new garage/shed ideas for floor

**havabeer69** · 5th May 2022, 12:08 AM

so we're moving house in the next few months and i've pretty much convinced my wife that i'll be commandeering the new house's double car garage as my workshop/shed on the proviso that we eventually get a covered carport or such.

we will sell our house and hopefully have a few weeks where we own both and it will give us some time to get a few jobs done while moving in, which will be a good opportunity to get some shed stuff ready.

this is the garage in question, its not enormous by any standards but 6 x 7 x 2.9m high ceiling

main.jpg

main2.jpg

floorplan1.jpg

main use will be wood working, small amount of gym stuff (mainly freeweights or dumbells for now) and maybe a very rare amount of car and mechanical work and general storage. I'm fairly rough in the shed in that I use it for that purpose, things get spilt, dropped, bashed and not cleaned up straight away. Having not lived in the house yet I'm not quite sure how the garage handles large volumes of water as it is at the bottom of a decently slopped driveway, there is a strip drain in front but I think it may be under sized.

so the biggest thing I'd like to get done ASAP would be the floors. trying to work out what way I should go with the flooring. after a few reads of the other threads options include
paint
epoxy
structa floor or boards
vinyl roll
carpet or carpet squares

I really don't think I want to commit to a proper epoxy floor its something I would want to pay a professional to do. the next step down is paint which probably does 90% of what I want which is keep the concrete dust down and a bit easier to clean and looks better but really unsure about durability and chipping if I drop things.

I'm not sure I could commit to boards or yellow tongue with out seeing how the garage performs in storms. I think carpet will be nicer under foot, I worry about cleaning it from wood dust and wheeling machines around on it.

I was leaning towards the vinyl rolls, as you can get it pretty dam cheap ($20per M for a 2m wide roll from Bunnings) certainly clean up easy, easy to install probably not as hard wearing especially when anything sharp is dropped on in.
another option might be cork tiles, the house already has a bunch of it installed down stairs.

some other options are the "click together" PVC tiles
Quality Black PVC Floor Tile

How ever they're ALOT more expensive, getting close to $2100 to do the whole floor in the ones listed about which seem about the same price as most places, though there are ebay variates that come in around half that price. I do like that they're easily replaced if damaged and very quick and easy to install.

anything left of field I should consider?

**Midnight Man** · 5th May 2022, 08:19 AM

I had the same space (area) done for under $2000 in epoxy by a professional supplier. Two coats of colour, two coats on Poly (an extra one above normai at my request). Dig up my build thread in this subforum, and you can see some photos.

**BobL** · 5th May 2022, 08:41 AM

I used paving paint (several times) on my shed floors but if I had the choice again, even through it would cost more I'd go for epoxy.

BTW when PVC burns it releases HCl (hydrochloric acid) gas and even a small fire can make enough acid vapour to make a mess of anything electronic/electrical like switches and control panels. This worries me when using PVC ducting for dust extraction which is why I keep two fire extinguishers handy in my shed.

**riverbuilder** · 5th May 2022, 08:59 AM

Epoxy

**havabeer69** · 5th May 2022, 01:18 PM

ok, might get some quotes from the proper epoxy mobs in to quote and see what the prices come in at.

**havabeer69** · 5th May 2022, 11:40 PM

I received one epoxy quote today at $3000 inc GST with the flake, he stated its actually cheaper with the flake (can only assume it bulks and pads it out so no as much paint is needed in the end) so not entirely unreasonable. But he did mention it would need about 5 days to fully cure.

**riverbuilder** · 6th May 2022, 10:24 AM

Total area size?

**havabeer69** · 6th May 2022, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Total area size?

7 x 6 so approx 42m2

**rustynail** · 6th May 2022, 03:06 PM

Epoxy is probably your best option but does not come cheap. You can do several recoats with paving paint before you have spent as much as you would on epoxy. The important things are; preperation, dry concrete, sound surface, quality primer and quality paint.
I get about 10 years out of a 2 coat paint finish in my sheds and then start thinking about recoating.
All my machines are mobile so I can move them to one side, paint the floor, let it dry, move the machines across and paint the other half.
Vinyl is a bitch- nothing wants to roll on it, particularly if its only loose laid. The heavier the machine the bigger the wave that forms in the vinyl.
A smooth sealed concrete floor with a sealed finish is easy to clean and move stuff around on. The only thing is dropped edged tools and the feet that find it hard going. A piece of rubber matting of some form overcomes the problem.
Even though your space is not huge it is certainly workable. Ideal storage nook in the back formed by the laundry corner leaves you with a 6x6 clear floor area. Quite serviceable for a one man operation.
Like the look of your new location.

**DaveVman** · 9th May 2022, 04:43 PM

House location looks great! I have old concrete paint and it is not too bad. I don't have vehicles or really heavy things on it and I don't really have oil spills etc to clean up. I do that in the car port for now. The paint, makes it easier to sweep than bare concrete. However it doesn't last and it is no small task to empty a workshop to clear the floor to be able to redo it. In other words, it never gets repainted.
We are moving to a new house and I hope to have a few days to grind the garage and epoxy the floor myself. I've never done it before but it seems the key is to grind the floor and not just acid wash it. I don't want flakes because I have no idea how you find a dropped screw on that surface.

**Midnight Man** · 9th May 2022, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by DaveVman

I don't want flakes because I have no idea how you find a dropped screw on that surface.

Exactly why I steered clear of flakes myself. Got a "plain Jane" light grey - stuff stands out quite well on that.

**riverbuilder** · 9th May 2022, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by DaveVman

I don't want flakes because I have no idea how you find a dropped screw on that surface.

The best way is to put a bit of stocking on the end of the vacuum with some tape and run it over the floor and pick it up that way, used to do it regularly when I fixed fishing reels for a job and was always dropping small parts.

**DaveVman** · 10th May 2022, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

The best way is to ...

Maybe I worded that poorly. IMHO adding flakes is creating a problem I don't need.

**BobL** · 10th May 2022, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

The best way is to put a bit of stocking on the end of the vacuum with some tape and run it over the floor and pick it up that way, used to do it regularly when I fixed fishing reels for a job and was always dropping small parts.

The problem with that is I usually end up having to vacuum a large area of floor before I can find it.
I dropped a couple of small SS screws on our new bathroom floor.
Not a large area but was working in pre feet found them within about 20s.

BathFloor.JPG

**havabeer69** · 12th May 2022, 12:19 AM

another quote in today for epoxy.

$1700 cash for just plain epoxy
$2000 for the flake

the guy did mention he can add an antislip into the mix and paint it with that if I didn't want the flake which i'm strongly considering.

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