Workshop floor surface

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Howjoe

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My workshop will have a concrete floor. In case I drop tools - particularly chisels :shock: I was thinking about putting down some sort of covering for the floor which will absorb impact and minimise damage / blunting.

Options so far: sheet material / Ply.....probably wear down & splinter. More preferable, rubber floor tiles...the sort of industrial jobs you see in hospitals / sports halls - might even help with sound absorbtion

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Howard
 
I have used rubber mats intended for stables in the past, and found it very good. It minimises vibration noise and provides a soft landing. The price was not too much either when comparing to some rubber mats supplied by tool suppliers. Try http://www.horsemat.co.uk. I have used this company, good service delivery within two days.
 
Howard,

In mine I solved this by putting down OSB floring. I fixed 2x1 battens across the floor laid 1" styrene insulation between the battens and screwed down the floring. It comes in 8ft x 2ft sections, and is T&G so goes togeter well to form a solid floor that is not dangerous to tools, and is also much easier on the woodworker standing on it!

photos here , the floor can be seen being laid on a couple of shots.http://www.irishwoodshop.com/woodshop/workshop_build.html

HTH
Les
 
I used those rubber interlocking floor tiles tiles in my woodturning shed.

No damage to dropped tools, good insulating properties, easy to hoover and lessen foot and leg fatigue. I wouldn't be without them now. :lol:
 
I'm with Les on this one, I did the same, woh what a difference it made to not only my feet but also the damp.
Another advantage is it is easier to keep clean.
 
Thanks fellas

Les Mahon":klv06zci said:
Howard,

In mine I solved this by putting down OSB floring. I fixed 2x1 battens across the floor laid 1" styrene insulation between the battens and screwed down the floring. It comes in 8ft x 2ft sections, and is T&G so goes togeter well to form a solid floor that is not dangerous to tools, and is also much easier on the woodworker standing on it!

photos here , the floor can be seen being laid on a couple of shots.http://www.irishwoodshop.com/woodshop/workshop_build.html

HTH
Les

Les, very nice! Did you need to put a damp membrane between the concrete and battens / styrene?

Cheers

H
 
Howard,

I didn't put DPM in, there is a DPM under the concrete, to be honest, I don't have enough building knowledge to know if I should have or not, time will tell! The workshop was only built last winter but to date I have had no problems, and as it happens I'll be selling that house and moving within the next 6 months so it won't be my problem! I'd be interested to hear what others thing though.

Les
 
The horse mats sound good value.

JackL, do you remember the price of your floor tiles, so they can be compared to the horse mats.

Les Mahon, I'm not a builder, but i think there should be some DPM between the, what looks like brick, and the timber frame.
I don't think you need it between the concrete and the 2x1.

No guarantees.

ATB Gary.
 
Bought them from Axminster and they cost £11.94 for 1.5sqm. The order code is 100222 in their current catalogue.
A bit on the expensive side, but the advantage is that I can take them up in seconds and relocate them somewhere else when I need to.
My wife keeps pinching them to use as kneeling mats when doing the gardening.
I also use them under my scroll saw to reduce vibration. They are also very good for "skimming" at cats that invade the garden!
They have literally hundreds of uses!
 
JackL

Hope you don't mind but I have a couple of questions on the Axminster mats.

1. If I want to fit up against a wall, how easy is the mat to trim off the interlocking peices to get a flush finish.

and

2. If the mats are used in a permanant situation when machines are castored over the mats, does the mat locking stand up to this or do they curl etc. Just thinking of trip problems or machines getting caught.
 
JackL":7etfbnsv said:
Bought them from Axminster and they cost £11.94 for 1.5sqm. The order code is 100222 in their current catalogue.
They seem to have changed them from 12" squares to 24"; dunno if they're compatible with the old ones. May not be an issue for most, but it is to me, so I thought I'd mention it.

Freetochat":7etfbnsv said:
1. If I want to fit up against a wall, how easy is the mat to trim off the interlocking peices to get a flush finish.
Assuming they're still made of the same stuff, depressingly easy. Very soft.

