New Shop - FLoor Options

[David Justice]

I am in the very beginning of planning a new shop. It will be a 26x28 shop at the end of my driveway. I am curious as to what my flooring options are? I know a concrete slab is probably the most popular and I have been thinking this all along, but this will not be a garage. It will never have cars in it and I don't want to build it as a garage. I am going to have double doors, and not garage doors. The heaviest machine will not be over 1000lbs. I know I'll hear build it as a garage for resale value, but I don't want to do that.

So what are flooring options besides concrete? I am in North Carolina, in an unincorporated part of the my county. Can it be built with wood flooring, just like a house? Do I need a crawl space to do this? I know that I need to talk to the building department in my county, but am just looking for ideas and if anyone has a shop that has something other than concrete floors.

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

David, given your description, I'd absolutely do a wood floor over at least a crawl space. It will be comfortable on your feet, absorb some of the resonance from machine noise and be easy to accommodate "utilities" from below that can be changed over time. Concrete is a lot harder on your feet (literally) and means spending money on anti-fatigue mats for most folks and makes having floor based utilities "fixed". I really hate my concrete floor...especially this last week when I had to take up all the mats to deal with the finishing of my latest commission which required spreading everything out for painting by hand. (too big to spray in my setup) My feet and knees are killing me big-time because of that.

BTW, shoot for a 9' or 10' ceiling, too. It will make a huge difference. While you could just do taller walls, you alternatively could do a regular 8'-8'6" side wall with scissor trusses for more headroom while still providing for significant insulation up top.

[Frank Pratt]

David, given your description, I'd absolutely do a wood floor over at least a crawl space. It will be comfortable on your feet, absorb some of the resonance from machine noise and be easy to accommodate "utilities" from below that can be changed over time. Concrete is a lot harder on your feet (literally) and means spending money on anti-fatigue mats for most folks and makes having floor based utilities "fixed". I really hate my concrete floor...especially this last week when I had to take up all the mats to deal with the finishing of my latest commission which required spreading everything out for painting by hand. (too big to spray in my setup) My feet and knees are killing me big-time because of that.

BTW, shoot for a 9' or 10' ceiling, too. It will make a huge difference. While you could just do taller walls, you alternatively could do a regular 8'-8'6" side wall with scissor trusses for more headroom while still providing for significant insulation up top.

I'd go one further & do a wood floor over a basement. That gives you lots of storage & makes it way easier to run electrical & ducts under the floor.

In the shop, 9' would be the minimum; 10' is better.

For the floor surface, unfinished 3/4" hardwood, sanded to 80 grit & finished with just BLO, or some other non-film forming finish. That's enough to make it cleanable and it won't get slippery when dusty.

[Jon Snider]

Agree with the above posters. I went with a 1.25” T&G floor over joists, partly for the comfort reasons Jim mentions above. But I didn’t add a hardwood top layer as my floor is a working floor, often with drawn layouts of boat lofting and attached jigs. Just a coat of Sherwin Williams Trex Plex paint.

Basement or crawl space pace makes a lot of sense also. Have fun. The planning is some of the funniest time.

Jon

[Jack Frederick]

Good move on the wood floor. Have at least an accessible crawl space and make that so you don't mind going under there, because you will for dust collection or some other service. How small a space are you willing to get into? 3'? I have small enclosed fluorescent lights throughout the crawl space under our remodeled home. I had a bad experience under a customers house many years ago and want a well illuminated space to work in. Beef up the sub-floor structure. 12" centers on the joists maybe. With that you can use about any wood flooring you want and have the confidence that you can safely put anything you want on it. 10' ceiling is great. I would not use a ducted furnace/AC system in a place this size. Look into mini-splits. That way you keep your crawl space clear. 5/4 vertical grain doug fir would make a nice floor. It scratches up, but those are just character marks.

[roger wiegand]

When I remodeled our barn into a shop I dug out the 100 year accumulation of oil and whatever plus the asphalt, dirt, and concrete that had served for a floor, filled it back with 18" of clean gravel, vapor barrier, 4" of foam insulation, then a concrete slab. On top of the slab I laid down 2x4 sleepers 12" OC, 3/4" ply and then a hardwood floor of "mixed domestic hardwoods". which is what my supplier suggested when I asked for something cheap. It turned out to be beautiful and with 14 species I've found so far great for a shop. I finished with Bona Traffic HD, which has proved to be bulletproof, easy to sweep, and non-slip even when wet or covered with sawdust.

