Floor drains in workshop? (6 Viewers)

[BadReligion]

Things are slowly moving forward with the workshop. We still plan on breaking ground late spring, but also need to finalize design with the metal building company, and the civil is working on the slab design right now. Like everything else, this is taking longer and moving slower than expected.

My architect just asked if I wanted any floor drains in the shop. I was thinking of maybe just a narrow grate on the inside of each bay door, that runs the full width of the door. Should I do any more further in the shop? Also, should I just have these drain into a basin outside, or connect to my septic? I would try to keep oil/chemicals to a minimum on the floor before washing the floors. Well is 800'+ deep so I am not too worried about contamination.

Shop floor is 50'x84' with 4 large bay doors on the 84' side.

 

[BadReligion]

For reference;

 

[firestopper]

Find out what the permitting process requires before you commit. Here in Pima County they require a scrubber/separator that drives to cost too high.
I know some homeowners have added rough plumbing after pre-pour inspection followed by taping off and pouring over (thin layer) recovering after final inspection. I don't miss having a deck drain in my shop. I would never wash a rig inside. I'm sure its nice to have if you drive in snow and pulling in.

We had trough style drains in the bays at newer fire houses but had strict orders not to use them. once a year a third party would inspect the sump tanks. Some weird overkill EPA / environmental concerns.

Nice shop plans you got there.

 

[Bob Morazes]

If you gong to put the drains by the door, why not skip that step and slope the floor towards the door. Then just push the water back out side to the environment where mother nature can take care of it as she always does.
Bobmo

 

[scrapdaddy]

My two cents... Not code for me to have drains in shop, but my cement guy talked me into sloped floors for drainage. I hate it! If I want to build something on the floor I can't get anything level without blocking up several ends. It's to the point of jack hammering up the floor and pouring a flat floor.

 

[1911]

I would be afraid that floor drains would be a magnet for washers and small things dropped on the floor.

 

[BadReligion]

If you gong to put the drains by the door, why not skip that step and slope the floor towards the door. Then just push the water back out side to the environment where mother nature can take care of it as she always does.
Bobmo

That is a very good point. Kind of a waste by the doors.

My two cents... Not code for me to have drains in shop, but my cement guy talked me into sloped floors for drainage. I hate it! If I want to build something on the floor I can't get anything level without blocking up several ends. It's to the point of jack hammering up the floor and pouring a flat floor.

I have noticed that in my current standard 3 car garage. I think the slope is like 1:12. I've had more than a few welding projects turn out a little less than even due to this. I would probably lean towards a flat floor, but maybe slope the 10' or so closest to the doors.

I would be afraid that floor drains would be a magnet for washers and small things dropped on the floor.

That is always a concern. With the grate type drains, you can pull the grate to retrieve things, but I'm sure a lot of stuff would still disappear in there.

Good advice all around! I think I will do a long grate style drain parallel and in between bays 1/2 and 3/4. Maybe 15' or so. Enough to be able to give the floors an occasional rinse and then easily squeegee water into the drains. I also like the idea of a mostly non sloped floor.

 

[BadReligion]

Find out what the permitting process requires before you commit. Here in Pima County they require a scrubber/separator that drives to cost too high.
I know some homeowners have added rough plumbing after pre-pour inspection followed by taping off and pouring over (thin layer) recovering after final inspection. I don't miss having a deck drain in my shop. I would never wash a rig inside. I'm sure its nice to have if you drive in snow and pulling in.

We had trough style drains in the bays at newer fire houses but had strict orders not to use them. once a year a third party would inspect the sump tanks. Some weird overkill EPA / environmental concerns.

Nice shop plans you got there.

We are verifying now with the county on what we can do with the waste water. Going into the septic system will not be a problem, they may say something about draining it outside.

We do get snow in the winter so that would be the main reason for the drains, and to allow me to wash the floor from time to time. We will have a 1/4 mile dirt driveway so there will be a fair amount of washing dirt off the floor.

 

[PIP]

I do all my flatwork flat. I hate sloped concrete too. I built my steel 7k sq ft shop with a monolithic foundation and incorporated a 4" stem wall into the slab/foundation. I wanted the stem wall just in case I do have a spill to contain it so I can clean it up before it goes outside and ends up in the ditch by the road and I get EPA up my ass.

I had a spill in a shop I rented where that happened. Kind of perfect storm, but a machine blew a coolant hose and pumped 50 gallons of coolant onto the floor which ran out the back of the building went in a storm drain and made it 800 feet to the road ditch. What a mess.

For a floor drain under my large door I welded 2 pieces of 5" channel 2" apart onto a piece of 4" flatbar with drains plumbed to each end. 2" is narrow enough I've never tripped over it. Forklift goes right over it. You really don't even notice it. Once every few years I fish a few dozen rocks out of it.