Freetochat":7etfbnsv said:
2. If the mats are used in a permanant situation when machines are castored over the mats, does the mat locking stand up to this or do they curl etc. Just thinking of trip problems or machines getting caught.
Probably depends on the weight, but I've not had any curling or the mats unlocking. You will get deep depressions in the mats where the machines stand though; but they do recover eventually.

Cheers, Alf
 
Les Mahon":1ltjugme said:
Howard,

I didn't put DPM in, there is a DPM under the concrete, to be honest, I don't have enough building knowledge to know if I should have or not, time will tell! The workshop was only built last winter but to date I have had no problems, and as it happens I'll be selling that house and moving within the next 6 months so it won't be my problem! I'd be interested to hear what others thing though.

Les

Thanks Les.

I'll need to do a bit of homework on this DPM issue. The corner of the garden where the workshop will sit, can get really sodden in the winter...so some sort of DPM, should be fitted. When you say "under the concrete", is that literally...dig foundation, lay DPM, then hardcore, then pour concrete?

For the floor, I think I'll go with the battens, styrene & t&g.

Jack L. The rubber interlocking tiles also seem like a good idea.....especially around the bench area! Won't need to skim them at the visiting cats,.....I have a dog for that!

Cheers,

Howard
 
Hi Alf,

Been meaning to work this out for a while, but as you've just done it above,......how do you 'quote' different people in one posting? :oops:

24' inch tiles would be more suitable for me than the 12'.

Cheers.
 
Howard,

When you say "under the concrete", is that literally...dig foundation, lay DPM, then hardcore, then pour concrete?

You've got it in one! Actually I didn't do it, I foolish paid a "builder" to do it for me, big mistake as he was obvioulsy yet to be aquainted with complicated building equipment like a tape measure and a spirit level, but that's another story which has already been aired elsewhere on the forum!

What was done was to dig foundations around the outside, pour concrete, build up "deadwork" of blocks fill the middle with compressed hardcore, lay DPM, pour concrete, and screed to a finish. The reason I got someone else to do it was an issue of time and the fact that I hoped to get a square, stable and level base to work off since I was doing the timber frame part myself, but the work is not complicated, just back breaking if you can't get machinery to your site.

I'm not a builder, but i think there should be some DPM between the, what looks like brick, and the timber frame.
I don't think you need it between the concrete and the 2x1.

As garry points out, you do need to put it in between the block work and the timber frame - it's not visible in the photos but it is there honest!

Les
 
Don't forget to throw a layer of sand down on the rubble to prevent the DPM being punctured.

Noel
 
Howjoe":1zwp55uj said:
Hi Alf,

Been meaning to work this out for a while, but as you've just done it above,......how do you 'quote' different people in one posting? :oops:
Me, I do it the laborious way by typing out:
Code:
[quote="The Archbishop of Canterbury"]Sorry, I'm busy on Sunday[/quote]
Altering "The Archbishop of Canterbury" to whoever I'm quoting. And the correct quote too, natch... :roll: Unless I'm quoting lots of stuff, in which case I just open up the relevant posts in "Quote mode" in fresh windows/tabs and go copy'n'paste mad.

Cheers, Alf
 
dedee":33za955i said:
Alf,
that must take ages - you really ought to get broadband.
I don't think even broadband could help in this case. :D

Actually reading it back it sounds like I type out the quote, which of course I don't. Copy'n'paste again.

Cheers, Alf
 
Noel":134emtjj said:
Don't forget to throw a layer of sand down on the rubble to prevent the DPM being punctured.

Noel

Noel, you pre-empted my next question! Thanks.


Alf":134emtjj said:
Altering "The Archbishop of Canterbury" to whoever I'm quoting. And the correct quote too, natch... Unless I'm quoting lots of stuff, in which case I just open up the relevant posts in "Quote mode" in fresh windows/tabs and go copy'n'paste mad.

Thanks v much Alf, I think I've got it now.

Cheers

Howard
 
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