Workshop / Shed Advice

[drillbit]

Hello all

I'm planning to get myself a shed at last. Looking to buy a sturdy timber one to have as my workshop.

Question is about the concrete base which I need to install first.... How much do I need of hardcore and concrete? I'm thinking if I end up one day with a floorstanding lathe, will it matter much how thick the concrete it's standing on is?

 

[henton49er]

Toby,

Personally, and assuming "normal" ground conditions, I would go with a minimum of 6" of hardcore base (more if the ground has some "soft" spots in it), compacted with a vibrating plate compactor (Wacker plate), then 4" of concrete over the top with a layer of A142 reinforcing mesh in the middle of it. If you want to bolt your lathe to the concrete slab, you might be better off using 6" of concrete, but 4" would be plenty if the lathe will just be standing on the floor.

Look at the following link for info: http://www.pavingexpert.com/reinfrc1.htm

 

[nev]

+1 for what Mike says with 1 addition. DPC (thick plastic sheet) to prevent any chance of damp rising through the floor. I ran out when I did mine , but thinking i was overdoing it , thought i'd do without. Guess what? damp floor where theres no plastic! maybe its because i am at the bottom of a hill? but in the future i will defo use a dpc, for the sake of a few quid.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you're in a low lying area, get a couple of extra tons of hardcore and raise the floor a few inches - afterthought is infuriating.

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Mike,
That's one hell of a concrete base IMHO!

My last concrete shed base (8' x 6') (where my lathe sat for a number of years - Jet 1642) had about 4-6" of hardcore compacted by hand with a lump hammer (which incidentally is probably more PSI than a whacker even though it's lower tech) with varying depths but as few as a couple of inches in places of unreinforced concrete on top and it didn't crack or sag at all.

I must admit I'm no expert but surely it must depend to some extent on the size of the slab and the weight of the lathe doesn't it?

Jon

 

[Andrewf]

I will play devils advocate, if it's a small workshop I wouldn't both with a concrete base. I'd lay a wooden floor supported on blocks or brick pillars. I hate workshops with concrete floors, drop any tool or piece of work and it's damaged. Also have found them to be warmer on the feet in the winter. In previous workshops have had numerous machines bolted to the floor without any issues. The floors have in the past been 4*2 joints with 3/4 shattering ply. Also I hate any work that involves the use of a shovel or mixing concrete.

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Andrew,
I can sympathise but I loved the images cunjoured up by...

I hate workshops with concrete floors, drop any tool or piece of work and it's damaged.

The floors have in the past been 4*2 joints with 3/4 shattering ply.

Does this mean the tool's ok but the floor is in pieces? :lol:
Jon

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you decide to have wooden floor, make sure it's high enough off the ground for a terrier or a cat to get under or you're likely to have a rat haven.

 

[drillbit]

Thanks for all replies. Loads of help as always.

After these comments, I think I will be going for a wooden floor, so now I am thinking probably I don't need to worry so much about the concrete allowing bolting down. That might be a bit of overkill considering my skill level anyway... Great idea about the raised concrete as well.

 

[Andrewf]

Chipmunk

Predictive text for you.

 

[woodyturner]

The type of floor you have depends on what you want to do in your shed a wooden floor is Ok for most machines but if you want to do some heavy turning on a heavy lathe then concrete a fiend of mine had a CL4 on a wooden floor and it shook the shed to pieces almost.
I have the woodfast Maxi 1 lathe and I laid 4" hard core then DCM 5" reinforced concrete put a log cabin on it with a wooden floor but removed the section were my lathe would stand filled it with concrete then bolted my lathe down and it is very stable

 

[chipmunk]

Andrew,
That sounds like the sort of curse Dante would have come up with in the Inferno....

Sentenced to use predictive text for eternity - Eeek :wink:

...still it could be worse - It might have been Siri :lol:
Jon

 

[mikec]

When I converted my garage to a workshop I laid dpc on the old rough concrete floor then 25mm expanded polystyrene then 2 layers of 18mm chipboard with a top sacrificial layer of hardboard.

Its warm to stand on and thick enough to bolt down machinery.

Regards,

mikec

 

[boysie39]

What ever floor you decide on allow for the years ahead ,when you might want to install larger machines than you have now.
Believe me it is easier to do it now than when the structure is built. #-o #-o