Replies

1. 
   Kell | Jul 21, 2003 11:57pm | #1

   The outbuilding that I converted into my shop had a concrete floor that was pitched up to 4 inches to the center drain.  (I say up to 4 inches because it was such an amateurish job by the worst DIYer I've ever seen.  It actually varied from dead level to uphill about 1 inch to downhill about 4 inches.)  I put in a wooden subfloor out of sleepers 16 inches on center with 3/4" OSB flooring glued and nailed on top.  I had to shim the sleepers to keep them level. 

   Easiest method is to string a line from end to end to establish the level height you want and work from there.  You could also use a rotating laser level if you can rent or have access to one.

   If the floor is fairly smooth and evenly pitched, this isn't a big job.  Good luck!

   Kell

1. 
   hazakdds | Jul 22, 2003 04:33pm | #5

   Thanks Kell.  I think I'll shim legs right now on my machines, and use your advice once I get the whole picture straight in my head, (and on paper!).

   -Marc

2. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 22, 2003 04:01am | #2

   Find the high spot and shim everything up to that level.  In my old shop I put adjustable feet on all my tools so that I could level them up where they stood.

   Scott C. Frankland

   "This all could have been prevented if their parents had just used birth control"

3. 
   RoyinMD | Jul 22, 2003 04:38am | #3

   I lean toward's Scott's reply, since you just moved in, don't rush into any actions, think about it first, and long. Shim all the floor tools as required for now and you'll be fine. Long term solutions come later, no hard actions untill you have the master plan together.

   Enjoy, Roy

4. 
   Steinmetz | Jul 22, 2003 05:31am | #4

   Marc, Shim up the legs. and put down interconnecting rubber mats (For the sake of your feet/back and sanity.) Stein.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/21/2003 10:33:47 PM ET by steinmetz

1. 
   hazakdds | Jul 22, 2003 04:35pm | #6

   I'll go with the shim idea for now as you guys say.  That sounds like the smartest course of action.  I've got plenty of other projects in this new house to keep me busy til I retire!

   -Marc

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 23, 2003 06:18am | #7

   Ever the contrarian...  Concrete floors s****!  Uneven concrete floors are even worse.  If you get all your stuff moved in there you'll never fix it.  DAMHIKT.  Do the sleeper thing, and shim as required to level them off.  (Unless you're the more anal, boat-builder type, in which case you'll spile the sleepers to the floor, LOL.)  If you live where it gets cold, figure on laying in some foam insulation, with plastic laid in on top.  In any case, your feet will love you, and any nice hand tools you happen to drop will appreciate you padding their landing.

1. 
   TomS | Jul 23, 2003 11:54pm | #8

   Do you think the sleepers are a necessity?  Would it be possible to adhere the plywood directly to the concrete with construction adhesive?  My garage/shop floor is relatively level, but I have been thinking about a wood floor to protect both my tools and my feet.

   Just wondering if the sleepers are needed for reasons other than leveling or insulation.

   Thanks,

   TomS

1. 
   hazakdds | Jul 24, 2003 12:30am | #10

   Hi Tom,  I think the sleepers will be a neccesity due to the fact that the floor is pitched into the center AND we live in upstate NY, (It doesn't get cold up here, the air just stops moving!) so insulating between the sleepers would help a great deal.  I'm toying with laying down a moisture barrier as well; 6mil poly.  Rout channels in the sleepers to run electrical and cover them with metal plates, ( yes, I'd be the moron to nail into the electrical line at some point in the future).  A potbelly stove would round out the atmosphere, and maybe a small frig, TV, cable, phone, bathroom... oh, sorry. =))

   -Marc

2. 
   jackiechan | Jul 26, 2003 06:30am | #18

   Marc,

   A cheap alternative to steel armor plating your subfloor wiring, would be to draw the wiring layout on top of the floor with a indelible red marker.  You can even label the wiring and junction areas where all of your future new machines will be going!Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.

2. 
   hazakdds | Jul 24, 2003 12:05am | #9

   Ed, you're speakin' to my heart!!  Uneven concrete floors do produce a negative pressure...  We basically had to move everything into the garage in a rush and all my stock and sheetgoods are in a pile against one wall.  I'll have to move all that stuff out anyways to start running the electrical service (lights and outlets), then insulating and finishing the walls and ceiling, then the dust control ducting, then maybe the floor... say, how DO you spline the sleepers to a concrete floor...  :}

   Thanks,

   -Marc

3. 
   jc21 | Jul 24, 2003 01:27am | #11

   Sounds good to me .............. concrete is the enemy of knees (I've got one metal one and another in the future). Eight hour days seem like fourteen hour ones working on concrete floors.

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 24, 2003 03:53am | #12

   LOL, let's see if I can remember all the questions/comments.

   IMHO, plywood directly on the concrete floor will give you a different look, but not much else.  Using sleepers and foam insulation will give a softening effect that will feel much better on your legs and dropped tools as well.  (Not to mention a warmer floor come winter.  As others have noted, one can run lines under the floor, power, air and, if you have sufficient room, vac as well.

   Spiling.  What I'd do would be to set each sleeper level on the highest spot at its location by shimming at some other location.  Get a compass and find where the distance between the floor and the bottom of the sleeper is the greatest.  Set the compass to that dimension, and then trace along the floor, holding the pencil against the sleeper.  That will give you a reasonably accurate profile of the floor.  Cut along the line and, voila, the sleeper should sit reasonably level on the floor.

   When you've got your's done you can come to my house and help me empty out the shop and do the same job.  ;-)

2. 
   TomS | Jul 24, 2003 04:14am | #13

   My thoughts on the direct adhesion with no sleepers is to accomodate the cars come winter.  Otherwise, I'll have to use some 2x6 to take the weight of the cars.  I want to paint the wood floor with a porch paint.  I don't have the luxury of a dedicated shop space.

   What to do, what to do???

   Toms

5. 
   IMERC | Jul 24, 2003 10:06am | #14

   Marc - Consider concrete floor leveler / patch. It can be feathered to wisper fine or as thick as you like. Then do the sleepers, insulation and ply. Labor saving and much simpler than ripping odd sized sleepers. After the CC leveler you can use stock materials w/o a lot of "making it work"

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 24, 2003 09:09pm | #15

   And here I was, trying to give him boat-building skills... ;-)

1. 
   IMERC | Jul 24, 2003 09:29pm | #16

   ROAR!!!

   If screws up the leveler and floor drain he'll need extra boat bulding skills. Suppose he can work in cubits?

1. 
   hazakdds | Jul 24, 2003 11:33pm | #17

   Hmmm... cubits.  That's those elbow thingies right?  Spline, shims, leveler, chipmunks, which is the best way to go?  I'll just think on this one for right now I guess.  Maybe I could attempt to dig a tunnel under the garage to the center drain, and then with a screw jack push the center even...    =O

   -Marc

6. 
   adair | Jul 27, 2003 12:30pm | #19

   Went through the same problem....my two car space had no drain...which has caused me hours of problems...everything went on wheels, so that as the shop grew I could move things around to suite the new toy. As you use your shop more or listen to forums you learn how thing work better.....my shop is located in northern Ontario.....wood stove works great for heat and good shoes take care of the feet and knees. I would kill to have a floor drain in my workshop. No matter which way you go it's a agreat problem to have.....BIG WORKSHOP...good luck.

   Terry