Kicking Off This Forum...

What is your Shop Space?


  • Total voters
    102
Nice place Randy. What does your street sign say? Mike
 
My current shop is detached 2 car garage with only one garage door. It's about 24x24 with 7'8" ceilings. The roof has a rather shallow pitch so storage space above is limited. If I was building new I would do a gambrel roof, but this is what was there when we purchased the property. I have 100 Amp 220 service. I do not have running water. I have a Modine "Hot Dawg" propane heater which keeps it toasty but I do not heat it all the time. It is insulated. The interior walls and ceiling are 1x6 V match white pine (a local product). The pine was a low grade and was very inexpensive but did require pruning out lots of defects. It was varnished but after a few years has become significantly darker. I like the look but if I had to do it again I might choose white paint. The 1x6 interior is great because I can hang stuff anywhere.

You can't have enough electric outlets and lighting! I have two ceiling mounted retractable power cord reels that I use all the time. I have 4 220V 20amp outlets but now I have 7 machines so currently I plug and unplug. Someday I plan to add a few more. I have a mixture of fluorescent and incandescent lights. The fluorescent fixtures don't like real cold weather. The incandescent bulbs are being replaced with LED's a bit at a time. I'm waiting for some BR30's to go on sale. All of the "A" style bulbs have been replaced already. When the old fluorescent fixtures die they will get replaced with LED fixtures also. The building is built on a slab so the downstairs stays relatively cool in the summer, the unheated, un-insulated upstairs is freezing in the winter and like an oven in the summer.

If I had it to do all over again knowing what I know now:
1) I would paint the floor white.
2) I would consider removing the roof and changing it to a gambrel roof.
3) More 220V outlets
4) White paint on the ceiling and maybe the walls.

If I was building from scratch
1) all of the above
2) 9 or 10ft ceilings
3) 2x6 exterior walls (current are 2x4)
4) maybe running water?
5) maybe wood stove for heat?
 
Here's a picture of my shop before we poured the floor, coal fired hot water heat is the way to go in this country, the heat stabilizes the sub strata and prevents frost heave. I've recently expanded the system to our house across the street, we've been having some sub zero temps but the house and shop are toasty. We also heat our domestic water with the system, it's a guilt free hot shower. I have to re-fuel my boiler every three days when it's this cold, (700 lbs) but it's good exercise. We're zoned single family residence so in order to stay within the intent of the rules I had to build a 12' X 30' guest house with a bath and bedroom.078.JPG 038.JPG
 
I'll start. My shop is in the lower level of what realtors seem to call a raised ranch, the house is one level, Upstairs entrance at grade, but built on a hillside with a garage on one end and the rest of the lower level finished. It's our true living area, computers, TV, phones, recliners, couch, research files (eight legal sized four drawer file cabinets) and my shop, 13' by 16' furnace room. Its crowded, but everything is within a couple of steps. As someone else said, "cozy."

Edit: exchange 'raised' for 'split.'

Currently, I live in a 4 level split level... I would like to move to what you have: A Ranch (or L Ranch) with a full high ceiling basement... would be a lot more convenient... :)
 
Here's a picture of my shop before we poured the floor, coal fired hot water heat is the way to go in this country, the heat stabilizes the sub strata and prevents frost heave.

Thats awesome setup. Using the whole slab as a radiator is a great way to go. If I ever have the luxury of building again it will have in floor radiant for sure.
 
Well with temps well below zero here I'm not presently complaining being toasty warm down here in the basement .

9' ceilings are nice. For anyone planning to build, the incremental cost to dig extra foot and concrete is well worth it. Not just for workshops but for finishing in general.
Just enough clearance for assembing BP and pcnc1100
e87cfa31303ffd574f00c8763eae8bed.jpg
b505515205e8fc71a2bd5a3a6fbdd5a4.jpg
 
Well with temps well below zero here I'm not presently complaining being toasty warm down here in the basement .

9' ceilings are nice. For anyone planning to build, the incremental cost to dig extra foot and concrete is well worth it. Not just for workshops but for finishing in general.
Just enough clearance for assembing BP and pcnc1100
e87cfa31303ffd574f00c8763eae8bed.jpg
b505515205e8fc71a2bd5a3a6fbdd5a4.jpg
 
Back
Top