Desert rider
Member
For those with their workshop in the garage, how do you deal with the slope of the floor?
Garage floor slope
- Thread starter Desert rider
- Start date
wssix99
Well-known member
I deal well and work relaxed knowing that I'm safe from the unwanted accumulation of explosive gasses.
I also enjoy the fact that I sprung for big wheel casters on my stuff, which makes heavy loads effortless to push around.
I also enjoy the fact that I sprung for big wheel casters on my stuff, which makes heavy loads effortless to push around.
checkthisout
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- Sep 5, 2008
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wssix99
Well-known member
^ Excellent!
padroo
Well-known member
If I were building a new garage I would not slope the garage floor and would not put a floor drain in it .
But it depends on what you use it for.
But it depends on what you use it for.
Sawdustmaker
Well-known member
Not an issue. Never really noticed any advantage or disadvantage.
owdlvr
Well-known member
2/3rds of my floor was poured by the previous owner. It slopes .0625" per foot. Doesn't seem like much, but for a 4ft long shelf, that's 1/4" and enough to make the shelves uneven.
For permanent structures like my cabinets, I shim and level them. For smaller items, that are probably mounted on wheels, it's less of an issue. For my big shelves, which are floor mounted, I built bases to make sure they are level.
-Dave
For permanent structures like my cabinets, I shim and level them. For smaller items, that are probably mounted on wheels, it's less of an issue. For my big shelves, which are floor mounted, I built bases to make sure they are level.
-Dave
cre73
Well-known member
When I built my first garage 20 years ago. I set the concrete forms with a 1.5in drop over 24feet towards the overhead door. My stepfather who was assisting with the build was not happy. Usually a very quiet man chewed my **** and told me how stupid I was. We compensated for it a little bit when we laid our single layer of blocks. Still didn't understand why he was so upset. I just wanted the water to run towards the door.
bigdav160
Well-known member
No slope in mine
jmarkwolf
Well-known member
n20junkie
Well-known member
Mine was just done this way.
Poured level using a laser, no drain, cut control joints with a machine burnished finish.
I wanted it to be as close to level for chassis work and fab. I will never wash a car in the shop, and the one time every few years I need to bring a snow covered car inside I will just use a big squeegee to clean it up.
maxpower_hd
Well-known member
I wash stuff in mine often so I like the sloped floor. I have a 16' bench along one wall. I just shimmed and leveled it. I did have to level my meat freezer as well but no big deal.
My welding cart will roll on it's own near the door since I don't have locking wheels on it. I just lay something down like a rag, shim, nail, piece of sheet metal, whatever for the wheel to rest against.
I don't really have anything else on wheels that will roll on it's own.
My welding cart will roll on it's own near the door since I don't have locking wheels on it. I just lay something down like a rag, shim, nail, piece of sheet metal, whatever for the wheel to rest against.
I don't really have anything else on wheels that will roll on it's own.
wssix99
Well-known member
For places that use the full building code, sloped floors are required in garages to evacuate explosive heavier-than-air gasses. (ie: gasoline vapor)
^ In light of that, water is inconsequential.
^ In light of that, water is inconsequential.
rburke65
Well-known member
IN my shop....no slope....no drain.
I use lag bolts in the bottom of the legs on any wood framed work bench. Adjust as necessary.
My Dad did the same for all of his model railroad support benches, that is where I learned to do it, 60 years ago.
Same concept for metal, just use a bolt or adjustable foot pad instead.
My Dad did the same for all of his model railroad support benches, that is where I learned to do it, 60 years ago.
Same concept for metal, just use a bolt or adjustable foot pad instead.
wssix99
Well-known member
You would appreciate the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. They have the original granite blocks for chassis setups for the cars in the museum. (The museum is the old car factory.) The things are immobile and perfectly level and true. The floor around them is just whatever it is...
SILVERPLATE
Well-known member
Built our new house two years and went with no slope. No issues, works just fine, no coughing from gases or difficulty breathing, just kidding and my lift is just perfect.
Dr Stan
Well-known member
The one bay addition I built onto the garage is sloped as per local zoning code. My shop is as flat within reason using a laser level and a concrete finisher.
I still noticed some dips in it before I started framing and was watering the concrete during curing.
I still noticed some dips in it before I started framing and was watering the concrete during curing.
n20junkie
Well-known member
Thats my kind of nerdy stuff right there. I bet that was an expensive piece of stone and setup!
