Well sold our house and are in the process of building a new house. Good news is it is a small house with a large 3 car workshop. Bad news is my tools and vehicles need to go into storage for 6 months. I will focus on building my dream workshop. I plan tall ceiling so my lift to fully operate, lots of lights and windows, heat, 1/2 bath, and separate electrical service. Looking for ideas on what I should ensure in my new shop?
Sounds like someone had their priorities straight. Congratulations! At least you didn't have to build your garage <around> your truck like someone I know did...
You might take a page from Zig's book on the windows. Up high windows let the light in but don't show all your tools and goodies to unwelcome eyes.
Workshop tools cabinet ! That sounds like a promizing solution for your famely Denis congratiolations. If i remember well Lakeroadster here at chevy talk forum has made him self a very need workshop with nice tool cabinets and a carlift to in there. I my self whas very impressed by the way he had done that . There are some good photos ref. of it here. By the way ; do you recognize the truck and its location ? Good luck Martinius.
Congratulations on the house and garage builds. Plan on plenty of electrical outlets on separate circuits. Plumb in many air taps for connecting to, rather than just a single air hose reel. If I was doing it over, I'd bury the air lines in the walls. If possible, a overhead beam and trolley system for a chain hoist. Accessible shelves to keep things organized. Plenty of counter work space. Some for standing use and a section to be able to sit and work at table height. As previously mentioned, plenty of lights.
I echo the congrats! I'm also putting these tips in my hip pocket... I finally heard from the guys building my garage addition, they're showing up Wednesday to start. Damon
Garage Notes Coming from the guy who has never worked inside his own garage but has worked in many others both good and not so good.... If you're really going to work in there , be sure to add a " closet " you can convert into a real shower after the Code Enforcement Officer is gone , trust me , you'll need it and SWMBO will love you more for never greasing up the house . Screened vents at the floor level so it never fills with leaky fuel fumes and blows up . Screens keep Micky Rat & his buddies out . Personally , I like the air supply pipes up high with drops , this avoids so many issues with the whips and/or hose reels . Adding a 30' tall vertical run straight up fom the compressor then looping it 180 degrees and straight back down , serves to both cool the air and allow the water to remain at the bottom where you'll want to add a " Pull Cord " drin like they used to use on old Over The Road Diesel trucks ~ hot air , beats your air tools to death as does water . More GFI outlets than you can possibly ever use , you'll use them , trust me . High and wide windows for the security reasons mentioned , or maybe simply sky lights .
If you're so inclined, maybe consider an "upstairs" area over part of the garage for storage. Mine has one, and the storage allows for better use of the downstairs area.
I am planning a whole garage exhaust fan, compressor room with piped lines into workshop, lots of light, and a separate service so I will plan many outlets. I am also paving a motorhome pad on the outside and a 30 amp exterior outlet. I may use this pad (move motorhome) to have a tent room for blasting and painting. I am a very organized person so lots of cabinetry, shelves, and peg boards. Tools have a place. My wife already made a sign out of an old double handle wood saw that says Denis' Toybox!
Denisf, My shop is 30' x 40' with 14' side walls. I built a dividing wall down the center. The wall has a man door towards the rear and large doors in the front that are hinged to allow vehicle access. The left side of the shop is fully insulated. The right side is used for storage. I built storage lofts at the far end of each bay and a large loft with a pull down acces ladder at the front of the left bay. I made the countertop along side the 2 post lift hinged so I could let it down while working on vehicles on the lift. I'd be glad to answer any questions you have. And thanks to Martinius for the kind words!
Picture ! Picture whas taken at the same spot where your truck is standing in front of the coca cola bilboard. Martinius.
Picture Martinius yes I saw that, did you buy your truck from a the guy who took your picture, as I did
I am in the process of adding a stall to my existing small 2 stall so I am in the design phase at this point. I built a 26' x 30' about 7 years ago at our last house and learned a bunch. You can never have enough electrical. I prefer surface mount conduit. You pay more up front, but it is much easier to add receptacles, lights, etc.... later down the road. I am electrian so it is a no brainer for me. Same with lighting.....I have never heard a customer tell me the garage is "Too Bright". If you can afford it, LED lighting is the way to go. There is substantial energy savings oing LED. Piped air with lots of drops and a ceiling mounted hose real is a must.
Compressor I am planing a 12 / 16 shed off the back of the garage for the garden equipment and will put my compressor in there and pipe it into the garage. This will give compressor lots of ventilation and muffle the sound.
what kind of heat? My (wood) shop has an old Reznor LP-fired heater hanging off the ceiling. Does the job, and seeing as it is in an uninsulated barn, I don't run it too often. If I were to have a shop for working on cars (my floor is wooden-so no welding or grinding), I'd think about a radiant slab. A hot-water heater and a circulator are all that would show, the tubing is hidden in the slab so the taxman doesn't see it. Insulate below slab with 250# rigid insulation (Foamular 250). The upside? No open flames, air blowing, no hot surfaces, no ductwork. The downside is the rise time to achieve a comfortable working temp is longer than other methods depending on outside temp... so you wouldn't turn the heat on for 2 hours to go out and work. good luck!
radiant Thanks Mike, I think the time to heat is too long and I do travel a bit in the winter and would have to winterize. M fuel source for the house will be propane so I will use some form of propane heater.
