Office flooring in garage

sbosecker · May 30, 2015

I am planning a 46 x 60 build with a 14 x 30 room upstairs . That room will be office space/kitchenette/etc.

Any thoughts on flooring for a situation like this?

I would have posted this in the "Flooring" section but that seems to centered on garage flooring.

Click here to see a 3-D sketch that shows the "upper room". The upper room is shaded a dark pink.

Scott

Gotcha640 · May 30, 2015

What will you be doing on your way to that room? Soldering circuit boards? Slaughtering hogs? Oil field equipment repair?

For me, with mostly wood working and car repairs, I'd be in some sort of athletic shoes or boots, so I'd go with whatever was durable and a good price. Institutional carpet, probably.

If this is going to be a business, or otherwise have people who aren't you in it, the overall finish might be entirely different. I've worked in places that would have had bare ply in that sort of room, and places that had cable tray in the floor, so they had data center type floors throughout.

sbosecker · May 30, 2015

Gotcha640 said:
What will you be doing on your way to that room? Soldering circuit boards? Slaughtering hogs? Oil field equipment repair?

For me, with mostly wood working and car repairs, I'd be in some sort of athletic shoes or boots, so I'd go with whatever was durable and a good price. Institutional carpet, probably.

Gotcha640,

Woodworking, lawn work & working on cars are all likely activities prior to going to this room.

It's also possible that there might be a poker game or such take place in this room.

I'm leaning towards sheet vinyl for ease of cleaning and stain resistance but I thought I'd toss it out to the group to see if there's something available that I might not be aware of.

Best regards,

Scott

Gotcha640 · May 30, 2015

I edited while you were posting. Will you have friends/family in there? Clients? Is this sort of a home away from home type place? Just thinking if you want to make it a little nicer, 14x30 shouldn't be too hard to find laminate, or hard wood, or tile as leftover from a builder.

sbosecker · May 30, 2015

Gotcha640 said:
I edited while you were posting. Will you have friends/family in there? Clients? Is this sort of a home away from home type place? Just thinking if you want to make it a little nicer, 14x30 shouldn't be too hard to find laminate, or hard wood, or tile as leftover from a builder.

Yes, it is quite possible that friends/family will hang out. I plan to have a small kitchenette type set up along with a place to do paper-work.

I probably muddied the water by calling it an "office" but paperwork and perhaps working on electronics would be done in this room as well as some beer drinking and such with friends.

Best regards,

Scott

James-W · May 30, 2015

My suggestion is to go to a lumber liquidators and check out the flooring they have on hand. You may find some really good flooring for a decent price.

boobag · May 30, 2015

i'd probably do VCT vinyl composition tiles. they are cheap and wear great.

mikec35 · May 31, 2015

Vct is quick, cheap and easy to change pieces as needed. You could get a couple of different colors and have a nice checkerboard pattern.

sbosecker · May 31, 2015

boobag said:
i'd probably do VCT vinyl composition tiles. they are cheap and wear great.

Boobag,

Thanks for this suggestion... I was thinking sheet vinyl as the width of the room would allow - with an extra wide roll of flooring - it to be put down without a seam. VCT might be a better idea.

Others have suggested VCT as well.

Still fishing for ideas though... Ha!

Best regards,

Scott

canuckian · May 31, 2015

I went with a higher quality laminate in my "office". Durable, cleans up easy and looks great. Have had many compliments on it.

sberry · May 31, 2015

What is in the room below? Is that a pit? I could see replacing 3 doors with 2 on the end and moving hoist along wall?

sbosecker · May 31, 2015

sberry said:
What is in the room below? Is that a pit? I could see replacing 3 doors with 2 on the end and moving hoist along wall?

sberry,

What is in the room below?

Wood Shop & bathroom.

Is that a pit?

On the plans it is labeled a "Tornado Shelter". It was either that or a "Wine Celler". Ha!

I could see replacing 3 doors with 2 on the end and moving hoist along wall?

Thanks. Any thoughts on flooring in the upstairs room?

Best regards,

Scott

NUTTSGT · May 31, 2015

If it was mine, I'd be looking at some "office" type carpet. You can usually get it at a big box store for 50¢/sqft. If it gets dirty or whatever in about 7-8 years, just tear it out and replace it.

sberry · May 31, 2015

I like that. Its fundamentally a good design. I suggest moving the hoist so it leaves the floor space open, moving it to near an edge leaves only 1 post out in the floor space and not so far, makes it wide open.
I would trade off a bit of space to have office and coffee clutch on the first floor with the entrance near the man door, enter building, either walk in to shop or spin a turn in to office chair.
I believe that is a laundry tub, that looks good, it needs to be "on the way". Between the office and the shop.

sberry · May 31, 2015

14x30 is pretty respectable and could go to 34 by cantilevering the end in the center over laundry tub, tool boxes, some bench maybe.
If I was really going to occupy this a lot would really fuss with the door/ergonomics layout so I walked in, either went to office or up stairs. Stack the plumbing for a wet bar u there with full bath.
Down on the floor would have a stool, urinal, vanity sink with the laundry tub on the shop side.

