Shop floors

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  • chopnhack
    Veteran Member
    • Oct 2006
    • 3779
    • Florida
    • Ryobi BT3100

    Shop floors

    I have seen it mentioned more than once that wood floors are easier on the feet. It got me thinking... are they really easier on the feet?? Concrete is hard, true, but so are solidly framed plywood floors. If there was enough "give" in the plywood floor to cushion us as we walked, then the floor would be certainly deficient and certainly no tools could roll across the floor as the floor would be sagging under its own weight!

    I know that you have both read and heard this yourselves. Care to comment? Especially anyone that has worked on both types of floors!

    Thanks
    I think in straight lines, but dream in curves
  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #2
    For me, I would highly doubt that a solidly build wooden floor would offer any comfort beyond the psychological comfort of surrounding ourselves with the organic feel of wood, instead of the synthetic, harshness that is concrete...

    I would think it would be far more important to be wearing proper, supportive footwear in the shop than to have a wooden floor.
    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

    Comment

    • bigstick509
      Veteran Member
      • Dec 2004
      • 1227
      • Macomb, MI, USA.
      • BT3100

      #3
      I've got these in the shop/garage. They cover both sides of the 2 1/2 car shop. They have been down about 6 years with no problems. Very easy on the legs and feet and have saved damage to dropped wood and tools.




      Mike

      "It's not the things you don't know that will hurt you, it's the things you think you know that ain't so." - Mark Twain

      Comment

      • Eric
        Senior Member
        • Jun 2003
        • 653
        • Cocolalla, ID
        • Grizzly G0691 & BT3100

        #4
        I've got a plywood floor in my shop and use the cushion mats from HF in areas where I stand for periods of time.

        Comment

        • cabinetman
          Gone but not Forgotten RIP
          • Jun 2006
          • 15218
          • So. Florida
          • Delta

          #5
          My floors have been concrete, but at some stations, a sheet of plywood. I can't describe it, but plywood/wood seems easier on your feet. The only way I can explain the difference in hardness, is if some glass item hits concrete...it's a gonner. Same item may take the drop on plywood.

          .

          Comment

          • cwsmith
            Veteran Member
            • Dec 2005
            • 2737
            • NY Southern Tier, USA.
            • BT3100-1

            #6
            My basement has a tendency to get damp after four or five days of continuous rain. Not a good thing if you'r working with electricity, but mostly it's a real problem if you've left your tool bag or some wood pieces, or just about anything else in contact with the floor.

            Therefore, I use "Dri-Core" floor panels, which are roughly 2-ft square, treated panels with a PVC backing, which strands-off the concrete. The stand-off surface of the PVC allows for some ventilation, as well as providing both a moisture barrier and a bit of cushioning under the 3/4 T&G panel.

            Over a few years I've managed to get enough panels to almost completely cover the shop and laundry areas of the basement. Very easy on the legs, and yet supportive of the bench, and stationary tools and I can easily roll my vac, tool cabinet, BT, and router table around the shop.

            Technically, I can't give you numbers on any cushioning effect for the old legs. But, I can tell you for certain that if it "feels" better. Perhaps it's not so much cushioning as much as it is simply more impact forgiving.

            CWS
            Think it Through Before You Do!

            Comment

            • jking
              Senior Member
              • May 2003
              • 972
              • Des Moines, IA.
              • BT3100

              #7
              Concrete does not give any measureable amount, wood floors do enough to make a difference over time. Try this for a test: Take a hammer and hit a concrete floor several times. Then, hit a wood floor the same number of times. Now, which one would you rather do on a continuous basis?

              The other thing to keep in mind is that concrete floors tend to be colder than wood. This can also be a factor in certain climates.

              Comment

              • cabinetman
                Gone but not Forgotten RIP
                • Jun 2006
                • 15218
                • So. Florida
                • Delta

                #8
                Originally posted by jking
                Concrete does not give any measureable amount, wood floors do enough to make a difference over time. Try this for a test: Take a hammer and hit a concrete floor several times. Then, hit a wood floor the same number of times. Now, which one would you rather do on a continuous basis?

                The other thing to keep in mind is that concrete floors tend to be colder than wood. This can also be a factor in certain climates.
                If one were to jump off the top of the Empire State Building, it's likely that plywood would be a softer landing than concrete.

                .
                Last edited by cabinetman; 12-14-2012, 06:16 PM.

                Comment

                • chopnhack
                  Veteran Member
                  • Oct 2006
                  • 3779
                  • Florida
                  • Ryobi BT3100

                  #9
                  Good thoughts folks, I have to agree that there is something about working on wood versus concrete, but I couldn't really reason it out.

                  Jking has a great point, our knee joints are like two hammers getting pounding together as we walk across concrete which is not flexible while the wood is hard, but has some elasticity to it! That's the perfect term in my head that makes me understand the difference better, elastic vs inelastic. Thanks for the road to the thought :-)

                  Mike, great to see you post and pics to boot! That is really cool to hear that those have worked well for you and long term too. Where did you find the edging material? I have seen sale prices recently at HF on their mats, don't know the quality, but the price seemed really good.
                  I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

                  Comment

                  • LCHIEN
                    Internet Fact Checker
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 20914
                    • Katy, TX, USA.
                    • BT3000 vintage 1999

                    #10
                    i think Jkings points are correct.
                    Loring in Katy, TX USA
                    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                    Comment

                    • Pappy
                      The Full Monte
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 10453
                      • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                      • BT3000 (x2)

                      #11
                      When I did a lot of running (in my younger days), I tried to run on asphalt when possible rather than concrete sidewalks. Even between these 2 materials there is a difference in the effects felt on the joints.
                      Don, aka Pappy,

                      Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                      Fools because they have to say something.
                      Plato

                      Comment

                      • bigstick509
                        Veteran Member
                        • Dec 2004
                        • 1227
                        • Macomb, MI, USA.
                        • BT3100

                        #12
                        The edging like the mat squares are from HF. I usually waited for sale price of around 6.00 before buying. The yellow edging was a bit harder, only available online from HF but fit a discontinued sku mat. I ordered multiple packs and hand cut to fit the new mat configuration. A pain in the **s, but using the new mat as a template helped.

                        Mike

                        "It's not the things you don't know that will hurt you, it's the things you think you know that ain't so." - Mark Twain

                        Comment

                        • chopnhack
                          Veteran Member
                          • Oct 2006
                          • 3779
                          • Florida
                          • Ryobi BT3100

                          #13
                          Originally posted by bigstick509
                          The edging like the mat squares are from HF. I usually waited for sale price of around 6.00 before buying. The yellow edging was a bit harder, only available online from HF but fit a discontinued sku mat. I ordered multiple packs and hand cut to fit the new mat configuration. A pain in the **s, but using the new mat as a template helped.
                          Thanks Mike and super glad to hear that they survived 6 years, wow! Does shop equipment roll over these or are they too soft for that?
                          I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

                          Comment

                          • bigstick509
                            Veteran Member
                            • Dec 2004
                            • 1227
                            • Macomb, MI, USA.
                            • BT3100

                            #14
                            Most everything in the shop/garage is on wheeled bases. BT3, double stack tool chests,band saw and drill press all roll fine with minimal extra effort.

                            Mike

                            "It's not the things you don't know that will hurt you, it's the things you think you know that ain't so." - Mark Twain

                            Comment

                            • Daryl
                              Senior Member
                              • May 2004
                              • 831
                              • .

                              #15
                              My floor seems to always be covered by a layer of saw dust and shavings. I think it is easier on my feet than being neat.
                              Sometimes the old man passed out and left the am radio on so I got to hear the oldie songs and current event kind of things

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