I’ve just finished the shell of a 500 s.f. workshop addition off of the back of my garage. I have probably read too much, but am completely stumped by what type of work floor covering to install. I am torn between the standard sorts of epoxy applied coating (Rustoleum, Sherwin-Wms, etc.)and a sheet-goods product called G-Floor. The cost to do the epoxy coating, by the time I did all the prep work would be about $150. The G-Floor would be about $700 and is available at Sam’s Club. The website for the G-Floor is bltllc.com
The G-Floor is a rolled sheet goods product that is 55 mils thick. You are lucky to get 3-5 mils for the epoxy products. It comes in 10′ x 22′ rolls. You just unroll it, let it relax and move into position. You can either tape or glue down the edges if you want. I have a slab-on-grade concrete floor, so this would eliminate any problems with moisture wicking up from the base. It also allegedly gives you some fatique relief and a bit of a cushion from dropped tools. The cost differential is not a huge concern, since it would eliminate all of the prep work. Although the concrete is only about 2 months old,I already have a couple of oil spots that will need to be cleaned from my contractor’s leaky pneumatic nailer.
Does anyone have experience with this stuff or should I just stop thinking about it and use the epoxy coating? If epoxy, does oil or water based make a difference? Thanks in advance,
Replies
Almost everything is better than a concrete floor, painted or not, and the painting is only cosmetic or even worse makes the floor slippery. If you have some money to spend, put down a wood floor or at least something that has a little give, both your legs and your tools will thank you.
John White
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998-2007
Did they put down a vapor barrier prior to pouring concete? A concrete floor takes an extended period to cure. I would not be in a hurry to do anything.
I remember an article I believe in Fine Homebuilding that used pressure treated 2x4 power nailed to the concrete on 16 or 24 inch centers. I believed they used foam insulation in the void space. Exterior tongue and grove sheathing was screwed to the top. Find some dry southern pine flooring for a permanent installation. Whether the concrete was sealed prior to this installation is unknown. Check with the professionals. Good luck!
Wood, paint is to slick. I have 3/4" bare OSB over PT 2x4 sleepers on the flat, best move I ever made and not that expensive. It'll also save a plane for you when you drop it...
I have the Rustoleum floor in my shop. The light floor helps brighten things up, but really its purely cosmetic. I did add some grit to the mix before I put it down, so it's not slippery. It's a little messy to put down if you already have stuff in the shop.
I used ridgid foam, and T&G Ply as a subfloor in my basment. No sleepers, I just butted the foam together, taped the edges and put the ply overtop. It's doing fine though there is very little weight. The cost for 1/2" foam and the ply was actually pretty cheap.
I've seen the G-Floor and would be most tempted to use it rather than a coating, for the comfort factor. It's thin enough that bases should roll easily on it, but as you mentioned, should provide some cushion to ye ol' feet (or are you young? I'm not!).
A couple of the mags did reviews of various roll-goods flooring a year or two ago, if that helps.
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