jpdorn Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 so, i've had enough of the garage. too hot, too cold, concrete floor, car parked outside, etc.. you guys know the drill. i'm going to leave my machines in the garage for the rough work and frame out a room in my basement for the hand tools. i'd like to have a comfortable floor to work on but i know nothing about hardwood flooring or any of my other options for a slab basement. i seem to remember someone using a nice paneling material over osb and insulation but can't seem to find it. any ideas or pointers on where to look? jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
areynoldsre Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Here's a place to start reading about it: http://www.artofwoodshopdesign.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bywc Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would check your basement floor for moisture before you even think about how or what your going to use, ducktape a piece of plastic about a 24"x24" square to the floor add some weight around the edge to if you can and leave it atleast a few days and see how much moisture builds up under the plastic hopefully none but if there is some then you need to rethink how your going to do it because water trapped below a wood floor or OSB isnt going to be a good outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdorn Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 yep, i'll do a moisture test for sure. thanks for the link andrew. fun site. anyone have an opinion on insulation thickness under the osb? 1/2? 3/4? 1"? any suggestions for an appropriate material to top the osb would be appreciated as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAShakerMaker Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 I'm installing 1 inch panels of XPS on the concrete floors, covered by 2 layers of 1/2 inch plywood, laid at right angles to each other. I got the idea from Fine Homebuilding's Foundations and Concrete Work. I had a floor drain installed in the the low spot of the basement floor that runs to daylight. If I didn't have a sloping backyard, I would have installed a sump pump. The plastic sheet test is great, but has some obvious short comings. Just assume that you will have water condensation or even small leaks over time. Give the water someplace to go to get out of the basement. I have a floating concrete basement floor, so some believe that the water can go to the edges and drain out. But if water can go out, it can come in. Thus the idea of the drain that leaves the basement and goes to daylight. BTW - don't forget to have back flow preventors on the drain line. Even during construction. Don't ask how I know. The basement walls will be covered in 2 inch XPS panels or spray foam, with the stud walls built off that and on the plywood floor. The idea is to provide a complete thermal break with the concrete and to give any liquid water a path to get out of the basement without touching any wood products. With the first layer of 1/2 inch plywood Tapcon screwed to the concrete floor through the XPS panels, I'm not expecting much, if any, flex in the first layer. But with the second layer of plywood, I do expect a warm, forgiving floor that won't ruin an edge tool if I drop one. I will post pictures and commentary as the project progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdorn Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 that sounds great. please do post pics and updates. i'd be really interested to see them. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevenn77 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I know it is not as pleasing to the eye but the greatest shop floor I worked on was stress relief mats. We used the 3/4" thick soft rubber style with 1" holes and it was great. The sawdust and small scraps fell threw the holes so there was no problem with traction and it was easy to clean with the shop vac. Everything that fell threw the holes would suck up very well and really reduced the tracking around of material. Again it is not as nice looking as hardwood or other floors but it is quite practical. Hopefully what ever you choose works well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davestanton Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I know it is not as pleasing to the eye but the greatest shop floor I worked on was stress relief mats. We used the 3/4" thick soft rubber style with 1" holes and it was great. The sawdust and small scraps fell threw the holes so there was no problem with traction and it was easy to clean with the shop vac. Everything that fell threw the holes would suck up very well and really reduced the tracking around of material. Again it is not as nice looking as hardwood or other floors but it is quite practical. Hopefully what ever you choose works well for you. Hi Steve. The idea of those mats is very appealing for my back if it was just me walking around on them but my concern is if you have machinery that is mobile, on wheels. I am planning on using the mats you mention but only in front of machines and benches. This way I can whip them up when I need to move something rather than have the whole shop sitting on top of the mats. I was even going to use some colour coding for danger areas so that visitors know not to stand on them. Yellow in front of saw stations etc. and black for general areas. I am thinking this might sound a bit over the top, but hey, its my party! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevenn77 Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 I like the color coding idea. I teach for cabinetry at a high school level and have come to realize that those safety reminders are there for me when things get busy just as much as the students. You are correct, the mats would make it tough to roll any equipment. I looked into a restaurant supply company to find the ones we use, they were a firm rubber that had enough give under my feet, but not so soft that wood or screws would be pressed into the mat itself through normal use. The price was a little better than some local box stores as well. Good luck and enjoy your party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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