allergies/colds and so I think it’s reached the point where it’s time to change it. Thinking to use something neat but easy like Baltic birch ply.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
Contributor
In addition to the interlocking foam tiles, you can also get interlocking rubber tiles sold for garage floors or workout areas. They are thinner but heavier and more durable than the foam (and more expensive). I think they might stay put better than the light foam tiles, especially if you put your bench and stationary tools on top of them. Probably not as sharp-edge friendly as the foam, but still way better than concrete.
Contributor
Have a look at 3/4 inch stall mats sold by Tractor Supply.
Richard
Moderator
I came close to putting T&G wood flooring in my shop. I have a bunch of rough-sawn cherry boards in the barn I sawed years ago that I'll probably never use for anything else. I never did it but still think it would be nice - I worked in a shop in Berea KY with wood floors and I liked those. After all the work to build the shop the thought of milling it all and and installing it made me tired, though. I bought a number of rubber anti-fatigue mats on sale and use them at the lathe, bandsaw, etc.
About the stall mat idea. I bought dozens for in and around the barn. They are a lot harder/denser than the anti-fatigue mats so I wonder if they would help as much. Probably better than standing on concrete, though. At over $40 a piece for 4x6 they are about the same cost as the softer mats. Can be cut with a utility knife but can be tricky.
JKJ
[OP]
Member
I was just going to buy something from Amazon.
I was either going to go with playroom interlocking tiles in cheery primary colors (to avoid losing that one piece of wood during a glueup),
or going with natural cork...because it's warm and natural looking.
Knowing me, I'll probably go with the kiddy playroom look.
It's cheaper and easier to clean.
Contributor
I installed Tractor Supply stall mats last year. We have had them in our horse barn for years and they wear well. In my shop they offer a great cushion for feet and tools. They are thick, heavy, and priced right. They don't move around enough to be a problem and I'm glad I installed them around my bench. Drop one plane or chisel and you will have paid for them.
Moderator
Bob, have you ever used them outside? They stay in place in the stalls but I like to put one outside on the ground at each stall exit. The problem is they will scoot around, especially on a slight slope. I found a tip once that really works. I bought some huge galvanized nails from Home Depot, maybe a foot long and 1/2" in diameter, and some washers to fit. I drive one through the mat and into the ground at each of the two corners closest to the barn. They are still in place after years of horses, goats, mini donkeys, and llamas. I put them under outdoor hay racks too for easier cleaning. Sometimes I find them cheaper at the local farmer's co-op.Originally Posted by Bob Andre
JKJ
Member
I would not mind a hard wood floor in my shop, on the other hand I have not had any real issue with either fatigue from standing on concrete or from dropping tools. If I felt it was an issue and could not do the wood flooring I would do the stall mats.
Contributor
I installed some cheap laminate flooring with the thin foam layer over plastic sheeting in my walk out basement shop. I looked at a lot of options but in the final analysis, it made more sense to go that way. Looked at the thick rubber garage tiles but the cost was prohibitive. It isn't the most elegant flooring but it serves its purpose in my case. It is easily removed if the next owner doesn't like it and I'm not out a bundle.
Contributor
John your spike idea sounds good. We have stall mats in our run in and they move a bit. Project for warmer weather. Sorry to move away from the in shop aspect, but good information.
Bob
Member
Tack suppliers (horses) sell heavy duty rubber mats for use in horse stalls.They are tough, resilient, provide good solid footing, don't slip/slide around, good on the feet, and are reasonably priced. Cheaper than an equivalent mat sold in woodworker stores or on-line woodworking sites. Several students at the Krenov woodworking school bought these during their time there. Everyone loved them.
Moderator
Who knows, maybe someone's shop has a dirt floor on. On a slope. Out in the rain.
Another thing some might benefit from, for shop use or whatever, is how to move the stall mats. They are HEAVY and awkward with no good way to grip them. Some people have pinched them with big vice grips for sliding around. Usually two people are needed, or one Hulk. I struggled moving a bunch of them from the truck and into and around the barn until I read this on a horse lover's blog:
Get a length of rope a little longer than twice the width a mat, maybe 10' or so. When the mat is on the ground with the side up that you want up, fold it in half so the short 4' sides are touching, making kind of a 3'x4' taco. Put the rope through the "tunnel" at the bend. Tie the ends of the rope into a loop. (I tied big snaps on the ends to give some weight to throw through the tunnel and quickly make a loop.) Now it is easy to pull on the rope and the folded mat will easily slide along the ground to the new location. It's still a struggle to get through doors less than 4' wide but I eventually got better at that.
Another thing is cutting them. I've tried several methods but what works best for me is a standard utility knife. I mark with a white grease pencil and make one cut with a straightedge. The utility knife won't penetrate very deep even with a lot of force. Then I put a length of 2x lumber under the cut line and press down on the sides to force the cut open a bit. Multiple cuts can then cut all the way through.
There are various surfaces on these mats, I've bought some "smooth" on both sides, some with a slightly raised pattern on one side, and some with a bunch of diagonal grooves molded into one side. If the mats have the diagonal grooves, that side goes down, at least when used with horses. A friend installed them with the grooves up thinking that would provide better traction. What happened instead was with use the rubber started breaking off in strips causing a problem. I'm guessing someone thought they could save money manufacturing them with the grooves to use a little less rubber for each mat.
To me, stall mats look like they are made from recycled auto/truck tires. They have a rubber strong smell but maybe it goes away after a while. With everything else in the barn stall, I can't smell the mats.
JKJ
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