# Workshop flooring



## Matt99 (26 Jun 2021)

Looking for thoughts on laminate flooring over workshop osb base floor 

Good or bad idea?


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## Gerry (26 Jun 2021)

Very bad, Get some sawdust on it and it will be like an ice rink.

Gerry


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## Matt99 (26 Jun 2021)

Good point I didn't think of that

Cheers


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## gcusick (26 Jun 2021)

I’ve got laminate over chipboard. Works fine, no traction problems, and wheels run easily on it. Easy to sweep, and easy to install.


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## Matt99 (26 Jun 2021)

One for and one against. Any more votes...


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## Gordon Tarling (26 Jun 2021)

Vinyl planks - doesn't matter so much if they get wet. Most laminates will be ruined if you have a major spill.


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## Adam W. (26 Jun 2021)

I find that shiny floors are rubbish if I'm hand planing, as they are too slippery.


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## Fitzroy (26 Jun 2021)

I have a wood floor, probs a similar finish to laminate. Can be a skating rink with fine dust, bit never caused me an issue. In a pro shop I’d avoid in a hobby shop it’s personal preference, personal I like the floor appearance enough to manage the dust/skating issues!


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## Cabinetman (26 Jun 2021)

2 or 3 coats of water based polyurethane floor varnish on OSB, looks good,very practical good to wheel equipment on and lasts for years. Ian


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## JDW (27 Jun 2021)

I've been looking at 3mm rubber matting to lay over the osb in my new workshop, I had thought about varnish and now I think you've convinced me. Do you use a hard wearing exterior varnish or just bog standard puv?


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## JBaz (27 Jun 2021)

I've got some old fitted carpet over my concrete floor. I find it much less tiring on the legs and feet, deadens the noise of the machinery considerably and cleans well with a shop-vac.


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## stuart little (27 Jun 2021)

I have a laminate sawdust skating rink. I did try carpet on top, but it tended to reeve up in front of castors acting as a brake & collects too much dust/chips. It's been down for at least 10 yrs & now has various paint, glue etc splashes which tend to reduce the slipperyness. Any thoughts on a coat of floor paint, anybody?


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## Distinterior (27 Jun 2021)

JBaz said:


> I've got some old fitted carpet over my concrete floor. I find it much less tiring on the legs and feet, deadens the noise of the machinery considerably and cleans well with a shop-vac.



Exactly the same here!


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## HamsterJam (27 Jun 2021)

I’ve got bare chipboard flooring while I decide on a long-term finish. 
Did wonder about a carpet off cut.
Has anyone tried any interlocking floor tiles? They seem rather expensive - are they worth it?


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## robgul (27 Jun 2021)

HamsterJam said:


> I’ve got bare chipboard flooring while I decide on a long-term finish.
> Did wonder about a carpet off cut.
> Has anyone tried any interlocking floor tiles? They seem rather expensive - are they worth it?



Yep - I have "studded" style interlocking plastic tiles - admittedly it's only about 2/3 of a garage and I got them for nothing when the bike shop I managed closed down - we had them in the workshop area and they worked well, with grease and other muck easy to clean - and non-slip with sawdust. They are also more comfortable on the feet than the bare (painted) concrete in the remainder of the garage. 

Beware - some of the interlocking tiles sold on ebay and elsewhere are material like a wetsuit, a sort of slightly harder neoprene .... rubbish, at least the ones I have seen. Mine are quite hard plastic (probably recycled?) and have to be cut with a saw.


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## Matt99 (27 Jun 2021)

HamsterJam said:


> I’ve got bare chipboard flooring while I decide on a long-term finish.
> Did wonder about a carpet off cut.
> Has anyone tried any interlocking floor tiles? They seem rather expensive - are they worth it?


I did consider them but it would cost over £700. Might stick with the osb whilst I decide


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## okeydokey (27 Jun 2021)

If your floor is pretty good then consider used carpet tiles from the bay, they are usually ex offices and come in various grades so if you don't mind coffee spills and wear and not fussy about colour or pattern they are pretty good for this task. Spray glue them down and they do the job, don't wrinkle as you move stuff around - but if one did dislodge then spray glue it down again.


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## Fergie 307 (28 Jun 2021)

I have good quality yoga mats in front of the lathe, and main workbench does save your feet and easily cleaned. Don't use the cheapo foam ones, they just disintegrate, DAHIK.


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## Keefy. (28 Jun 2021)

You could use stable/cow matting. Rubber like, you can flip it over (ribbed one side and pimples the other). Not cheap but thick and durable


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## deanclarkewilliams (28 Jun 2021)

_Forbo make Flotex Carpet. It comes in 2mtr wide rolls and is very durable. You can remove most things from it including oil and paint with a scraper while it's still wet. Reasonably priced too._


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## Ollie78 (28 Jun 2021)

Cheap rubber matting is great. I have some from ebay it was £60 for 10 metre by 1 metre roll. One side is fine ribs the other a sort of cloth weave finish. 
It reduces the slippyness of the painted chipboard floor I have. I put a big bit by every machine. 

