# Floor colour



## Phillemare (24 Feb 2021)

It is often said there is no silly question, so here goes, silly question; As my burnt out garage being rebuilt by the insurance company is coming to and end, fingers crossed, soon, I will be asked what colour would you like the floor to be painted? I am thinking red, not seeing red, just wondered what your thoughts might be.


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## MARK.B. (24 Feb 2021)

Grey or Green would be my choices


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## Sideways (24 Feb 2021)

Painted mine grey.
In a factory setting, green were pedestrian walkways and red were for forklifts, but there are no hard n fast rules. I've seen everything from a nice mid blue to shades of polished concrete. Whatever you like or can buy cheapest....


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## artie (24 Feb 2021)

I only ever painted one garage floor.

I did it red.


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## Terrytpot (24 Feb 2021)

I’d opt for a light shade without any speckling or embellishments so that it’s easier to see the small thing I just dropped..usually a spring or screw that can’t easily be replaced


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## Doug B (25 Feb 2021)

Completely agree with @Terrytpot for just that reason I went for a light grey plus the lighter the colour the more light it reflects, my mate‘s dark green floor makes his shop seem quite dark in comparison


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## robgul (25 Feb 2021)

Current workshop is mid-grey flooring paint (with some areas covered in plastic/rubber interlocked "checkerplate" tiles that are easier on the feet) - previous workshop was green floor paint . . . grey is better, easier to see small things you might drop.


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## Robbo60 (25 Feb 2021)

Agree with Robgul about having something on floor. Concrete hard and cold. I've got 18mm OSB


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

Thank you all very much, food for thought for sure and the no speckling is something I had not thought of. I have black rubber ridged matting that I was going to use on the floor where I would be standing and I am still thinking red to contrast the black but using a light red to bring some warmth into what will be a stark white walled and black floor matting garage workshop.


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## Jester129 (25 Feb 2021)

Light grey is a lighter shade of black, and will look great with black rubber on it. Light red is called pink, isn't it?
I would DEFINITELY go with the light grey. Your choice.....


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

Pink, yes that is to far even for me, I am trying to avoid bland, and as this is my area alone I am wanting to stamp my own choice of colour as the house is a compromise (Well she that must be obeyed choice) and as grey is a trending colour I am reluctant to follow that line, but appreciate your choice. I suppose I am looking for a reasoned argument not to use red, I think as there won't be many things that are red that are used in a workshop it will show up on the floor, and then opposing that it will show up all the muddy boot prints brought in from the garden etc. Ahh but I have a cunning plan to stop that by using a door matt. Nelson had the Victoria gun decks painted red so as not show the blood spilt on the decks, I am sort of hoping that this facility will not be used.


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## Doug71 (25 Feb 2021)

Everyone is different, I like my workshop to look bland, white walls, grey floor. Any cupboards etc I make for it have to be Birch ply, MDF or painted grey (Festool grey, yes I am that sad).


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## Peterm1000 (25 Feb 2021)

Another vote for grey. But I have light blue rubber floor tiles. Red sucks the light out of the room and also can be quite close to the colour of some woods so things disappear on it.


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

Peterm1000 said:


> Another vote for grey. But I have light blue rubber floor tiles. Red sucks the light out of the room and also can be quite close to the colour of some woods so things disappear on it.


OK, I'll take note of that, red sucks! Green is a no no for me, how about sky blue, or perhaps terracotta?


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

Phillemare said:


> OK, I'll take note of that, red sucks! Green is a no no for me, how about sky blue, or perhaps terracotta?



Ya right, Peterm 100
*Parfait Pink*
Dusty colors, like this muted shade of pastel pink, suck the brightness out of a room. Since bright colors elevate your mood, she says lackluster ones like this tend to do the opposite.


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## richard.selwyn (25 Feb 2021)

McLaren went for white


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

richard.selwyn said:


> McLaren went for white
> View attachment 104539


I really need a closer look at this so I will be asking for an invite to the factory for a close inspection and while I am there a little test drive would I think to be in order to make sure that the floor colour is really important.


