saintjohnbarleycorn Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 My floor is hand made (poorly) concrete looks like too much sand. In any case it has heaved and cracked. I slant down quite a bit right where the anvil/forge is. I was thinking of pouring a new floor over the old one. After finding this site, I see that some people are happy with a gravel floor. I could dig up the area that I work in and put in gravel, I guess box it in someway or another. Gravel is just as expensive as pouring concrete, so the price is about the same. I had gone with concrete before for ease of rolling and not losing parts in the dirt, I had never thought of gravel. What are your thoughts on this? thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 We use rock dust......its about 10 buck a truck load. I have been to Tom Boone's shop where he has a concrete floor with his forging area being gravel. There is a slight step down to it...pretty cool. Best of both worlds. I like the softer flooring. Easier on my back, feet, legs, etc....and a lot nicer to pieces I throw on the floor to cool. Also a little bit of work with a rake and its brand new. Also easy to level stuff too....just dig out a little on the high side.... my .02 P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Gravel is just as expensive as pouring concrete, so the price is about the same. You might want to recheck your figures on that one. I'm not saying you are wrong, but I know that ready mixed and delivered concrete is at an all time high around here. You might save some money by mixing it yourself, but that is a lot of work. Plus you don't have to finish gravel... just rake it level. My hot shop is 10x12 and a pick-up load of 1/2" gravel was more than enough. Cost around $20. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayco Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 The floor in my shop is dirt(clay), and there's an inch or so of cinders from the forge on top of that. Sorta like pea gravel. Although I like the cleanliness of a concrete floor, standing on one for any length of time makes my back hurt. So I guess I'll stay with dirt> cinder> gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 I will check the prices again, I live in the land of no rocks, so all that stuff has to be trucked in from 100 miles away. I guess also that the I was thinking of doing the whole floor, about 10 x 14 or so. Thanks, sounds like the gravel is the way to go in either case around the work area. "I have been to Tom Boone's shop where he has a concrete floor with his forging area being gravel. There is a slight step down to it...pretty cool. Best of" is there an advantage to stepping down? thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 You might want to recheck your figures on that one. I'm not saying you are wrong, but I know that ready mixed and delivered concrete is at an all time high around here. You might save some money by mixing it yourself, but that is a lot of work. Plus you don't have to finish gravel... just rake it level. My hot shop is 10x12 and a pick-up load of 1/2" gravel was more than enough. Cost around $20. Don 1/2" seems like it would just mix in with the dirt pretty soon, what is under your gravel? I was thinking that I would need 2" but maybe I am just not thinking in the right way about this. thanks don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 I think by 1/2" he meant 1/2" screened, as in the rocks/gravel is 1/2" diameter and smaller. I would also go with the gravel in the forging area. Right now my shop is (STILL) a mixture of dirt, concrete, and gravel. I am SLOWLY pouring the concrete section by section as I get time. Due to poor planning and a slight shortage of fundages, we weren't able to pour the floor right when the shop was built, and then, shops being shops, we accrued stuff faster than the floor got done.... When I do finally get to the forging area, it'll probably end up being concrete though. As much as I'd like gravel, the shop is kind of an all purpose move stuff around as needed, pull a tractor in here, squeeze a mower in there to work on it type of deal. So it'll eventually be all concrete or non at all! -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 Ok. that makes sense, I didn't get that the first read. I know what you mean about the shop being moved around. I usually move my stuff about 10,000 times before its final resting place. It is, for me a lack of time, money and organization. But, now I am finding the time and figuring a lot of things out. I am also finding steel that I have had around for 30 years or so. All in all just thankful that I am still healthy enough to still work! thanks for all the help. I am going to go with gravel I think in the forge area. I like the idea for it. And then the rest I will re-pour with real concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 I did my floor concrete most of the shop and the forging area is pit run with a small foundation under the air hammer. But I cann't find the floor any more so it may not matter what you do. :rolleyes:Stepping down to the forging area was probably to help keep the gravel there rather than on the cement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 mine was already here when we got the house so it is cracked some but still in good shape.if concrete watch out for spalling it with hot metal,but i have aquired some mud flaps that i put down around the anvil and it seams to help my ol bones too. but use what you have and then decide what you want, the gravel sounds good too, but i haven't used that before. best of luck, jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mende Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 Mine is clay with 2 inches of gravel on top ..it works pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted December 26, 2007 Author Share Posted December 26, 2007 He thanks for the replies and the ideas, I think for what I have the gravel will work well, and I can also keep the forge area lower. then think about the rest of the floor at another time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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