Things you would have done different when Constructing your Shop

[Art Mulder]

I've never built my own shop, but I still enjoy reading these sort of threads, for the ideas that they give me to work into my own existing basement shop.

Hank, personally, I'd advise you to ignore the people who say "twice as big!" and the like. First, I suspect that most everyone who builds a shop is already stretching themselves financially to do so. Doubling the square footage isn't usually a realistic option. Second, the more I hang out in woodworking forums, the more I realize that shops are just like money. (No matter how much you have, when asked "How much do you need?" The answer is the same: "Just a bit more")

What I would like to see more of, are suggestions that save money, or don't cost much, or ways that I can even *reduce* the space required.

For instance, on another web forum I read a really good suggestion regarding lighting: This fellow built a shop, and realized that he would probably rearrange his shop in the future, so was trying to figure out what to do with his lighting. What he did was run two circuits of switched outlets down the center of his ceiling, and wired a cord to each of his fluorescent fixutures which he plugged into a nearby ceiling outlet. Now he can move his lighting around very easily, and the cost difference was minimal.

[John Bailey]

I would agree with Art on this one. I'm still working on my shop. I had plans to build a 24X40 shop because I had a project that was going to take that size shop. That would mean equiping, heating and maintaining that size shop. Everything would cost more and take more time maintaining it the rest of my life. I gave a realistic look and assessment of what I really needed. I can put up a temporary structure for that one time project. I decided on a 20x20 shop and I think I'm going to be happy with that decision. Less time and money on maintaining and more time and money on woodworking.

John

[Larry Fox]

I agree with most of the posters that space, space and more space. Mine is 2 bays of a 3-car garage and it is really tight in there if working on a project of any size. Second, and Hank mentions this above, is no concreate floors. My knees are not so good and I find that the concrete fatigues my knees and legs. In-floor heat would be nice too but now I am dreaming. I to like the idea of seperating the shop from the house for all the reasons already mentioned. Additional lumber storage would be nice. I have flouresant (sp?) lights but would prefer to work under natural light whenever possible.

[Larry Copas]

Always a balance between money and desire...I could think of lot’s of things I would like to have if money was unlimited. Given that constraint the only thing I would have paid extra for is a hot water heating system in my slab.

[Steve Clardy]

Put in office space farther back into the shop. It's at the front entry door.
Winter time, all the snow, mud, etc. gets tracked right in. Door opens, office cools off.
Finished all the insulation before I moved in.
Put in a floor heating system, hot water produced from current wood stove.
All my duct work is under concrete. Made the main runs 8" instead of 6".
Made all the legs 6" instead of 4".

[Travis Porter]

I am a hobbyist so I wanted my mess at home. I built a 24 x 32 detached shop with 1 set of french doors and 4 windows on a slab. I had the shell built to match my house and did all the finishing, wiring, etc. myself. Subbed out having forced heat/air installed and that was a big plus.

Regrets

I wish I had planned and put dust collection and electrical in the slab. That may not have worked out as I did lay the shop out in advance, but now I am rearranging......

The roof is 12/12 pitch and I had water seepage under the door when it rained I installed gutters, but I am now again getting some seepage. I do not think the builder caulked the bottom of the door. My regret is if you have a slab the sidewalk/walkway should be a couple of inches below the slab of the structure.

[Larry Browning]

Always put in a toilet, sink, and maybe even a shower. I cannot imagine not having a toilet, and sink in my shop. The sink is used on almost every project I do. Even if it's just used to dampen a rag to wipe off glue. If I didn't have the sink I would have to go up to the house just to dampen a rag. What a major hastle that would be. And having the toilet is pretty self explainitory.

