Keeping the workshop floor clean

I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

Andrew Price wrote:
I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

Sawdust? Kind of messy and a pain when you drop a small bolt, but it
absorbs well. It is what is on the floor in my work area. Not by
design, however. When I am going to do something messy, I just kick
some of it into a pile under the messy bits.

Joseph

Andrew Price Wrote:
I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.
This works verywell.

http://www.ugl.com/dryconcflr.html

lw


--
lwedge

Andrew Price wrote:
I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

Epoxy floor paint.

This is in the realm of using an elephant gun to kill a mosquito.

E.P.

In article , lwedge.2e6v8z@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com says...

This works verywell.

http://www.ugl.com/dryconcflr.html

Mmm, terra cotta or sandstone look like they would make finding dropped bolts
easier (no gray-on-gray that way).

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Andrew Price writes:

I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

When I moved into my current home, I took the opportunity to apply
Rustoleum ExpoxyShield to the garage floor. It took a few days,
mainly cleaning and prepping the floor, and letting it dry between
scrubbings. I don't know how that would work in a basement; can you
wash and hose the floor? I've been here for four years, the floor has
held up well, looks good, and is easy to clean. A neighbor also did
his garage about the same time, but I recently noticed his is peeling
in places. He did so after moving in (i.e. with a garage full of
stuff), so had to apply the coating in sections (moving stuff around)
and presumably was not able to prep the floor as well.

--
Joe Riel

On 9/15/2006 11:10 AM Andrew Price wrote:

I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

I lay cardboard from flattened large cartons under the drippy bits.
Plastic sheeting can go under that, if desired, as a means to avoid
plastic's undesirable tendency to emulate a Slip 'N Slide.

-- mike elliott

Andrew Price wrote:
I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

If it's your place, you can try a coat of clear epoxy paint. Of course,
to do it right takes a professional crew with respirators and the whole
nine yards. Personally, I don't obsess over cellar or garage floors.

Pat

Andrew Price wrote:
I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.

Something like this would probably do:

http://www.texasgarages.com/racedeck1.htm

Basically modular tiles you snap together. I haven't used it
personally, but I've considered getting it previously.

--
Dane Buson -
If you don't have a nasty obituary you probably didn't matter.
-- Freeman Dyson

Dane Buson wrote:

Andrew Price wrote:

I've just moved, and the floor of the cellar where I store my bikes is
concrete, which will absorb the inevitable drops of oil/cleaner/grease
etc like a sponge. Past attempts at cleaning concrete have only been
partially successful, and involved using some rather nasty chemicals,
which I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

For now, I've resorted to placing a sheet of plastic under my bikes
when working on them, but it isn't a very satisfactory or practical
solution, and I'd be very interested in hearing how other posters
manage to keep their workshop floors clean.


Something like this would probably do:

http://www.texasgarages.com/racedeck1.htm

Basically modular tiles you snap together. I haven't used it
personally, but I've considered getting it previously.


This seems interesting to me too. Looks like the same thing made by RaceDeck. I
also note that this is on sale now at Costco (online).