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## Inspector (25 Feb 2021)

I worked in a hangar and the floor was painted white. Reflected the light nicely. My buddy worked in the Canadian Airline hangar and all the concrete was made with white quartz sand so it reflected light. Later I worked in a machining plant where all the floors were unpainted concrete. Dark, dirty and dingy. They built an addition that had the ceiling, concrete walls and floors painted white. Bright and clean. Nice side to work in. If you want colour paint the machines, window trim and doors. Leave the floors light grey or white. Right now I have unpainted OSB on the walls, ceiling and floor. If it weren't for the bright lights and lots of windows I would hate it. That's how I see it but you do what you want. It's only paint so you can always do it agian.

Pete


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## Phillemare (25 Feb 2021)

Inspector said:


> I worked in a hangar and the floor was painted white. Reflected the light nicely. My buddy worked in the Canadian Airline hangar and all the concrete was made with white quartz sand so it reflected light. Later I worked in a machining plant where all the floors were unpainted concrete. Dark, dirty and dingy. They built an addition that had the ceiling, concrete walls and floors painted white. Bright and clean. Nice side to work in. If you want colour paint the machines, window trim and doors. Leave the floors light grey or white. Right now I have unpainted OSB on the walls, ceiling and floor. If it weren't for the bright lights and lots of windows I would hate it. That's how I see it but you do what you want. It's only paint so you can always do it agian.
> 
> Pete


Thank you Peter, well it looks to me as a very light grey is the colour to go for and add colour to the furnishings is a really good way to go. Thank you to all of you it has been a great help.


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## Timthetangent (26 Feb 2021)

My father painted his garage workshop floor for many of the above reasons, but also because it's much easier to sweep a painted surface than a raw concrete one. The dust from the latter is awful. Dad was a notorious miser though, so any old leftover paint would do for him, resulting in a tastelessly multi-coloured surface. Pragmatic though and he wasn't bothered about what others thought as no one else resorted to his workshop domain, apart from mum who would bring him a cuppa. He was also quite eccentric and once painted a pair of work trousers black because he didn't like the colour. Hardly a fashion victim and he was most annoyed that using gloss paint on a pair of trousers would make them go "all hard and uncomfortable". He was a civil engineer! There truly is no such thing as "common" sense - it's a rare attribute.


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## Phillemare (26 Feb 2021)

Timthetangent said:


> My father painted his garage workshop floor for many of the above reasons, but also because it's much easier to sweep a painted surface than a raw concrete one. The dust from the latter is awful. Dad was a notorious miser though, so any old leftover paint would do for him, resulting in a tastelessly multi-coloured surface. Pragmatic though and he wasn't bothered about what others thought as no one else resorted to his workshop domain, apart from mum who would bring him a cuppa. He was also quite eccentric and once painted a pair of work trousers black because he didn't like the colour. Hardly a fashion victim and he was most annoyed that using gloss paint on a pair of trousers would make them go "all hard and uncomfortable". He was a civil engineer! There truly is no such thing as "common" sense - it's a rare attribute.


Would love to see a picture of your fathers floor


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## Cabinetman (26 Feb 2021)

Sorry to digress, picture of somebody in the last few days in heavy frost had left his jeans on the line and he could hold them up horizontally frozen solid ha ha. You’re right about common sense being in short supply. 
Sorry to hear about the fire, I nearly lost mine recently so I know how you must feel. Depends really if the garage is being used for car mechanics or woodwork. Pale grey for cars /metalwork. For woodwork my preference is 0SB, T and G and then three coats of water-based floor varnish, Nice to stand on, warmer, less damage to dropped tools and just a generally pleasing colour -hue. Ian


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## Timthetangent (26 Feb 2021)

Well dad passed 34 years ago Phillemere and the floor got a coat of all white after that. It could probably do with another coat, but the house is now being sold as mum has gone into a care home and it's in a poor state of repair now (long story, but half finished refurbishment by builders who went bankrupt). I'm about to have my first COVID jab, so will go back to Wales after that and some relaxation on movements to sort the house out. His old bench that he built was there for 55 years, but is now in my new workshop.


