Shop floor choices

[SJ_BIKER]

so im about to move ina few days and will have to build a shop and since i will start from scratch....any pointers on what type of floor i ought to use.... wood, concrete, tile, laminet.... and pros and cons? smooth vs rough concrete....

 

[jpromo]

My cement slab does just fine for me. You can smack things on it as you please and not worry about grease and oils. Ideally I'd epoxy coat it to keep the durability but make clean up a bit easier.

 

[GTs58]

Contrary to popular belief, concrete and cement are not the same thing; cement is actually just a component of concrete. Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel) and Portland cement. Cement, usually in powder form, acts as a binding agent when mixed with water and aggregates.


I'm not sure what all you are going to use your shop for, but a concrete slab is the only way to go. If you plan on installing a car hoist or have anything with a significant concentrated weight, the concrete slab thickness should be more than the standard 3.5". A nice smooth hard trowel finish and then a good oil base concrete sealer. Epoxy is nice for a parking garage but for a workshop I think a good sealer would do the job much better and cheaper. Our warehouse floor is epoxied and it's blistering and peeling off like GM's paint back in the 70's and 80's.

 

[Iverider]

You can actually get lime only concrete without cement in it. Cement is just the crap that builders started using at the turn of the century to get things to cure faster. It also removes the self healing ability that lime mortar used to possess back in the day. Not that that matters but while we're being particular . I'd personally go with a smooth finished concrete. At least that way if you were to scoot a painted part over the surface it wouldn't take it down to bare metal immediately like a broom finish would. Also easier to scrub grease and other crap off and it's more durable than other surfaces.

 

[GTs58]

You can actually get lime only concrete without cement in it. Cement is just the crap that builders started using at the turn of the century to get things to cure faster. It also removes the self healing ability that lime mortar used to possess back in the day. Not that that matters but while we're being particular . I'd personally go with a smooth finished concrete. At least that way if you were to scoot a painted part over the surface it wouldn't take it down to bare metal immediately like a broom finish would. Also easier to scrub grease and other crap off and it's more durable than other surfaces.

We've been using cement way before the turn of the century. Y2K was only 14 years ago. Lime was and is still used today for mortar and plaster, never for slabs, footings, walls, bridges, dams etc.. One difference in the mortar and plaster used today is the mixture contains cement.

 

[Iverider]

The other turn of the century

 

[Tmusic]

Mine is hardwood

 

[vincev]

My floor is my garage floor. I put a cheap tarp from harbor Freight under my work stand.I do this so when little parts fall they do not roll or bounce into places you cannot see. I dropped the tiny headbadge screws and they fell on the tarp.If not for the tarp they would never have been found.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

After working in all kinds of abandoned industrial buildings, I'd want wood block floor:
http://kaswell.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjw9...KAdhLfUTOqwPBEH4jh4n2DpMpXtEic1_cphoCWvLw_wcB
It's what factories that made stuff used, not just fussy hipster cocktail bars.

 

[SJ_BIKER]

here is what i have to work with

As you can see...it was built on concrete....but it is cracked all the way in the middle inside....its a water trap as the weight made it sink slightly over time so when it will rain the water will seep through the wood base....what to do