Welding over Racedeck

[SoilSaver]

Well to start off I've been a lurker and a looker on here for a while, but this is my first post. I'm fixing to start on the floor in my new shop and I'm planning to do the whole floor in a nuclear grade epoxy. My only issue is I've been told the epoxy nor the clearcoat really like welding. So I was thinking of adding a small section of racedeck tile in my welding/fabrication area. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Kaleb

 

[retfr8flyr]

Racedeck doesn't like welding either. You would be better off just getting some welding mats for the area.

 

[bdamico]

Or search for porcelain

 

[mikeyr]

Welding on Racedeck is a great way to get free-flow tiles from the solid tiles. If that is not fast enough for you, you can try plasma cutting as that will turn the tiles into free-flow tiles even faster.

I welded on my Racedeck for many years and they have the scars to prove it, I finally got tired of putting the welding blanket down and left a area bare concrete for my welding.

 

[SoilSaver]

Ok thanks folks. I'll look into some different options. I was afraid the whole plastic tile deal would he a problem, but didn't know if they might be made of something heat/flame resistant. Thanks again.

 

[SapesOfIndia]

Welding on Racedeck is a great way to get free-flow tiles from the solid tiles. If that is not fast enough for you, you can try plasma cutting as that will turn the tiles into free-flow tiles even faster.
.

 

[brownbagg]

why not leave the floor pllain concrete like shops are suppose to be

 

[bdamico]

why not leave the floor pllain concrete like shops are suppose to be

If that were the case, why would there be a need for a flooring section? And why are you in this forum?

 

[BD1]

What about laying masonite sheets down in the welding area when in use ? Then place some welding blankets over the masonite. That's what we did on a school gym floor to fabricate some welded pipe.

 

[SoilSaver]

why not leave the floor pllain concrete like shops are suppose to be

Thanks for the constructive comment.

 

[c39er]

Welding over bare concrete is the safest best way in a working mans garage. Fancy/pretty garage floors are for the "White Shoes" man cave garage. IMO

 

[BD1]

Welding over bare concrete is the safest best way in a working mans garage. Fancy/pretty garage floors are for the "White Shoes" man cave garage. IMO

Yep, ok, so now it is recommended to have two garages. One for show and one for work or a REALLY big one for both.

 

[BoostAddiction]

Welding over bare concrete is the safest best way in a working mans garage. Fancy/pretty garage floors are for the "White Shoes" man cave garage. IMO

I don't know where these comments come from. I weld in my garage all the time, and have managed, somehow, to keep the epoxy floor pretty much intact.

Depending on the welding process, it can be very easy on flooring. And welding blankets do work pretty well when you are using a messier process, or just want to be extra careful.

I mostly use TIG, and never bother to lay out welding blankets for that process. You don't need them if you are neat, and don't drip blobs of metal..

Cutting torch use means the blankets get used, as would MIG.

I think I could have a plastic tile floor and weld at the same time with care and use of welding blankets.

 

[A_Pmech]

Welding over an epoxy floor is fine, I do it every day. Sure, it scars it up a bit eventually, but that's because it's a floor! Walking on it does the same thing.

Epoxy floors aren't primarily for looks. The purpose of epoxy is to create a light reflective surface to brighten the shop. Another benefit is that epoxy makes the floor very easy to keep clean and eliminates the dust problem of bare concrete.

 

[Kevin C]

Another benefit is that epoxy makes the floor very easy to keep clean and eliminates the dust problem of bare concrete.

One of the main reasons I did mine... When you spill some oil you can easily clean it up.

I'm thinking of dedicating one section of my shop as a welding friendly area. I have epoxy, not race deck. I just need to figure out what to put down on the floor in that one section.

Seems like the a rubber mat would work, I sure you could do the same over Race Deck. The rubber is a thermoset so it wont melt from slag. It will burn a bit but I don't see it catching.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/welding-rubber-anti-fatigue-floor-mat-wearwell-447916x2x3bk/welding-safety/

I was thinking of something like this.

 

[zcar751]

I put down epoxy to help with clean ups. I haven't had any problem with mig welding, but I don't do it every day it is just a hobby. I never worry about messing it up because it is a coating that if needed can be redone when necessary. I weld, cut, paint and it doesn't bother me a bit to see marks on the floor.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I doubt porcelain tile would be left unmarked by welding slag. Even ordinary concrete will end up with burn marks.

I weld all the time in my garage. I don't mind some mild marks from the burns on my ceramic tiles. If I'm going to have slag dripping down, I throw down a welding blanket.

If your goal is to find a flooring product that will continue to look like a car showroom, then you're not going to be able to weld. But a few different types of floors can still look pretty good, even with some burn marks on them.

 

[DefSport]

Plasma cutting messes up everything in a big hurry, but I've never really marked up concrete or tile with MIG welding. The slag will usually cool down enough by the time it hits the floor that it can't burn it up.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I think the grinding generates the real heat.

 

[DefSport]

Really? Never had a problem with that either. Maybe I need to put down my purse when I pick up my grinder.

 

[ringneck]

Yep, ok, so now it is recommended to have two garages. One for show and one for work or a REALLY big one for both.

X2, the best answer, unless you can have three... Garage for the drivers, shop for the projects, and a storage/display area for the completed projects (to make room for more projects)

I would recommend sleeping, bathing, and kitchen too (since being kicked out may come soon after). Just don't give up too much shop space for it.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Really? Maybe I need to put down my purse when I pick up my grinder.

It's not a purse as long as it has a snap-on (Craftsman, Mac, etc) emblem and is full of tools....