I've worked with brick floors and and there was a problem with cracking, breaking and corners popping up to trip you. Wood floor were never even. I had a dirt floor mixed with fine wood ash, watered and tamped down. One of the most comfortable floors, but requires a lot of maintenance. The all around best floor I've used is all concrete. Seems it's the cold in the concrete that causes a lot of the standing problems. Now they use a foam insulation under the concrete and that takes that problem away. That's what I'd recommend.

Rubber Cow mats...... Available from farm stores and designed for large animals. You can put them where you need them, move them if you rearrange your equipment.

The floor in my shop is just plain ole agricultural lime. The kind we put on the fields around here. It packs down nice and beats the heck out of concrete in my humble opinion. If it gets a little dry, I just wet it a little with a watering can. No more dust and it helps to keep it packed down.

I've used smallish (3'x6' or so) rubber mats in areas I stand frequently, like in front of workbenches or machines, and they are a lifesaver, especially if the alternative is concrete.

I worked in one shop where the entire floor was rubber matting. Nicest thing about that was that I could work in bare/sock feet if I had managed to get my feet wet shovelling snow and not freeze my toes off while my shoes dried. Mind you, this was a ski/snowboard shop, so I only had to worry about stepping in puddles or rolling a rack across my toes. I wouldn't recommend bare feet for anyone working hot metal. :)

The welding shop at my tech college has successfully used a wood block floor for at least 50 years, gas and electric welding/cutting.
a.

The big stamping plant out back of where I used to work used a woodblock floor to good effect for over 50 years as well---factory had 5000 employees at it's height. Western Electric, Columbus Ohio

Ol Frosty your just like me when it comes to shoes or boots .... I have two feet and i take care of them as I tend to stand on them a Lot proce is NOT an Issue ... No Fu Fu shoes or Boots but Honest ,Good Working Boots and shoes Leather is what I Love and will buy 99.99999 % of the time them DR. shoes and Boots are better than Se% and to a fellers feet knees,and back they are better . don't matter what you are walking on .

as for a floor for a shop concreat is the best dirt packs down and is hard too for equipment and easy cleaning concreat .JIMHO .

Sam

That's the secret Sam, take care of your back, knees and feet and you'll be able to stick much longer. In the days I lived more in a tent in the bush than at home I had a queen sized air bed in a 10'x10' cabin tent and slept in a nest of sleeping bags. A good night's sleep is second for lasting a long time on a hard job.

Frosty The Lucky.

Aman , My lil cabin is heaven on hell not much for many folks but for me when I am not on here for a while that is where i have been . it is peacfull and no electronic BS just me and the good Lord above .

Sam