Advice on Train Room flooring?

I was going to suggest that. A piece gets worn just replace it. 

Great topic!  I have been absent a lot from here lately as when I hang out on the forum my collection increases.  I am in the process of buying a home with a basement suitable for a rather large layout but it is concrete.  If you had nothing down but concrete what would the best choice be?

It is interesting that this topic has come up. I just posted on a item regarding under layout creepers. I have carpet in my family room and a creeper does not roll very well on carpet. A few suggested larger pneumatic tires but while I was pondering the problem I was rolling around my carpeted office on top of a chair mat. So I'll start looking for some old chair mats to put under my layout.

 

The reason I mention all of this is because the rubber mat tiles look and work great they may not let you use a creeper under your layout easily.

 

For the cost of the mats you could look at inexpensive laminate flooring as well

Lee - Those tiles look great and would probably work well.  However, my suggestion is vinyl wood flooring.  I put some down in my son's very busy kitchen and it was easy to install and easily modified to fit all kinds of nooks and crannies.  It is durable, stain resistant and soft.  (It comes with a thin cushion to place under the flooring.)  Cost wise the tiles are equal in cost to a much nicer and durable synthetic wood floor. 

 Lee, I have those in my train room. I figure they be temporary flooring until I get to redo the whole thing. They are nice to stand on because they are directly on the concrete basement floor and provide some insulation and sponge feel under your feet. They don't feel like something that will last for more than a few years at best, especially if you going to roll anything over them. I left my shop vac parked on them for a few days while full and the wheels dug in pretty deep.

 I am happy with them for a quick floor.

I would not have a concrete floor unless I put something over the concrete. reasons are the concrete will be cold on your feet and if something falls to the floor, oh well, looks like I will have to replace it. 

A rug would work good, or indoor/outdoor carpet would work too.

 

Lee Fritz

Hands down my favorite floor covering for a train room is wood laminate. It looks fantastic and if you plan to use a creeper for work under the benchwork, this type flooring works very well.

 

Some will recommend carpet for sound deadening qualities, but I handle sound control differently. The wood laminate flooring really helps to show off your train room.

 

I would avoid putting down another carpet.  I've had a devil of a time getting styrofoam fragments and other junk out it.  Pick a vinyl or some durable, washable product that will hold up under hard use.

 

George

Put down 18x18 carpet tiles, if one gets hurt it's very easy to replace. They also don't cost lot. 

 

 

 

I've got laminate in my trainroom too. Its just so easy to clean up.

In a normal situation these would be thoughtful and good suggestions, people, but this is not a normal situation that Lee is seeking advice on as he's specifically said, "It is unfeasible to take up and replace the carpet." Doing many of the suggestions noted such as using vinyl tile, laminate hardwood flooring, etc. over an existing carpet base is going to be problematic at best and most likely not yield results which Lee is going to be happy with in the long run. Just a suggestion Lee, whenever we try and shortcut a process and it results in not having a suitable foundation for what we want to do the results are often less than stellar and ideal as I'm certain you'll recall from your accountingg of your track incident which you noted for us on this forum awhile back.

Well, if you ask 10 different Model Rairoaders, You'll get 10 Great Ideas. My basement had a concrete floor, I had always loved a Glossy Tile Floor, so, I had a 12 by 12 inch light colored tile floor installed. This makes it easy to clean up small or large spills. I then use many nice throw rugs around the layout to stand on, works good for us. I have it Waxed every 3 years. 

I do think the rubber tiles would be fine, the carpet would have to be taken up for this to

web user friendly. Have Fun, it's all about Comfort while Running our Trains.

all depends on how thick the carpet you have now...if its like commercial office style...no problem going right over it...if its a little plush...well there will be some issues

I think many of us including myself assumed that it was still feasible to remove the old carpeting JUST NOT REPLACE it.

Lee maybe you could clarify the situation. If what ogaugeguy says is true then I would have to agree with him and say this is a difficult choice and one that you probably will not be satisfied with,

 

Dave

Spray the entire room with Linex (that stuff they put in pick up truck beds).  OK, I know - it's not helpful.  But it would look cool.

 

Is your statement about the existing carpet that you do not want to remove AND replace, or it is that you can't even remove it?  As noted above, to make the floor properly even and not too spongy (as it might be with anything on top of existing carpet), it really will require getting rid of the existing covering.

 

I personally use the colored foam tiles (2'x2' sections) for the floor - they are over concrete.  And I use the same thing in black as my "Homasote" under the track on the layout.

 

 

This is truly evident of how tough it is to come up with a new topic everyday.

Opps... 

 

I think many of us including myself assumed that it was still feasible to remove the old carpeting JUST NOT REPLACE it.

 

Count me in that crowd..... laminate is out....

The floor in my basement train room is 3/4" oak hardwood installed over 2x4 sleepers over the original concrete flooring.  Maybe a bit overkill for a train room but never the less a very nice durable and attractive floor.  BTW I'm not a fan of carpeting other than a few area rugs.

Like leapinlarry I have a concrete floor covered in vinyl tile, I also have cheap rug runners laid down around certain areas that can be moved easily. easy to clean and easy to repair.

