Wood flooring?

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  • Cochese
    Veteran Member
    • Jun 2010
    • 1988

    Wood flooring?

    My shop floor is by my best estimation MDO. It has a smooth surface like MDF, but it's definetly plywood underneath. It's possible it could be a thin MDF over plywood.

    It hasn't been a problem except it's ugly and there's one spot where the top surface has eroded exposing plywood layers below. Primarily it's ugly. I want to cover it with something and I've been seeing some cheap laminate come down to near my target price/foot.

    Under the shop, as best I can tell, isn't insulated. At some point I may brave furry/slimy woodland creatures and put some bat up. I do not know if the floor is a heat sink. What I need to figure out is this: what to fill the hole with, and if I should put anything over the MDO/MDF before I put anything down.

    Keep in mind I'm purposely going for some of the cheapest stuff I can find, because I don't know how well it will hold up in an unconditioned space. How well will it hold up?
    I have a little blog about my shop
  • chopnhack
    Veteran Member
    • Oct 2006
    • 3779
    • Florida
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #2
    I hate to say it, but it might be easier to take up the flooring, insulate from above, add any outlets while you're there and then throw plywood sub floor down. Whether you go over this with a finished floor is up to you.

    As for laminate, its fairly stable, keep in mind the manufacturers recommendations of leaving a gap around the perimeters for movement. How wide of a temperature swing and humidity swing do you have inside the shop? As for durable, well if you are looking at $1 or cheaper per sq. ft, I think you know the answer....

    Plywood, 23/32" sheathing is about $27 a sheet, that's 84 cents per sq. ft. Top coat it with poly and you have the classic shop floor
    I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

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    • jdon
      Established Member
      • Feb 2010
      • 401
      • Snoqualmie, Wash.
      • BT3100

      #3
      Years ago I laid down a sheet vinyl ("linoleum") floor over plywood in a basement. I used a vinyl floor patching compound to fill voids and gaps in the plywood- any defects that would telegraph through the vinyl. Seemed to work fine, but the defects weren't very big- ~1/8" deep at most, as I recall. It went on with a smooth edged trowel pretty easily. I didn't have any problem with the patch loosening or breaking down.

      Not sure from your post how big the holes are in your floor, but this might be an option, and not terribly expensive. If the hole(s) aren't very big, the laminate might be able to bridge them without any filler.

      Comment

      • capncarl
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2007
        • 3564
        • Leesburg Georgia USA
        • SawStop CTS

        #4
        I agree with chopnhack, saw the old stuff up and replace with the right stuff. They also make a plywood with a tinfoil type materail laminated to the wood that would be the finishing touches to the insulation as a vapor barrier and heat transfer break. While the floor is out you can also install under the floor dust collector piping and outlets as well as under the floor power.
        capncarl

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        • Cochese
          Veteran Member
          • Jun 2010
          • 1988

          #5
          If the floor comes up it's because the walls and roof are lying in the dumpster. This thing isn't worth that kind of effort.
          I have a little blog about my shop

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          • Cochese
            Veteran Member
            • Jun 2010
            • 1988

            #6
            I think I actually figured out what the flooring actually is. It appears to be a regular construction grade plywood with a 1/4" MDF layer on top. I had to cut a little bit out from the entry to get the doors to close again, and came upon that hypothesis.

            My plan for filling the hole is to use the track saw and set the depth of cut to match a replacement piece of scrap and install it.

            Still trying to get a rock-bottom price for the flooring though.
            I have a little blog about my shop

            Comment

            • JimD
              Veteran Member
              • Feb 2003
              • 4187
              • Lexington, SC.

              #7
              Last summer, we found solid oak pre-finished flooring for a house we were fixing up for sale for $1/ft at southeastern salvage. It was only 5/16 thick but looked like regular oak flooring. It went down pretty easily with a special stapler sold for thin flooring.

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              • Cochese
                Veteran Member
                • Jun 2010
                • 1988

                #8
                My target is $.50/foot, if at all possible.
                I have a little blog about my shop

                Comment

                • wardprobst
                  Senior Member
                  • Jan 2006
                  • 681
                  • Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
                  • Craftsman 22811

                  #9
                  I think you will find that $0.50 is going to be difficult unless you go with tile. I've had trouble finding anything for less than a dollar.
                  Good luck,
                  Dp
                  www.wardprobst.com

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