Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
-
Topic author - Posts: 3031
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 10:26 am
- Location: Off the grid on Storm Mountain Colorado
- Contact:
Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
I recently bought an offgrid property in the Colorado mountains that has a 34'x45' dirt floor metal shop. It has three garage door bays and a regular access door.
The only problem: its a dirt floor and is really dusty.
I can't afford concrete right now.
What are my flooring options?
The only problem: its a dirt floor and is really dusty.
I can't afford concrete right now.
What are my flooring options?
-
- Posts: 3684
- Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:22 pm
- Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
I have a large (40x60) barn in Montana that had the same issue. I bought 25 bags of mortar and mixed it with water (Mixed in place) with the dirt floor then troweled it to a fairly smooth surface. It won't hold up to any real weight, but it isn't dusty.
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
A collection of parts flying in close formation
-
- Vendor
- Posts: 2317
- Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:53 am
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
You could go with 4x8x3/4 composite sheets of fiber bourd [looks like brown fiber glass sheets]. Durable but expensive
-
- Posts: 2678
- Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 5:48 pm
- Location: Lakewood and Bailey, CO
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
How about a bunch of rugs from Goodwill?
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 11109
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:53 pm
- Location: CA
- Contact:
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
Lay down heavy duty tarp, follow by interlocking rubber mats (thing the one you see at gyms in the weights area). Tarp is important or mud may squeeze through. And best to get it as flat as you can.
Concrete may actually not be that much more though :/ But, no permit for mats
Concrete may actually not be that much more though :/ But, no permit for mats

2017 JKU Rubicon Lifted and stuff
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
-
- Posts: 3684
- Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:22 pm
- Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
We did that in a barn/garage when I was a kid. Worked pretty good for quite some time.REDONE wrote:How about a bunch of rugs from Goodwill?
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
A collection of parts flying in close formation
-
- Posts: 2905
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:39 pm
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
I'd suggest looking into either asphalt or hard packed road base. The road base won't fix your dust issue but could give you a platform to start from? Maybe buy some concrete pavers as you can afford them. Lay them in the base and tamp em down.
Asphalt may be cheaper, I can't say. As it's 100% recyclable, maybe it isn't too expensive? Down side is it stays soft so rolling stuff like an engine hoist or tool cart would only be slightly better than in the dirt.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Asphalt may be cheaper, I can't say. As it's 100% recyclable, maybe it isn't too expensive? Down side is it stays soft so rolling stuff like an engine hoist or tool cart would only be slightly better than in the dirt.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
- Vendor
- Posts: 2317
- Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:53 am
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
Not sure where to find them--Temperary run-way repair panels. They're a 12x4 half inch thick interlocking piece of aluminum. Saw them in the Air Force and look for them once for a Project for works and they were crazy expensive. Once your done with them, you could recycle and get all your money back 