Dave Morgan has tried to get race tracks to install flat and level pads that guys can use for chassis setup, but very few have such a location. Up north the frost makes such a pad too expensive for the local tracks to even think about.
Reg1952
Well-known member
When I had my floor poured they sloped just the part where the cars sit. In front of them where I do my work the floor is flat.
wssix99
Well-known member
I recall the tour guide saying it was very expensive and they had to build the factory around it. (The slab/block is the size of a car and then goes down 10 feet or so to stay below the frost line and sit on stable ground.)
Next time I go pay them a visit, I need to take my level with me and confirm how its done over the years. (They said it was still true.)
ambenz
Well-known member
Adjustable feet on my floor shelves, for sure... but my slope is not very noticeable...glad I have a slope ....nothing pools.
NitroGarage
Well-known member
I've built a lot of shelving and work benches out of 1x1" square mild steel tubing, I weld in square nuts from the hardware store and put long half inch bolts in there for adjustment. Works great and cheap.
Agreed. Built a drag car in a two car garage and had to do the main layout and setup on the one 8x8 section that was dead level and flat, if we spanned the two section one was off just enough to cause massive headaches. New shop was done dead flat for just that reason.
I'm actually contemplating building a drive through wash bay with sloped floor and center drains, being in Ohio it sure would be cheaper to build a high pressure spray bar to drive over to get the salt off of than go through the car wash every week.
Iroc-Z
Well-known member
I built my floor with a slope. I have a floor trench drain at the garage door side and run a 2 inch slope over a 40 foot span. Installed and leveled my two post lift without issue. I like it here in MN because of snow and also that way I can wash cars in the shop.
My shop was poured level however when I bring a piece of equipment in that has snow on it or even just been out in the rain I end up with a a puddle around it. If I were to build again I would slope floor but just in the smallest amount. Just enough to get water to run out with the help of a squeegee
checkthisout
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- Joined
- Sep 5, 2008
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I sloped my floor 3" front to back (40' run). I wish I hadn't. It's impossible for a residential concrete finish to be even enough to prevent puddling thus the slope doesn't do much other than make it a hassle to mount things like outlets, shim the hoists, shelving etc.
myredracer
Well-known member
When I had our garage floor poured 10 years ago, our building code required a slope but did not say how much so I made it 1" over 35'. Imperceptible to the eye. Don't normally get snow anymore here however, this winter we've had a lot of snow and for an extended period. Our garage and workshop floors are heated and anytime we parked our two cars in the garage I discovered when the snow melted from underneath the cars that the water drained the wrong way instead of sloping down to the O/H door. Pfffft. Have to lay a bunch of towels on the floor to soak it up...
A slope of 1" in 35' is not easy to power trowel a perfectly flat surface and if I were to do it again, I'd make the slope 2". Don't know if there's a way to more accurately trowel a concrete floor flatter?
Our electrical code used to define a 2" layer above a garage floor where vehicles will be parked or worked on to be a hazardous zone due to possible gas fumes. Our garage & workshop is attached and I made a 2" high curb where the wall is against the house and also between the workshop and garage. If there ever is a spill the fumes *should* escape towards the O/H door and not get into an adjoining space. I believe the NEC requirement is somewhat different than the CEC.
A slope of 1" in 35' is not easy to power trowel a perfectly flat surface and if I were to do it again, I'd make the slope 2". Don't know if there's a way to more accurately trowel a concrete floor flatter?
Our electrical code used to define a 2" layer above a garage floor where vehicles will be parked or worked on to be a hazardous zone due to possible gas fumes. Our garage & workshop is attached and I made a 2" high curb where the wall is against the house and also between the workshop and garage. If there ever is a spill the fumes *should* escape towards the O/H door and not get into an adjoining space. I believe the NEC requirement is somewhat different than the CEC.
saabman
Well-known member
The previous owner built the 32x28 shop, and sloped the slab 3 inches over the 28 feet. I dont mind it, although I did have to shim my 2 post lift a bit. it does help control any water that enters or is deposited in the garage.
Mstrfxit12
Well-known member
I wish I had some of these slopes. My garage drops 16" in 22 feet. The driveway is very steep leading up to it so my estimate is that it that the garage was also pitched so that cars pulling in wouldn't bottom out as they enter. It is definitely a struggle. Anything that rolls wants to go with gravity. And if it does, and the door is open it goes down the garage, down the driveway, and into the street. If definitely requires you to be more aware of everything before you leave it.