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Thread: Heavy duty rubber flooring in the shop?

  1. #1
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    Question Heavy duty rubber flooring in the shop?

    Here at work we have a workout room with some mondo tough flooring. The instructor in charge of the area says that is is vulcanized rubber. The flooring has been in place over concrete for 6-7 years at this point, and has heavy Nautilus equipment and even some free weights, and the floor still looks great. No visible wear or damage that I can see. It's just enough cushion to avoid leg fatigue but not so much give that the equipment sinks in.

    I have several of the anti-fatigue mats scattered around where I work most, but I would love the have the whole shop like that.

    Has anyone done this in their shop? What did you use and how do you like it?

    TIA,
    Charles
    "Live like no one else, so later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!"
    - Dave Ramsey

  2. #2
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    I have not done it, but "stall mats" are very resilient and can be very economical, including when purchased used as long as you're willing to clean them up. New, they can be had from places like Tractor Supply.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    Charles,

    Im using that in my basement shop. I had cruddy yellow and brown tile that probably has asbestos in it that i didnt care to rip up. Found a deal on a local gym that was relocating and i bought a few 40' rolls of the flooring. Mine is 3/8" or 1/2" thick, and DENSE. A 4' by 48' roll probably weighed upwards of 300lbs, and thats not an exaggeration. I think ive had it down abou 6 months now, and love it. Looks great, feels comfortable to stand on, and it is nice to have a rubber cushion when sharp things roll off your workbench. Keep in mind, this stuff retails for probably $3-4 a sqft. I think i ended up spending $250 to do my entire shop, and the gym owner told me 100x as we were loading it how expensive it was. Heres a pic of it. Felder weighs 1500-1600lbs, i have a 20" jointer that weighs that much, and i didnt come close to ripping or tearing it as i rolled/dragged those machines into place.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
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    I have used this tan rolls in a weight room. They custom cut it to lengths you specify. There is always some sort of discount promotion, so the first price you see is not the final price. I thought the seams would need to be glued down, but it didn't. It lays down nice and flat, and stays in place. It does have some smell to it, mostly to start with, but nowhere nearly as strong as new stall mats.

    Also check with resellers of used gym equipment. They sometimes take the floor too.

    https://www.rubberflooringinc.com/ru...er-series.html

  5. #5
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    Yep, lays down very well. I taped my seams with black duct tape.

  6. #6
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    Did you glue it or just lay it down?
    "Live like no one else, so later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!"
    - Dave Ramsey

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    I have not done it, but "stall mats" are very resilient and can be very economical, including when purchased used as long as you're willing to clean them up. New, they can be had from places like Tractor Supply.
    Plus one on this mats. I have had them on the floor probably 10 years. about 3/4 " thick from tractor supply. Only issue is that I installed them with the ridges up and it makes it hard to get dust from the valleys.

  8. #8
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    Just this year I picked up a bunch of the 2'x2' square foam tiles off CL. These are the type that has puzzle seams on the edges to snap together. Harbor freight sells them at a very reasonable price (maybe $.50/sq ft when on sale). I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like them.

    Instead of laying the entire floor, I simply piece them 'around' all the machines in the shop. (saw that being done by some others here and so adopted)

    But if you can get rubberized gym matt and do the entire floor, I think it would be great (but $$).

  9. #9
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    I had the puzzle pieces around my tools for awhile as well. I felt like it made my shop look hodge podge. I also found it difficult to clean the floor, because chips and dust would get inbetween the tiles and under them. Lastly, not having a uniform floor isnt the safest thing out there, and sucks for rolling carts and bins around. I ate it big time once when one of the 1x1 or 2x2 tiles separated from its mates and turned into a sheet of ice. They are cheap and comfy to stand on, but thats about the only good thing i can say about them.

  10. #10
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    Patrick, I thought about those tiles early on, but (thankfully) ended up using the anti-fatigue mat product available from ULine throughout my shop after having a good experience with the same in our brick floor kitchen.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
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    I just wear really comfortable shoes. Isn't this all a matter of what's between your feet and the concrete. I guess I carry my matt around with me.

  12. #12
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    I wear Reebok DMX walking shoes. They have air bladders inside the soles that cushion each step you take and are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. That said, I notice a significant difference in leg and back fatigue when I stand on a hard surface like concrete for hours as opposed to standing on more forgiving surfaces like carpet or wood.
    "Live like no one else, so later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!"
    - Dave Ramsey

  13. #13
    I also use the link together type mats. I've been using them for years and not had an issue. I think they are a little more cushiony than the rubber stall or trailer mats we used with our horses.

    I strategically place them around machines and benches.

    I've not had an issue about cleaning, then again, I'm not that picky, either :-)

    I buy the packs from Sams saves a lot of money.

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