1. Home
  2. Woodworking Forum
  3. Advan Tech Flooring

Advan Tech Flooring

Anybody have any experiernce with using Advan Tech?

I am thinking about using it as the floor in my new shop.

Thanks.

Jim

Reply to
swalker
Loading thread data ...

Yes sir ... my sub floor of choice. Happened to have used it extensively.

Here's one:

formatting link

Reply to
Swingman

expensive

heavy too

Reply to
Electric Comet

Yes, awesome stuff. I used it in my sharn and I'll use it again whenever I need sub-flooring. Their water resistance warranty is no joke-- water just beads up on top of it and I didn't get a single seem that puckered.

Reply to
-MIKE-

I plan to use this over a concrete floor by using 2X4 PT sleepers and finishing it with a couple coats of polyurethane.

Looking at the manufactures instructions I noticed that they said a gap should be used on the ends and a close up of a sheet actually showed a step in the tongue (on the long side) that would make the gap.

This appears to me to be in conflict with the instructions to both fasten the panel with nails or screws and use adhesive on all joists.

If the panels do have a step on the sides then this product will not work for my application since the crack will fill with dirt or sawdust.

Jim

Reply to
swalker

You put a molding over the gap.

Reply to
Leon

Something like a T molding with a rounded top?

Reply to
swalker

On 05/24/2016 10:01 AM, swalker wrote: ...

shows an installation. Looks fine for a shop floor to me...so what if those small cracks do eventually fill with sawdust; what's the harm in that?

Personally, I'd far prefer that than a raised "bump" every 4- or 8-ft.

I just filled in some area of the old barn driveway with a combination of some salvaged 4"T x 8"W by 6' concrete blocks that were originally the cover off the old septic tank plus leftover "tiles" from the new silo and those we salvaged from the demolition of the old silos. All of which were irregular. Simply poured in a cement/sand mix to fill the larger and then swept a dry sand mix into the remaining cracks...it serves very well. Don't see why similar excepting for the sawdust wouldn't serve just as well in this application.

I suppose one could go to the trouble to fill the gaps with a nonhardening mastic but think whatever one did it would tend to push out in damp conditions...

Reply to
dpb

If you did that you're going to have a bump in your floor every four feet. I would consider an expansion joint caulking product similar to what is used in concrete and tile applications. It will lie flat in the gap and hold up to foot and caster traffic.

I have questions, however. Is the concrete floor sloped? Why are you covering it? Just to be easier on your feet (good enough reason)? Do you also need vapor barrier and insulation? If the floor isn't sloped or the slope doesn't bother you, there are engineered flooring options that will go down right on the concrete and give you a softer step to the floor, but are durable enough to handle shop tool casters.

Reply to
-MIKE-

AdvanTech is a wood product.

All wood, even plywood and OSB type panels, expands and contracts with moisture content/relative humidity, thus you need to leave a small gap at all walls, otherwise you run the risk of your originally flat floor becoming bowed and uneven.

These gaps, left on purpose next to the walls, are traditionally covered by a "baseboard" and "shoe molding", individually, or in combination depending upon the amount of gap.

The gap with AdvanTech, and depending upon width/length of the floor itself, does not need to be as wide as with other wood flooring materials (say 1/4", up to 3/8" on most installations) ... again depending upon overall width and length.

In your case, my experience is a 3/4" thick "baseboard" around the walls will do the trick. It also makes for a more finished appearance, even in a shop.

Reply to
Swingman

No kidding, and not remotely necessary in practical use for a shop, IMO.

The practicality of doing so is questionable IME, and unless, and it's an unlikely possibility, the OP is much more OCD/anal than me. ;)

As you know, AdvanTech is self spacing and, IME the resulting gap is too small to worry about if you're contemplating using a sub flooring product as a shop floor.

... so it gets bit of sawdust in it ... it's a shop, plenty of that to go around. ;)

Besides, and to the OP ... you will have the same issue, only moreso, with any other wood panel you decide to use as a shop floor.

Bigger concern, in his inexperience, is not leaving a gap at the walls/butting it tightly against a wall or sill plate.

Reply to
Swingman

Yes, and your suggestion of a baseboard will take care of that. The field gaps (very small, as you pointed out) in mine have already filled up with "stuff" and the "stuff" gets packed down in there so hard, it's almost OSB again. :-)

Reply to
-MIKE-

NO Sorry. I was thinking around the perimeter of the room, not each board. I was thinking finish flooring.

Reply to
Leon

My bride and I have been away celebrating our 50th anniversary and I just got back to read all the replies.

FYI - I am more into wood turning than wood working and will do very little flat work. The exception being to cut angle pieces for a segmented bowl. I am not a fast turner so I am basically standing in one small area at the lathe, often for a long time.

Concrete just eats me up regardless of any pad I have found. I have had a floor like this before and it worked for me.

I think I will just let the cracks fill up with whatever hits the floor.

I understand about the problems with wood movment and will certainly leave a gap around the edge which will also make it easier if I should have to remove a sheet of ply for some reason.

What does confuse me is that the Advan Tech instructions say the ply should be both glued and screwed. How does this allow for movement?

We are in the home stretch on this project, the sheet rock is in and been taped and smoothed twice so with one more visit they will be probably be finished and it will be time to paint, followed by final electrical, floor installation, garage doors and finally the AC will be installed (Lines are in but the unit itself isn't).

Ready for this to be over.

Thanks for all the comments.

Jim

Reply to
swalker

You can't stop movement, but the idea is to mitigate movement for a _subfloor_ within limits. IOW, enough to keep any overlaid flooring from cracking, gapping, squeaking, etc.

Keep in mind that AdvanTech is used primarily as a "subfloor" (IOW, another floor (wood or tile) is generally installed on top of it), where the cumulative, relative stiffness of the installation as a whole is desirable, and where lack thereof could cause problems, i.e. cracked tiles, floor board gapping,etc.

As the product is definitely designed to be installed that way, and if you feel you will get some benefit from the increased stiffness in the installation as a unit, then definitely both glue and screw.

If not, and having used the product both ways (albeit in a smaller area without glue), I would consider without glue as long as I was not concerned about both the product warranty itself, and not having to warrant any of the layers of overlaid flooring ... be a PITA, but you can always go back and reinstall with glue in your situation if you have unique problems for your situation.

YMMV ...

Be interested to hear -MIKE- chime him on how his shop installation of the product is faring ...

Reply to
Swingman

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.