# Shop mats



## DavidR8

Over the weekend I spent about 12 hours in concrete. 
My back is a mite sore. 
Are folks using cushion mats or anything similar in front of their benches, machines etc?


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## MrWhoopee

I just got the jig-saw puzzle ones at HF. Working fine so far.










						Anti-Fatigue Foam Mat Set, 4 Pack
					

Amazing deals on this Anti-Fatigue Foam Mat Set 4Pc at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com


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## C-Bag

For what it’s worth I spent my whole life standing sometimes 14hrs on concrete. But I was moving around doing things not standing in one place. It was more about me feet than my back. But I notice when I’m doing machining standing In one place what gets me is my back and the back of my legs tightens up. i was given mats and they don’t work for me. The only thing that does is taking some time to stretch like do some toe touches and stuff.


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## francist

I get these at Industrial Plastics. They come in 3’x3’ modules that kind of lock together although I supplement that with a giant staple strap or two. They’re really soft though — these are not the stiff kind often seen in commercial kitchens — and I can stand on them for hours. I think about thirty bucks apiece if my memory serves.




Home Depot carries these smaller individual ones, also for twenty bucks or so. Equally soft, they have a beveled edge and are not meant to lock together. Great for small areas like in front of the Kira.




And of course no shop should be without a nice Kerman, they work anywhere...




-frank


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## mikey

@darkzero turned me on to Wearwell mats. I bought one to go in front of the lathe and mill and they are nice! Easy to sweep chips off of, too.


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## darkzero

I'm using Wearwell mats for the lathe & mill. We used these in the QC dept at my old work & is where I learned about them. I've had mine for 10 yrs or so & they don't show any signs of wear or damage (well very hot chips can melt into them). I've spilled all kinds of shop fluids on them.

They're not cheap though compared to mats from HF or big box stores. The one for my lathe I had custom cut, one for the mill is an off the shelf size. Custom cut cause the edges are beveled to help avoid tripping. They were pricey but I have no regrets & would buy them again.


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## darkzero

mikey said:


> @darkzero turned me on to Wearwell mats. I bought one to go in front of the lathe and mill and they are nice! Easy to sweep chips off of, too.


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## darkzero

Another option that I have seen quite a bit. They use some sort of wood riser. Not sure how they prevent fatigue but I hear they work well. I guess the wood planks are springy? Off the top of my head, Tom Lipton uses one & so does AvE. I tried searching for them but not sure what they are called or if they even sell em. I assume the ones I have seen are all shop made & _woodn't_ be hard to make.


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## Nogoingback

I have two kinds:  A couple of interlocking Harbor Freight mats, which are soft and comfortable, but are so light 
that they won't stay put.  I'm constantly kicking them out of position.  I would not buy them again for that reason.
I have a couple of heavier mats I bought years ago: I have no idea where I bought them.  Not as plush as the HF
mats (though that doesn't seem to matter comfort wise), but they have lasted and don't move at all.
Were I buying today, I would spend a bit more and get a heavier, quality mat that chips can be broomed off
easily.


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## DavidR8

Thanks gents, as always a trove of knowledge!


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## DavidR8

darkzero said:


> Another option that I have seen quite a bit. They use some sort of wood riser. Not sure how they prevent fatigue but I hear they work well. I guess the wood planks are springy? Off the top of my head, Tom Lipton uses one & so does AvE. I tried searching for them but not sure what they are called or if they even sell em. I assume the ones I have seen are all shop made & _woodn't_ be hard to make.
> 
> View attachment 332405



That’s an interesting idea actually Will. 
My mill and lathe are basically even across the front so I could make one long one. Though two shorter ones would be easier to move for cleaning. 


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## DavidR8

francist said:


> I get these at Industrial Plastics. They come in 3’x3’ modules that kind of lock together although I supplement that with a giant staple strap or two. They’re really soft though — these are not the stiff kind often seen in commercial kitchens — and I can stand on them for hours. I think about thirty bucks apiece if my memory serves.
> 
> View attachment 332396
> 
> 
> Home Depot carries these smaller individual ones, also for twenty bucks or so. Equally soft, they have a beveled edge and are not meant to lock together. Great for small areas like in front of the Kira.
> 
> View attachment 332397
> 
> 
> And of course no shop should be without a nice Kerman, they work anywhere...
> 
> View attachment 332399
> 
> 
> -frank



I have a piece of that matting in the back of my truck to stop stuff from sliding around in the box. I completely forgot that it is actually a mat. Doh!  