sberry · May 31, 2015

I would tend to build enuf heigth to get the room to the corner. Could window on 2 sides as well as leave a legal egress.
Mine needs 2 windows but I was trying to get some pics that lend themselves to the relationship of the entrances/doors as it relates to floor plan. BRB
These are old but the general layout is the same. I don't change a lot but someone gave me a piece the other day was nicer than what I had and did a little floor plan mod. Was all free.

sberry · May 31, 2015

46x60 is pretty respectable and I can see you are willing to go for some features, extra door or 2 being one of them and its not a deal breaker. Some things I might or might not build in to a general shop would be based on type of work/business. I have a big building but also have other storage and have been able to empty mine to the point the features have really been fulfilled for lack of better wording and I don't need to make storage room for forklift or tool trucks I use sporadically, while a forklift is priceless when needed its not worth it for most people to own one especially if there are collateral factors, storage, taxes etc
It doesn't take much auto service or car payments to make a spot for a hoist and a few tools well worthwhile though. A lot of juice to be pocketed thru a little depreciated car or 2. I wouldn't pit to do a special oil change or 2, absolutely wouldn't want it unless I had to, ruins a nice floor. Costly to boot. Don't really know what a home brew type would end up doing with it.
Trade it for something useful, if you have a dirty world a nice apron and built in hi pressure washer. Probably don't have viscious road salt and gravel though?

sbosecker · Jun 1, 2015

NUTTSGT said:
If it was mine, I'd be looking at some "office" type carpet. You can usually get it at a big box store for 50¢/sqft. If it gets dirty or whatever in about 7-8 years, just tear it out and replace it.

NuttsGT,

"...dirty or whatever in about 7-8 years..."

I was thinking 7 to 8 minutes. Ha!

I have a gift for making a mess. I'll look at this. Thanks for the idea.

Best regards,

Scott

NUTTSGT · Jun 1, 2015

sbosecker said:
NuttsGT,

"...dirty or whatever in about 7-8 years..."

I was thinking 7 to 8 minutes. Ha!

I have a gift for making a mess. I'll look at this. Thanks for the idea.

Best regards,

Scott

Well, you know I was trying to give you the benefit of doubt. :beer:

BTW, Sberry does make sense moving the lift to the bay on the right.

sbosecker · Jun 1, 2015

Today I was in a flooring store.

The fellow there showed me some possible flooring options including something called Vinyl Planks. Anybody ever used that product?

Scott

tab2 · Jun 1, 2015

sbosecker said:
Today I was in a flooring store.

The fellow there showed me some possible flooring options including something called Vinyl Planks. Anybody ever used that product?

Scott

This is what I was going to suggest. It is the "fancier" VCT. Looks 1000 times better and is almost as tough. Tons of patterns too with lots of different looks. I do CM for commercial corporate interiors and this is getting spec'ed for tenant entry lobbies and pantries/kitchenettes/eating areas because it cleans so well and is inexpensive.

Having to replace a whole sheet of a material when it eventually gets damaged would **** so we try to stay away from sheet goods.

Lastly, I would recommend 2'x2' commercial carpet squares if you wanted something softer because you can just drop a new one in when one gets dirty.

sbosecker · Jun 1, 2015

tab2 said:
This is what I was going to suggest. It is the "fancier" VCT. Looks 1000 times better and is almost as tough. Tons of patterns too with lots of different looks. I do CM for commercial corporate interiors and this is getting spec'ed for tenant entry lobbies and pantries/kitchenettes/eating areas because it cleans so well and is inexpensive.

Having to replace a whole sheet of a material when it eventually gets damaged would **** so we try to stay away from sheet goods.

Lastly, I would recommend 2'x2' commercial carpet squares if you wanted something softer because you can just drop a new one in when one gets dirty.

Tab2,

Thanks... after I posted this question about the Vinyl Planks, I did a little searching on the internet regarding this product.

Do vinyl planks - or vinyl in general - have issues with sunlight causing wrinkling or uneven expansion of the vinyl?

Like a wrinkled spot where sun comes in through a window and causes a warm spot on the floor?

I saw a few complaints where folks were pointing a finger at wrinkled Vinyl Planks that had been installed in a sunny area.

Best regards,

Scott

tab2 · Jun 3, 2015

sbosecker said:
Tab2,

Thanks... after I posted this question about the Vinyl Planks, I did a little searching on the internet regarding this product.

Do vinyl planks - or vinyl in general - have issues with sunlight causing wrinkling or uneven expansion of the vinyl?

Like a wrinkled spot where sun comes in through a window and causes a warm spot on the floor?

I have never seen this. For clarification we always use adhesive, not a click together system. The biggest issue we have, if there are any, are imperfections on the subsurface ghosting through. To combat this, these areas sometimes get a full skim underneath.

sbosecker · Jun 3, 2015

tab2 said:
I have never seen this. For clarification we always use adhesive, not a click together system. The biggest issue we have, if there are any, are imperfections on the subsurface ghosting through. To combat this, these areas sometimes get a full skim underneath.

Thank you.

Best regards,

Scott

sd171 · Sep 17, 2015

We use our garage attic primarily as an art studio and craft room and decided just to paint the plywood subfloor. It's a cheap solution, easy to clean and we can always install real flooring later. Almost a year after painting, it's holding up very well. The paint has chipped off in a couple of spots about the size of an eraser head, but those are easy to touch up.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4392721#post4392721

Office flooring in garage

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