Foam Mat for Floor

[jbrowning]

So hopefully by winter I will be ready to move my stuff into my side of the garage. Right now the floor is just concrete. I have a foam mat under my scroll saw right now that helps with the cold in the winter. I'm wondering about doing the whole area in the foam mat, but am concerned about rolling things around on it.

Does anyone have their floor covered in these mats and if so are you able to roll things around on them? I am attaching a link to the mat I'm using now.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-anti-fatigue-foam-mat-set-94635.html

 

Thanks

Jim

[JOE_M]

I had some in front of my mill for a while. They're nice for standing but I wouldn't want to have to push something heavy on wheels across it. I threw them out when they got slippery from oil and had lots of little metal shavings embedded in them - something you probably wouldn't have to worry about in a woodworking shop.

If you've got a store like CAL Ranch or Tractor Supply you should stop in and look at horse mats. They're 20x denser for the same thickness and will hold up to anything.

[savethebeer]

I got some stiff flat foam panels and thought they would be great for comfort when standing for long periods. And the foam worked great except under my saw. I began to notice the blade getting fuzzy as I followed the lines. It was minute vibration caused by the mat. I took the foam mat out and suddenly the blade became crystal clear again.

If you have the space, place a mat where you stand but not under your saw.

Bob

[Bpardue]

i have them in about 1/2 of my shop but they are mainly in walking area.

[MTCowpoke22]

Joe has a good point with the horse or horse trailer mats. They usually come in larger rectangles and maybe firm enough to roll tools and stools on. I'd probably just try one to see if you can roll around on it before making a big investment.

[Dan]

I have used them in the garage and they are comfortable to walk on and will keep your feet warmer. Like others have said, not the best for operating equipment as most are designed to operate best when set on a solid surface. 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Dan

[oldhudson]

If it was me and I was starting over I'd use DRIcore. It's a composite material. You can Google it and read about it and get local pricing at your favorite home store.  Basically it's a plastic layer, about 3/8" covered by 1/4" OSB. It's 2' x 2' tiles. Creates a barrier so your not on the concrete, much warmer. Softer than concrete. Tools roll nicely on it.  Easy to put in, no adhesive, put the pieces down and tap the tongue & groove joints together. 

[MrsN]

I have interlocking foam tiles in my shop area. I added a pic.

I wouldn't use this tpye with rolling stuff. They deform pretty easily. I have permant dimples where my chair goes. I use this flooring because it is a carpeted bedroom and it cleans up pretty good.

The horse mats are a good idea, I had a couple in one of my school shops.

They do make other types of protective flooring, some designed for gym floors they might be more stable.

 

[amazingkevin]

11 hours ago, jbrowning said:

So hopefully by winter I will be ready to move my stuff into my side of the garage. Right now the floor is just concrete. I have a foam mat under my scroll saw right now that helps with the cold in the winter. I'm wondering about doing the whole area in the foam mat, but am concerned about rolling things around on it.

Does anyone have their floor covered in these mats and if so are you able to roll things around on them? I am attaching a link to the mat I'm using now.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-anti-fatigue-foam-mat-set-94635.html

 

Thanks

Jim

The larger the wheels the easier it is to push

[hawkeye10]

My shop is heated and cooled and I sit to scroll.

[KurtP]

On 8/24/2017 at 4:40 PM, oldhudson said:

If it was me and I was starting over I'd use DRIcore. It's a composite material. You can Google it and read about it and get local pricing at your favorite home store.  Basically it's a plastic layer, about 3/8" covered by 1/4" OSB. It's 2' x 2' tiles. Creates a barrier so your not on the concrete, much warmer. Softer than concrete. Tools roll nicely on it.  Easy to put in, no adhesive, put the pieces down and tap the tongue & groove joints together. 

I installed the DRIcore in my shop and it made a big difference. I also put some laminate flooring on top of the DRIcore that was left over from a job. It can get pretty cold up here in the winter so anything I can do to keep the heat in and the cold out helps.