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## darkzero

DavidR8 said:


> That’s an interesting idea actually Will.
> My mill and lathe are basically even across the front so I could make one long one. Though two shorter ones would be easier to move for cleaning.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Please let us know how it works if you make one. I've always been interested. I've only seen a few in person but never got to stand on one. I think one YT'r said he made his out of old pallets?

Seems like they would handle chips well too, "sweep" with your feet and/or just fall between the spaces. Eventually you would need to clean out under it but not a big deal.


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## tjb

darkzero said:


> I'm using Wearwell mats for the lathe & mill. We used these in the QC dept at my old work & is where I learned about them. I've had mine for 10 yrs or so & they don't show any signs of wear or damage (well very hot chips can melt into them). I've spilled all kinds of shop fluids on them.
> 
> They're not cheap though compared to mats from HF or big box stores. The one for my lathe I had custom cut, one for the mill is an off the shelf size. Custom cut cause the edges are beveled to help avoid tripping. They were pricey but I have no regrets & would buy them again.
> 
> View attachment 332403


That's the same kind I have in my shop - an 8 footer in front of my workbench.  I've had it for several years.  It's very rugged and definitely easy on the back.  It would be my first choice if I needed another mat.

Regards,
Terry


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## NortonDommi

Rubber mat by mill and a comfy bar stool at the lathe. If I was standing at a lathe all day I like the wood. Shop I did my time in had wood in front of every workbench and machine. Good orthotic inserts in the boots work wonders as well.


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## projectnut

Like MrWhoppee I use the HF mats.  I have several sets.  I use them in front of each lathe and around the Bridgeport.  They've been in place about 15 years.  Some are starting to show wear so I was thinking about getting some replacements this fall.  

From time to time hot chips will get embedded, but they are comfortable to stand on for 4 or 5 hours at a time.  I like them better than those with the holes in them in that I can run a vacuum over them and pick up all the swarf and crud in just a few minutes.  We had the boards at work like darkzero posted.  They worked fine, but had to be moved every day to clean the floor.  They're bulky and hard to get out of the way. 

The mats can stay in place and just run a vacuum over them.  That may not be important to some, but we have 2 dogs that love to visit the shop.  I have a small sliding gate to keep them out when the chips are flying, but as soon as the machines stop running they're begging to come in.  I run the vacuum over the floor then open the gate.


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## Liljoebrshooter

Another option is horse stall mats sold at the farm and fleet stores.  They are made from recycled rubber and are super tough and heavy.
The one I have is 4'x5' and is about 30lbs.
Joe


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## wrat

Thin Slat Pallets.  Not 2x4, but more like plaster lath boards.
In my younger days of running a mill 40 hours/week, these were basically mandatory.  And that's when i was in my 20's.
But then we were never allowed to sit down.
Egomaniac bosses, you know.


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## francist

darkzero said:


> searching for them but not sure what they are called


These are typically referred to as “duckboards” from their likeness to those used in wet wash up and shower areas. I’ve had a similar arrangement in front of my woodworking bench for many years and they are very comfortable. Mine is just a sheet of G1S 3/4” ply on sleepers as opposed to the slats where stuff can fall through, but same idea. Like standing on a wood floor instead of concrete. Only downside is the slight step up — you need to remember it and it can limit how you move things around if that’s a concern. I think the name actually stems from use in muddy trenches.

-frank


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## Ken from ontario

francist said:


> I get these at Industrial Plastics. They come in 3’x3’ modules that kind of lock together although I supplement that with a giant staple strap or two. They’re really soft though — these are not the stiff kind often seen in commercial kitchens — and I can stand on them for hours. I think about thirty bucks apiece if my memory serves.
> 
> View attachment 332396
> 
> 
> Home Depot carries these smaller individual ones, also for twenty bucks or so. Equally soft, they have a beveled edge and are not meant to lock together. Great for small areas like in front of the Kira.
> 
> 
> 
> And of course no shop should be without a nice Kerman, they work anywhere...
> 
> 
> 
> -frank


I have been using that type of rubber mats for years, we used to have them at work so when I saw them at home depot I bought 4 and put one in front of the tools I work with the most, snapped two of them together for the work table, they are not expensive but I know the work and work well.
The ones Mikey and DZ Will referred to sound very interesting and I wouldn't mind one in front of my welding bench but not sure if it would get full of holes after a year or so.


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## BGHansen

I went the cheap route and have sets of the HF ones stacked 2 or 3 high.  Also have some from Amazon which look to be the same as the HF.  They do slide around if the edge is kicked.  But they tip up on edge very easily to dump swarf off the tops for vacuuming or sweeping.  At 60 I'll feel my back after a few hours of standing on concrete, really like the mats.