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## recipio (26 Feb 2021)

Black is funereal and red is alarming ! The psychology of colour is subtle but important. I'd stick to grey or green.


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## eribaMotters (26 Feb 2021)

A couple of thoughts. Is the floor concrete and if so is it new as you would have to leave it several months before painting. Grey would be my preferred colour. Dark enough to hide dust but bright enough to reflect light.
Big rubber mats could be a problem over concrete as the floor will sweat underneath.

Colin


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## Lazurus (26 Feb 2021)

Another vote for grey


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## eribaMotters (27 Feb 2021)

Confession time now. My previous garage and workshop were both painted with Leyland Oil based floor paint.I found paint chipping to be an issue as the workshop floor surface was not brilliant, so every few years I would scrape small areas back, seal with unibond, spot a and then give the whole floor a single coat.
Present garage/workshop is about 55m2 and I thought about a 2 part paint like used in garages and fire stations. The £600+ cost put me off. As my floor was new and clean I decided not to paint it. I've used a 5L tub of builders pva 50/50 with water and give in two coats. Three years later the surface is showing no signs of wear. In another couple of years I'll probably give it another coat in the high traffic area. This was a quick, cheap and efficient solution and if I have another new concrete floor I think I'd do the same again.

Colin


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## Barlow (28 Feb 2021)

Robbo60 said:


> Agree with Robgul about having something on floor. Concrete hard and cold. I've got 18mm OSB


I quite fancy that idea of OSB covering the concrete floor. What did you use to fasten it down? Adhesive or screws or both? Many thanks.


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## Barlow (2 Mar 2021)

Robbo60 said:


> Agree with Robgul about having something on floor. Concrete hard and cold. I've got 18mm OSB


I quite fancy the idea of covering my concrete floor with OSB. How did you fasten it down - adhesive, screwed or both?
many thanks


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## Phillemare (2 Mar 2021)

[


Robbo60 said:


> Agree with Robgul about having something on floor. Concrete hard and cold. I've got 18mm OSB


I keep coming back to the OSB idea and wonder how many others have done this and have you painted it?


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## Cabinetman (2 Mar 2021)

No don’t paint it, it would look horribly cheap and nasty. I think it’s quite attractive as it is with 2 or 3 coats of water based floor varnish to preserve it's look and to stop it getting dirty.


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## Phillemare (2 Mar 2021)

Cabinetman said:


> No don’t paint it, it would look horribly cheap and nasty. I think it’s quite attractive as it is with a few coats of floor varnish to preserve it's look and to stop it getting dirty.


OK I won't paint it, but what if I did it with a good floor paint? I am thinking of a previous comment about loosing small items on the floor and the ease to find them


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## Cabinetman (2 Mar 2021)

Well you’re either painting it or you’re not.


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## Robbo60 (2 Mar 2021)

Barlow said:


> I quite fancy the idea of covering my concrete floor with OSB. How did you fasten it down - adhesive, screwed or both?
> many thanks


I didn't fasten it down and it hasn't gone anywhere? Just a tight fit to the walls. If need be I'd just use some silicon sealant so it could be taken up if needed


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## Barlow (2 Mar 2021)

Thanks Robbo


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## Phillemare (25 Mar 2021)

A clear and clean pallet, as you can see, I followed the advice, and I now have a grey floor, and to reduce the harshness of pure white walls are sandstone, new garage doors arrive soon. The first job will be assembling the saw bench and offer up a router table, and then work around this setup and see how the rest of the workshop fits in


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## Doug B (26 Mar 2021)

Looks a good space @Phillemare, happy sawdust trails.


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