workshop floor

[No skills]

Hi all.
I'm in the process of putting down a chipboard floor in the garage come workshop and I'm wondering what to cover it with afterwards. I've been offered some industrial carpet tiles for for free but I don't know how suitable carpet tiles will be for a woodworking environment.

Anybody got similar in their place?

Failing that it's probably going to be lino or a laminate floor.

For those lucky enough to have a covered floor in the shop, what are you using?

Cheers.

 

[Racers]

I have carpet tiles in one half of my garage and they work well, the saw dust seems to vacuum up easily and they are comfortable to stand on.

Pete

 

[Green]

I've just got bare chipboard laid over three layers of laminate flooring underlay. I would wreck laminate flooring in no time

 

[Glynne]

I have covered my floor with interlocking loft boards and that works well. I have also got some anti-fatigue matting around the areas I stand most - bench, lather etc.

 

[OLD]

Not laminate
or lino as the sawdust makes it very slippery I am happy with just chipboard.

 

[Normancb]

Agreed. Don't go with anything too smooth. I laid chipboard in my last workshop and it looked so good I gave it a couple of coats of floor varnish. Big mistake - ended up dangerously slippery. Present workshop has bare chipboard - doesn't look great after 15 years but it is very much safer as feet grip on it.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

I have floor tiles and it was the best decision I ever made. Quite easy to clean and if anything drops it doesn't have a hard surface to land on.

Neil

 

[No skills]

Thanks for the input, yes the laminate is out - I've remembered how slippy it could get in the flat when I was making something.

The lino would be an anti slip one.

Its good to know that the tiles would be easy to clean - don't think I could hack it if I couldn't clean up after a project. ATM the tiles are favourite, their the right price and very easy to put down.

Anybody else using them?

 

[Woodchips2]

I had bare chipboard in my last workshop for over 20 years and it worked fine. If I wanted to glue something up that was too big for the bench I did it on the floor screwing battens to the chipboard and using wooden wedges. Primitive but effective!

Regards Keith

 

[cusimar9]

What kind of floor tiles have some of you gone for?

 

[yetloh]

A mate has installed those interlocking plastic tiles and is very pleased with them. Not least because the glue drips come off easily!

Jim

 

[John15]

Over the existing 12mm wooden floor I have 12mm ply fixed onto 2 x 1 battens at 300 centres with insulation between the battens. It is very firm and easy to keep clean, and the insulation is welcome in winter. I have doubled up on the battens beneath the heavy tablesaw.

John