Bruce


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## benmychree

darkzero said:


> Another option that I have seen quite a bit. They use some sort of wood riser. Not sure how they prevent fatigue but I hear they work well. I guess the wood planks are springy? Off the top of my head, Tom Lipton uses one & so does AvE. I tried searching for them but not sure what they are called or if they even sell em. I assume the ones I have seen are all shop made & _woodn't_ be hard to make.
> 
> View attachment 332405


In the shop where I apprenticed back in the mid '60s these wood mats were called duckboards, and they were in front of every machine in the shop, and were made by the carpenter shop on site; generally, they had narrower slats than toe one pictured, and chips easily fell through, and regularly, the sweepers came by, took the mats up and swept all the chips away (and gave us a bit of a break in the process).  In my own shop, I used duck boards in front of the principal lathes where there was a lot of standing, and odd mats of rubber or old conveyor belting on less used machines; my motto, whatever works or is cheap, or somebody gives me is fine.


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## NCjeeper

I am using wearwell mats also.


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## DavidR8

I have a lot of excess plywood. I think I will turn some into a duckboard for my bench. I realized that I have a stall mat that I can cut in half for the mill and lathe.
Thanks all!


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## macardoso

I've even used a bunch of layers of double ply cardboard (the heavy stuff from fridge boxes). Seam the edges with duct tape. They last for a year or so.


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## pdentrem

I have a 9x12 foot section of used conveyor belting.
Pierre


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## Aukai

I'm going to try the Wearwell, my puka-puka mats are irritating for swarf


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## Aaron_W

I am a fan of tall stools. If just the right height it is easy to alternate between standing, sitting and leaning. Not doing any one of these for too long seems to be the key to avoiding back and leg pain for me.

I've been considering getting a horse mat from Tractor Supply.



C-Bag said:


> For what it’s worth I spent my whole life standing sometimes 14hrs on concrete. But I was moving around doing things not standing in one place. It was more about me feet than my back. But I notice when I’m doing machining standing In one place what gets me is my back and the back of my legs tightens up. i was given mats and they don’t work for me. The only thing that does is taking some time to stretch like do some toe touches and stuff.



I took a class from a guy who had been a sports physical therapist before becoming a "leadership" consultant (the government loves to hire consultants to tell employees that they are happy even if they don't know it). He was a big proponent of stretching, and claimed something like 90% of low back pain was caused by tight hamstrings. Since that class I have made a point of doing leg stretches throughout the day, and I do have far less back pain than I used to. At least I got something useful out of that class.


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## aliva

I had a anti fatigue mat for my mill and lathe. Fatigue wise they were ok but a pain to clean chips.  Hot chips would stick to the surface. I built a couple of wooden platforms similar to what Tom Lipton has. It's made from 1/2" x 2 1/2" pine planks with 1/2" space between planks. It has some spring to it, so it's comfortable. Very easy to clean, most of the swarf falls thru to the floor. Lift it up , sweep or vacuum the swarf. Done


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## mikey

Horse mats are hard rubber and provide little cushioning unless you're a 1200# horse. I would consider an alternative.


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## DavidR8

mikey said:


> Horse mats are hard rubber and provide little cushioning unless you're a 1200# horse. I would consider an alternative.


Despite the pandemic I have a ways to go before I hit 1200#. And then I think shop floor cushioning would pale in comparision to the raft of other issues I'd have.
I best layoff the ice cream though...


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## pontiac428

There's a difference between a floor mat and an ergonomic mat.  The conveyor belt, horse stall mats, and many others listed here are just floor mats, something rubbery and non-slip that covers the floor.  The "holey" restaurant style mats are included in this group.

Ergonomic mats are thick, cushioned, and have a foamy or compressible core (wearwell).  They allow the bones in your feet to move so your tendons stretch, and the rocking motion that moving on these mats allows will induce circulation.  Cushioning is easier on the knees and back.

So if you're looking to cover the floor, see what kind of deal you can get on surplus material.  If you're looking to help your body out over the time spent on the shop floor, select an ergonomic mat.  Two different mats, two different purposes.


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## mikey

At my age, with my back, cushiony is good!


