On 9/5/2010 11:50 AM, Jeff Thies wrote:
I'm moving my "wood shop" into a new covered space. The floor will be
OSB.

It seems to me that I have options on the treatment of the OSB floor. I
can stain/paint it or cover it with something else. Some laminates are
very cheap.

http://www.flooranddecoroutlets.com/s44108417.html

Suggestions?

Jeff

OSB floor? Is this a kit shed sitting on blocks or something? Will you
be able to keep the floor dry? (On both sides)

OSB is a lousy material for the wear layer on a floor. If this OSB is
above dirt, you don't want anything on top that will trap moisture in
there, like paint or anything. But being a wood shop, anything with hole
will of course clog up with sawdust.

I'd probably go with a layer of sleepers, and some sort of plywood or
other decking, with air slots around the edges. I'd also make it in
sections, so I can pull it up easily for repairs to both layers. If that
would be a budget-breaker, I'd hunt around for some used industrial
matting, the kind with the holes, to lay over the main traffic paths, to
slow down the OSB turning back into sawdust and wood chips.

Now if this is an area that will always be dry, I'd just deck it over
with real plywood (even the thin stuff kitchen floor installers use to
even things out) or whatever is cheap, assuming that would not get you
too close to the load limit for the floor once you move your tools in.
Laminate, if you can find a closeout sale, is pretty durable, and not
that heavy, but the look of it would irritate me every time I went in
there. I'd rather lay a vinyl remnant out like a carpet.

You're not the guy who was moving his shop into the 'bonus room' over
the garage, are you?

--
aem sends...