hello everyone tonight
great discussion, and one that one needs to ponder somewhat
this is my take
up until the 20th century there was virtually little or no concrete at least as we know it so-----
what were the floors made up of----well--surprisingly a clay surface --no stones--compacted and leveled--just a great healthy environment to work on just like outdoors
when you think about it 99% of hewing took place in a special outdoor area with about 6" of topsoil to protect the tools
a small section could be floored--if it is an area like the one you have utilizing t&g flooring place on top of bedded timbers
I personnaly have worked, hewed and timberframed in a variety of areas-- wood floors--2" flooring on joists,--threshing barn floors--again a wood floor, of about 2.5" in thickness-slip tongued- placed over timber, also on cement shop floors, my preference is outside under a nice tree.
I have applied a wood floor structure over cement--worked well--and nice to work on,
The cement floor has its good and bad points, nice to clean up for sure, not a good environment for sharp tools, and will take heavy loads
wood floors--well the nail heads a sore point--also not a nice environment for sharp tools--this can be avoided by using wood pins as a holding medium or hidden nails
in summary though I will admit that I worked many winters in heated areas that had wood floors covering a wide spectrum of joists, timbers--a lot of threshing floors--great areas--but for my money I like the outdoors and ground covered with chips, if the weather is favourable
like the subject
Richard
NH