CompleteStreets

I have a portable bicycle repair stand and I plan to use it occasionally in my apartment which has hard-wood floors. I want to avoid dirtying or damaging the floor. The area I'll be doing repairs in is a common area, so I'm not looking for a permanent setup; more of a way to temporarily cover the floor whenever I want to fix my bikes.

What would you recommend I use to protect the floor? I want something relatively cheap and simple. So far I'm considering either a tarp or the type of canvas sheet that interior painters use. Thanks for the input.

HillRider

One of those fiber reinforced plastic tarps is probably the best protection. They are strong and very tear resistant and, most important, spill proof. Painter's drop clothes, if truly cloth not thin plastic, are strong enough but not water or oil proof and you want to keep the grease and oil off the floor.

cruiserhead

flatten out really large cardboard boxes and tape edges with blue painters tape

The cardboard acts as cushion, absorbs minor spills and you can avoid gouging or scratching the wood.
it's also not slippery if you drop oil on it.
It's also cheap/free so you can replace easily/frequently

If you're worried about heavy spills, just put plastic sheet under the cardboard.

dedhed

Old piece of carpet over cardboard. When you're done roll up the carpet and pick up the cardboard. Both store in minimum space.

FBinNY 

A section of cheap indoor/outdoor carpet. These are usually water proof so protect from spills, and can be taken outdoors and hosed down. Otherwise scrap cardboard, or a cloth tarp.

If you can find a cheap rubber exercise mat, that makes a great alternative.

KC8QVO

Keep in mind, any cloth or tarp solution is not going to protect from impacts (if you drop a tool, etc).

Check the hardware store for "visqueen" sheet - it usually comes on a roll. This will be pretty tough - note that it comes in different thicknesses. I think 6mil is pretty common, but you should be able to find up to 8 or 10mil. Thicker = stronger. This will protect from spills and will probably hold better than a cheap $5-10 poly tarp. Line the floor with cardboard or carpet, visqueen sheet over top, stand and tools on top of that.

FastJake

Just get a rug. My apartment has white carpet so I put down a large rectangular rug in my work area to protect against stains/spills. I simply vacuum it like everything else. Unless you plan on dumping large quantities of oil or other chemicals on it a normal carpeted rug should be just fine.

Any sort of tarp/canvas/plastic sheet will be a pain, especially on hardwood. It will be sliding around and get caught up on everything like your shoes, bike stand, etc.

CompleteStreets

Good point! Thanks for the help everyone. I'm thinking I'll get a junk rug that I can roll up and stick in a closet. I'm going to try www.freecycle.org to see if I can get one for free.

Any recommendations on what a good size would be? I'm thinking maybe 4'x6' or 6'x6'

rpenmanparker 

In case you can't find Visqueen, which is a fairly obsolete brand name and peculiar to Great Britain, just look for "polyethylene". Same thing.

fietsbob

Cheap rubber backed plastic fiber throw rugs .. I'd say size depends on how messy you are

KC8QVO

I would go bigger than 6x6 if you can. 6' square isn't going to give you much walk around room on the sides. It will work, though. Maybe 6x8. With the bike centered that will give you about 2.5 feet on either side overlap then some overlap front and back. Or, if you work on one side of the bike at a time having the stand on one side of the rug would give you more coverage on the side you are working on. All up to you and how you want to do it.

GravelMN

Butyl rubber mats are extremely durable and chemical resistant but some can leave black marks if left in place for an extended period on a wooden or tile floor.

evrythngsgngrn

How about some of these:


Multy Home | Step Floor, Assorted, 24 Inch x 24 Inch | Home Depot Canada

Then you can pull them apart and put them into the closet with your stand, and you can make it as big as you need or as small as you need by adding squares.