[Eddie Watkins]

My shop is 24 x 30 with a third being 8' tall and rest 10'. I like John Bailey's comment about the extra cost of heating and cooling, if you choose, goes up with extra space. It makes you think about how big do you really want a shop. Given the choice, I would increase the height to 10' everywhere before I would add to the length or width. I would also add a room to be able to separate the compressor and dust collector from the rest of the shop. I originally wired 2 220 plugs and now have 4 and am planning on adding another so I should have added more 220s originally. The things I have that run 220 are table saw, planer, dust collector, lathe, and air conditioner. I have 6 8' T8 4 bulb flourescent fixtures and plan on adding three more. The light is pretty good, I just want it better.

[aaron allen]

Twice as big and twice as tall ?? How are you going to heat this thing?? Those infared heat tube devices that heat items not the air, stay away from those. They are tempting given their cheaper install and lower gas usage but they shrink laminates and affect the fit of joinery and cab. doors after assembled. Give thought to controlling the humidity.

Keep the finishing area as separate as possible. Self explanatory I assume.

Lastly construct a compressor room to keep noise to a min. A shop I worked in made a small room just big enough for a vert comp., dryer and a future 60 gallon tank. The walls were cinder blocks with sand filling the cavity each layer. steel insulated door and we hardly heard that thing.

[Art Mulder]

If I didn't have the sink I would have to go up to the house just to dampen a rag. What a major hastle that would be.

Larry, that is an easy one. I just keep an old dish detergent bottle of water on the shelf. any time I want to dampen a rag, just pop the top and squirt out a bit. A few old yogurt cups sit beside it. Squirt in a bit more, and I have enough water for soaking a glue swab/brush after use. (saves having to run up the stairs from the basement)

Sure, a toilet would be nice, but from what I gather, adding plumbing to a free-standing building is a HUGE expense.

[Jim Kountz]

Taller, for sure. I have 8 ft. ceilings and really hate it. Also I would love to have a heated floor. Safest way to heat a shop I think. I would have the dust collection, heat and compressors in another room too. Noise kills! I see so many great ideas in other shops I want them all but I think in the end the best thing to do is really think out what you want, how you work and what tools/equipment you have now or plan on getting and go from there. Its a hard thing really.

[Bob Johnson2]

Compressor and dust collector external to shop. Better heating/cooling, lots of natural light/views/ventilation, 8' ceilings or better, no posts, sink, blocked off painting room, wood shed. I could go on and on, can you tell I'm in the basement?

[Steve Rowe]

Don't build it like a garage. If I were to rebuild today I would:

1. Have heating and cooling
2. Build on a crawl space so that I could route dust collection and power to tools in the center (prevent the trip hazard)
3. Have plenty of natural light
4. 10 foot walls (have these) and cathedral ceiling for greater height
5. Bathroom and utility sink with real running water
6. Office for my drafting table, books, manuals, magazines

[Jim Becker]

More space is always appreciated...and higher ceilings. And I would have put my miter station on a different wall if I had built if after expanding the shop to where it is now. I'd also not have the stairway where is it in the middle...but I didn't build the building and it would be terribly inconvenient to move it at this point.

[Joe Mioux]

I suspect those of you who said, take your shop off-site and drive to it are pro's. For the hobbyist, it is nice to walk to the shop.

I have been toying around with the idea, of buying a greenhouse and converting it to a woodworking shop. Before any of you poo poo the idea, I am very aware of greenhouse environments.

My favorite greehouse that I own is one a small one at my branch flower shop. It is approximately 24 x30 with 12 foot bottom of truss height. Concrete floor with two heating systems. In floor hot water and perimeter hot H2O heating at the bottom of the trusses. Two vents and a shade system. The roof glass is tempered while the side glass is annealled. Glass sizes ranges from 35" x48" to 35 x 60. Chemically coated for UV and Infrared light issues. Computer operated enviromental controls. Summer heat issues could be addressed with a very heavy coat white greenhouse shade. That stuff comes off when the temps go south.

I don't necessarily need that large of a space but connecting something like that to my garage 24x32 is an option that is worth considering.

Joe