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## C-Bag

Aaron_W said:


> I am a fan of tall stools. If just the right height it is easy to alternate between standing, sitting and leaning. Not doing any one of these for too long seems to be the key to avoiding back and leg pain for me.
> 
> I've been considering getting a horse mat from Tractor Supply.
> 
> 
> 
> I took a class from a guy who had been a sports physical therapist before becoming a "leadership" consultant (the government loves to hire consultants to tell employees that they are happy even if they don't know it). He was a big proponent of stretching, and claimed something like 90% of low back pain was caused by tight hamstrings. Since that class I have made a point of doing leg stretches throughout the day, and I do have far less back pain than I used to. At least I got something useful out of that class.


I first ran into my pain when I was a wrench in a Shell station. When it was slow I’d go out on the islands and help out. It usually got really slow around Christmas and New Years and I’d be out there a whole shift. I’d be hurting so bad I was beside myself. I’m not a fan of chiropractors but when I went to him about my back he asked what I’d been doing and I told him. He was the one who told me about the stretches and that was the only good thing I ever got from a chiropractor. The other necessities for standing on cement is good boots. I used to always get crepe soles but the tech for insoles has gotten good enough I don’t miss crepe soles.


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## darkzero

Yup, I love the cushioning! But if I get any fatter I may have to double up on mats. 

I've had a few very hot steel chips melt onto my Wearwell mat, only the one for the lathe. But not many in the 10 yrs I've had. Nowhere near close to melting through. Just stuck on the surface & I can just pull it right out. I'm just a hobby guy so I don't get those kinds of hot chips flying off the lathe daily.

Although they have a diamond plate pattern, like Mike said, easy to sweep chips off. I used to use an ordinary household broom but later got one of those industrial shop type brooms that have stiff bristles. That broom sweeps chips off even easier & the chips don't get stuck in the broom like my old one. But I don't even use that anymore. Ever since I got an M18 blower, I just blow the chips to the back wall then vacuum or sweep them up when needed.


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## Splat

Liljoebrshooter said:


> Another option is horse stall mats sold at the farm and fleet stores.  They are made from recycled rubber and are super tough and heavy.
> The one I have is 4'x5' and is about 30lbs.
> Joe



I got a 3/4" thick 4'x6' Tractor Supply horse stall mat. Thing is *heavy* and firm. I got it to use for kettlebell exercising. I guess it would be better than hard concrete but I would get something softer. YMMV.


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## ACHiPo

I'm following this discussion.  I like the idea of the duckboard.  Tripping would be an issue until you got used to it, but I like the idea of chips not sticking (I have HF cheapos and they look like Chia Pets).

A few photos of "duckboards" from the interwebs...
Duckboard
Duckboard1

The slats look like plaster lath.  Seems like they'd be pretty springy and good to stand on. 

Here's a YouTube comparison of rubber mat vs. duckboard:
Mat and Duckboard Comparison Video


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## GunsOfNavarone

This is what I use, very thick/heavy...don't move around. Nicer than standing on carpet in my living room!
Shop mats


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## Janderso

benmychree said:


> In the shop where I apprenticed back in the mid '60s these wood mats were called duckboards, and they were in front of every machine in the shop, and were made by the carpenter shop on site; generally, they had narrower slats than toe one pictured, and chips easily fell through, and regularly, the sweepers came by, took the mats up and swept all the chips away (and gave us a bit of a break in the process).  In my own shop, I used duck boards in front of the principal lathes where there was a lot of standing, and odd mats of rubber or old conveyor belting on less used machines; my motto, whatever works or is cheap, or somebody gives me is fine.


These duck boards were made to flex.
John,
Can you recall the size or thickness of the slats? How far apart were the foundation slits?
I think this is the way to go.
I bought some 2x3 mats from Costco. Chips get embedded and they are a PITA.


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## DavidR8

Janderso said:


> These duck boards were made to flex.
> John,
> Can you recall the size or thickness of the slats? How far apart were the foundation slits?
> I think this is the way to go.
> I bought some 2x3 mats from Costco. Chips get embedded and they are a PITA.



1x3"s on 24” centers in the Fireball video. Narrower centers would be less springy (and may be necessary if the stock is very knotty).
I think I'll be building a few of these!


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## Grandpop

Yup, 1 x 3s with a 3/4 gap between boards. Ours were 6' long to match the lathe, and 2' wide; they had 3' between supports. Worked out perfect for 8' boards. Chips go right between boards, and at 1.5" high, can't really "fall" off when not paying attention.  Also enough room to get your fingers underneath to stand it up to clean underneath.

I have HF mats in front of mill and surface grinder, but wil probably use buckboard for lathe.


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## Mtnmac

I use the Harbor Freight cheap ones with a piece of thin, durable mat on top.  That keeps the HF ones from wearing too fast, but still has a little cushion.


