Shopsmith Forums

This summer I will be having a shop built by adding three walls to one side the garage but with one existing outside wall now becoming a dividing wall.

I had planned on a concrete floor with PEX buried (solar heating the floor).

HOWEVER, I have been told by friends who are woodworkers and whose opinion I respect, that a wood floor is preferred in a woodworking shop. Some of their reasoning(s) was (were) that when sharp objects are accidentally dropped on a wood floor there is less chance of damage to the cutting edge, it is quieter, and one even went as far as saying that a concrete floor was for cars and such not for wood working . Be that as it may (or maynot )
No matter the final surface, the floor will still be monolith pour concrete. If I install a wooden floor (probably CDX unless one of you has a better idea), I can place the PEX on top of the concrete after it cures, or still place the PEX within the concrete
SO.... keeping in mind that for as long as I own it, this addition will ONLY be used for wood working ---

With the combined wisdom and opinions of any who wish to share,
What do you think?

Be well,
Ben

Not sure what CDX is? All I find is plywood or oriented strand board.

The only PEX I find is carpet.

Concrete works for me WITH A FOAM RUBBER PAD covering the work area.

A wood floor covering would be nice, but also $$$$$?

I think you are wise to put in a heated floor.

Again if I were a rich man I would go with a wood floor in a shop. As it its I can't even afford a shop much less the wood.

Many years ago I was at an auction where a small woodworking shop was being sold off. The place was old enough to have flat belts driving most of the tools (I got my first jointer from this place). They had old full depth 2 x 8's for flooring. The machines that were bolted down were bolted to the flooring. The areas in front of the machines were hollowed from years and years of use. The place felt like a shop I'd like to own, quite, firm yet resilient, perhaps a bit dark but still nicely lit where the tools were. I took a lot of mental notes thinking to the future. Anyway I'd love to have a wood floor in a shop.

If you can I'd go with wood.

Ed

charlese wrote:Not sure what CDX is? All I find is plywood or oriented strand board.

The only PEX I find is carpet.

Concrete works for me WITH A FOAM RUBBER PAD covering the work area.

A wood floor covering would be nice, but also $$$$$?

I think you are wise to put in a heated floor.

http://construction.about.com/od/Mechan ... 5-0-ab_tse

P.S. In Montana, I would insulate the pex from the concrete pad.

I was at an auction a couple years ago where the owner had dies. He made cabnets after he retired as a machinst. His land had 2 flat spots on it one for his house and the second for his workshop. You had to be part mountain goat to get to them. His shop had a wood floor over cement. I talked to the builder and he told me they put foam under the slab and poured cement over it. Then they went to the sawmill and bought green oak had it dried and planed to size. He used a 3 inch size for the wood and they left a space around the outer edges for expansion which was foam filled. When you walked off the cement landing onto the wood you could feel your leg muscles relax. I would love to have a floor like that

So a wood floor it is!

Labor will be donated (though maybe coerced is a more accurate term ) by my cousin as payment for dumping all his and his girlfriend's crap in my garage and leaving it there without MY permission. He's a fair hand at rough framing and his legs and back will find out what pouring and finishing concrete is all about .

Except for the concrete, much of the material is a swap for favors and such done in the past.

JPG - I had not considered insulating the PEX. It will be a closed circuit with glycol (which I am assured will NOT harm the PEX). Wouldn't I want the tubing to abut the concrete to transfer as much of the heat as possible? If my thinking is incorrect (which we all know only happens on days that end in "Y") , what do you recommend as an insulating medium?

It will be trapezoid approx 16 (back) x 24 (common wall) x 34 (front) x 30 (parallel to alley) so I am playing "shop equipment layout" on paper and in my head.

Thanks to everyone for your wisdom and input!

Be well,
Ben

I think I'd use Dricore. I has many of the advantage of wood but lots cheaper and easy to install. I think you could run the pex between the legs of the Dricore. Just my 2¢

I assumed you were thinking of embedding the pex in the concrete. Doing so greatly increases the thermal inertia(SLOW cool down/warm recovery) and increases the heat loss by heating the Montana 'permafrost'. Is there a tradeoff? I do not know. It may not matter! Anything that will reduce heat transfer will help. A layer of OSB?

Any meeting of wood/concrete needs a 'vapor' barrier'.

Perhaps spaced furring strips will provide path for the PEX then thick(1 1/2") structural lumber for the floor.

Brainstorming here with little practical considerations.

You will not need to insulate the pex. You will need to put a vapor barrier between the concrete and the cdx. You may want to check and see if pergo style flooring pad will work. Home Depot / Lowe's have a pad close to carpet pad with a vapor barrier on it. It will insulate, quiet, and be easier on your legs and feet for long hours in the shop. I can't see why it wont work in your application.

I would opt for the wood. Remember, "If you drop a newly sharpened chisel on a concrete floor it will always on the sharpened edge on a wooden floor it will always land on the handle"(Murphy,s Law)
Bill V)