Flooring suitable for light industrial

[dagoof]

I've recently acquired a new workshop which I'll be using in a 'light industrial' capacity - I'll have a few machines around 500kg each, the problem being that the current subfloor is ply (which I will prop to reinforce).

Ideally something like a concrete SLC would be used but I gather from reading around, this isn't the best idea. Can anyone suggest any alternatives? As close to a uniform surface as possible would be the aim, as it'll allow the machines to be rolled on casters and allow easy cleaning.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You can get concrete (min 150mm with reinforcement for a workshop floor) or you can get self-levelling compound (which isn't anywhere near strong enough for heavy machinery), but you don't get two in one. Probably the best bet would be to overclad the existing ply floor with a second skin of plywood, something like 18 or 22mm hardwood WBP (exterior grade) screwed or ring nailed on 150mm centres. Protect with 2 or 3 coats of epoxy floor paint.

 

[dagoof]

Thanks for the advice, didn't realise the epoxy paint could be used over ply - would the epoxy go any way to protecting the wood from the casters digging in and leaving tracks?

 

[dazlight]

Lots of SLC can be used. Just make sure it has a high compressive strength.
You will want a water mix rather then bag and bottle.
Have a look on the F ball website.

 

[dagoof]

Was it something like stopgap 1200? As far as I can tell a bottle might cover 5sqm, I'm looking to cover over 100.

 

[dazlight]

No that is low compression strength.
You want more like 300HD or exterior

 

[dagoof]

Thanks Dazlight - I'll look into that.

Was also considering some kind of industrial interlocking tile, but that's looking pretty damn expensive for 110sqm.

 

[Tigercubrider]

what about concrete polishing?
I have no idea of costs

 

[dagoof]

I believe we'd need some serious floor reinforcement for concrete and the likelihood of cracking afterwards is high!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The problem with laying a screed on top of a single skin plywood flood is that at the sort of point loadings you are talking about here (500kg on 3 or 4 castors), depending on the joist cross sections and spacings the floor will flex sufficiently to crack any cement based compound applied to the surface in all probability. In commercial builds we double the 18mm plywood using t & g plywood boards glued down and at the joints and ring nailed at fairly close centres to minimise flexing. It works well enough for heavy pedestrian traffic but you are still dependent on what is supporting the original floor - and I notice that you haven't given details of joist dimensions, spans, etc. Without studying that any discussion of finish layers on the floor is pointless IMHO

 

[Doggit]

Well done Job, the first post to query the floor construction, but IMO even if it's joists, the it's a complete no go. 500kg on a 4 caster machine would mean a loading of 125KG per caster, and that's not only going to dig straight into anything made of wood. I owned a laundrette, and that had steel plates where the washing machines sat, and there were 2 steel joist underneath the joists to reinforce them, and then another steel joist to reinforce them. And that was only on a 25sqm area.

Epoxy is very hard wearing, and can go over concrete or ply, but won't stop the casters digging in.

I think you may need the services of an Structural engineer on this one.

 

[dagoof]

Thanks for the responses, I do have a structural guy coming next week (relating to a wall), so was planning on asking him.

I should note, I previously had two of the 400kg variants of the machines on the same floor on my house with no reinforcement/no issues.

 

[Doggit]

What was the span though, and the size of the new unit.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Epoxy is very hard wearing, and can go over concrete or ply, but won't stop the casters digging in.

From time to time I need to drive a "spider" (for those not in the construction trades that's a "cherry picker" mounted on a narrow tracked chassis with extending outrigger support arms to allow it to pass through narrow dooways, alleys, etc) and as you are probably aware they universally come with high density polyethylene plastic pads to go under the feet and spread the load (similar to what mobile cranes use, only smaller). I've used spiders on tiled surfaces, although never on timber floors (partly because even the smallest ones weigh several tonnes). That sort of approach might well solve the issue of surface damage to plywood, though, especially if the machinery were mounted on larger diameter soft-tyred wheels as opposed to small diameter hard castor wheels

 

[dagoof]

Span was roughly the same (slightly lighter but slightly smaller span, joist centres the same, 600mm).
I think in all likelihood they'll be fine but structural engineer can confirm tomorrow.