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## 9t8z28

I have the Harbor Freight mats as well.  I have both the long mat and the sections.  They moved around on me to so I hot glued them to the concrete floor.  They haven't moved in 4 years and are holding up very well.  I have even dropped an AXA tool holder on one and it didn't penetrate the rubber.  


Nogoingback said:


> I have two kinds:  A couple of interlocking Harbor Freight mats, which are soft and comfortable, but are so light
> that they won't stay put.  I'm constantly kicking them out of position.  I would not buy them again for that reason.
> I have a couple of heavier mats I bought years ago: I have no idea where I bought them.  Not as plush as the HF
> mats (though that doesn't seem to matter comfort wise), but they have lasted and don't move at all.
> Were I buying today, I would spend a bit more and get a heavier, quality mat that chips can be broomed off
> easily.


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## dhprecision

I have used thick conveyor belts cut to length for a bunch of years. Back still gets tired after a long day but i think that's because I'm getting old. LOL


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## projectnut

A couple weeks ago I decided the HF mats had served their purpose and it was time for retirement.  They were getting to the point that they wouldn't stay interlocked, and I was constantly kicking them back into place.

I replaced them with a couple from Grizzly.  The new ones are a bit narrower and shorter at 24" x 60".  They are however single piece and quite comfortable when standing at the lathe or mill for hours on end.  They also clean up quite nicely as compared to the old HF ones.

Here's a link to the ones i purchased:









						Anti-Fatigue Mats - 24" x 60" at Grizzly.com
					

Reduce work-related aches and pains by up to 50% with these closed-cell vinyl floor mats. These sure-grip ribbed foam mats insulate against heat and cold, while providing a 3/8" thick cushion. Beveled edges minimize tripping. Black.<p>Made in the U.S.A.




					www.grizzly.com


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## Aukai

This is what I ordered, and I like it over the restaurant honey comb style, and it helps a lot.


			https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065UFPE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Winegrower

I got tired of the HF mats (after about 10 years of service!) and bought a couple of "wash rack" mats from Ace Hardware.   They're about 3'x3', pretty thick, with big holes that the chips can get swept into.  They're very comfortable.   Every so often I lift up the pad and sweep up.   So far so good.


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## rabler

I do use the softer honeycomb mats in front of the lathe and mill.  Menards has decent 3'x3' interlocking ones currently for $18.99, and is currently running an 11% off sale, so we grabbed 10 of them.  For my three workbenches, where I alternately stand or sit, I use the horse mats as a good compromise between some padding while still firm enough to allow a tall stool to be used. 

I also use cut up sections of horse mat as pads on mill table.  Given that I have several horses, scrapped out horse mats are plentiful.  The stallions often will wear one through in a couple of years at a point where they turn around while pacing.


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## Dabbler

@DavidR8 Almost anything is better than concrete.  however here's what I've learned about mats:

- make sure there's room for chips to go through.  walking on chips only spreads them to the house.
- It should give, but only a little.  I've gotten foot problems from some industrial mats that were too soft.
- duck boards work really well, especially if you make sure they give a little.

What I use, because I'm lazy, and I need a little softer surface than a duck board:



			https://www.princessauto.com/en/35-x-35-in-anti-fatigue-mat/product/PA0008808537
		


It should be available locally, and cheaper than materials for a duckboard


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## finsruskw

That's what I have as well.
MSC Had them on sale when I got my mill up and running.
Would like another for the lathe.
The 3x5 with tapered yellow safety border.
Chips sweep off easily.



			https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065UFPE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Ken from ontario

I have 6 of those in the link Dabbler posted, bought 4 of them 10 years ago from Home Depot but the last time I checked HD,  their prices went way up , almost tripled.
Luckily I found them at a reasonable price at Pa and bought two more, they are exactly as Dabbler described, hard with some give , if too hard, they become almost useless , their best feature is the small holes that can catch any screws rivets I drop and normally never find  .


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## GunsOfNavarone

Aukai said:


> This is what I ordered, and I like it over the restaurant honey comb style, and it helps a lot.
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065UFPE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is what I have...there are mats, then there are this thick, solid cushions. Helps insulate the cold cement from the feet too. You stand on a cold cement slab for hours and you're body will ache....or at least mine does. (probably not in Hawaii however)


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## Aukai

I have bad feet, this one has added to my ability to stand in the shop longer.


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## darkzero

I'm fat, that's why I bought em.


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## Aukai

My weight is just stacked taller


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