Lightweight subfloor

[jjkoolman]

I'm in the process of a building a new house and will be putting my sim in the third stall of my garage and am thinking of building a lightweight subfloor to be able to use a winch to raise and lower i and looking for opinions. What do you guys think of this as an option for a subfloor to keep weight down - https://www.berryhilldrip.com/24-x-4...d-Nursery.html it is used for greenhouse benches and only weighs 5 lbs per 8sq ft. I'll need about 192 sq ft, plus 2x2's for strength. I also have radiant heat under the floor so am thinking the holes in the benchtops will help let heat up through the subfloor. Just looking to see if anyone had any other ideas for a lightweight sturdy subfloor instead of OSB.

[huettl224]

I'm curious if you ever found a solution to this? I live in MN, and the winters make for a dirty garage.

[jjkoolman]

@huettle224 - I live in SD and have the same issue with dirty garage. My new home will be done in about a month and I'm going to try using the greenhouse benchtops as a substitute for plywood and see if I can keep the weight down where I'll be able to easily use a winch for a 16'x14' subfloor. I'll keep you posted.

[Supraracer]

I did what you want to do and my winch has no problem lifting it covered with 3/4 cdx. Platform is 12x16 but part that folds up is 10x16. Winch is harbor freight ac winch. Framed 2x4 on edge 16” oc then plywood.

[jjkoolman]

Supraracer - thanks for the reassurance that 2x4's and plywood would be ok. Do you happen to have any pics or anything of your setup? Thanks!

[Supraracer]

Here are a few. I will take some more tonight on the winch and the pulleys I used. I didn't take many photos. You can see the hinges in the photo with the course on it. I am waiting for my turf samples.

[jjkoolman]

That is awesome! Pretty much exactly what I'm looking to do. How big of a winch did you go with? How did you anchor the winch on the wall? I appreciate the pics very much, very helpful to see what I'm visualizing in my mind. Thank you

[Supraracer]

I used this winch. https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-l...nch-96127.html. I bolted it to the top left corner of the framed screen with sone 1" x 1" square tubing from Home Depot. I used snatch blocks anchored to the corners of the platform with the winch cable running around them to the top right corner of the frame. I will take a few detailed pics for you tonight when I get home.

[Supraracer]

[sjdroess]

How do you have the winch mounted? Do you also have extra cable around both sides or is the winch just lifting up the one side?

Either or...very impressive design.

[Supraracer]

I use 2 of these https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...3047/206939537 and bolt the winch mount to them in parallel. Then I bolt the square tube to the ceiling joist allowing the winch to hang from it. The cable of the winch (which I had to put a longer cable in it) goes from the top left corner of the screen, to outer left snatch block, to right corner snatch block of platform, thru to the top right corner of screen where another one of the square tubes spans between 3 ceiling joist. It is one continuous cable. The other cables with the turnbuckles are just for the overhead ceiling guard. The cable lifts by pulling around the whole perimeter and snatch blocks. In one of the pics, I lifted the platform a little so you can see it lift.

[jjkoolman]

That is awesome and pretty much exactly what I'm looking to do. Thank you so much for the pictures! What is the extra cable that is attached with the turnbuckles for?

[Supraracer]

There are a few minor things I would do differently, so PM me when you get ready and I can talk to you about it. Save you some trial and error.

[jjkoolman]

Thanks! I appreciate that.. It will probably be another month or 2 since they are finishing up the house build in about a month so after the dust settles i'll be able to get started on my sim build/rebuild. I appreciate the help.

[huettl224]

Supraracer - this is awesome! I'm with jjkoolman, very similar to what I have been imagining in my head! Thanks for the photos and the links your provided!