Shop Floor: 10" Pine

[John Bailey]

I'm getting ready to start searching for wood for the floor of my shop. Presently I've got 3/4" plywood over floor joists on 16" centers. If you look at the back of the recent FWW Tool and Shop Annual issue, you'll see David Lamb's shop and the type of look I'd like on my floor. I've got access to some 1x10 pine boards - not tongue and groove. My question is, how suitable will these pine boards be for a shop floor, and secondly, can you use boards that are not tongue and groove. Most of the floors in the two houses on our property are pine tongue and groove, and we like them.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, and thanks in advance.

John

[lou sansone]

hi john

great choice for a wood floor in the shop. pine will tend to be pretty soft and depending on how much machinery you are moving around get sort of beat up.

here are some photos of my shop with a hickory floor

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=18423

Is there any chance you could find some harder wood? If not I would think that 4 or 5 coats of very high solids polyurethane would help with wear, but would not really help if you are moving heavy machines around on rollars and prybars like I have had to with my shop.

lou

[Bill Simmeth]

Hi John... I'd be a little leery of using 10" pine, especially if it is recently harvested. Given David Lamb's location, the type of building he's in and the appearance of his floor, I'm guessing it is old growth pine. Much harder and much more stable than what is available today. Newer growth pine will move considerably in 10" width causing gapping or cupping, particularly in an outbuilding. While appearance is probably not a huge concern, gaps will be a real hassle if you need to move a machine on a mobile base, drop small parts, etc. And as Lou pointed out it will get easily beat up when manuevering heavier machines. I'd vote for something harder... Good luck with your decision.

[Ralph Steffey]

John what you want to do will be fine IF you put a 1/4 hemp rope in each joint to compensate for the movement in those pine boards and 4 or 5 coats of poly(oil base) on top.

[John Bailey]

Thanks for the suggestions:

Lou,

I won't be moving, or having, any heavy equipment, that is to say, like you have. The heaviest machine I'm considering is a 500-600 lbs. bandsaw that won't be moving much, if at all. I am considering other wood choices. The pine would be my easiest choice. I've been pretty good at scrounging though, and I have time on my side. The 3/4" plywood is serving me well, so I'm not in a big hurry. I've seen (drooled) over your shop Lou. Some day I'd like to see it in person.

Bill,

Hadn't thought about the "old growth" aspect of the wood. The 10" pine I would get would definitely be new. So, something I have to keep in mind. It would be kiln dried, very dry. Does that make a difference. It was my understanding if it's very dry to start with, and I seal it, it wouldn't move too much. I'm no expert though.

Ralph,

Good idea about the hemp. Sorta' like caulking on a boat hull.

Thanks, John

[Bob Oehler]

Hi John:
Here is my 2 cents

$0.01 I have old pine boards in my shop that was originaly a chicken coupe, then a garder shed, no my wood shop. They are from an old house that I tore down. Then were under the shingles. 1X12 random lengths. I needed somthing in a hurry and put them down making sure to put the cup up (high in the center) and 1 screw in the middle of the board. They now have had over 1 year and are still good and in place. These boards are true 1" thick rough sawn and planed by me to 15/16. I love how the floor creaks when I walk on it sounds old. Last night I was using my #4 smoother to finish some boards and walking around in wood chips on a pine floor with the wood burner going listening to the raido. I does not get any better then that.

$0.02 My good friend who happens to be Amish put the 1 X 6 pine toung and groove in his wood shop that is 40X90 and he loves it. ( he makes furnature and some built in cabnets)

take care
Bob Oehler

[John Bailey]

My, My, Bob, you're describing the paradise I'm trying to build here. Your pine sounds like it was the old stuff. Maybe I should be searching for some of that.

Thanks,

John

[Andy Hoyt]

John - What's wrong with just sticking with what you already have and divert your energies and money to the next step in the shop's gestation?.

[Frank Pellow]

John, about 13 months ago, I was considering the same thing. The shop floor consisted of 3/4 inch plywood on 16 inch centres and I wanted to put something over that. The exterior of my shop is board and batten rough sawn 1" x 12" pine and I was quite happy with the quality of that wood. I seriously considered smoothing one side of the pine and using that for the floor.

But, in the end, I decided that the resulting pine floor would require too much maintenance; so I opted for another layer of plywood (painted grey). I am pretty rough on the floor and there are spills, scratches, and gouges in parts of it already, so it turns out that I made the right choice for me. I reckon that about every two or three years I will simply sand and repaint the floor.

[Jim Becker]

I have wide pine floors throughout our home. While soft and prone to marking, especially in a shop environment...who cares? The patina will be wonderful over time, IMHO. Just put it in over the plywood...use cut nails(!)...lightly sand/screen and coat with BLO. You get a renewable surface that will be wonderful on your feel. I'd almost kill for such a thing!! (And it sounds like the price might be right for you, too)

[Brad Noble]

I have 3/4" melemine 4' x 12' sheet goods as sub floor on joists that are on 12" centers. I am very close to putting down cork floor on top of that. It would be comfortable and the cork comes treated especially for use in high traffic or heavy use areas. I won't be moving equipment around on it.

Brad

[CPeter James]

I have been in David Lamb's shop and those are NOT 1" pine boards. If memory serves me right, they are 2" or 2 1/2" thick and maybe southern hard or yellow pine. White pine will take a beating. A better choice would be hemlock or spruce or maybe you could get some oak. I have used hemlock on floors that get hard use and they stand up quite well. The price is about the same as pine here in New Hampshire.

CPeter

[Steve Clardy]

How about using a ship lap joint on those pine boards.

[John Callahan]

Very, very nice shop John. I think the pine is an excellent choice for the floor. No need for t&g. Pine floors are very common in New England; my folks place had them as do quite a few new homes. Should hold up well, I've refinished some 200+ year old floors. Your wood may not be old growth but should be fine. Recall one new floor we did some years ago with 24" widths- had some concerns about expansion but last I heard it was doing fine. If you're going to insulate and have permanent heat I'd be inclined to save the floor for last, then bring the boards in, sticker them, and let them acclimate for a few weeks before you lay them...... should make for a tighter floor. You can fasten them with traditional cut nails (Tremont Nail still has the real thing) or screw and plug. Leave some room along the walls for expansion. Being a softwood expect some dents and dings (or as real estate agents call it- "character")- more forgiving when your prized plane or chisel accidentally falls to the floor. If a pristine floor is really important, hardwood may be a better choice. For a finish on pine floors I'm partial to Waterlox. I think it would hold up better in a shop environment than polyurethane and touchups should be easier.

[Bob Nazro]

I think you will be very happy with the pine you have. I would recommend that you mill a toung and grove in the boards and then lay them down. Another option is to rip the boards in half and apply the T&G. It's up to you. It's a shop and if something hits the floor you'll be glad it's pine and not something harder.