Building a garage shop. Few concerns.

[Tim Phllips]

Hi Guys,

Looking for a little advice on building a stand alone garage for a shop. I have always had my shop in a basement and had a couple of concerns on moving to a new garage.

Garage right now is planned to be a 24x24 double with insulation. Live in ohio, so it can get a little muggy. Was worried about getting rust on cast iron tops, leaving lumber in garage, etc. Also how I could go about heating it without causing issues with those 2 things as well.

Anything else I should know or do when building a new structure for the shop?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks

[Randy Dutkiewicz]

Tim,

A garage shop has alot of advantages that a basement does not (or at least excels in). For instance, it is simple to move large machinery into a garage, but moving a 500+ lb machine down a set of stairs can be a real challenge for the strongest of folks. Also, a garage makes it simple to blow out dust during clean-up, as opposed to it being sucked into the HVAC system - unless you have made arrangements to prevent such a thing. I have a cyclone in my garage, but that is a personal choice and wouldn't be without it. In a basement, it's really a "necessity" in order to capture all the fine dust.
My advice for your garage workshop would be (not necessarily in this order):
1. Make sure you have at least one window. This will provide you a spot to mount a window A/C system duirng those hot months.
2. Make sure you run plenty of 220V circuitry. You can never have enough outlets, but you'll find that the bigger and better machinery will require dedicated 220 volt circuits.
3. For winter months, you can purchase a Dayton 220v heater. There are many posts on this site that describe this heater.
4. Insulate, insulate, insulate! This will (hands down) be one of the best investments you can make when building a shop. It will make sure the warm stays warm, and the cool stays cool. Otherwise you'll just be wasting energy and money! Don't skimp here.
5. One of the BEST things you can have in your workshop (garage or basement) is a dehumidifier. Without it, you take a huge chance of your expensive machinery rusting - despite the amount of effort you put into keeping (as you stated) the humidity at bay. Again, I'd be LOST without my dehumidifier.
6. Lastly, and this goes hand in hand with the dehumidifier, is (again, in my opinion) Johnson's Paste Wax. Make sure you keep your machinery coated with the wax and it'll give you many years of enjoyment!

Obviously, I haven't captured "everything" here, and to be realistic the list of things can become lengthy and expensive, but this is what has worked for me over the years (as I work in a garage workshop in Savannah, GA). I only wish I had a window in my garage - but I don't, so I had to improvise for the cool air. I am sure others in this great forum will give additional suggestions - all of which I'm positive will be nothing short of fantastic!

Randy

[Don Bullock]

A stand alone garage/shop is what I currently have. Randy has started you out with a good list. Based on my experience with both basement and garage shops, humidity is far more of a concern in basements than in an above ground building. Randy mentioned a window to put an AC unit in. When I do get the funds for an AC it will go in the wall. It's very easy to cut an opening almost anywhere in a stand alone building to mount an AC unit. My windows are necessary for light plus they provide a great view of the local hills. I also have windows in my "garage door" and just added some to my two "walk-in doors." The added light is very helpful during the day. Due to building code issues (don't ask -- sore subject), I don't have skylights. They are one thing that can be added to an above ground shop that add a lot of natural light that you can't get as easily in a basement. For nighttime use you'll need adequate lighting. There are many threads on this forum that discuss chop lighting. If possible go with 10' ceilings, especially if your lights hang below the ceiling as most do.

[Larry Frank]

I almost hate to mention this. However, I would build in some type of security and heat/smoke alarm system. Tools especially the smaller ones make a good target for a thief. I just added on to my current garage and went without windows to increase security. I would have rather had some natural light but they are just too easy to break into. Another security comment would be that if you have the garage doors open in the nice weather, everyone may be able to see what you have in your shop.

I guess that I am more than a little paranoid but I really like my tools and do not want someone else to grab them.

[Don Bullock]

... I would build in some type of security and heat/smoke alarm system. Tools especially the smaller ones make a good target for a thief. I just added on to my current garage and went without windows to increase security. I would have rather had some natural light but they are just too easy to break into. Another security comment would be that if you have the garage doors open in the nice weather, everyone may be able to see what you have in your shop.

I guess that I am more than a little paranoid but I really like my tools and do not want someone else to grab them.

Larry, you do make a good point and I don't think you're at all paranoid.

There isn't a security system made that will prevent theft. Yes, they may slow them down, but if they want what you have they'll find a way to get it. The same can be said for doors on your shop. They are very easy to break through no matter what kind on lock you have. As for my windows, yes, they do allow someone to see what is inside my shop. If they get that close the chances are that they already plan to find a way to take what I have. Speaking as someone who has had our home burglarized (a different one from where we live now) I can tell you that it isn't a very pleasant experience. In the end, however, what was taken were only things. Fortunately our dogs were OK and they didn't attack me when I got home sooner than they must have expected. Instead they exited out the back while I was cautiously entering the house through the garage. In our current home the shop/garage is a separate building and the only part of our property that isn't behind locked gates. I'm sure that it would be the first and hopefully only target for burglars. My tools can be replaced, but my family including our dogs can't. The light, convince and the enjoyment of the view from the windows installed in my shop far outweigh the threat of my things being stolen. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't have some security measures in place for the shop. It just means that I don't fully rely on them.

