Shop Floor

[peacefulone61]

My shop is attached to the back of the theater space, during shows it is uses as the backstage crossover. The theater is a converted barn. The floor is an old barn floor, planks that are laid perpendicular to the joist below then to try and level the area we have a layer of 1/4 ply with massonite. This at least smooths the floor a little bit and makes is safer for the actors.

The shop is the original barn flooring there are spaces between the boards as well as the normal checks and cracks of a 200 year old wooden floor it is also very uneven and hard to move tools around on it. I do not believe I can raise the floor like the theater is 1st because of emergency exits I would be adding to much height (to floor swells up at the exits) and second I am not sure the floor would handle tools being wheeled around on it.

The space is hard to keep clean and keep the dust down in, Also it does present a splinter problem for actors and dancers changed back there during runs.

I thought about doing an epoxy floor paint or even one of those 10x deck refinishing products. But would welcome any suggestions.

 

[JonCarter]

Ahhhh, sounds terribly familiar! (Is is by chance on Cape Cod?) The old barn floor probably moves a bit (expansion & contraction with humidity, temperature, creaky building when the wind blows, etc.) An epoxy might be great the day after you apply it, but something will give, and it will probably be the epoxy and you'll be back to what you had. For a crossover I would consider a path (4' wide) of 1/8" or 1/4" tempered Masonite. Lay it down & stick it w/gaff when needed; pick it up & store it when the place is used as shop space.

 

[theatricalmatt]

You might also want to invest in a good dust collection / filtration unit for your power tools, which will help keep it out of the air, the soft goods, your lungs, etc.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Is your concern about exits the doors, and that you can't trim them if you lay something on the floor? I think the only good and permanent solution is covering - ply, plyron, MDF, other - and solving the threshold and other transition problems.

For the crossover, why not a carpet runner? Masonite seems a little slick for this.

 

[JonCarter]

[QUOTE="JonCarter, post: 362360, member: 12651" . . .. For a crossover I would consider a path (4' wide) of 1/6" tempered Masonite. . . .[/QUOTE]
Let's make that 1/8" or 1/4"! (Thanks, Ron!)

 

[JonCarter]

Ron: OK, edited. Now, how do I delete my correction to my original which now no longer needs correction? (One of these days I'll get this internet thingy figured out!)

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Ron: OK, edited. Now, how do I delete my correction to my original which now no longer needs correction? (One of these days I'll get this internet thingy figured out!)

We have the technology Another three or four posts and we'll get it figured out.