What's under you? (Floor question)

[projectnut]

Another vote for smooth concrete with no epoxy coating. We tried epoxy coatings at work and to me it was a dismal failure. In areas where they did a smooth finish it was like walking on ice if any coolant or water got on it. In the areas where they added grit it was a real PITA to clean. Chips and saw filings would get caught in the grit and had to be washed out with detergent and water.

 

[sdelivery]

My choice wood be a wooden block floor.
They are so much easier on the body, tools and equipment as spoken about in one of the above post.
They do complicate machine anchoring.
They weren't as easy to sweep but spills weren't so critical.
I have never seen a block floor lift unless there are blocks missing.

 

[ChazzC]

I have concrete with a 2' x 5' cushioned mat (on sale from Woodcraft - https://www.woodcraft.com/products/anti-fatigue-floor-mat-2-x-5-pebble-beveled-edge) in front of my Mini-Mill & Mini-Lathe. The mat is easy to fold out of the way when I vacuum the floor or need to roll something over where it normally lives. I also have a small rubberized fabric mat in front of the door that leads to the "normal" living space in my basement so catch any swarf that sticks to my shoes.

I had red rubber mats with 1" holes a number of years ago; easy to vacuum to collect most debris, but since I have a small workspace they were a pain the lift up so I could do a really good cleaning.

Many years ago I worked at the Main Hershey Chocolate plant, where they had full shops - machine, fabrication, carpentry, plumbing & electrical for repairs and construction services. Most of the shops had sealed concrete floors, but apart from locations were there was heavy equipment, the machine & plumbing shops had wood block floors (6" long, 3" x4" oak blocks with the grain running up & down) so that when you dropped something it didn't get damaged. There were a lot of rock maple floors in the dry processing areas that were routinely dry mopped and occasionally damp mopped. These floor were beautifully laid and looked great. However, if there was a roof or pipe leak and the water pooled too long, the maple flooring would buckle like crazy, raising planks up to 6" above the surrounding floor: these areas needed to be removed, everything dried out and then new T&G planks installed. I still have a few end scraps of the bare planks, 1-1/16 thick and as straight as the day they came out of the mill 30+ years ago.

 

[jeffmaxwell_amarillo]

Concrete and rubber mats--came with the shop when I moved in.

 

[ChazzC]

Another vote for smooth concrete with no epoxy coating. We tried epoxy coatings at work and to me it was a dismal failure. In areas where they did a smooth finish it was like walking on ice if any coolant or water got on it. In the areas where they added grit it was a real PITA to clean. Chips and saw filings would get caught in the grit and had to be washed out with detergent and water.

Epoxy paint fails due to improper surface preparation, moisture from below (bad or no moisture barrier) or improper application. You are better off having a sealer applied by professionals when the concrete is new.

One place I worked had offices in a re-purposed retail space. They had stripped the glued-down carpeting, cleaned the residue and ground & leveled the floor as needed and then coated with a clear, thick epoxy. When your shoes were wet, you could barely walk across they floor, even with slip-resistant soles. After several attempts to correct the problem, they tried buffing the floor with a coarse steel wall pad - this broke the glossy finish and gave just enough tooth so the floors were safe.

I remember a new facility 40 years ago that had polished granite steps that were death is the rain. These were fixed by burning the surface.

 

[matthewsx]

Wood block floors do not tolerate moisture; I saw a section of one that had gotten wet, and it arched up like a Japanese arch bridge.

The original ones I've seen have the wood installed end grain vertical and are so saturated with oil I doubt any moisture could penetrate. This was in Michigan so I'm pretty sure they did get wet. Not sure how you would do it today unless you lived in a mill town with lots of cut offs.

John

 

[matthewsx]

benmychree, how flooded did the floor get to buckle. Can see it happening, just curious how much block floors can take. Right now my feet are killing me after standing on my concrete floor. With the Emerald Ash Bore infestation, I have virtually an endless supply of dead ash trees. Nothing huge but lots I could saw 4 x 4 s out of. Then cut 1 inch blocks and lay them in a bed of asphalt cement.
My feet would love me, lol

Greg

4 x 4's would probably be fine, probably 6" or more deep is what the ones I've seen are.

The biggest problem you'd have is environmental. 100 years ago these shops would have been flooded with oil from the machines, don't think you can get away with that today.

I'm sure there are old books that cover how it was done and it would be a good use for all those ash trees killed by ash borer disease.

John

 

[Downunder Bob]

My shop has a standard concrete floor, and I have made a wooden duck board out of old packing crates and also a rubber mat on top of it in front of the lathe, works a treat.

 

[Richard King 2]

I used to work at General Motor plants that had a concrete floor and they used 6 x 6 x 4" long wood blocks setting on the ends. The machines set on the floor and the people stood on the wood. I also have been inside the Hardinge plant in Elmira NY and they have Butcher Block floors over concrete. They say it's easier on the feet plus if they drop something it dents the wood floor and not ruin a part. I have a concrete floor and use Harbor Freight mats I stand on.

 

[projectnut]

I used to work at General Motor plants that had a concrete floor and they used 6 x 6 x 4" long wood blocks setting on the ends. The machines set on the floor and the people stood on the wood. I also have been inside the Hardinge plant in Elmira NY and they have Butcher Block floors over concrete. They say it's easier on the feet plus if they drop something it dents the wood floor and not ruin a part. I have a concrete floor and use Harbor Freight mats I stand on.

I also worked at the GM plant in Janesville WI while going to school in Madison. They had the same style floors you're referring to. The floors may have been easier on the feet, but the jobs I had were hard on the back and shoulders. It made me realize that wasn't how I wanted to spend the next 40 years.

In reality I wouldn't have made it 40 years. The plant closed in 2008, and was torn down in 2018. Last time I was in the area the only visible remains were a few piles of scrap iron wanting to be hauled off to the foundry