Reloading room floor covering suggestions

[turbo54]

I'm moving into a house with no basement (GASP!), so I'm going to have to use a carpeted spare bedroom as a reloading area.

I would like to not destroy the carpet, and being "neater and cleaner" in my reloading practices is NOT an option. I don't make a god awful mess with my reloading, but I will ruin the carpet if I don't protect/cover it.

I was wondering if anyone knows of some kind of mat or floor covering that would:

1. Provide solid footing for my bench.

2. Cover most/all of a 12'x12' room

3. Maybe have a lip around the edge to keep water from running off the sides and onto the carpet. I tumble wet and always end up spilling some water in the process.

4. Be easy to sweep/clean

5. Be removeable

Thanks for any suggestions and ideas!

 

[Joey Dean]

In all honesty I would consider pulling up the carpet. If the house is on a slab foundation you could have the cement cleaned, stained, and sealed. this would give you a solid foundation that looks great and is about impervious to whatever you may drop or spill on it.

If a frame house hardwood would be the way to go.

You are never going to get the bench as solid as you wish with a mat and a layer of carpet underneath.

 

[biner626]

I'm moving into a house with no basement (GASP!), so I'm going to have to use a carpeted spare bedroom as a reloading area.

I would like to not destroy the carpet, and being "neater and cleaner" in my reloading practices is NOT an option. I don't make a god awful mess with my reloading, but I will ruin the carpet if I don't protect/cover it.

I was wondering if anyone knows of some kind of mat or floor covering that would:

1. Provide solid footing for my bench.

2. Cover most/all of a 12'x12' room

3. Maybe have a lip around the edge to keep water from running off the sides and onto the carpet. I tumble wet and always end up spilling some water in the process.

4. Be easy to sweep/clean

5. Be removeable

Thanks for any suggestions and ideas!

I have the same problem! I was looking into those interlocking plastic squares like used in garages. I'll be interested to see other ideas. I'm considering mounting my bench to the wall (probably should anyway). I guess I could get some spike feet(think speaker feet) for the bench as well.

 

[turbo54]

In all honesty I would consider pulling up the carpet.
If a frame house hardwood would be the way to go.

You are never going to get the bench as solid as you wish with a mat and a layer of carpet underneath.

Agree with you on all accounts, except the house is a rental, and modifications are not an option.

I've found that while a bench on carpet is far from ideal, it is workable as long as you've got lots of lead on the lower shelf!

 

[No1]

I'm operating in a spare bedroom now. I got some new carpet from somewhere, last house I lived in if I recall, and put it down over the carpet in the "loading room".

 

[turbo54]

Here's a thought I just had:

Buy a tarp, and cut it to fit the room. Perhaps cut it ~2" long in every dimension, to create a "lip" all the way around the room.

Buy some bulk/surplus carpet from a carpet joint, cut to fit, and lay it down on top of the tarp.

Seems like this could be done for less than $100, and the carpet underneath should be kept 100% perfect.

Only concern is how "mushy" this would make the foundation for the bench.

Maybe those interlocking garage squares on top of a tarp?

 

[EastBayRidge]

Buy a chunk of plywood big enough (and stiff enough) for your reloading bench to sit on. I did that in a past rental and it held steady for years before I moved out, with no damage to the carpet. You can get another large one, seal it to make it waterproof, and use it where you tumble.

 

[Ultraman550]

Cover the carpet in astroturf (go buy it at Home Depot), place a huge slab of plywood on the floor, put a cinder block or two on all four corners to make it heavy as fuck and build your bench on that platform. My reloading room is in one of our spare bedrooms on a carpet but my bench is insanely heavy and does not budge at all. I had a stuck case and I was basically 3-point stancing the handle to drive it upwards and the bench stayed put.

I used this and it was very easy to put together. Everything total (kit + lumber + nails) = $200. I used the best wood possible just because the 2x4's need to be straight if you want things perfect. 8 foot long Choice 2x4's were $3.59 and non-choice was like $3.10 at Home Depot.

Got to Amazon for this - 2x4basics 90164 Workbench and Shelving Storage System

 

[Joey Dean]

OK, how about the plastic carpet protector rolls they use when showing a home or moving furniture in? Adhesive on one side and slick on the other. Put some down under the bench with it lapping up a inch or two on the base boards. Overlap the seams a bit to seal it and you have a sealed covering under the bench that can be easily replaced or just slap another layer on top when it becomes worn.

Carpet Film Plastic Protection

 

[milo 2.0]

Cover the carpet in astroturf (go buy it at Home Depot), place a huge slab of plywood on the floor, put a cinder block or two on all four corners to make it heavy as fuck and build your bench on that platform. My reloading room is in one of our spare bedrooms on a carpet but my bench is insanely heavy and does not budge at all. I had a stuck case and I was basically 3-point stancing the handle to drive it upwards and the bench stayed put.

I used this and it was very easy to put together. Everything total (kit + lumber + nails) = $200. I used the best wood possible just because the 2x4's need to be straight if you want things perfect. 8 foot long Choice 2x4's were $3.59 and non-choice was like $3.10 at Home Depot.

Got to Amazon for this - 2x4basics 90164 Workbench and Shelving Storage System

I'm with ultraman here, but I'm not sure what astroturf really is, but HD has indoor-outdoor carpet for 6-7.00 a yard, cut it to fit the room, rock on! I load in my garage and can vouch that concrete is hell on one's feet, and case mouths.

 

[Ultraman550]

I'm with ultraman here, but I'm not sure what astroturf really is, but HD has indoor-outdoor carpet for 6-7.00 a yard, cut it to fit the room, rock on! I load in my garage and can vouch that concrete is hell on one's feet, and case mouths.

You need this

GelPro Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mat: Basketweave 20" X 48" | Free Shipping

 

[milo 2.0]

You need this

GelPro Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mat: Basketweave 20" X 48" | Free Shipping

Thanks ultra, I used to have one when I did woodworking, it just got so saturated with chips, you couldn't stand on it with bare feet. Need to buy one, no doubt!

 

[1lnbrdg]

I like linoleum