Hi. I'm new here and have a garage barn which I'm setting up for my garage. It is an old ~150yr post and beam carriage barn which has been used as a garage. It can hold 2 cars. It has a wooden floor. Planks over a 2 inch thick wooden subfloor which I think is resting on 8x8 beams sitting on a stone foundation. Anyone have any experience with such a set up? I want to keep 1-2 cars in it and do some casual work on them. Probably a little welding. Is there an appropriate paint for such a floor?
Wood plank garage floor
- Thread starter stricht8
- Start date
tatra
Well-known member
welding +wood = visit from the local fire dept...............had a friend who's shop went up two days after he was welding in his garage with a concrete floor.............also believe there was a previous thread on this.........how about some pix of this barn. ..........love the gambrel roofs.
As far as fire goes, I was thinking about placing some welding blankets or perhaps some sheetmetal sheets under the area where the welding would take place. I figure painting the floor a light color will also make any areas which would start to burn more obvious and might make it more resistant to sparks? I looked up some old threads on the topic and there seemed to be some concern about jacks and too much weight in on spot. Would sliding a piece of plywood under the jack help distribute the weight?
Local zoning won't permit anything like that. Also in the winter it gets real cold and snowy.
sneezer41
Well-known member
i think an antique floor is generally strong enough for most garage tasks, but will dent and could cause some instability with jackstands or like a bottle jack, so don't e as 'adventurous' with supporting vehicles as you might be with a concrete floor.
As for welding, a sheet metal floor might be worthwhile. Also consider your housekeeping, dust and debris on a concrete floor is no problem[you should see my welding area] on a wood floor could be disaster.
As for welding, a sheet metal floor might be worthwhile. Also consider your housekeeping, dust and debris on a concrete floor is no problem[you should see my welding area] on a wood floor could be disaster.
autoist
MEMBER EMERITUS
Don't know about anybody else; but, I'd love to see photos of that floor.
As much as I can relate to what you want to do, your set up is why there are now fire codes.
Don’t try it!
Get plugged into you local restore community. Someone will know of someone that can raise the barn off the ground, remove the stones it is sitting on, and pour a concrete floor and knee wall to set it back down on.
It will set you back in time and money. But you will get a level and square barn on a smooth, fire proof floor in return. After that your doors, windows, stairs, etc, etc will fit.
It will be worth it.
Don’t try it!
Get plugged into you local restore community. Someone will know of someone that can raise the barn off the ground, remove the stones it is sitting on, and pour a concrete floor and knee wall to set it back down on.
It will set you back in time and money. But you will get a level and square barn on a smooth, fire proof floor in return. After that your doors, windows, stairs, etc, etc will fit.
It will be worth it.
I took a look at Nimrod's garage. My floor looks like that. I'm striving for the same kind of look which should be relatively easy to obtain since I have the basic ingredients, an old barn. I've been reading about sodium silicate which can be applied to wood rendering it fire proof. It seems to petrify the surface. Any thoughts on this? I'll try to get some photos posted as soon as I get a hold of a digital camera.
tck4x4
Active member
How about some cement backer board, then tile the floor and wall in a corner.
They also make fire resistant panels for around wood burning stoves.
I have jacked up some large farm equipment in barns with 2" thk wood floors, so a car should be no problem, just watch out for soft spots.
They also make fire resistant panels for around wood burning stoves.
I have jacked up some large farm equipment in barns with 2" thk wood floors, so a car should be no problem, just watch out for soft spots.
daddylama
Well-known member
surprised nobody has asked this yet: what type of welding?
i've welded quite a bit in wooden floored barns, but generally oxy/ace or TIG.
MIG... man, them ************* bouncing all over the wood floor scares me
i've welded quite a bit in wooden floored barns, but generally oxy/ace or TIG.
MIG... man, them ************* bouncing all over the wood floor scares me
I think I'm comfortable jacking stuff up on the floor but I'm not comfortable getting under the car. I ran into some soft spots while inspecting the floor. In some areas there was dry rot on the planks and so when I removed them some small localized areas of 2" thick subfloor also had dry rot. I cut those areas out and replaced with same. I had to go to a lumber mill as this stuff was not available at lumber yards.
I have a MIG welder so I guess it's time to go but myself a TIG! I've been wanting to anyway but holding out due to expense and also that MIG has served me just fine.
surprised nobody has asked this yet: what type of welding?
i've welded quite a bit in wooden floored barns, but generally oxy/ace or TIG.
MIG... man, them ************* bouncing all over the wood floor scares me
Sundowner
Well-known member
FYI:
I checked with my local building code offical on the wood floor and got a solid thumbs down. Turns out there's an IBC code notation against any combustible flooring in any structure that can be used asa garage. You might get away with it from your town, but your home apraiser will not be so kind come insurance time.
I checked with my local building code offical on the wood floor and got a solid thumbs down. Turns out there's an IBC code notation against any combustible flooring in any structure that can be used asa garage. You might get away with it from your town, but your home apraiser will not be so kind come insurance time.
daddylama
Well-known member
^ it's a NO here too, for garages.... unless the building is grandfathered in and not attached to any living space. if so, the floors can be permitted/replaced with wood, no problem.
my carriage house has a concrete "slab" (2" thick and broken all over the place). i've often thought of a double layer 3/4" exterior plywood floor laid on top (then tiled over with 12" industrial vinyl tiles... you know, the black and white pattern stuff).
can't permit tearing up and re-pouring the floor without ton$ of headache here.
my carriage house has a concrete "slab" (2" thick and broken all over the place). i've often thought of a double layer 3/4" exterior plywood floor laid on top (then tiled over with 12" industrial vinyl tiles... you know, the black and white pattern stuff
). can't permit tearing up and re-pouring the floor without ton$ of headache here.
darkk
Well-known member
I had a 21x36 garage with a wood floor on stone foundation. I used it as a body shop for years. I welded in there a lot. I never had any trouble with fire either. Although I never worried about fires, I did have a hose handy.