Wood Floor

[don crabtree]

Hey, I am starting a 30x48 shop building and i am planning on 6x6post and beam constuction with wood floor.I was wondering if there is a preference for concrete slab foor and is there advantages for concrete or wood floors.Thanks

[Thom Sturgill]

Just make sure your floor joists and flooring are heavy enough for the load. A wooden floor would allow you to run ducting for the DC under the floor, which several people have done, even in concrete floors and seem to like. I will be doing something similar in about 5 yrs when I build my retirement house/shop.

[Jim Becker]

Most of us would nearly kill for a wood floor...if you can do it, that's wonderful! Much more comfortable and as Thom says, adds some potential flexibility if you have access under it. Your shop WILL change over time.

There are some that do like a concrete floor in the "machine area" and wood in the assembly/hand tool area, but if I could have wood everywhere, I would.

[Greg Cole]

Ask my LN 60 1/2 what is thinks of my concrete floor. Thankully the little dent was on the back corner of the sole and was easily lapped flat again.
I'd LOVE to have wood floors in a shop, but not in the current 2 car garage shop. Having DC ducting all but hidden would be nice as well.

Greg

[Ted Jay]

Hey, I am starting a 30x48 shop building and i am planning on 6x6post and beam constuction with wood floor.I was wondering if there is a preference for concrete slab foor and is there advantages for concrete or wood floors.Thanks

The cost of that size of concrete floor, in my area, would be around $7k to $8k.
That would be with a three foot beam on the outsides and one down the center, with 3/8" rebar 12 inch on center. I'm leaning toward a wood floor on the shop side myself.
Ted

[Chris Padilla]

Indeed concrete is getting expensive. My neighbor and I need to have a long "footer" poured for our new fence (65' long, 18" deep trench) and we thought it would be around $400...it is closer to $750 now!! Prices have really shot up...sigh....

We are paying extra for a pumper truck, too.

[Ben Cadotte]

Absolutely wood floor if you don't need to bring a car inside. If your worried about sag. Just decrease the span of your floor joists. A couple extra rows of supports would actually not increase the cost of the project that much. Your knee's will love it, and if you insulate it well, you will save the money back in heating if you plan that.

[Brad Noble]

I started my shop on the footprint of a storage shed I have had in my back yard for many years. It had a concrete floor (4" thick pad). I designed the shop to house the heavy tools above the concrete slab. On top of the concrete I layed 2x4 sleepers with a subfloor of 3/4" plywood. All of that covered with 1/4" luan plywood.

Floor joist under the rest of the floor was built on 12" centers. My floor seems to be strong enough and I really do enjoy my wood floor. It ain't pretty but its wood.

Brad