Hi y’all! Not sure if I’m in the right sub or not, but here goes. I recently retired and bought a place without a garage, so we built one. I’ve never thought about planning out a workspace, since I was squeezed into a single space before, and there wasn’t much room anyway. I just kinda…functioned.
It’s a 40’x40’ pole barn with 2-12’x16’ workrooms, and a tall center section to accommodate a lift. It’s insulated, wired for 220, and the floor is 12” thick between the rooms, where the lift will go. I’m hoping to get some thoughts on what tools and general stuff you’ve found to be a “must-have” and where would you put stuff (toolboxes, workbench, compressors, parts cleaners, etc). Basically just doing regular maintenance and repair, not rotisserie restoration or anything like that. I probably have alot of the stuff already, but as long as I’m starting from scratch, some pro-tips would be good! Thanks!!
I wouldn’t call myself a woodworker, but I have some saws and drills and stuff. That room may wind up being more automotive than woodwork, depending on if I need the space. Each of the ‘front’ spaces would normally park our 2 daily drivers and maybe my tractor or SxS. All things I can just move if I need space for a particular project.
Cool project and I’m super envious. Put a lot of thought into lighting and electrical outlet placement. In addition to general lighting I have two LED drop lights on 25’ spools that hang from the ceiling. A solid work bench with a great vise goes a long way. Light colored walls and floors effect lighting too.
Good stuff. We have about 10 LEDs all over the place the drop lights is a great idea for between the rollups. It’s like daylight in there! There’s 4’ high outlets every 3 or so feet on every wall. I’m thinking about a combo workbench/tool chest. Something stocky enough to put a vise on. I could just roll it where I want, lock the wheels and go.
Insulate the hell out of it. Where it says roll up doors change that to overhead door, basically sectional garage doors that can be insulated. Roll up doors can’t really be insulated. You can’t go wrong with more insulation.
Epoxy the floors. Hire someone that does the real deal two part epoxy.
Install heat and AC. Nothing is more expensive than a building you can’t use.
Install LED lighting. Install a lot more than you think you will need. Consider installing lighting on the side walls to illuminate the interior of the car you are working on.
Run air lines all around the building. Put the Compressor in a closet so you don’t have to hear the thing.
Install 230 out lets all around the building.
Build lots of work surface. That means line every wall with base cabinets. Install uppers leaving a clear workspace underneath. Install LED lighting under the uppers. Build large island benches for the middle of the work space. Buy a big vice and anchor to one of these.
Great thorough response, Bill! I think I’m headed in the right direction - by accident!!
Check. The exterior walls and overheads are both insulated and each room has bats in the walls. Storage above.
I was thinking about that. Sounds spendy Wonder if I can DIY it?
Check! Mini-splits in the rooms and ceiling fans everywhere.
Check! We even found directional ones so we can focus it wherever.
Outstanding idea. Someone else mentioned sound cubicle. Maybe a couple of 50’ hosereels, too.
230? What’s that? Or meant 220? We have about 6 220s
All good stuff. Center space is 16’ wide, so plenty of room for the lift between cabs on each side. Planning to start there and expand. What do you think about a rolling bench with drawers for most often used tools. Kinda like this:
I would put anything noisey or dirty outside on a lean to porch. Air Compressor, bead blaster, parts washer, etc - all need to be outside but under a roof.
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Stagger the outlets, odd and even on different circuit breakers. That is how we did mine.
Also have two large fans hanging from the ceiling. No heat or A/C in mine though.
Excellent advice. Plan an area for a blasting cabinet. Consider storage above the working areas via wood rafters. Heat and AC in OK is a must. Consider a standing drill-press bolted to the floor. A good anvil is always worthwhile. Consider putting 220V outlets down low for a welding unit.
This is my dream to have my own legit shop space instead of just a normal home garage setup having to unpack stuff to even start a project.
To add to all the other advice is if you plan to do any welding make sure you have a dedicated space for it. Keep it away from where you do mechanical work so you dont run the risk of exposing sparks to anything flammable. If possible situate your welding area near a roll door for ventilation and being able to setup a grinding/ cutting station outside to keep all that nasty outside and not inside your shop.
Depending on your compressor I would keep it outside, build some shade for it but leave it out there for the noise.
220v and 110v outlets out side just incase. I would also add an air line outside too.
I’m in the process of building my garage now. I am putting in hot water radiant heat in the concrete floor. Not sized for heating the entire garage, just to keep the floor about 50-60 degrees in the winter. Nothing suck more than standing on a cold concrete floor. Insulate with hard foam under the floor.
There’s 4’ high outlets every 3 or so feet on every wall. I’m thinking about a combo workbench/tool chest. Something stocky enough to put a vise on. I could just roll it where I want, lock the wheels and go.
Wonder if I can DIY it?
