Building the Shop #1: Prepping for paint

Photos would be good.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

I have photos in my “Workshop” area right now, with a link to a larger album.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

test – see if it likes this or not.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Looks like a place of potential.

-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~

It all takes time but you will get there.

-- I will just keep doing it till I get it right.

I don’t know if you had considered it or not but since you are in the mood to paint putting epoxy down on the floor not only helps with clean-up, it also helps to brighten up the shop as well.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Epoxy was already in the plan! But thanks.

Actually, I only want to do it so I can put sparkly stuff on the floor :-)

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

It looks like a good workable space. Lots of potential.

Have you considered strapping the walls and applying plywood, or matchboard, or sheetrock. It brings a finished feel to the place and gives you anchors to hang shelves and cabinets and such. If you’re in a cold climate you could apply some foam insulations sheets too. Sometimes even one outside wall like this can make a difference.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

probably gonna do furring strips and rigid insulation on the exterior wall.

Slap some cheap wood over it. Osb or something.

What’s “matchboard”?

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

It looks like a good place to work. I’m glad to see you will be using Drylok. I used it when I finished my basement 8 years ago and it works great. Lay it on heavy and get it into every crack. I have no dampness at all. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

-- Bob K. East Northport, NY

Use a light color on the walls… dark brown pegboard sure made my room look dark… had to take everything down to paint it… and taken down, putting up was more time consuming than the painting.

I did a clear moisture seal on the concrete floor and used self-stick vinyl tiles—cheap and very effective.

It’s kind of like you need the shop to make the shop… :-)

-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...

Luckily most of the block is above grade, so I’m not concerned about water much at all. I’m dryloking only below grade plus a foot. No sense going higher, because if the water gets that high, it’s coming in thru the crawlspace access anyway.

I just got finished scrubbing everything in prep for drylock and epoxy. OHMYGOD. I’m so damn tired. But it LOOKS like brand new concrete. Too bad I’ll be passing out soon and won’t be able to admire it.

The tiles idea is good. I think the epoxy look is going to edge that out for me.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Can’t wait to see the end results. Hang in there and don’t pass out on us….............LOL

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

I can relate to that being tired thing…. I did a whole concrete block basement in our last house… just to get it ready for sale. Don’t know why I didn’t get around to it in the previous 18 years of living there. Oh, yeah, we had so much junk in it, you couldn’t see the floor or walls.

This is going to be a nice space for you.

-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...

Just got back from picking up the epoxy (and a lawnmower, but who’s counting). Got it tinted a very light tan color. And I got sprinkly flakes for it too.

Still drying out down there from the washdown with plain old detergent. Hopefully it’ll be ready for etching tomorrow. Then I can paint one night after work.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

And another shopping trip. This time a dehumidifier and a sub panel. I’m going to run a 100A 6/12 sub just to make sure I have the space. Gonna rearrange all of the basement circuits onto that one, and then add the shop circuits.

Also decided on the wall material. 1×3 furring strips with rigid pink foam (R4). Sheathed in 7/16 OSB. No hunting for studs when it’s time to hang stuff.

Getting ahead of myself tho. Still gotta get that floor down! Tomorrow!

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Looks like a man cave to me.

-- DocK, WV

On the bright side, it’s been raining here like CRAZY. Creek is flooded, etc.

No water in the basement, and I haven’t even dryloked it yet.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Celebrate the dry basement…

This spring, I tore out a 4×8 ft section of drywall and dug the outside wall 5 ft wide down to the footing to patch a crack that had opened letting water seep in. I still have 10 X 15 flooring to replace but in no hurry… just making sure it doesn’t leak again; so far so good with sufficient rain to test!

There was no sign of water for a full year… until AFTER I put up studs, drywall and flooring… of course.

-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...

I’m grateful that only two walls are exposed to the outside, and one is 99% above grade. The other two walls are exposed to a concrete floored crawlspace and a dirt floored crawlspace.

The concrete floored one gets water in it sometimes, but that just goes down a drainhole.

This fall or next spring I will be digging up the garden to put drains in.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Just epoxied (most of) the floor.

“Most of” because Quickcrete is, shall we say, VERY generous with their estimates of coverage. My can of 1 part epoxy that was supposed to cover 200 – 500 sq feet BARELY eeked out 190 sq feet. The shop area is 287 sq feet, so I fell a WEE bit short.

It’s also kinda patchy. Going to need to 2nd coat it. I expect the 2nd coat to go a lot farther than the first, so one more gal should do it. I hope.

Pictures soon.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

... yeah, they tend to be overly generous with the coverage estimate (they must use absolutely ideal conditions and application (or, they just engineer a guesstimate?? Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing since I have never covered anything in one coat of finish of any kind. I’ve only used epoxy paint on one wood project… handrails. That took 4 coats to get the even liquid-like sheen I was going for.

How was it on odor given you are probably working in enclosed area?

-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...

It really didn’t smell any worse than regular paint, I’d say. I imagine the 2 part epoxy would stink a lot tho.

I settled on the one part for ease, and since I didn’t expect to be driving cars around on it.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.