-
- Posts: 2905
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:39 pm
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
They used to be called PSP panels and date back to around Vietnam? Perforated Steel Panels.rocklaurence wrote:Not sure where to find them--Temperary run-way repair panels. They're a 12x4 half inch thick interlocking piece of aluminum. Saw them in the Air Force and look for them once for a Project for works and they were crazy expensive. Once your done with them, you could recycle and get all your money back
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:48 am
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
A cheap fix is Calcium Chloride. In liquid form, it will remind you of open cuts you have. They use it on dirt roads in Michigan.
"Calcium chloride attracts moisture from the air, keeping the road damp even under hot, dry conditions. The moisture film provides a cohesive force that binds aggregate particles together, resulting in a hard and compact surface. A beneficial residual effect accumulates with consistent application year after year."
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... wAodd3UGyA
"Calcium chloride attracts moisture from the air, keeping the road damp even under hot, dry conditions. The moisture film provides a cohesive force that binds aggregate particles together, resulting in a hard and compact surface. A beneficial residual effect accumulates with consistent application year after year."
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... wAodd3UGyA
-
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:48 am
-
- Posts: 274
- Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:33 am
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
Gosh, I would use crushed stone. Start with larger stone like 3/4” then compact it. After 3/4” place a layer of smaller crushed stone to fill in between the 3/4” and compact again. Adding some water during compacting will help secure the stone so they stay in place.
When it’s time for concrete you will have a start to a good base and you won’t have any foreign materials to remove.
When it’s time for concrete you will have a start to a good base and you won’t have any foreign materials to remove.
I used to name my FSJ’s after their previous owners, I realized I had too many when I had five named Rick.
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:33 pm
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
Horse stall mats, 1/2" or 3/4" thick will take anything, much more comfortable than concrete for sliding under cars. Instant garage floor or driveway!
-
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:55 am
-
- Posts: 5563
- Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:31 am
- Location: Medford MA USA
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
The horse stall mats are heavy for their size. Very dense. I use them on my basement floor to cushion under my deadlift barbell. Available at Tractor Supply. Not interlocking though.
In the garage I use the foam flooring tiles that are often on sale at Harbor Freight to lay on. If you need a larger mat, glue them together at their interlocking edges. Lightweight, and easy to move around. The stall mats are heavy enough to stay put.
In the garage I use the foam flooring tiles that are often on sale at Harbor Freight to lay on. If you need a larger mat, glue them together at their interlocking edges. Lightweight, and easy to move around. The stall mats are heavy enough to stay put.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 FCA Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 FCA Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:08 pm
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
fyi, use what they call 1/4 minus its a crushed gravel with nothing over 1/4 inch in diameter , spread it out level use a plate tamper and water after tamping it sets up almost like concrete and when you are ready to pour vola, in my state they tax concrete footage i used a fine grade asphault considered aggragate
-
- Posts: 1693
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 12:02 pm
- Location: Lompoc, Sunland or somewhere between
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
I think that's the best idea for a guy trying to get away cheap but doesn't want it to get nasty like old carpet would.
Sic friatur crustulum
'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
-
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:13 pm
- Location: Raleigh, NC
Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
SRdayflyer has the right idea I’d say
Concrete is not that expensive when you order it by the yard delivered. Bagged concrete is the most expensive way to go if personally get annoyed by the looser options like tarps etc and would likely be long term most expensive. a few tons of gravel (I pay $32 per ton in NC) could drop the dust until you can afford the concrete to go over it. Not sure if you’re trying to get your vehicle in there too/weight rating but just a couple inches of concrete plus stone wouldn’t cost all that much and you could progressively do the whole area in different pours depending on area
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Concrete is not that expensive when you order it by the yard delivered. Bagged concrete is the most expensive way to go if personally get annoyed by the looser options like tarps etc and would likely be long term most expensive. a few tons of gravel (I pay $32 per ton in NC) could drop the dust until you can afford the concrete to go over it. Not sure if you’re trying to get your vehicle in there too/weight rating but just a couple inches of concrete plus stone wouldn’t cost all that much and you could progressively do the whole area in different pours depending on area
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1989 Grand Wagoneer - under the knife
-
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 2:13 pm
- Location: Vermont
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
How about old barn boards? Nothing wrong with a wood floor. You could do just one bay that could be your work bay. Otherwise, asphalt, depending on the price to have someone lay it down. I would not try doing that myself, although it you had a dump truck and a tamp, and the asphalt plant wasn't too far away, you could, I guess with some help.
'73 Wagoneer 4.0 stroker/t176/d300, offy dualport w/ quadrajet
-
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2022 2:41 pm
- Location: Apache Junction AZ
Re: Garage/Shop dirt floor? what is better than dirt but not concrete?
For a small work area, steel road plates used for construction used to be affordable, and will stay put.
Easy to move with front end loader and chain. Not your little John Deere or Kabota, but a reasonably sized front end loader.
Or look around neighboring properties, to see if some of the old farm trucks retired, might have steel beds in them.
Same concept as the steel plates, and probably buy the whole truck for scrap, then recycle what you do not use.
There is a method to the madness
Easy to move with front end loader and chain. Not your little John Deere or Kabota, but a reasonably sized front end loader.
Or look around neighboring properties, to see if some of the old farm trucks retired, might have steel beds in them.
Same concept as the steel plates, and probably buy the whole truck for scrap, then recycle what you do not use.
There is a method to the madness

'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest