Hey everyone! I'm involved with a maker space that's relocating our woodshop to a basement area with a pretty rough concrete floor. Since we're renting, we're not looking to invest in pouring or leveling the floor. Our plan is to lay down pressure-treated 2x4's as sleepers, with 3/4" tongue and groove plywood on top, creating a floating floor without anchoring it to the concrete. I'm curious about how to effectively tie the sleepers together over a span of 50 feet. We'll be offsetting the plywood pattern for support, but are there other methods, aside from using wide crown staples or pocket screws, that could help secure the butt joints of the 10-foot 2x4s?
2 Answers
It really depends on how you'll be using the floor. Honestly, given the effort and cost involved, it might be way easier to just pour a self-leveling compound and then lay down some luxury vinyl plank (LVP) instead.
Instead of lifting the floor by 4.5 inches, consider using horse stall mats! They’re pretty affordable (around $50 for 24 sq ft), about 3/4" thick, and heavy enough to stay in place even with tools rolling over them. Plus, they add some cushioning for your feet!