ESD flooring options.

[Rat_Patrol]

I have an area that is about 10 feet by 20 feet, with a wood floor.

I would like an ESD floor surface with shoe inserts to use instead of having to constantly move where my wrist grounding strap is connected to. Will be having the SMD assembly line in there.

Currently it has really thin commercial carpet, but that can be easily ripped out.

Best (cheap) options?

[MarkF]

I really like the Sierra ESD I bought for my workbench from ALL-Spec.

Maybe you can find a floor mat to suit your space:
   https://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Static-Control/Static-Control-Matting/ESD-Safe-Anti-Fatigue-Floor-Mats?pageSize=64&sort=0

[ogden]

There is no such thing as cheap ESD floor, especially if you want to meet electronics manufaturing standards and don't "DIY it yourself". For wood floor of small shop best option that I know - ESD vinyl tiles. If you can afford SMD assembly line, you definitely can afford proper ESD footwear. Forget about inserts, those are for tourists only.

[richnormand]

Used these in the past. Worked well and wear resistant.
https://staticstop.com/

They also had precut stuff on ebay at reasonable prices if you are lucky and find something near the dimensions you need.

[IconicPCB]

Cheapest solution is a squirt of hand spray gun filled with a solution of fabric softener all over the floor.

[Alex Eisenhut]

Also important to warn your cleaning service if your floor tiles have a special coating. I experienced that about 12 years ago, new ESD tiles installed, special coating applied, next day the shine was gone and it was the cleaner who scrupulously scrubbed it down.
It happened to me, it can happen to you!

[Rat_Patrol]

Also important to warn your cleaning service if your floor tiles have a special coating. I experienced that about 12 years ago, new ESD tiles installed, special coating applied, next day the shine was gone and it was the cleaner who scrupulously scrubbed it down.
It happened to me, it can happen to you!

Good point!

[ogden]

Cheapest solution is a squirt of hand spray gun filled with a solution of fabric softener all over the floor.

Fabric softener as dissipative ESD floor?  Do not forget to wear grounded tinfoil hat and led underwear 

[Feynman]

Floor puzzles like these work totally fine and you can install them on your own: https://shop.warmbier.com/en/ecostatr-cf-puzzle-8-5-interlocking-469-x-469-mm.html
Just make sure the resistance to your grounding point (most likely protective earth) is within your requirements. You can buy some fairly cheap high-impedance measurement equipment to get an idea or let a professional measure your floor with proper calibrated and standard compliant test gear. Maybe even your wood floor has a low enough impedance to ground.

And get yourself some decent ESD qualified shoes instead of that insert crap
But remember: When you are sitting, you'll still need the wrist strap.

[Reckless]

This may not be cheapest but its highly recommended by me from experience.  ESD epoxy but a very thick layer of it in bright grey/light silver color.  It should be pretty cheap to cover 20'x10' area (might be cheapest solution as 5 gallons should be enough).  Before I bought my building previous owners spent $30k to cover the entire 18k sqft production floor with thick glossy coating.  Super nice and perfect for our use, just expensive to maintain.  Much nicer looking and feeling than ESD tiles.  We have never had static issues and we all wear sneakers and dont bother with wrist grounding. 

[SMTech]

ESD epoxy is what we have, there's a a black layer underneath (high carbon?) copper strips are embedded in that to earth bonding points and then a hardwearing colorful layer is applied on top. Staff then need to wear heel straps or ESD footwear, and those seated should probably wear a wrist strap as well as using ESD chairs just for belt 'n braces as feet may not be touching the floor.

We have had an issue similar to description above with polishing except the polishing didn't damage the floor, it added a rather tough non conductive layer on top which needed removing. I would still use tiles or mats around anywhere you might have things like wire cropping and wheelie chairs if only to protect your epoxy floor.

[Reckless]

Most esd epoxies are dark colored, I have found that there are differences in technologies with different manufacturers.  I personally like the one we have as it makes our work enviornment feel more positive and pleasant with bright glossy floor.  Also easy to spot something dark if it falls on floor.  I don't remember the details what makes ours so different but I know gloss was part of it. 

[IconicPCB]

Ogden,

I shall leave the fancy regalia to You young friend.
What do you think makes the fabric softener into an anti cling product?

[Bassman59]

Cheapest solution is a squirt of hand spray gun filled with a solution of fabric softener all over the floor.

