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Hi all, I’m working on finishing my workshop over the next few months. It has a plywood floor and I was wondering if anyone has any good suggestions for putting a protective coating on it. While I’d love to get an epoxy floor coating, it is rather expensive. I thought about putting some of the textured Behr Deckover coating on it, but I’m open to any ideas. I don’t really care about color, I just wanted something that preferably has a little slip restance to it and is durable to hold up to foot traffic, rolling around machines when necessary, and occasionally dropping a tool. Thoughts?
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A good quality porch paint.
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There is paint for wood floors at the box stores. I've used it and it does well.
My first choice for a softer floor like yours might be the lesser expensive 3/16" thick vinyl stick together planks (floating). $1.80 a square foot- figure $2.00. Tough stuff.
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06-17-2018, 12:48 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-17-2018, 12:50 AM by lift mechanic.)
I have a 1 1/8" T&G plywood floor in my shop. I used a porch and floor polyurethane oil gloss paint by Glidden. It has held up well, even with a new puppy. Water beads up, and puppy accidents. I sanded the floor with a belt sander, 60 grit to smooth out the joints. Rolled the paint on keeping a wet edge. I applied 3 coats 24 hours apart. The paint smell got a little strong so the windows and doors stayed open. I haven't noticed it getting slippery when water or snow gets on the floor. I used the same paint on my last shop but the floor was 3/4" MDF on 2x4 sleepers. The MDF was slippery with snow or water on the floor. I would recommend this for plywood and is available at the big orange box store, about $37 a gallon. All my machines are on mobile bases and move with out damaging the floor.
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I just stained mine, no sealer.
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Greatmats.com sells rubber mats. Horse stall can take a lot of abuse and still provide a cushioned floor for you.
Also the gym mats are likewise tough and will provide cushioning.
I created an alley for my framing workshop that cushioned the floor in front of the workstations.
It is too expensive to put everywhere, but if you think it out you can put it exactly where it is needed. The horse stall mats are thick and light and are easy to move when cleaning.
https://www.greatmats.com/?gclid=CjwKCAj...2IQAvD_BwE
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
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Be careful of anti-slip type coatings, a textured surface is hard to sweep.
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Color light enough to see the screw or whatever you drop but not so light as to show all the dirt.
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My shop has a plywood floor—3/4” T&G exterior grade plywood.
It has no finish and after 18 years still looks about the same as when I installed it. Just darker in places.
Why do you want or need to put a finish on it?
Gary
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When you get older like me, the cheap super low pile carpet from the box stores is very cheap and replaceable easy enough and is easy on the feet. A broom easily piles the wood dust and the broom/dust pan gets it. I don't use a underpad of course.
