Reloading Bench Floor Covering

I use a low pile 5 x 8 rug

Foam floor tiles. The ones that interlock together.

I got some of the grey interlocking mats from Harbor Freight a couple years ago and they're still serviceable.

Keep in mind that I load while standing, I doubt they'd last long if you set a stool on 'em.

Get a linoleum remnant

I put down a white sheet. Easy to see dropped items, easy to shake out and wash...

But my work space is pretty compact and I don't move around much while working.

Look at some stall mats for horses' stalls. Softer surface to stand on and smooth surface to sweep up spilled powders.

You can get them in a 4'x8' size and there are some in a smaller size. They can be cut to a smaller size if necessary.

Check Tractor Supply or Rural King or similar farm supply stores.

peeplwtchr said:

How would I do this?

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Go to a flooring store and ask what they have or go to a big box home improvement store and buy the amount of sheet flooring you need off a big roll. They also usually have standard cuts like 5 x8 or 6 x 9 already packaged up.

Maybe just cardboard if you don't want to spend a lot and plan on finishing it later.

peeplwtchr said:

Good point. I am starting to sit while loading this week when my new stool comes.

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I can't stand at the bench. I wheel around like a boss on a curb picked up office chair (it has adjustments for height and some other adjustment)


I like the linoleum remnant idea, would be cheap and look better

Back when plywood could still be purchased without a second mortgage I acquired 2 sheets. I cut them to fit, and use that as a floor covering over the low pile commercial carpeting on the floor.

It works out very well. Easy to sweep, stands up to impact from dropped whatevers, ages well.

I use an anti static sheet (4'x8'x.25") hat I had left over when I redecorated the server room at work. It's not clear but not opaque either.

I use something like this but I get it cheaper from a local supply house. I put two strips of it down and my chair rolls around on it fine.. when I can't sweep it clean enough any more, roll up, throw away and put new down..
https://kestrelindustrial.com/floor...-gy/?msclkid=ce5592a989e41e377121f23b0903bc79

A variation of the interlocking foam mats from Harbor Freight. It fits well in the space I work in, and is easily swept. Best of all....it cheap!

https://www.harborfreight.com/anti-fatigue-roll-mat-61241.html

peeplwtchr said:

How would I do this?

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Nothing to complicated involved with finding a vinyl remnant.

I just use a high density foam mat that is designed to help your joints. It gets moved around my garage depending on what I'm doing. It lives mostly in front of the drill press as my "bench" is a rolling table I built that I move all over. When it's nice I roll it out in the driveway to cast or tumble sort and dry brass. The mat is small enough to move where I go and even sees use in oil changes when I lay on the ground.

peeplwtchr said:

Thanks, I am looking for something I can sweep. I don't want to vacuum spilled powder.

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Don't use a vacuum to clean up spilled powder - electrostatic discharge would be a BAD day. (not kidding)

dcloco said:

Don't use a vacuum to clean up spilled powder - electrostatic discharge would be a BAD day. (not kidding)

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Reminds me of dad spilling new primers in the house and mom finding them a week later with the kirby. She was pissed.

My last two have been wood. I would prefer bare concrete to carpet.

If you are using carpet don’t use a vacuum where debris are drawn through the impeller. One of my buddies image when he calls is a photo of his wife’s blown up vacuum. Dust, maybe a little powder and one live primer is all it takes.

I would look at office supply stores for a rubber or plastic mat like they used to use under desk. A lot of other things would work. Even a few sheets of plywood.

lightman said:

Even a few sheets of plywood.

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Evidently Arkansas doesn't have crazy priced plywood??

Whats wrong? Don't you have a powder, lead, or copper magnet? I don't know of anything that you might spill that will damage cement with respect to a future coating. Some people will apply a lite cleaning using muriatic acid prior to a cement coating any way. I'm planning on doing the same thing in a few years and am not particularly concerned about it. My shooting buddy did his own epoxy finish on his garage floor and it turned out beautiful. Now 5 years later, he never had any trouble and he was also casting bullets besides reloading before hand.