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  • Flooring and Lighting new fitting bays

    Posted by Hugh Potter on August 30, 2021 at 12:52 pm

    Flooring options??

    Looking to revamp our workspaces. starting with lighting and flooring in our fitting bays.

    Not made of money so the flooring needs to be practical and durable solution, both bays are around 350 sq ft (8m x 4m). So far I’ve only really looked at Wiz flooring, the solid 7mm [lightly textured] interlocking tiles.

    Need something that’s easy to clean / sweep / mop /wipe / hoover etc. so not interested in the stuff full of holes, we won’t be doing ppf. Likewise, as the floor has rubber and oil contaminants (forklift etc.), paint doesn’t last, also looking for something more comfy when these old bones are laying on the floor too!

    Lighting..

    As I understand it, we [ideally] need D50 standardised lighting for in the main workshops / printing areas. We can use pretty much any bright LED tube style lights in the fitting bays – we just need to see what we’re doing. These can be cheaper lighting as we’ll use as many as practical.

    In total we’ve around 1800 sq ft to revamp downstairs, much of it is painted and will probably remain so at this point.

    thanks in advance.

    H

    Hugh Potter replied 3 years, 3 months ago 11 Members · 35 Replies
  • 35 Replies
  • Gary Forbes

    Member
    August 30, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    i think you will be hard to beat the old fashioned thick cushion vinyl flooring.
    easy wiped and cleaned. buy something bright coloured and it will also help make it easier when you are illuminating your workspace.

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      August 30, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      Do you have a link to an example of the type you mean, Gary?

  • Gary Forbes

    Member
    August 31, 2021 at 9:53 am

    just the regular type stuff you put down in a kitchen floor hugh. but you can get it slightly thicker and harder wearing.

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    August 31, 2021 at 11:39 am

    I have seen various floor types being used. the foam and plastic interlocking tiles look great, but they get torn and sometimes twisted manoeuvring vehicles on them, at least the ones i have seen have been. I see some even use thick laminate type flooring which looks great too, but you can see the tell-tale wear and tear signs pretty quickly and the spilt water and chemicals start to pulp the edges of the wood.

    I have a painted floor. ide rather it was something warmer but it does for what I need.
    we have small trolley seats for fitting vinyls and also flip-out foam mats for lying down. both work great and are cheap as chips. if I was going to invest in something more geared around vehicle wrapping I would invest in a hydraulic lift rather than resurfacing my whole work flood.

    as for lighting. the best option is wall and ceiling mounted LED lighting. you can get these in tube form and many other options but you want to be sure they are positioned correctly or you will create shadows that become even more of a pain to work with.

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      August 31, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      Due to contamination on the concrete (rubber from years of forklifts and fine oil spills), paint just doesn’t last, if I park a car inside when it’s wet, the tyres adhere to the paint and take it with them when the car is moved a day later!

      I’d love a ramp, but can’t afford two of them, rubber flooring will hopefully help retain heat in the winter too.

  • Simon Worrall

    Member
    August 31, 2021 at 12:28 pm

    I had a concrete floor, and was looking to upgrade to rubber, when a lovely client of mine was chucking away a lot of quality wool carpet which Ive used for my car wrapping bay. Free of charge.
    Its so nice you could sleep on it.

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Simon Worrall.
    • This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Simon Worrall.
  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    August 31, 2021 at 1:37 pm

    sounds brilliant Simon, but couldn’t see that lasting 5 minutes in our place mate, and the last thing i want is to find staff sleeping under the vehicle. 🤣

    joking aside, how do you keep it clean?

  • Leslie Anderson

    Member
    August 31, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    I have Linoleum flooring in my workshop and throughout. came with the space though so i didn’t have to put anything down. I have to say it is very easy to maintain. easy swept or washed and keeps the dust down. a carpet would be nicer but I can only imagine how filthy that would get. the only downside i see is vinyl sticks to it like crazy! 🙂

  • David Hammond

    Member
    August 31, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    We have the heavy duty, interlocking floor tiles from BigDug.
    https://www.bigdug.co.uk
    Been down years, gets used daily, and no issues. Only damage sustained is where I dropped the bar off the laminator onto it, and punched a hole in a tile. Just don’t get chequer plate ones, as your wrap stools don’t roll as easily on them, and it’s harder to keep clean.

  • John Hughes

    Member
    August 31, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    Highly recommend these guys and the products.

    http://www.r-tekmanufacturingltd.com

    We’ve just moved premises but took ours up and refitted at our new place even though years old and with vans, forklifts going over them daily. Perhaps not the cheapest option but worth it.

    John

  • Hugh Potter

    Member
    September 28, 2021 at 9:54 pm

    Bit of an update.. we’re now in the swing of refurbing / expanding the unit(s), building a dedicated wrap ‘clean-room’. Electrician has been in while we’ve been on hols and rewired the place, new sockets and LED lighting throughout – lighting is switchable on either side, just awaiting the Ecotile rubber floor and to build the new wall to finish this bay, then we can start on the larger bay. A little more tricky as there is about 1800kg of mezzanine to take out, to allow for vans over mwb, to a height of up to 3.75 mtrs!

    Will update as more happens!