Basically the cheapest floor covering you will find. 

Ollie


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## Delwood (28 Jun 2021)

Keefy. said:


> You could use stable/cow matting. Rubber like, you can flip it over (ribbed one side and pimples the other). Not cheap but thick and durable


I have ribbed rubber mat and my advice would be to avoid it. It is only possible to sweep along the ribs so it is difficult to remove sawdust from under tables etc. without using a vacuum cleaner.


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## plum60 (28 Jun 2021)

Matt99 said:


> Looking for thoughts on laminate flooring over workshop osb base floor
> 
> Good or bad idea?


I put vinyl down on my van floor which works really well and could work well in a workshop. It sort of deadens a bit of noise, easy to clean. waterproof, if you drop any thing it doesn't tend to ruin the floor or the thing itself, it's not slippy. If you are going to use a man made material with toxins might as well use something that prob won't go to landfill for a long time unlike laminate.


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## OldWood (28 Jun 2021)

My old workshop had a concrete floor and in my relative youth that never bothered me, but a new workshop was built on retirement again with a concrete base and I found foam rubber mats in Costco that are 7mm thick, 600mm square and interlock. 

I would strongly recommend these; inexpensive, comfortable, sweepable, no deterioration after 15 years and the only downsize is when you have a 'ping-f++k-it' the item bounces under the bench and you know what that means!!  .

If they are in Costco they will be available elsewhere I'm sure.
Rob


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## Inspector (28 Jun 2021)

Be aware that if you use soft or thick rubber mats rolling any machines around on castors becomes difficult to impossible especially as the machines get heavier or the castors are of a small diameter.

Pete


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## Jacob (28 Jun 2021)

Plain chipboard is best. Good grip for the feet, soft landing if you drop a plane, cheap. Wears down with heavy use but see as consumable. 
I made a mistake with mine and used up some Osmo oil and linseed oil left-overs. Made it too slippy but it's roughened up a bit now and is OK


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## Ollie78 (28 Jun 2021)

Delwood said:


> I have ribbed rubber mat and my advice would be to avoid it. It is only possible to sweep along the ribs so it is difficult to remove sawdust from under tables etc. without using a vacuum cleaner.


This is a small problem, but I use a vacuum anyway. 
I don't have it under the tables or machines, just in the walking or standing areas.
I think the benefits and low cost still make it a good choice, you could of course use it the other side up.

Ollie


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## Stevekane (29 Jun 2021)

Ive got a couple of childrens play mats that were in a skip, these seem to be the same stuff as garden kneeling pads, around 10mm thick and dovetail together, smooth one side and very slightly dimpled the other, around 600mm square, I chopped off the dovetails and just use a couple as kneeling workmats and they are great. I think these things come in packs of 6 or 8 from places like Asda and I would think they would be lovely to walk on. Perhaps not the toughest flooring but easy to throw down and probably very cheap.
My retired engineer chum had slatted duckboards in front of his lathe and bench, said it kept his feet off the cold floor and being just thin lathes it was springy too, I have to say it was comfortable to stand on.


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## TRITON (29 Jun 2021)

I'm using lino. Reasonably cheap, cushioning, and hardwearing.


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## HIGHKIT (29 Jun 2021)

Matt99 said:


> One for and one against. Any more votes...


I used laminate from inside my house, it's brilliant, easy to clean and machine wheels fly over it.


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## Nigel Taylor (29 Jun 2021)

I have a ribbed rubbed on the floor, gives me good grip and keeps my feet a bit warmer in winter. Had it a few years and it appears to be quite hard wearing.






not sure the picture does it justice, but you can see a lot of fine aluminium swarf in the top left hand corner.

The only issue is I find you have to hoover it in the direction of the grooves.


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## jim1950 (29 Jun 2021)

my workshop floor, well between the lathe and bench anyway is covered by a WW2 duck board from the bridge of a torpedo recovery vessel, note the three gear lever slots, not great stores a lot of wood chips but how could I get rid of that


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## Terrytpot (29 Jun 2021)

Many years ago I used to have a fairly regular collection from a place that made cattle shed/stable mats and I kick myself most days for only ever managing to blag two from them. They’re great for if you’re going to stand in the same spot for a long time but as I can’t wheel stuff past them they don’t get used much.


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## Jim P (30 Jun 2021)

I bought a thick rubber mat designed for horse stables - it is tough as anything and about 1/2 inch thick - it's been down years now with no ill effects.


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## Blaidd-Drwg (30 Jun 2021)

I also have a concrete floor and I'm getting some mats this weekend. I've already dropped a few things and broken most of them, so I want to get some protection down before I break something valuable, like a plane. I do like the concrete for rolling my benches and shelves around and it's easy to sweep up.


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