Garage Floor Not Level

[LarryT]

Hi Guys,

I'm seriously moving towards a power rack, etc at home. Like most garages, my garage floor has a slight grade of about 3 inches from front to back spread over approximatelt 20 feet. It doesn't sound like much, but that equals about a quarter of an inch every 3 feet. No matter how I orient the rack for squats, I won't be level, especially if I put the rack along one of the side walls.

What have you done to address this?

Thanks.

[lovestolift]

Seems like the only option is to find a way to level the floor. If you use shims they may not handle the weight. You may need to build a lifting platform which may also be used for power cleans later on. You'll simply have to build it on an angle to compensate for the grade. Make sure the top is level and you'll be good.
Here are some plans: http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=152

[silentbob]

If you can get hold of some steel plate to use as shims, it should be okay. Hell, I balance 11-tons of steel on shims every day! If you can, bolt the rack down though to make sure it's not going to move / get knocked off the shims.

[lovestolift]

Good point silentbob, I wish I had though of that. You could even weld the shims in place. That may require you calling a welder, if you don't have a machine/technical know-how, but you could probably find someone to do it rather cheaply.

[sean]

Same situation. I have my rack in the middle of the floor, pullup bar facing the decline. I squat facing the decline and do deadlifts/presses facing the incline.

As long as you are lifting with the slope, and not perpendicular to it, you should be fine.

[Dada]

Same situation. I have my rack in the middle of the floor, pullup bar facing the decline. I squat facing the decline and do deadlifts/presses facing the incline.

As long as you are lifting with the slope, and not perpendicular to it, you should be fine.

This makes sense to me. Although it means that I need to move my rack and bench yet again. grrr

[RobertN]

Or use bolts through the bottom rails (if your cage has them) to use as leveling bolts. Use something fairly large like 3/4" or 1" bolts, and maybe even Grade 8. Run the bolt up through the bottom on the two lowest corners, with a nut on the bottom side of the rail and one on the top side. Adjust each bolt holding the bottom nut in place until the whole cage is level, then tighten the top nut to keep everything there.

[LarryT]

Or use bolts through the bottom rails (if your cage has them) to use as leveling bolts. Use something fairly large like 3/4" or 1" bolts, and maybe even Grade 8. Run the bolt up through the bottom on the two lowest corners, with a nut on the bottom side of the rail and one on the top side. Adjust each bolt holding the bottom nut in place until the whole cage is level, then tighten the top nut to keep everything there.

I'm not as concerned about the rack being level as I am concerned about squatting, deadlifting, benching, etc on a sloped floor. I've searched the net but haven't found much about the subject of lifting on a slight slope (1/10th inch per foot). Maybe I need to build an 8x8 platform to neutralize the slope.

[RobertN]

Oops, sorry! I built metal things for a living, so that is right where my brain went to! LOL