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Floor Covering Under Bike Stand

Old 02-18-21, 05:27 PM
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Noonievut
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Floor Covering Under Bike Stand

I work on my bike in my unfinished basement--it's a concrete floor that is painted--and although I generally do not make much of a mess, and when I lube the chain I put a long rag down to catch any excess, I still want to protect the floor for when I'm using any chemicals or doing light cleaning. I guess a thin mat of some sort that doesn't let the fluids pass down to the concrete underneath would be good...but something I can remove when done as I walk in that area often. Any ideas...thanks!
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Old 02-18-21, 05:30 PM
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shelbyfv
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Break down your cardboard Amazon boxes, lay out a couple when you get messy then trash them.
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Old 02-18-21, 06:18 PM
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Finish Line made a rubber-backed mat about 2'x4' that was absorbent on the top side. Handy, but it's better at catching drips than the inevitable overspray.
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Old 02-18-21, 06:34 PM
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A flexible vinyl or rubber office chair mat or hall runner is cheap, sturdy, easy to clean, and rolls up when not in use. They are available from Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. in a variety of sizes.
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Old 02-18-21, 08:04 PM
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Yoga mat. Cheap, easy to store, stain resistant.
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Old 02-18-21, 08:34 PM
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Get a roll of floor covering paper from the painting supply section of your local hardware store or home center. I’ve had the same roll for 2+ years now. I keep about a 5-6 foot piece under my stand and replace when it’s heavily soiled.
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Old 02-18-21, 08:42 PM
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Flattened cardboard box. Keep them under the front of our cars too- not so much needed these days, but a habit over the years to catch the odd oil drip.
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Old 02-18-21, 09:53 PM
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Another vote for cardboard box.
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Old 02-18-21, 10:08 PM
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I use an old shower curtain in the garage under the work stand. It is also nice to catch any dirt/mud or salt (winter) you knock off the bike during cleaning - it can be folded in on itself and taken outside and shaken out for quick easy cleanup. Also works good under the wife's car when i do an oil change to catch any splatter.

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Old 02-19-21, 02:59 AM
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We set up weekly our portable shop at one of the churches, we use a large BBQ mat below the stand and a dish dry mat (my wife changes these frequently) under the chain area when oiling. The BBQ mats work pretty well as they are meant to hold grease splatter.
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Old 02-19-21, 08:33 AM
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My shop area is within a finished bedroom in our basement. I laid down thin carpeting over top of the original carpet. Then another flat rug beneath the stand area. Then I periodically refresh a sheet of cardboard directly beneath the stand. This catches grease, dirt and oil drips from the bikes being worked.

I source cardboard from the side panels of bike boxes that come in to me. I get three or four per year. That's plenty to keep me in cardboard until the Apocalypse.
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Old 02-19-21, 08:58 AM
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Or just not worry about it. I have splatters and spots all over my garage floor. They add character and I can look at most and remember what I was doing when I created each of them. Some fond memories and some not so fond. <grin>
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Old 02-19-21, 09:54 AM
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I just use old newspaper, maybe two layers thick. I mainly place it under the chain line, and tape the corners down with masking tape. The amount of drips from bicycle maintenance, mainly from the chain, gets absorbed by the paper before reaching the garage floor. Once every few months, I'll replace. The hardest part is finding newspaper these days.
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Old 02-19-21, 10:03 AM
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Lots of good suggestions already. For carpeting you can usually find rolls of old carpet or small pieces of new in the trash area of carpet stores. I use an old shower curtain but there are plenty of $ to $$$$ options such as rubber mats from industrial and restaurant suppliers, attachable garage floor tiles, etc. Home Depot has a good page on a whole bunch of different types of floor coverings to give you some ideas. Garage Flooring - Flooring - The Home Depot
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Old 02-20-21, 07:17 PM
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I like carpet because it catches the stray nut/washer that inevitably drops without them bouncing and getting lost.
Best, Ben
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Old 02-21-21, 01:18 AM
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Originally Posted by xiaoman1
I like carpet because it catches the stray nut/washer that inevitably drops without them bouncing and getting lost.
Best, Ben
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Old 02-21-21, 05:59 AM
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Thanks for the recommendations.

I ended up using a yoga mat. It’s about 24x72” and rolls up easily.
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Old 02-21-21, 11:20 AM
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Painter's canvas drop cloth from the Sherwin Williams store. They have lots of sizes and they are cheap. Also handy for covering the back seat when you want to transport your bike in your car.
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Old 02-21-21, 12:16 PM
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rubber mats are the best. clean up easily.
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Old 02-21-21, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Noonievut
I work on my bike in my unfinished basement--it's a concrete floor that is painted--and although I generally do not make much of a mess, and when I lube the chain I put a long rag down to catch any excess, I still want to protect the floor for when I'm using any chemicals or doing light cleaning. I guess a thin mat of some sort that doesn't let the fluids pass down to the concrete underneath would be good...but something I can remove when done as I walk in that area often. Any ideas...thanks!
what chemicals are you using on your bike?
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Old 02-21-21, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by coffeesnob
what chemicals are you using on your bike?
Just chain lube, and Triflow on the pivots now and then. And when I lube the chain I still have a rag to catch spills.
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Old 02-23-21, 07:05 PM
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If your local O'Reilly Auto parts store has them, these aluminum pans they sell are fantastic! Inexpensive, can be cleaned and if parts drop in them they don't fly over in a corner never to be found. I keep one under my Triumph TR-6 and one under my Park stand. They are about 36x25x3/4. Big enough to catch cleaners and oil and small enough that they don't get in the way.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b.../4379849?pos=2







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Old 02-23-21, 09:21 PM
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Get some scrap lumber and cut it into small pieces with a table saw to generate enough sawdust to create a generous floor covering layer. It will catch all oil spills, dropped washers, nuts and screws won't bounce away to places where you can't find them, also your knee joints will thank you.
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Old 02-23-21, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
Break down your cardboard Amazon boxes, lay out a couple when you get messy then trash them.
Bike shops cut up plenty of boxes. Grab 1 or 2 and you'll be set.
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Old 02-23-21, 09:48 PM
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I also, when spray lubing or degreasing, putting a piece of cardboard behind the area keeps the over spray from getting all over hell's creation.
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