Suggestions for shop flooring

[GouletPens]

I have a 500sf shop with a concrete floor, and an attached sided carport that I'd like to close in and add to the shop, but the carport has a gravel surface. I'm trying to figure out the most cost effective DIY solution for flooring for the carport. Concrete would make sense, but would be a lot to mix and pour myself, expensive to have a truck come, and hard to spread b/c of the existing structure I'm working in. I'm also considering a 'decking' type of floor, but I don't want joints in the boards that I can drop and loose small things in. I've also considered doing a decking-type frame with some sort of vapor barrier and doing plywood with laminate flooring. I don't know, I'm really trying to figure out the best way to do this. The space is too valuable to me as potential shop space for me to be storing my lawn mower and Christmas decorations!

 

[rjwolfe3]

Maybe tongue & groove over 2x4 frame?

 

[Dario]

How about paver tiles on sand?

 

[hughbie]

if you're going to 'deck' a new floor.....use a minimum of 2x6 and better yet 2x8....then tongue and groove 3/4 plywood.....it will be so sturdy that you could drive a truck over it.....and you need that stabilization if you're going to put equipment on it.

just my 2 centavos

 

[Wild Turkey]

I agree with Hughbie, don't go to small. Keep the floor joists big and use tongue and grove boards, then you can drive a truck on them, no cracks either!!!

 

[GouletPens]

I agree with Hughbie, don't go to small. Keep the floor joists big and use tongue and grove boards, then you can drive a truck on them, no cracks either!!!

I'm usually all for bigger is better, but the only problem is that if I use 2x8"s then the floor in my carport is going to be about 4-5" higher than my garage floor....and the carport already has a lower ceiling anyway. I guess I could dig out some of the dirt, making the 2x8"s lower, but then they'd probably be wet all the time. I don't need this floor to hold a truck, it's just going to be my office and hold a couple of desks and some cabinets, but I guess I wouldn't want to restrict myself. I just don't know!

 

[Glenn McCullough]

You will be using treated 2x4's , under a layer of plastic, under marine plywood, under ceramic tile or indoor, outdoor carpeting (if it will just be your office).

 

[stolicky]

My entire workshop in build on pressure treated 4"x4"s (2' on center) and pressure treated 3/4" plywood. It has worked fine. I did put some recycled laminate flooring that I salvaged from my house when I redid some flooring. My recommendation - don't do it!!! While the stuff is really durable, it can get really slippery, especially if anything gets spilled or there is any saw dust on the floor. I came in from the snow a few weeks ago while carrying some wood and totally wiped out because my shoes were wet. If i ever redo things, I am considering getting utility grade wood flooring (~$1 sf) and use that for the floor. Of course, you could just use the plywood as it is. I went for the extra little bit insulation because I heat the shop in the winter.

Good luck.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

My shop floor is 2"x8" on 12" centers, with 3/4" plywood as a sub-floor, then 2"x6"s laid as decking. The floor is footed down the middle which is at 5 1/2' as the shop is 11 ft wide.

It really can have a truck parked on it.

 

[Art Fuldodger]

Do decking with wide gaps, so you can just sweep the shavings through into an underground compost pile.

 

[titan2]

Myself........I'd go with concete! Don't know what it costs in your area per yard, but at here in California.....Sacramento area, it's around $100 for a cubic yard. I'm looking at adding a padio to the back of my house and it'd only take 2 yards for an area of about 12' x 21'.

If they can get their mixer back there it won't take long for them to dump all you need in there.........if not........have some friends over with some wheel barrows......again, it won't take that long and you'll have a solid floor!

Barney

 

[GouletPens]

Myself........I'd go with concete! Don't know what it costs in your area per yard, but at here in California.....Sacramento area, it's around $100 for a cubic yard. I'm looking at adding a padio to the back of my house and it'd only take 2 yards for an area of about 12' x 21'.

If they can get their mixer back there it won't take long for them to dump all you need in there.........if not........have some friends over with some wheel barrows......again, it won't take that long and you'll have a solid floor!

Barney

That would be nice, but I'm trying to figure out how I'd pour concrete within the carport, because there are 3 walls and the roof that limit access. The only way to get in there is through the front. How would that work? And the beams that are already in place holding up the carport structure, what happens to them? I just don't know how to get around these issues with the concrete.

