27 replies to this topic

[jime17]

Thanks Quincy. I've just got a good price on 11mm ply so might go with that.

I want to use thinner material so that it follows any undulations rather than span them and flex when I apply weight.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Keep em coming.

[jime17]

From my experience with a similar problem in my metal shed which was built on a concrete floor with a DPM below it, somehow the floor still got damp possibly from condensation.
I have now laid a sheet DPM over the concrete and 19mm OSB board on top which I have found to be OK even when it has got damp.

That's good to know. I'm still wondering about jacking on it. I tried today using a scrap piece and it seemed to cope well.

[jime17]

Not entirely the same but my Mini used to live in a large wooden shed with a wooden floor. I just put loft flooring boards over the top of the shed floor.

Just seen this. Did you jack the car up on it?

[Ethel]

You can get rubber matting off the roll, usually aimed at stables and livestock sheds, have a look on ebay. 

[burchy35]

A layer of vapour barrier then 25mm kingspan and 22mm flooring chipboard (Water resistant) glued together and finished with garage floor paint. Very strong and warm to lay on.
That's what I did and I jack up bigger cars than minis.
Roy B

[minimanclive]

 

Not entirely the same but my Mini used to live in a large wooden shed with a wooden floor. I just put loft flooring boards over the top of the shed floor.

Just seen this. Did you jack the car up on it?

 

I did jack the car up, and also had the engine out with an engine hoist on it.

 

The loft boards were probably about half an inch thick and the shed floor was tongue and groove timber on wooden beams.

[paulrockliffe]

I have an uneven concrete floor across most of my workshop, when I took the wall out to the Mini's garage I was left with a step down to earth and a limited budget to get a level floor at a consistent height across the whole floor.

 

I bought some dirt cheap joists on Gumtree for the step down to earth and basically built a suspended floor, levelled it with the concrete floor and then cast concrete feet under the frame to take the load to earth below.  Extra concrete just to make sure. 

 

The floor over the top was 18mm Chipboard and carried over the uneven concrete as well.  I dot and dabbed that area with concrete to take up the unevenness.

 

I've had the Mini on jacks and axle stands on both areas with no issues at all.  It's roughly 750kg divided by 4 wheels, so the loading isn't huge huge.  

[jime17]

Hi all, Thanks for your advice and experiences - I've been having trouble replying as there seems to be some sort of browser checking programme interruptingthe process and blocking it... any idea mods??

 

Anyway, looking at the input from some of you, i'm leaning toward a damp proof sheet and then 18mm (should I ask for 3/4 inch to remain imperial as its a mini??) tongue and groove chipboard flooring glued at the joints.

 

No need to dot and dab as the garage walls will hold it in place.

 

Then a coat or two of garage floor paint.

 

Hopefully should do me a year at least whilst I do my conversion to manual.

[jsor26]

Sheet of FRP is cheap waterproof and will be fine with stands

[jime17]

Frp? Is that fibre glass?

From what I've seen that's quite expensive?

Am I looking at the wrong stuff?

[paulrockliffe]

The dot and dab wasn't to hold the floor in place it was to allow me to level the boards over the uneven floor.

 

I did screw the boards down too, then I got a load of off-cuts from a vinyl floor fitter and laid a nice pattern of ever-darker blue off-cuts.  Sounds odd, but you don't notice the colour changes now and it's a really good surface, most if it was industrial stuff from hospitals, so it's a really substantial finish.

[Homersimpson]

I have an uneven concrete floor across most of my workshop, when I took the wall out to the Mini's garage I was left with a step down to earth and a limited budget to get a level floor at a consistent height across the whole floor.

 

I bought some dirt cheap joists on Gumtree for the step down to earth and basically built a suspended floor, levelled it with the concrete floor and then cast concrete feet under the frame to take the load to earth below.  Extra concrete just to make sure. 

 

The floor over the top was 18mm Chipboard and carried over the uneven concrete as well.  I dot and dabbed that area with concrete to take up the unevenness.

 

I've had the Mini on jacks and axle stands on both areas with no issues at all.  It's roughly 750kg divided by 4 wheels, so the loading isn't huge huge.  

I'm afraid i'm not convinced by any suggestions to jack a mini up on timber, its not so bad if the timber is laid straight on the floor (although I wouldn't do it) but 18mm chipboard on timber joists is just asking for trouble one day if/when the damp gets to it (I assume you left a ventilated air gap under it like you do on a house?) the weight of a jack/stands will push through with potentially dire consequences. 

[jsor26]

Fiberglass reinforced plastic, a 4x8’ sheet is about 20 bucks here, and sold at every home improvement store