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    September 29, 2021 at 12:00 am

    the room looks brilliant. well done Hugh!

    now, I bet you wonder how you managed to get by from your shed? 😀👍

    thanks for coming back to update the thread mate, makes all the difference seeing the end results.

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      September 29, 2021 at 6:50 pm

      My timber studio down the garden? They’re all the rage now, I do believe I was ahead of the game 🤣

      This new workspace will be awesome when it’s done. It’s primarily so I have a more professional looking space for wrapping, we’re on a busy main road which is usually chogged with bored yummy mummies in their Q7’s that need wrapping! We’re going to push for that market but, to offer the premium service, we need premium looking premises!

  • Kevin Mahoney

    Member
    September 29, 2021 at 5:10 am

    That looks bang on Hugh, good work. Very few people understand the thrill of putting together a new workshop. God help the first person to throw a scrap of vinyl on the floor

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      October 4, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      Thank you!

      I’m looking forward to having it finished and getting some work in there!

  • David Hammond

    Member
    September 29, 2021 at 8:22 am

    Looks great Hugh, you’ll enjoy working in there

  • Leslie Anderson

    Member
    October 1, 2021 at 8:36 am

    That looks amazing. I can only wish for the space, never mind for it to be all bright and new looking! ❤

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      October 4, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      Thank you!

      In Oct 2004 I started (officially) in a 12x8ft timber (chalet style) workshop at the end of my garden, a simple 610 Summa plotter and about 0.5% of the knowledge I now know – which isn’t much 🤣 So you could say it’s 15 years in the making!

  • Martin Cole

    Member
    October 1, 2021 at 8:52 am

    Great job Hugh👍

  • David Stevenson

    Member
    October 4, 2021 at 7:47 pm

    Now that’s the job for sure. Well lit, lots of sockets, dust free, and a Focus ST too! Is the ST yours or just visiting?

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      October 4, 2021 at 9:59 pm

      It’s the landlords ST, it was hiding in the unit when I punched through the wall into next door, I let him have it back! He has a 400hp RS ST too, not my cup of tea but it’s scary fast, without all the whizz poppety pop pop bang farty noises the yoof seem to like on their corsas these days 🤣

  • Hugh Potter

    Member
    November 8, 2021 at 10:59 am

    I’ve had the floor down a few weeks now, such a huge improvement. Not only aesthetically, but more comfortable to kneel on, warmer, and easy to clean without bits of paint getting stuck in the broom or mop!! When the other bay is properly finished – around 16m2 of mezzanine and steels need coming out to open it fully for large vehicles, I’ll update again!

  • Kevin Mahoney

    Member
    November 8, 2021 at 11:21 am

    Looks fantastic Hugh. Hopefully moving soon, definitely nicking this idea

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 8, 2021 at 11:40 am

      It’s well worth it! I put black tiles in the middle as the manufacturer said that if you leave cars on it for length periods, the rubber compounds from tyres/tiles can mix and discolour, so this was everything parks on the black and, typically does so straight!

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    November 8, 2021 at 11:32 am

    that looks brilliant Hugh. nice one mate!

    Nice ride too, is this how you roll these days then? 🤣

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 8, 2021 at 11:37 am

      Yeah man, my new wheeeeeels!

  • Martin Cole

    Member
    November 8, 2021 at 11:46 am

    Looks Fab Hugh, must be a pleasure to work in there.

    The bike reminds me of ‘the Shining’ for some reason

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 9, 2021 at 2:28 pm

      ha, me too, especially when the daughter was testing the new floor!

      • David Stevenson

        Member
        November 9, 2021 at 11:30 pm

        As long as she wasn’t saying “Come and play with us”! That would freak me right out

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    November 11, 2021 at 12:08 pm

    sorry, meant to ask.
    are the tiles hard foam or plastic?
    if foam, how do they perform when turning tight on them? by that i mean if you put the front wheels on full-lock, does it tear at the foam?

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 11, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      Hi Rob,

      I used Ecotile rubber flooring tiles, a hard wearing rubber, a finished surface a little like an old hammerite paint finish, easy to clean and pretty hard, though much nicer to kneel on than concrete.

      I haven’t tried turning a wheel on them, I don’t want to try it as, while I don’t think it would damage an individual tile, it may pull at joints etc.

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    November 11, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    Yeah, I can imagine it be excellent for installing on.
    I use one of these fold-out thick pad matts, all the time makes life so much easier.

    We can get 3 vans into our fitting bay but the first thing needed is a tight left turn and a few quick manoeuvres to get them into place. But any sort of un-fixed flooring would tear the heck out of the flooring os disjoint them as you said.

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 14, 2021 at 8:00 pm

      wrap some teflon bbq sheets around the tyres 🤣

  • Jeff

    Member
    November 11, 2021 at 11:20 pm

    Looks the dogs nuts, Hugh.

    did you buy these from BigDUG?

    • Hugh Potter

      Member
      November 14, 2021 at 8:01 pm

      Hi Jeff,

      Bought from Ecotile, more expensive than the big dug tiles but I preferred the feel. They have a few options, and a recycled material (just trimmings from their own tiles) if you are ok with just black, that’s about 30% cheaper.

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