Kiln flooring

[elle]

I thought I posted this before but can't find it - please excuse me if I am repeating myself.

I just purchased a home that has a great main floor studio area. The problem is the previous owner was a quilter and the floor has wonderful new w/w berber carpeting. The subflooring is cement though. I thought about having tile layed but can't swing it right now, but I really would hate to pull up the carpet. Was thinking of placing tiles in the areas under my kilns, but on top of the carpet, as I think firing the kilns on the carpet would not be too safe. Any suggestions? Thanks ~Elle

[Cynthia]

Once upon a time I was workining out of a retail / commercial space that had a low pile carpet on cement. I went to Home Depot or Lowes (can't remember) and bought 12" square tiles on a close out, layed them out where the kilns would go and put the kiln stands and kilns on the tiles over the carpet. worked just fine except that it was a bit of a bugger to level the larger kiln, which might have been difficult regardless. In hindsight I might have put down cement board as an option, but it wouldn't have held up to the weight of the large kiln. the tile did break under the weight, but still created the heat and fire barrier I was looking for between the carpet and the kilns...I would expect that cement board or tiles should work for you, just be sure to level the kiln once it's placed.

[Bert Weiss]

I thought I posted this before but can't find it - please excuse me if I am repeating myself.

I just purchased a home that has a great main floor studio area. The problem is the previous owner was a quilter and the floor has wonderful new w/w berber carpeting. The subflooring is cement though. I thought about having tile layed but can't swing it right now, but I really would hate to pull up the carpet. Was thinking of placing tiles in the areas under my kilns, but on top of the carpet, as I think firing the kilns on the carpet would not be too safe. Any suggestions? Thanks ~Elle

Elle

I would set your kiln on top of cement blocks placed on the carpet. I would get the hollow ones and place them with the hollow side facing the walls (not the floor)

[Susan Wright]

You might get a sheet of 3/4 plywood, cover the bottom with a carpet scrap in a similar color as the berber (to avoid any color transfer possibility) and tile the top to place the kilns on. This will help in keeping the carpet clean and give a non flamable surface top side. If you make it big enough, you can have a dirty work station there to give you a spill area. It will also disperse the weight of the kiln over a larger area and cut down on deep footprints from the kiln.

Susan W

[Cliff Swanson]

My Jen-Ken 24x11 sits atop cemment backer board layed on top of carpeting. I cut the backer board so that it's perimeter extends a couple of feet beyond that of the kiln, and I doubled the thickness directly under the kiln stand hoping to prevent cracking. It works fine, no cracks, and the cats like laying on it.

[Don Burt]

I thought I posted this before but can't find it - please excuse me if I am repeating myself.

I just purchased a home that has a great main floor studio area. The problem is the previous owner was a quilter and the floor has wonderful new w/w berber carpeting. The subflooring is cement though. I thought about having tile layed but can't swing it right now, but I really would hate to pull up the carpet. Was thinking of placing tiles in the areas under my kilns, but on top of the carpet, as I think firing the kilns on the carpet would not be too safe. Any suggestions? Thanks ~Elle

Cmon, pull the carpet up. You work with glass, kiln-wash, plaster, spray, god knows what else. You probably drink red wine. Pull the carpet up, roll it, and sell it. You won't have to worry about it anymore.

[elle]

Thanks, guys!!!
I like the idea of laying down a solid flooring and then putting the tiles on top of it. Sounds like it makes it easier to level the kilns. Hey, if it doesn't work out after a while, I can just pull everything up and lay down new tile everywhere!! ~Elle

[charlie]

You might get a sheet of 3/4 plywood, cover the bottom with a carpet scrap in a similar color as the berber (to avoid any color transfer possibility) and tile the top to place the kilns on. This will help in keeping the carpet clean and give a non flamable surface top side. If you make it big enough, you can have a dirty work station there to give you a spill area. It will also disperse the weight of the kiln over a larger area and cut down on deep footprints from the kiln.

Susan W

this won't work. when the plywood flexes the tiles will pop off. if grouted, the grout will crack and crumble.

you'd have to build a raised floor, or a torsion box, which wouldn't flex.