Floor covering / floor mat

[jefm]

Gang,

I'm renting around 800 square feet of work space and thinking of covering the floor. Reasons for doing:
-Sound absorption, probably not much (anything helps?)
-Vibration inhibition of tools motors and wheels. I have neighbors downstairs. Again probably not much help, but whatever.
-Catching paint, wheel mars, etc. I'll need to repaint the floor if I mess it up.

Just curious what others have done. Two by two interlocking rubber tile mat seems about the best but is quite expensive. I'd rather buy both Dominos. Even thinner rolled mat is $$$$. I'm going to the big box store today and will look at just plain rolled vinyl tile. With these costs it's seeming cheaper to just paint the floor when I leave. Anything less hard that concrete will inhibit wheels, but I'm sure thin cheap stuff is fine.

 

[nclemmons]

Have you looked at 1/8 Masonite in 4x8 sheets?  Would protect the floor but might not reduce vibration.  Might be cheaper than the 2x2 mats and available from big box stores like Menards or HD.

 

[jefm]

I will check that out.
Another fun detail is that the floor is proud (sticks up) in a few areas so a covering will want to tent, although I could zap a hole into it or something.
Someone else in the building has interlocking (fiberboard? heavy cardboard?) tiles which seem good, but they came with the unit and doesn't know what they are.

 

[rvieceli]

If you have a farm supply store near you take a look at stall mats. They come in different thicknesses and sizes aa well as rolls.

Farm Supply, Rural King, Tractor Supply or similar.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubber-mat-black-4-ft-x-6-ft

 

[bertv]

The cheapest flooring available, made of synthetic fibers, in other words the stuff cheap gov. offices have on their floors. Tiles or rolls. Pretty durable and no pain when you trash them after a few years.
You could even consider laying it upside down, seeing as the backing is often anti-slide. Or do two layers.

When I started out as a designer I rented a floor in a house that used to be a living space and put in that hard green stuff that is meant to be fake grass without the 'halms', wall to wall. Cheapest stuff the carpet store had & it was great for its purpose.

 

[jefm]

Thanks for all the inputs, this board is the best.
Masonite - This suggestion put me onto the correct side of the store. Awesome!

The cheapest flooring available, made of synthetic fibers, in other words the stuff cheap gov. offices have on their floors. Tiles or rolls. Pretty durable and no pain when you trash them after a few years.

Can you send me a link? I'm not sure I'm finding what you mean. I'm imagining Astroturf in my room, which isn't what I want, but awesome anyway.

Ok I went to two big box shops (both orange (because you can't just go to one, the flooring varies store to store)).
The big online mat shop was $$$$.$$
Big Box cheapest sheet vinyl ~$392 (so thin the store didn't even recommend it)
Big Box better sheet vinyl ~$696 (wooden pattern, just install upside down)
Big Box best sheet vinyl ~$992 (almost 3mm thick)

The best I found so far is 5mm 4x8 underlayment. Around $300
It's thin plywood that can be cut up with the tracksaw and painted. Not quite sure how to join the stuff though, might not be neccessary. Any proud spots in the concrete will be a problem (cut a hole, etc). Maybe over a layer of the cheapest packing/flooring foam available; muffle vibration, even things out, "stop" paint spills.

 

[Mike2014]

If you have a SAMs membership check out their  gym floor 2x2 interlocking mats. Only 20+ a pack 16 or 20 in a pack grey one side multi color other, I have them in my whole shop helps with sound and I can work on them for 12hrs and my legs don't hurt. Also easy to adjust and remove if you need.

 

[jefm]

I'm still fooling around with this.

Thanks for the rubber tiles, Mike2014. Bizarre, but that's the most economical rubber/petrochemical solution yet.
You mean these, right?http://www.samsclub.com/sams/util-a...versible-floor-mats-24-x-24-8-tiles/107930.ip
Do they hold up to casters and such?

Personally I'm still fond of underlayment plywood, cheap underlayment foam, tape or something to buttjoint the plys, and a gallon of paint. The lady at Orange Box thought I was insane. 'The wood would move around, change shape, it'd have to be nailed down, etc.' After ten minutes of service with a scowl I tried Green Box and the guy thought plywood was an awesome idea.

 

[Holmz]

...
-Sound absorption, probably not much (anything helps?)
-Vibration inhibition of tools motors and wheels. I have neighbors downstairs. Again probably not much help, but whatever.
...

You may be surprised. A lot of sound is mechanical coupling, so the rubber mats would be good.
Hard Masonite may only help with paint spills, and to create a slip hazard.

 

[Mike2014]

Yes those are the ones, they are not bad for caster the tools I move around alittle have 4"X1" casters and they roll fine but it is soft enough on the legs and feet.

 

[sancho57]

I used some 4' X 8'sheets of rigid insulation on the shop floor and put OSB over it. Been using it for 2 years. Though i went with 50mm I think thats to thick. Maybe 25mm would be better.

Whats nice about it (though I didn't do it but planned on it, Is you can cut grooves in to lay your electrical cables say for your CTs if its stationary.

Only issue I find is how to secure the OSB to the insulation. Since Im in a rental I didn't because I will be moving too (inna a year or so). But if it was permanent some construction glue would work just fine.