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Thread: Over garage or in garage....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Western Maine
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    Over garage or in garage....

    I am working of making my woodshop...

    I have a 24x36 garage, that has attic trusses.

    I am about to decide weather to section of the back of the downstairs to make a 16x24 room to insulate and heat or try and finish in the upstairs.

    Upstairs is a bigger room, but only 7" or so ceilings vs 10, and insulating is complicated, downstairs would be smaller but high ceilings, and no floor load issues...

    the issue is it is strapped and metal roofed without decking so there would be condensation issues such that I cannot normally insulate with batts.



    downstairs




    so advice?

  2. #2
    I suggest using the attic for storage and the bottom floor for shop.
    _______________________________________
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Western Maine
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    I have to leave the front half for cars to keep the wife happy, Located in maine, so definatley would have to wall off the back, no sane way to heat the whole thing with slab and garage doors

  4. #4
    Is the wood floor built heavy enough to stand several machines weighing 4 to 700 lbs? Is the metal roofing screwed on so it could be taken off and the sheeting filled in solid and a layer of synthetic felt installed?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Western Maine
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    Yes floor load is a concern with upstairs, no heavy neander bench or large tools up there, and moving materials etc is a pain. Hate to waste the huge space though.

    What I am leaning towards is sectioning off the back of the garage, and maybe having table saw in the unheated front bay?

    I currently have smaller tools, and do not have a cabinet saw, planer, jointer etc yet.

  6. #6
    I would skip the upstairs and just use it for storage. Too many issues. 16x24 isnt a tiny space and you still have the unfinished section for breaking down sheet goods and raw material storage. I would be tempted to build the dividing wall with a huge sliding pocket door so you could line both sides with stuff.

    Looks like a nice space.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Carrollton, Georgia
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    I would separate my cutting and my routing / gluing / sanding / finishing operations. Is there easy stair access between the two ? If you kept your wood storage downstairs and did the main cutting operations there, carrying the sized pieces up the stairs to complete the work wouldn't be so much of a hassle.

    In other words, stake out as much space as you can early
    Last edited by Yonak Hawkins; 10-23-2014 at 11:06 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Western Maine
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    there is an outdoor stair, but I am considering building one inside, be a long one though as it is 12 feet (10 foot ceiling, 2' truss)

    I have been trying to think of a safe way of building a material lift, I have some crazy ideas about some garage door track and a winch.

    Assembly and finishing would definitely have to be downstairs.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Stace View Post
    I have been trying to think of a safe way of building a material lift, I have some crazy ideas about some garage door track and a winch.
    We have a firewood dumbwaiter that uses a winch. The tracking isn't as fancy as garage door track, though. It's just flat surfaces and wheels. ..But it isn't as long as a material lift would, likely, have to be.

    Assembly and finishing would definitely have to be downstairs.
    Why is that ?

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Location
    Bloomington, IL
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    Have it spray insulated.
    Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Stace View Post
    What I am leaning towards is sectioning off the back of the garage, and maybe having table saw in the unheated front bay?
    It's the way the space here is shaping up. No special measures for the area where the bulk of the machining happens. A section I can regulate better for all the reasons that's needed and up stairs for longer term storage.


    Still, I've been in a nice workshop setting where the bench work gets done in the upstairs, good light up there, with heavy machines and storage beneath.
    Last edited by ernest dubois; 10-24-2014 at 3:31 AM.

  12. #12
    The roof covering is unfortunate and I would also as mentioned remove it, improve it and put it back up there.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    South Coastal Massachusetts
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    Smaller shops are adequate for most any build, if you have a modular approach.
    The possibility to have a well-insulated space, where you can manage dust easily
    is really appealing. The preservation of a garage for parking cars clinches the deal for me.

    That way, when you really need more room for something large, you can move the cars.

    Flexibility is a good thing. Unless you're buying an aircraft carrier sized jointer, the attic is plenty.

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    Western Maine
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    i feel i would need an area downstairs as any project of size would be tough to move down assembled and it would need to be seperate and heated for any winter finishing

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Stace View Post
    i feel i would need an area downstairs as any project of size would be tough to move down assembled and it would need to be seperate and heated for any winter finishing
    If you plan to install a material lift, which would be a fun project, you could lower large, finished projects with it as well.

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