As

Al

04/03/2004 11:41 AM

Basement Shop - Recommended Floor

I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?

Thanks in advance,
Al


This topic has 8 replies

MP

Michael Press

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

04/03/2004 2:05 PM

Al <[email protected]> wrote:
>I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
>shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
>but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
>expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Al

I made a cheap raised wood floor for my wife's sewing room (in an
unheated sunroom with ceramic tile on concrete slab). The floor had a
very comfortable spring to it.

I laid 1x4 or 2x3 sleepers (I forget which) on face on 2' centers (and
8' centers going the other way) and filled in the gaps with that pink
rigid styrofoam stuff (comes in like 2' by 8' sections). Then I laid
exterior 3/4" ply on top, nailing into the sleepers (this was
temporary so we didn't secure the sleepers to the floor). A 10x15
room cost about $100.

Michael

RR

RB

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

05/03/2004 12:48 AM

I'm considering wood block flooring for my shop and office like what is
shown here.

http://www.kaswell.com/woodblock.htm

I understand that a 174 sq ft coverage pallet runs $550 from someone.
I'm still looking to find out who. This isn't much more than the
material cost for 1-1/2" thick 4x4 SYP blocks though.

RB

Al wrote:
> I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
> shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
> but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
> expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Al

RR

RB

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

05/03/2004 12:51 AM

Looks good. Apparently Lowes carries it.

RB

Al wrote:
> In article <MPG.1ab12637bb9cb5aa989759@mayonews>,
> [email protected] says...
>
>>I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
>>shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
>>but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
>>expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>>
>>Thanks in advance,
>>Al
>
>
> Thanks for the responses thus far!
>
> For what it's worth, I ran across this stuff that I wasn't aware of:
>
> http://www.subflor.com
>
> Haven't priced it yet, but looks interesting insofar as it's designed
> specifically to go over concrete slab and to provide for rudimentary
> draining, etc.
>
> - Al

sD

[email protected] (Doug Miller)

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

04/03/2004 7:12 PM

In article <[email protected]>, Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:
>Al <[email protected]> wrote:
>>I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
>>shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
>>but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
>>expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>>
>>Thanks in advance,
>>Al
>
>I made a cheap raised wood floor for my wife's sewing room (in an
>unheated sunroom with ceramic tile on concrete slab). The floor had a
>very comfortable spring to it.
>
The trouble with a raised wood floor in a basement wood shop is that it cuts
into overhead space that is already likely to be somewhat short. IMO, foam
mats to stand on are a better idea. Rockler and Woodcraft both sell them. I
have some of each, and I like Woodcraft's better -- they're a bit softer.
Comfortable footwear is important too.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter,
send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

VR

Victor Radin

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

04/03/2004 6:33 PM

In article <MPG.1ab12637bb9cb5aa989759@mayonews>,
[email protected] says...
> I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
> shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
> but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
> expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Al
>
Good shoes, rubber mats where you need them, and as long as it's new
construction- radiant heat in the floor will make your toes happier than
cheap pergo laminate.

My only real complaint about wood floors in basements is that there's
always the chance of water or other leakage to ruin a newly layed floor,
requiring either expensive and time consuming replacement or living with
the musty moldy aroma of rotting particleboard and glue. BTDT- twice.

/vic

As

Al

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

04/03/2004 1:47 PM

In article <MPG.1ab12637bb9cb5aa989759@mayonews>,
[email protected] says...
> I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
> shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
> but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
> expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Al

Thanks for the responses thus far!

For what it's worth, I ran across this stuff that I wasn't aware of:

http://www.subflor.com

Haven't priced it yet, but looks interesting insofar as it's designed
specifically to go over concrete slab and to provide for rudimentary
draining, etc.

- Al

VR

Victor Radin

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

05/03/2004 1:26 PM

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> I'm considering wood block flooring for my shop and office like what is
> shown here.
>
> http://www.kaswell.com/woodblock.htm
>
> I understand that a 174 sq ft coverage pallet runs $550 from someone.
> I'm still looking to find out who. This isn't much more than the
> material cost for 1-1/2" thick 4x4 SYP blocks though.

I didn't think they still made or used this. One of my previous jobs was
as a machine builder in a plant with a wood block floor- very little
or no machine vibration, easy on the feet and legs, looked good in the
office areas too. Side benefit of not dulling or chipping tools when
they dropped off the bench either.

Thanks for the link- this is a keeper for when I do the basement/shop
remodel after tax refund time.

/vic
btw- check out the sample pics of the wood patterns- might make nice
desktop wallpaper. ;)

Ba

B a r r y

in reply to Al on 04/03/2004 11:41 AM

04/03/2004 8:14 PM

On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 11:41:17 -0600, Al <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I'd like to solicit some opinions on floor alternatives for a basement
>shop (new construction.) I was planning on slopping on the grey stuff,
>but assumed that something friendlier to my feet would be very
>expensive. Is there such thing as a poor man's wood floor, for example?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Al


I use large horse mats laid on the concrete.

Check farm supply stores for the mats.

Barry


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