[Don Jarvie]

Can you make the shop bigger? I have 20x20 and I would have like to have it 10ft longer, 20x30. I have plently of room but could use more room for wood though. I keep some of my longer wood supply in my basement and it can be a pain moving it out.

I live 1/4 mile from the ocean and don't have an issue with rust. I hit the bare cast iron with paste wax regularly and that seems to do the trick.

I insulated everything and have the Dayton heater that works well. I don't leave it running unattended but with the insulation it holds the heat long enough for glue and finishes to dry. No AC but I put in a ceiling fan which helps in the summer. If you can have a gas line run it will provide better heat and probably be more efficient. It would cost me too much to have gas run so electric it is.

As for security, I put mini blinds on the 2 windows and 4 doors (carriage style) and the side that doesn't open I put a padlock inside also. My shop is 20ft from my house so I would hear something, but hopefully I won't. No fire alarm since by the time I heard it it would be too late anyways so I upped my insurance to cover the cost of replacing the shop if there was a fire or one of the neighbors trees (which I am more concerned about) should fall and take it out.

Run at least 60 amps if not more and use a full panel instead of a subpanel so you have more slots to run lines. I run my panel off my house panel so I can kill the power from the house if need be.

Sounds like you have a good plan.

[David Prince]

10 foot minimum on the ceilings. 12 is better.

You can always put just enough welded iron on the inside of the windows to keep a prowler from crawling through. Blinds could be used to close it up when you are away so that others cannot see what is inside.

[David Nelson1]

If you have no restriction for placement, face the shop so you get good light year round.

As for windows place them high enough that they won't interfere with any wall requirements.

Actually before you build look @ the what you have already, what you would like to acquire, and what makes more sense for the kind of projects that you do now or may want to take on later.

Cost is huge driver. I have found that its cheaper to build it once than trying to add on later so build large enough so you do have some room to grow. Good luck with that one. all the shops I have had even the 4500 Sf warehouse space I had got to small in a few months LOL.

Everyone has talked about electric. Don't sell yourself short here. I didn't install my wiring in the walls because I wanted the option of changing things as requirement change. If you can run dedicated power to the shop with its own meter. This will stop the why is the bill so high argument. The only draw back with the separate meters is they may consider your shop commercial. Those rates are not cheap so ask up front.

Good luck looking forward to seeing your progress.

[Bob Winkler]

Lots of good ideas here, many of which I agree with. I have a 24x30' standalone "garage" which is my shop. It also has a 16x30' second floor with 12' dormer which adds lots of storage and potential future space. Here are some additional thoughts:

- I'm in CT and the Dayton heater works great because I used 2x6 walls with foam insulation. It's very tight and the Dayton is cheap and keeps the shop at 55° (settable using an remote thermostat).
- I use a window AC on each floor in summer, but again the insulation helps a lot
- Windows are nice- I have 4 on each floor
- I wish I built with only 1 garage door instead of 2. I have since disabled one by removing the overhead track. One is enough.
- I added an internal wall 10' in from the overhead doors. This partition wall has a 5' french door which seals well and allows easy access. It aligns with the working overhead door. This way, I don't heat/cool this small room which I use for lumber and other storage.
- painted sheetrock on all walls makes it bright and is cheap. My partition wall has 1/2" plywood under the sheetrock for strength because I added shelves for lumber storage
- my 10' ceilings are great and highly recommended
- The heated shop space will get 1" rigid foam, plywood, and oak flooring as soon as funds and time permits
- I prewired the windows and doors for sensors prior to foam insulation for the future security system
- I prewired for phone, cable, and extra wires to startegic points throughout the shop
- I added wiring for ceiling fans and a second lighting circuit in the ceiling

Hope this triggers some ideas

Bob

[Bryan Rocker]

Tim, my shop is my garage which I also share with 2 SUVs in the winter, well sometimes, anyway. I find that as long as I hit the cast iron with Johnsons paste wax that rust is not an issue. My garage is insulated, not well but the little 220v 4K heater works great. Where in OH are you building? I ahve found that I am limited to 1/2 the size of my house. I am looking to build a 20 x 32-36, depending on what the zoning committee approves.......

[Tad Capar]

Don't forget to get a good garage doors. Clopay 9200 series are excellent, 2" thick with R value of 17.2, also get insulated glass for their windows ( can even get them in obscure glass ) Now you can get them trough Home Depot if you want.

[Joe A Faulkner]

I'm not sure how old you are, but on average, most of us suffer some eye sight loss in the post 40 years. I have a 20x20 building and put in three sky lights. I love the natural light they bring into the building. You do not want sky lights on a south facing slope.

An alternative to the Dayton heater, are the free standing "oil filled" radiator style electric heaters. I have two 1,500 watt models in my shop and this past winter in North central Indiana, set on low, they maintained the building at 50 degrees, and could bring it up to 70 within an hour or so. The bill for the coldest month was about $3 per day.

As others have said, insulate, and caulk.

I strongly urge you to make a list of all of the power tools you hope to ever acquire and play around with a layout. You might then decide to make the building a little larger or you may convince yourself that your planned size will fit the bill in the long run. Good luck.