I too, put in a vote for runners, especially in places where you walk.  My room also has a concrete floor and I used runners which are easily removable for cleaning or replacement if necessary.  They can be put over Lee's worn, yucky carpeting, and maybe hide the most yucky parts.  The added advantage is it MAY cushion any wayward, gravity propelled, free-falling trains.

 

Jerry

I'm in the process of building a new train room. It will have a polished concrete floor and carpet runners. When cleaning it's only a matter of removing the runners and mopping or sweeping the floor. This will help keep the room dust free, and still be soft under foot.

Lee, are you really thinking of putting something on top of the carpet?  That doesn't sound like a good idea.

 

Our gamesroom/man cave has a slate floor. Having lived with this for about 5 years now.

The plus side is that it is easy to clean, hard wearing. And if the floor was insulated like ours it's not cold. 

Downside is it is very unfriendly to any roiling stock if it falls off the layout.

 

I have some of those tiles in the work bench area of my garage. Pretty good so far and great to stand on.

 

Nick

I use Racedeck - interlocking plastic tiles, quite impervious to anything I dish out.  They are designed for garages, so oil/grease is not a problem.  They snap together on top of a hard surface - interlocking my be a challenge if the carpet is not removed.  Feet stay warm in the winter and items bounce (although I have NOT experienced a falling car or locomotive).  Took me a day to do a 1000 sf basement.  About $2.75/sf.

Rip up the old carpet Lee considering you son had a "very undisciplined dog".

I really appreciate all the advice and recommendations: this forum is a fantastic resource because you get a variety of perspectives and good ideas, so quickly: Thank you. 

 

Good or bad, I'm not going to remove the old carpet in my trainroom: one can do anything if willing to pay the price but it's not worth the hassle. On the other hand, I can remove the carpet in my workshop, which is where carpet is really unfeasible.

 

Trainroom: see the diagram further below: the gray areas are the only areas I need to cover: my two aisles,are 24 - 36 inches wide, and my stairs 36".  Note that everything north of the top aisle in the picture is a shelf benchtop over cabinets, so there is no carpet under that.  And I won't carpet under the layout island, which has skirts all around and is storage for all my empty boxes, etc.  I think will use Apache Mills 36" industrial carpet runner (below), cut to fit and, nailed down with moldings as wall to wall on all edges.  The old carpet will essentially be a thick pad for this new.

 

Workshop: I will remove the old carpet and install rubber workshop/garage tiles.The bathroom has linoleum tiles and is in good shape.

 

I figure I need 200 sq. ft of carpet runner and about 80 sq feet of rubber tiles for the workshop.  At $2.60 and $3.00 per square foot respectively the project will cost about what a good Legacy loco costs . . . I'l start saving now and will probably do it over the holidays.  

 

 

A couple of guys from the local carpet dealer could cut it out. It would give you the opportunity for the "under the layout clean-out sale". They could remove the tacker strips and save you some wounds and bleeding. Get it out of there. Your sinuses and trains will appreciate it.

 

You'd only have some pieces under any supports remaining. (Shims)

 

Leaves you with a blank canvas, so to speak for whatever you like.

If you realized how much dirt is in old carpets, particularly one such as you describe, you would remove it without a second thought.

I have vinyl wood flooring in my train room with a nice 6x8 piece of carpet I bought at HD for $20.00. Works well due to the fact that we sometimes get water in the room in a heavy rain. The vinyl holds up very well since it is glued down.

lee if you want to buy the foam tiles try BJ'S whole sale club.  i use them as the base of my layout.  ( floor layout here)  i love them i can re do my layout with ease and if i go bigger they are cheap.  at BJ's they are about $18 for a pack of 8 i believe.  i just buy 2 packs at a time.  they are great to sit on while you work also.  

I would pay to have that old carpet removed and gone. OMHO.

I used laminate. Construction generates a ton of dust and this is very easy to clean up. May not be the quietest, but I do have felt feet on the benchwork legs. Trains aren't running, so I really don't have a certified assessment on sound, but I'm not expecting it to bee too loud.

 

Gilly

These might be a good solution 

 

 

http://www.flexitiles.com

Well, since this thread has gone afield from your original question, Lee, I'll answer "no, I haven't" but I use carpet myself. I do like laminate flooring but carpet is easy on the feet, adds a touch of luxury, and is somewhat protective in case of derailments.  When it's time to replace my carpeting, I'm thinking of the carpet tiles as mentioned.

Lee,

I think I am beginning to understand...the bride has no idea what's under the layout and her finding out "is not worth the hassle".

 

Go with the runners!

Personally I feel like the world should be made out of that solidified granular rubber they use in newer childrens playgrounds. That stuff is like walking on ten packs of dr sholls gel shoe inserts at the same time. Amazing. Your trains would bounce.

Before laying anything over the carpet have it cleaned so you don't trap unwanted dirt or worse under there forever. I have similar industrial carpet runners in my shop, They wear well.

 

mark

Lee...take it from someone that made the mistake you are about to make....don't lay carpet on top of carpet.  The "nap" in the carpet below will cause movement of the carpet above and over a relatively short period of time will create wrinkles and bumps/bulges, no matter high tight you install the new carpet over the old.  I have seen others do the same thing and the result has been less than satisfactory....I would at least cut out the old carpet in the isle areas and lay in the new carpet on the proper kind of padding if needed.

 

Alan