To floor or not to floor.....?

Stuart Ablett

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15,917
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Tokyo Japan
OK, my Dungeon workshop has concrete floors, I hate them, my back hates them too, I have some mats on the floor and they certainly help, but... nothing beats a good wooden floor.
My floors are also very uneven, and my workshop is full of stuff :rolleyes: :D

The other day Kyle mentioned that he was getting some stuff from an auction, the Tokyo American Club had a temporary facility for 3 years while they rebuilt the old club. One of the things he mentioned was some of the mats from the weight lifting area. Kyle got more than enough to cover his new workshop floor, and I got enough to do the Dungeon up in style! :clap: a big "Thank You" to Kyle! These mats are not the same thing you find in the BORG, they are the real deal, I figure that when all connected into one mat, I should have no problem rolling around machines on top of them, if, and that is a big "IF" the floor under the mats is flat and smooth, mine ain't :doh:

Once again, I'm looking at the LARGE job of putting a wooden floor into the Dungeon. I would go with sleepers on the floor, shimmed in the right places and insulation, and then thick T&G plywood on top, maybe even paint to seal things up :dunno: Then the new to me weight room mats.

rubber_mats_1.jpg rubber_mats_2.jpg
The stack of mats, there are 62 of them, some have the tabs busted off, but I'll need mats around the edge, so that's fine, some are fairly soft and wobbly, but others are hard like they are made from tar:huh: :dunno: The mats are each about 60cm/24" square, and about 12mm/1/2" thick.

They are certainly good quality mats.

I guess I have to go the new floor route, oh well, it will be some serious exercise :rolleyes: :D

One thing I plan to do is run some wiring under the floor, for my tablesaw and such, instead of tripping over cords.

I tell you, a workshop just never seems to be finished :eek:

I'll also say to anyone who is planing a shop, put down a wooden floor before you do anything else!

Oh yeah, I got four of these great deck chairs as well.....
chairs1.jpg chairs2.jpg
about $5 each, used, but they are welded aluminum frames, plastic seats and powder coated, very nice, and boy are they big, I think both my wife and daughter could sit in one together!

Thanks again Kyle for spreading the wealth!
 
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Holy cow Stu. How are you going to move all your equipment to put in a wood floor? Are you going to hoist all the stuff up the hatch first ? This is quite the project. If I was closer I'd come over and give you a hand :rofl::rofl:
 
Holy cow Stu. How are you going to move all your equipment to put in a wood floor? Are you going to hoist all the stuff up the hatch first ? This is quite the project. If I was closer I'd come over and give you a hand :rofl::rofl:

And I'd take you up on that offer :D

I'll do it half the floor at a time, it is going to be crowded down there! :rolleyes:
 
Now that is a "flatwork" project!!! ;)

My back is aching just thinking about it.

But really, once you've got a wooden floor down, I don't think you'd even need those mats.
 
Now that is a "flatwork" project!!! ;)

My back is aching just thinking about it.

But really, once you've got a wooden floor down, I don't think you'd even need those mats.

Maybe true, but they would be even nicer, and they would do something else....... insulate NOISE :D

I'm even playing with the idea of putting down rubber under the sleepers where they contact the concrete, to further isolate noise :dunno:
 
If cost wasn't a factor, I think I'd look at doing something like we had in our old data centers, which was a raised floor like this.
China_pedestal_and_stringer_for_raised_floor2008891612029.jpg


The grid is supported by an adjustable struts that can be raised or lowered to level out the floor.
pic%5C1.JPG

Tiles are then put in over the grid and can be pulled to install cabling and dust collection.

;)
 
Go for it Stu, it was one of the best things i ever have done and dont regret it for a minute. I wish only one thing that i had made the 2x6 pressure treated a double stack so there was more space below for wiring. Dont forget a vapor barrier too.

It will also add to the warmth never mind the noise dampening.


You having difficulty with neighbors and noise? I aint heard you worrying about noise before other than what it means to you while in there.

Best of luck and good haul and that diet of yours is definitely making a difference by the look of that avatar.:thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
Darren, I don't know if I'd trust that floor with my SawStop on it :rolleyes:

Rob, the noise is a problem, if I pound on the workbench, the sound goes right into the concrete, and as concrete is very dense, it transmits sound very well. My wife can hear me chopping out dovetails down in the Dungeon all the way up on the 7th floor :eek:

Don't need vapour barrier, the concrete is truly waterproof :thumb:
 
Before I tortured myself putting down a wood floor, I'd try a section with just the mats to see if they would do the job.

Ted I have other mats, and they work OK, these are quite a bit harder, and just them on the concrete, would not be great, but these on a wooden floor would be nice and solid and good at damping sound too! :thumb:
 
I'm even playing with the idea of putting down rubber under the sleepers where they contact the concrete, to further isolate noise :dunno:

Good question.
Ever heard of Tyroc ? If your floor was level, I bet that would work.

Maybe we should just ship you a few crates of hockey pucks and you can put them down under your sleepers... :doh::p

Seriously, I wonder if you'd benefit from putting down some styrofoam between the sleepers also. I really don't know what is the best for noise reduction. :huh:
 
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