Fabric softener as dissipative ESD floor?  Do not forget to wear grounded tinfoil hat and underwear 

"Staticide" and its various competitors are basically that -- a solution of basically fabric softener that you spray on your carpets. The active element, as such, is a conductive polymer. Spray the stuff on your carpet, and when the water evaporates, the conductive polymer remains. Static electricity can't build up on a conductor, of course. You have to regularly re-apply because of wear and tear, but it really works. We use it here in the Sonoran Desert, where relative humidity is often measured in single digits.

It's better to have a static-dissipative surface to begin with -- like the ESD tiles mentioned above. When these tiles were installed in our building, the bosses made it clear to the cleaning crew "DO NOT POLISH!" Carpets made from anti-static materials are smart, too. The bottom layer of the carpet under my chair is conductive and is attached to the mains safety ground through a copper foil that runs up the wall to outlets.

[ogden]

"Staticide" and its various competitors are basically that -- a solution of basically fabric softener that you spray on your carpets. The active element, as such, is a conductive polymer. Spray the stuff on your carpet, and when the water evaporates, the conductive polymer remains. Static electricity can't build up on a conductor, of course. You have to regularly re-apply because of wear and tear, but it really works. We use it here in the Sonoran Desert, where relative humidity is often measured in single digits.

It's better to have a static-dissipative surface to begin with -- like the ESD tiles mentioned above. When these tiles were installed in our building, the bosses made it clear to the cleaning crew "DO NOT POLISH!" Carpets made from anti-static materials are smart, too. The bottom layer of the carpet under my chair is conductive and is attached to the mains safety ground through a copper foil that runs up the wall to outlets.

When cleaning service is able to destroy your "ESD floor" in one sweep, it can't be considered as ESD floor.

[Alex Eisenhut]

When cleaning service is able to destroy your "ESD floor" in one sweep, it can't be considered as ESD floor.

  When scissors are able to destroy an ESD mat in one cut, it can't be considered an ESD mat.

[ogden]

OP, better implement conforming (to some standard) solution otherwise you won't even know - fabric softener idea suggested by random clueless kid does anything regarding ESD or not.

The norm values for SD and EC floorcoverings are laid down in EN 14041. The flooring is static dissipative if the vertical resistance (R1) is ≤ 1x10^9 Ω. Conductive flooring must have a vertical resistance value of ≤ 1x10^6 Ω.

IEC 61340-4-1 also requires <1x10^9 Ω resistance.

[IconicPCB]

Omnia mea mecum porto

Random Clueless Kid

[GerardG]

These PVC tiles can be used. Made with metal particles in the PVC.

https://printtec.nl/contents/en-uk/p3297_ESD-PVC-interlocking-floor-tile-dark-grey.html

[DIYGUY Chris]

Again, another ESD Topic without specifications, considering the description that you wrote I believe that you are willing to bring some ESD Protective tools to just satisfy some CSR (Customer Specific Requirements) or you just want to tell yourself "Ok I'm safe"!
It is not about the cheapest solution but the most efficient one, you didn't mentioned what are the ESD sensitive parts that you are dealing with and what ESD Classification you want to reach to build your ESD Control plan which is kinda basic thing, you have mentioned a "wrist strap" ! I hope that it is not the model that I think about.
Maybe you want to read more important details here : https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/esd-classifications

[Rat_Patrol]

I'm frequently dealing with old ASICs that have no datasheet or known rating. I have no idea of their susceptibility, so we are going with a general electronics repair shop level of grounding, so far it is working fine. We run ESD mats along the benches and we clip in with wrist grounding straps.

In the new PnP room, I'm looking for more freedom of movement than wrist straps, thus the topic.

[DIYGUY Chris]

If you do have a ESD protected floor then I can give you reference to an ESD protective tool that you can wear on your shoes and it will be touching your skin and discharged trough the floor, which will give more freedom on your workspace but keep in mind that this is not suitable for long working hours (maximum 7 hours) because the body will be in a continuous discharging cycle which make you feel tired by the end of the day.
I don't have the exact reference to it now because we are using it in our factory and since I'm impacted by the virus so I have to wait until Wednesday to check the reference when I get back to work.

[ogden]

this is not suitable for long working hours (maximum 7 hours) because the body will be in a continuous discharging cycle which make you feel tired by the end of the day.

Utter BS. Bare foot on the beach or meadow you are in a continuous discharge cycle as well. As I already said - unless you are tourist in electronics assembly shop/lab, you need proper ESD footwear. Anybody who can afford PnP machine, can afford 100$ shoes:

https://www.uvex-safety.com/en/products/safety-shoes/?f=1726
https://www.staticsafe.co.uk/product-category/esd-footwear-and-clothing/esd-footwear/