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Workshop floor advice

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Workshop floor advice

Postby David_A14 » 20 May 2022, 14:19

Not a build per se, but a request for advice please before starting.

Back in November 2019 some of you may remember the name of the town of Fishlake near Doncaster, where the residents were neck deep in water due to flooding. The same storm that swamped Fishlake also flooded my basement workshop. The water came up from under the floor to a depth of about 100mm, just getting to the top of the skirtings. It was due to the height of the water table rather than anything else and within 24h it had all drained away. Once I got up the ruined flooring etc. it has dried out and is now in the position where I wish to put something back down. The cellar has been converted with a concrete slab, cavity drain membrane and sump/pump and has remained dry since 2019.

I was thinking that whatever I do has to be easily replaced in the event of another flood but could do with some advice on what to do. My first thought was a lattice of treated roofing laths covered with sheet material such as OSB, but I need someone who knows more than me to tell me if its a good idea. The heaviest machine that needs to be supported is a washing machine and it doesn't have to be pretty either.

Thanks,

David
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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby 9fingers » 20 May 2022, 14:26

My workshop floor comprises tiling battens at 400mm centres laid on concrete (with DPM), Expanded polystyrene insulation and 18mm ply.
It been fine since installation around 2006 and carries heavy table saw, thicknesser, planer bandsaw etc.
Water based satin varnish is just wearing through in high traffic areas but otherwise no problems.

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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby Mike G » 20 May 2022, 15:13

OSB is an unsatisfactory flooring, as it de-laminates into very sharp splinters and fragments. I would definitely avoid that. If you are going to put a floor down, then I'd suggest moisture-resistant T&G chipboard flooring. That can get slippery with sawdust, though, so you might want to paint it with a proper floor paint.

Why do you need to put anything down at all? If there is a concrete floor, then couldn't you just use that?
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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby Cabinetman » 20 May 2022, 15:20

Mike G wrote:OSB is an unsatisfactory flooring, as it de-laminates into very sharp splinters and fragments. I would definitely avoid that. If you are going to put a floor down, then I'd suggest moisture-resistant T&G chipboard flooring. That can get slippery with sawdust, though, so you might want to paint it with a proper floor paint.

Why do you need to put anything down at all? If there is a concrete floor, then couldn't you just use that?

We have had this conversation before Mike ha ha, my workshop floor was put down 11 years ago, 18 mil t&g OSB with 2/3 coats of water-based poly varnish and even where I have been dragging heavy cast-iron equipment across it it doesn’t do what you have described, maybe I was lucky with the make? Ian
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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby Mike G » 20 May 2022, 15:40

Maybe, Ian. And maybe it was the varnish holding it together. Either way, if you'd ever had a big splinter of OSB up under a fingernail you'd take extreme precautions to make sure nothing like it ever happened again!
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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby Doug » 20 May 2022, 17:18

You can get flooring grade t&g OSB I’ve used it before & it’s not bad at all but with the unbelievable increase in prices I doubt there much saving to be had over chipboard t&g flooring.
Personally I’d opt for a plastic coated non slip chipboard t&g flooring laid as a floating floor, Steve Maskery used such a product & it appears to be very good.
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Re: Workshop floor advice

Postby Woodbloke » 20 May 2022, 17:33

My floor is suspended so it's about 300mm from the earth. It's just sheets of 18mm plywood with a sacrificial covering of hardboard nailed in place over the top. I was a bit slippy when new but now it's scuffed up a bit its fine. When I was teaching, I forbade the cleaners to wax polish the parquet floor in my workshops; they did try! - Rob
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