Solid 4x6 flooring?

[GPittman]

Hey All,

I am in the process of planning a small pole building. I had a random thought for flooring that I was wondering if anyone has tried or had thoughts on. I did extensive googling and didn't come up with anything. Where I want to build the building, there isn't a way to access with the cement truck without using a pump truck. I started thinking outside the box. I was thinking, if I built the base up just as I would with concrete.. and used Treated 4x6's layed on their side.. would this work? They would never be sitting on soil or in wet conditions becuause of being on the gravel base.. and would be much stronger than the typical 2x6 framed plywood floor. I would think they would handle quite a bit of abuse and be pretty unique. I will be using the space as a workshop for just about everything. If I have to, I will call in the pump truck.. but I also like to be unique and think outside the normal.

 

[readhead]

That was pretty common a hundred years ago. Now there are better ways. I don't think you will save any money and it will be a lot more work. The big problem will be shrinkage. Even if you set them tight there will be sizable gaps within a few months.

 

[mike93lx]

Have you priced wood lately?

Getting a pump truck isn't a big deal, generally

 

[billconner]

Storage or also shop?

 

[The Cobbler]

even touching the gravel will have moisture & eventual fail .
are you butting these 4x6 up to each other? I bet that would cost more than concrete with pump in todays prices

 

[PugetDude]

A lot of industrial floors in Europe are wooden blocks installed vertically on an oiled sand base-very durable, easy on the feet and simple to repair if damaged.

 

[Bert_]

I knew of a few old shops with a wood floor. Blocks of wood with the end grain facing up. Pretty sure they all caught on fire at some point.

 

[PugetDude]

Tightly packed end grain blocks can char but seldom burn; not enough surface oxygen transfer to support an open flame. Most of these floors were old-growth hardwod with tightly packed growth rings. You'd probabaly never be able to source the blocks or have the equipment to surface and size them to fit tight without gaps- even in the older industrial floors they swept fine sand into the newly installed floor to address small voids and shifting between the blocks. I watched a big machinery installation in Belgium, they removed a bunch of the wooden blocks, dug and poured a proper concrete foundation, then re-installed the blocks around the foundation. IIRC the blocks were 6x6's about 8-10"long. Finished up with a vibratory compactor, then a floor sander. Not sure what they used to seal and finish the blocks, but the new floor looked great.

Some of the expo halls in Hannover Germany are done this way to accomodate the wide range of expositions and products. Machinery goes on the wooden floors, carpet in the booths and aisles.

It's technically possible for you to do something similar, but probably not economically feasible unless you have access to a large supply of suitable timbers, and a planer, jointer, etc. to square and size them.

 

[Bert_]

Used to be one right here in town. Burned in the 70's. Welding sparks started it, smoldered and lit up overnight. Like any shop grease and oil gets spilled on the floor, soaks into the wood. They rebuild with a concrete floor and concrete block walls.

 

[Flail]

a hotel in the region had a beautiful end grain fir floor. Well, it was beautiful till a water leak which made the floor swell and erupt into a catastrophic mess.