I really look forward to spending time in the shop. But like many home workshops, mine has a concrete floor. Concrete is great for durability and cost effectiveness when building a shop, but it has a few drawbacks. Concrete is a very unforgiving surface. And a day spent working on concrete floors usually leaves me with aching knees and back pain. The net result is that my working day is too often cut short.
On top of the aches and pains, concrete can also be pretty hard on your tools. If you drop a tool on the concrete floor, you’re liable to be shopping for a replacement the next day. That’s especially true if you happen to knock a carbide-tipped saw blade or router bit off your bench and chip the carbide. It’s even worse if the tool is a brand new hand plane. (Please, don’t ask me how I know this.)
FLOOR COVERINGS. In an effort to save my tools and relieve my aching knees and back, I investigated a few different ideas for covering the concrete. What I found was a wide array of options, with something for just about any situation. A simple online search will take you to sources for all these mats.
HARD RUBBER. The first option is hard rubber. The LOKTUFF mats in the photo above are made from recycled tires. The biggest advantage is that hard rubber is very tough, but it still provides some help for your joints. It’s hard enough to allow casters to roll, so you can cover large sections of floor, but still take advantage of having a few tools on wheels.
These interlocking mats are available in several sizes and thicknesses. And you can cut them with a utility knife to fit any space. A good strategy is to use these mats to cover most of your shop, then supplement heavy standing and working areas with softer mats, as well.
ANTI-FATIGUE MATS. There are a few places in the shop where I spend the most time. For instance, the area in front of my workbench probably sees most of the foot traffic in my shop. For these spots, a softer mat is just the ticket.
Here there are plenty of options for comfort: firm, soft, or very soft. Starting with the Cadillac mat shown at the begining of this post, or any of the three anti-fatigue mats shown above. But there’s a trade-off. Generally speaking, the softer the mat, the less durable it is.
FIRM. For a firm feel, the mat in the left photo above is also made from recycled tires. The material makes the mat firm, but the open space between the solid rubber ribs gives it some spring.
SOFTER. The bubble mat in the center photo is just what the name implies. It’s a series of airfilled chambers that provide the cushion. The mat is made from a combination of natural and recycled rubber material.
VERY SOFT. The anti-fatigue mat on the right uses a PVC closedcell design for a soft, cushiony feel. Many soft mats also feature a more durable, urethane top layer.
KNEELING MAT. There are bound to be times when you need to work on something down on the floor. For those occasions, a kneeling mat is the answer. The one shown below is a 1"-thick nitrile/PVC foam. You might not use it every day, but when you do, it’s certain to be the best $20 you’ve ever spent.
With so many options available, you’re sure to find a mat that’s right for you. And no matter what type you choose, you can count on less ”down-time” from sore joints and aching muscles.
How-To: Figure Out What You Need
Before spending a lot of money on floor mats, it’s a good idea to determine exactly what you need and where. A good place to start is with a floor plan of your shop. With a floor plan, it’s easy to visualize the high-traffic areas and come up with an exact figure of the square footage you want to cover.
You’ll also discover the areas you don’t want to cover or need to use a firmer mat. For example, heavy tools on wheels don’t roll very well on soft floor mats. But if that spot also sees a lot of foot traffic, the LOKTUFF recycled mats can be the perfect compromise.
Finally, the diagram will help you determine where you stand for most of your common tasks. And that’s where you really want the softer mats. This can make a big difference in price if you find out you only need 40 square feet instead of 140.
