Hey Fellas, I’m from the Fine woodworking side and I decided I need to come over here to get some good advice. I am moving into a new shop ( we do cabinet work). The new building is 1500sq ft. I want to put wood down on the floor so that we dont feel the fatigues of a cement floor. Whats the best way to go about this. There is a system where you roll this waffle plastic stuff down and then screw 3/4 tg plywood down to the cement floor with tapcon screws. Anyone have any ideas? I cant work 12-14 hour days on concrete anymore. My feet are starting to kill me!!!! The ceiling height is 9ft. so lets keep a low profile. And if I use wood on the floor what do I treat-paint it with?
Thank you guys, Lou
p.s. Does anyone make tg plywood with the ends being tg too
Replies
Welcome to BT Lou,
the system you mentioned isn't bad on the feet. Though I'd cut out sections with a skill saw for the heavier machines and put in a more solid base under them. Of course you could do the old fashion 2x4 sleepers 16" OC with plywood or T&G flooring.
Maybe sand paint as a primer where you stand using the machines for more grip then floor paint top coat. ?????? Just thinking out loud there*
Get some orthoepic inserts for your shoes, they're a big help.*
Best to you and yours, Chris.
Some say I know too much? Can you ever?
Cs, Do you really think I will have to cut out the floor where the heavy equipment will go. What if I go with pressure treated 5-quarter sleepers and then 3/4 ply.If I do I will be able run wire under the floor in a few spots. I can insulate the floor with foam. What s the best technique for doing this.
These are my concerns:
1-vapor barrier? 2- insulating 3- how do I fasten sleepers to floor 4-can I run wire under floor 5- what paint to use on wood floor. 6- Moisture and mold trapped under floor.7- what happens where my garage door meets the wood floor?
Thank you fellas, Lou C
pt 5/4, I know your thinking pt decking for sleepers. it would work but that stuff is prone to movement and it wont hold a decking fastener as well as a pt 2x4.
I like the idea of screwing the decking down to allow for removal to run wires
you could also lay some ridgid insulation between the sleepers
the garage door will rest on the slab with the new sleeper/ decking assembly behind it enough to fashion some sort of shallow ramp
I know of other systems but you have a low ceiling for a shop. Ideally, 12FT so you can run a vac. pipe and air line under the floor. 2x2sq Ft panels give access. Eats up about 14" of height. Makes loading finished work into the truck easier too.
With a sleeper/ply set up you can avoid moisture build up by keeping the ply a way from the walls 1/2" or so. Just vac up the dust twice a month or include with regular machine maintenance routine. With the dust collectors running, what?, 35% out of 24/7 hours in a week, enough air should circulate under the floor as a natural process of hot/cold and the power driven movement of air. But then again I might be over thinking this. 2x4's and ply are relatively cheep and easy to replace.
I'd take brownbagg's advice and look at that Garage Shop site/ mag. Best to you and yours, Chris.
Some say I know too much? Can you ever?
if you go to garargejournal.com thay talk about a mat that splice together that will have ths same purpose.
I thought I read somewhere about the great benefits of running a woodshop's dust collectore ducts under the floor...
We've used these Super W pads for home theaters. They're isolators, so they do give you a little bit of resilience. Basically, you set these on a sheet of 3/4" ply, turn the sheet over and put in position. A second layer of 3/4" is installed perpendicular to the base course and it's glued and screwed in position. The entire assembly floats and it's a total of 2-1/4" thick.
http://209.200.80.33/html/SUBMITTALS/NEOPRENE%20MOUNTS%20AND%20PADS/SuperW.pdf
They come in sheets (you can get them from grainger) and you cut them into 2"x2" squares (they look like waffles). The spacing that was recommended to us was 8"o.c. on outside edges and 12"o.c. in the field.
Given the small dimensions of your shop (mine's about the same with 9' ceilings), you may be able to just use interlocking rubber restaurant floor mats. Given your cabinet work however, you may desire a more rigid/flat floor.
I picked up a pile of these at a warehouse club years ago and basically covered the floor with them. The heavy machines and benches stay on the concrete. The holes serve to isolate the saw dust and debris. The downside is that they do not allow sweeping (unless you want to just knock the dust into the holes), but I generally just use my dust collector hose for cleanup anyway.
FWIW, running power under a raised floor is okay, but should be in EMT, preferably using raintight fittings if the threat of any water exists.
You may look into "Horse Stall mats"
They are probably available from a tack outlet near you. Expensive , rubber matts that come in varying dimensions.
Easy on the feet, warm , and cleanable.
Sold for stalls and trailers to the horsey crowd .