I wouldn't change anything about it-- drastically more comfortable to work on than my prior concrete basement floor, not to mention prettier. I've been able to snake wires in the spaces between the sleepers to give me power in the middle of the floor without cords to trip over.

Digging a full basement that would have allowed dust collection from below would have been glorious, but lifting the barn for a whole new foundation would have pretty seriously busted the budget. I do have basement under the back third of the barn where the horse stalls are and have my compressor and wood storage down there. Lots of storage in the hay loft as well.

[Jon Snider]

Jack makes a good point. I was going down the crawl space road with my shop then visited a friend with one w 3’. After that experience (which included a snake and countless spiders) I thought 4’ was the minimum for me, but I’m a little claustrophobic. Of course, this led to the eventual decision to dig 4’ feet more and have a full basement. It’s only money

[Frank Pratt]

I view crawlspaces as an occasionally necessary evil. I hate the things & would almost rather have a floor on grade. If there is no crawlspace there, then there's no way I'll ever have to go down there.

[Jim Becker]

I'd go one further & do a wood floor over a basement. .

Yea, I was in agreement with the "at least" in my suggestion.

[Alan Lightstone]

For a different take on things, I had a raised access floor put down for my workshop. 18" high (12" would have been plenty), it allows for easy installation of electrical and dust collection piping under the floor.

Certainly not cheap, but very effective.

[Frank Pratt]

I just remembered something that was brought up in another thread somewhere on the interwebs. If you don't want to go full basement, then another option that's better than a crawl space it to put in a raised floor system, like they use in computer rooms. There's plenty of room for duct work and electrical. Changes can be made later by simply lifting the 'tiles' & cross supports, rearranging the ducts & put it all back together.

It's also a breeze getting the floor perfectly level, if that's your thing. They are pretty expensive, but one could engineer a shop built version I'm sure.

edit: Oh, crap. I should read the last post before posting my own brilliant ideas.

[Jack Frederick]

Crawl spaces that are designed to be used...occasionally, can be more palatable with some care. Level the ground and either put a concrete base (per Alan and Frank) or something like pea gravel. Make sure it drains if it is a solid base. Enough height to do the work you want. I have spent way to much time crawling in those spaces and you want to be able to work, move around and see. I think 30" is about minimum. Much of the OP's decision will likely be made by the grade of the lot. A good trap door to access it from inside. Pay particular attention to securing it against two, four and legless varmints. I will no longer enter any crawl space without a 38 and snake shot, period. Heavy mesh wire so nothing gets in there. Good ventilation, lighting, etc. I knew a fellow years ago who had rollers set into his crawl space and he stored wood under there. It was a sweet set-up. Out of the way and easily accessible. Let the cat go under there occasionally. My shop is great but I didn't put power or dust collection mid slab and today I see it as a miss. Cords and DC hoses running on the floor are a real hazard.

[David Justice]

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! Like I said, still in the early stages and so much to think about and decide! I'm sure what I come up with will be way over budget and I'll have to scale back when it comes time to build, but I'll know all of my options.

[Jim Becker]

Crawl spaces that are designed to be used...occasionally, can be more palatable with some care. Level the ground and either put a concrete base ...

I agree. The crawl space under our home addition put in in 2008 is stellar in that respect. Clean, dry and smooth with about 3.5' of height. It's easy to move around down there, although best with knee pads for obvious reasons. I'd certainly much prefer a full basement, but a properly done crawl space can also lend a lot of value when it's the right choice for terrain and/or budgetary reasons.

[Tom M King]

A crawl space with good clearance, and comfortable surface is not bad. Have the bottom of the floor joists high enough that you don't bump your head when sitting.

Grade the ground out flat before you build the foundation, put down a layer of sand, and cover with one of the many 20 mil crawlspace vapor barriers. Fire an insect bomb under there, once in a while, and spiders and other creepy-crawlies won't be a bother. The ones where you drop the charge in a cup of water give you time to get back out if you leave one in there far enough to cover the space.

google "crawlspace vapor barrier" and you will see what I'm talking about.