Timber inlay on garage concrete floor????????

[John Jones Jr]

Guys,

Ideally, I'd like to inlay 2''/50mm thick wooden planks into a garage floor. Basically my idea is to pour the floor but include a 2'' drop 600mm away from the walls all the way around. The floor area is 30x20', the timber floor would be 28'x18'.

Am I mad and just making work for myself? What sort of problems could I run into and what would I need to do to the concrete prior to bolting in the timber? I'm also concerned about the timber warping too.

Any advice or comments greatly received, as I haven't really got a clue.

 

[Chrishazle]

The obvious question - why would you want to do this? Epoxy garage paint on the concrete floor means you can clean up any spills whether water or oil. Wood floor stains. In my old garage I had an area of 2" stress graded timber planks - over the pit, so I could drive across it (it was crossways across the back of a 26' deep 20' wide garage). Rest of the concrete floor was painted and was easy to clean, timber over the pit (planks about 8" wide) soon got stained and mucky. Also I had to have 2 "final pieces" different widths for summer and winter, it was surprising how much the planks grew and shrank!

 

[Pitts Pilot]

Timber is not a particularly good material for a modern garage floor.

Instead, Seal the concrete with an epoxy resin sealant for a smooth dust free finish.
OR, lay interlocking rubber floor tiles designed for garage floors.

Frankly, I don't understand what you are trying to achieve?

Cheers,
Robert

 

[John Jones Jr]

'My' reasoning is 'simple'.

Timber will provide excellent grip when having cars on axle stands etc, there won't be a pit. I have and had concrete garage floors elsewhere that are painted (correctly) and they don't stand up too well when trolley jacks, axle stands are dragged around. Also, timber is a great insulator and much nicer working (more like messing about) on it than concrete.

 

[Meldrew2]

Use timber pads on top of the concrete where and when needed?

 

[John Jones Jr]

.


OR, lay interlocking rubber floor tiles designed for garage floors.

Yes, these are ideal. But I'm unwilling to use them from a cost perspective.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Use timber pads on top of the concrete where and when needed?

Yes, I could do that even if it's not ideal but it is an option.

 

[Pitts Pilot]

I would go with the timber inlays.

It sounds like you have your heart set on them.

Just seal them well with a stain/preservative before laying.

Robert

 

[Giantvanman]

If you are worried about warping, how about setting used railway sleepers into the concrete? They are not going to warp or rot this side of the sun going out. Strong too for weight bearing. If you want a nicer finish, have a sawmill take the top inch or so off. Even halved lengthways they would be immensely strong and stable.

 

[John Jones Jr]

If you are worried about warping, how about setting used railway sleepers into the concrete? They are not going to warp or rot this side of the sun going out. Strong too for weight bearing. If you want a nicer finish, have a sawmill take the top inch or so off. Even halved lengthways they would be immensely strong and stable.

Interesting. I can get genuine sleepers already planed, 8' x 10'' x 6'. They would be the job and as you rightly point out no warping. But I can't drop the concrete down 6'' as I've only 7.5'' to play with and need 5.5'' depth for the concrete base, steel mesh and insulation and I have to pour the concrete floor up the walls to 40mm with DPC in place. Also too I have most of the timber and the sleepers would work out @ £20 ea x 73 = £1460. Even not pouring concrete in the centre, the sleepers work out at c. £1000 more.

 

[Meldrew2]

A sawmill could cut and plane your sleepers from 10" to just under 2" - making 5 from one.

Based on the sleepers being £20 x73 instead it would be £20 x73/5 or £292.

Plus the sawmill's costs of course…

 

[John Jones Jr]

I would go with the timber inlays.

It sounds like you have your heart set on them.

Just seal them well with a stain/preservative before laying.

Robert

No, my heart is not set as such nice and all the timber would be. I'm really opened minded as it was just an idea thus the thread on advice and the pitfalls on inlaying timber.

 

[John Jones Jr]

A sawmill could cut and plane your sleepers from 10" to just under 2" - making 5 from one.

Based on the sleepers being £20 x73 instead it would be £20 x73/5 or £292.

Plus the sawmill's costs of course…

Very good point. Any idea of how much better 2'' thick sleepers would be over treated 8' x 9'' x 2'' planks?

 

[jonnyboy]

I've got to be honest - good luck. Your idea is madness, and won't pass building regs anyway I would think.
What happens when it gets wet as you drive in with a soaking car? Are you really confident enough that you can seal every single square milimetre of said timber that well that it will not absorb water? Even after you scrape a trolley jack around on it?
Overthinking it. Get a creeper if you don't want to lie on the floor....

 

[Druk]

My garage has a concrete floor and the builders succeeded in laying it with the run to the back instead of the front as asked. Also the hoist had wires running between the uprights which were a real pest. So...I laid 2" timber batons at 18" spacing all across the floor and flooded the space in between with grout. Then fixed 3/4" plywood to the batons and finally covered it all in tough vinyl flooring. Warm, non-slip and easy to clean.

Before...

After...

.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Jonnyboy, I expect the timber absorb moisture, I think it would be unnatural to expect different, thus there would be expansion gap left. Even without a wet car going over it I'd have to leave an expansion gap anyway, I presume? What do they door in houses where timber is inlaid in concrete floors? Would I be doing any different? If not what would I need to do?

 

[John Jones Jr]

So...I laid 2" timber batons at 18" spacing all across the floor and flooded the space in between with grout. Then fixed 3/4" plywood to the batons and finally covered it all in tough vinyl flooring. Warm, non-slip and easy to clean.

Ah, so I'm not totally mad!

What do you suggest Druk, I lay the timber on batons?

 

[jonnyboy]

John
Derek was doing it to combat two specific issues - the incorrect fall, and the ramp cabling etc.
Why not insulate your floor then vinyl it as per Derek?
Ah, not enough depth, I hear you say.
An anhydrate screed is 6 times the strength of concrete and can be laid as thin as 30mm (if I recall correctly). It doesn't crack, self-levels like milk.
We have it all the way through four big rooms in our extension with UFH in it.
Just a thought....you dont need the UFH but the insulation would help.
Its not as cheap as concrete mind you, nowhere near.
But then - no need to polish/tamp/screed it, no timber cost, no labour to do timber, fixings etc etc
Just a thought...