 

[wdcav1952]

Brian, Barney makes a good point. You might call someone in your area that pours concrete and see if you could get an estimate. They should be able to answer your questions about existing supports.

 

[leehljp]

Some concrete mixers have troughs that can extend 12 feet or so; some have pumps to pump it the distance you need.

Another solution is to get a mixer, frame and section off where you want to pour into 4 to 8 sections. Do one or two sections at a time spread this out over a week and it won't wear you out.

 

[Steve Busey]

Brian, it won't hurt to talk to a pro for an estimate - that small a job could be remarkably cheap, and they could tell you what prep you'd need to do, or they could turnkey it. Their business is probably slow in this economy, so you might get a deal.

Added bonus: Maybe you can also come up with some new signature concrete pens!

 

[GouletPens]

Brian, it won't hurt to talk to a pro for an estimate - that small a job could be remarkably cheap, and they could tell you what prep you'd need to do, or they could turnkey it. Their business is probably slow in this economy, so you might get a deal.

Added bonus: Maybe you can also come up with some new signature concrete pens!

Haha....concrete pens, that would sure be pretty :bulgy-eyes:Hey, if they can make countertops out of it, why not pens?

I think I'm going to get a couple of estimates. Even if I do a wood floor, it's going to be a huge pain. I HATE to pay people to do ANYTHING, so I might just tackle it myself if their price is ridiculous.

 

[Dario]

Buying with a transit mixer delivered concrete may cost a bit more but it will save your back and well worth it. As Hank mentioned, they have trough that can extend 12 feet or more.

You can also rent one-bagger cement mixer at Lowe's or Home Depot. Those will surely fit easily through that front section. If all else fails, you can also make a wooden trough to reach further in.

Concrete may cost you a bit up front, but could save you a lot in the long run. I imagine elevated floor will increase your heating cost a lot in winter. Not sure if you have termites there but they are bad here in TX.

Not sure what your concern is about existing beams...they should be up high right? If you mean columns, you can support them one by one (shoring jacks work well for this) then cut to the floor level. If you can put the jacks outside it will work best since you only need to pour the slab once. Otherwise you will pour your concrete column supports individually before doing the entire slab.

Some like encasing wooden column in concrete and you can do that (makes your life easy too) but I don't recommend it.

 

[great12b4ever]

Brian, my shop was originally a 30' x 40' x 10' high tin covered barn with dirt floor. I brought in concrete and got a few neighbors to help with the concrete buggies that I rented, and poured one half of the shop, let the concrfete cure, then moved the storage items onto the concrete and poured the second half. A lot of work, but worth it. We used the tin as the forms and poured with mesh and rebars and center forms. That was 15 years ago and still no cracks.

Like Dario said, if you can jack shore up the columns from out side that would be the way to go. If you just pour against the wood columns, they will eventually rot. You could pour your whole floor now, and as soon as it cures, add side braces and then cut the column flush with the concrete floor plus about 1" more, and slide a metal plate about 12" square under the cut off column. This would give you a good load bearing surface. To kee the columns from moving you could weld angle iron sections to the palte and screw through the angles into the wood, or even use the "l" sections available at the box stores and drill and screw these into the wood and the metal to give stability. Just a thought.

 

[Russianwolf]

looking at the pic, to do a concrete floor right you'll need to dig out a good 3 inches of gravel if you want to keep it level with the shop.

You'll need 3-4+ inches thick or t will just crack like crazy.

I don't recommend putting deck joists on the ground as it will invite critters. Treated lumber ins't insect proof, just insect resistant. And if you dig down for them, make sure that water won't sit under the floor when you have a rain. Could be even worse to have a pool of water an inch below the joists.

I don't know. Looking at the pic, it may not be worth it to put any kind of real floor in. The pavers with sand may be your best bet, but I wouldn't use it for office space.

 

[Sylvanite]

If you do choose to mix your own concrete, be careful with the cement and be sure to wear gloves. My neighbor once mixed some barehanded and the lime ate holes through his skin. The pain was agonizing.

Regards,
Eric