Finishing Room

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks....I'm at a point where I need to make a major decision about my new shop. My new shop is 30x24....I had a desire of putting a small finishing room in one corner of it. The finishing room would be 8x8 or 8x10 with a finished ceiling height of 9'7". I will probably never spray finishes just brush or wipe-on. I'm at the point where I need to either frame it in or give up on the idea altogether. The big sticking point is heating and ventilating it. I live in a cold climate and will be heating the shop by a NG outside vented (exhaust and fresh air) gas heater. What do you folks do for finishing......what's your opinion on a small finishing room in a 720 sq.ft. shop. If you recommend a finishing room what would you do for heat and ventilation? If you recommend No finishing room, how would you handle finishing?

[Frank Pellow]

From my perpective, 720 sq ft is a LOT of space and you can certainly afford to devote a small percentage of it to a finishing room.

[Todd Burch]

Ken, in that size space, you might be better off with a finishing "area" instead of a finishing room.

For brush on or rag on finishes, the only reason (I can think of) that you would really need a room would be to close off the area so you could continue to make sawdust. Do you need to do this?

If you didn't have a wall, the space would still be more functional for converting to an assembly area, staging area, photography area, etc.

Another wall would give you more space for hanging items (jigs, tools, templates, clamps, etc.) and getting items off the floor if you have that need.

[Paul Held]

You might consider some sort of drop down cloth to close off the area to some extent when you need it dust free. Something similar to pull down window shades. They will be out of the way when no needed and easily pulled down when you do. Paul Held

[Matt Meiser]

I asked a similar question last winter. I had an existing 6x10 room. Most thougth that 6x10 was too small. Not sure that the extra 2 feet would make that much difference. I ended up using the space as an office. I have a desk, an older computer (with wireless ethernet to the house), small fridge, and some shelving for books and the stereo in there. It is working out nicely. I fully insulated even the interior walls so that I could someday heat it separately with a small electric baseboard. I figure someday my daughter will be able to use it to work on homework or play on the computer when she's older and I want to work out there when my wife's not home.

The only problem is that with the insulated walls, it gets warm in there in the summer from the computer and fridge. I have a small blower I want to use to equalize the temperature between the main area and the office, filtering the air on the way.

[Jim Becker]

With no spraying, I think that Todd has the right idea and you can always put in provisions for curtaining off an area for dust control if you need to continue machining while finishing is in progress on another project. And should you ever decide to spray, there are really great water-based finishes that don't require a dedicated finishing room with super-duper-explosion-proof accomodations. (One of the reasons I use them)

Do consider a separate, sound-abated room for your DC and compressor, however...it makes a huge difference in personal comfort when working.

[John Miliunas]

Ken, first of all, never say, "never"! Who knows? You might get some awesome deal on a HVLP system or such and decide that's the way to go! :) So yes, I'm saying you should and I would go for the larger one. I'm one of those people who is either, working on more than one project at a time or (mostly) failed a bit in the planning stages and by the time I get to finishing, I find that I need to mill/cut/etc.. just one or two more pieces! :( Ahhh, but I've got stuff drying over there by the TS and planer! :mad: Actually, I really DO have a finishing room, but having just moved in last year and, downsizing a LOT, there's still too much garbage in there, as it's being used as a holding area until we get other projects completed on the house. I'm really chomping at the bit to get the stuff out of there, so that I can fully utilize my whole shop! I'd say plan for the future and go with the additional room today!:cool:

[Kurt Aebi]

Ken,

If you are like me, if you don't build it now - before you actually are using the shop - it will never get built. Always a project that is (seems) more important than working on the shop.

[Jerry Olexa]

I'd do it while you can at this stage of construction. Couldn't you add it later also tho? its a simple 2 walls erected in a corner. Just a thought.

[John Miliunas]

Couldn't you add it later also tho? its a simple 2 walls erected in a corner. Just a thought.

Jerry, I'm with Kurt on this one! I've had some hardboard sitting in my rack since about April or so, destined to reskin my counter areas and maybe even my assemble bench. :o The hardboard is still there, the counters are still there (somewhere under all the stuff! :rolleyes: ), but "other" projects have taken priority over the shop maintenance! I know if it were me, and I had that "intent", by the time I finally had time to do it, I'd spend a week trying to reorganize the shop, because I'd have used up that 80 sq/ft for something else! :(

I also had another thought on the room. Ken, you're talking close to 10' ceiling in the finishing room. Unless you're making gargantuan projects, might I suggest knocking it down to about a foot and a half or even two? Then, as long as you're framing, throw some 2x8's up there and OSB on top of them and you have yourself some instant storage for less used items or even lumber "overflow". Just an idea... :confused: :cool:

[Chris Padilla]

You can dedicate a corner of the shop for finsihing but I would not make it a permanent set-up right now. Perhaps you can rough-in future plumbing and electrical if you figure out down the road to make the room. Just take lots of pictures and mark everything so you don't forget--you old guys have enough memory lapses as it is! ;)

Remember that shop arrangements are bound to change over time as will your taste for various types of woodworking.

Get comfy and into your shop and then see how a finsihing room might pan out or if you can get by with a few sheets of plastic or whatever. It *should* be easy to add two walls and a door later on...if you plan for it now.

[Michael Stafford]

I create a " finishing area" in my shop withsome lightweight panels made of furring strips screwed together, covered with some heavy poly and hinged like a privacy screen. This lets me fold it up and lean it against the wall when I don't need it yet quickly set up an area that is somewhat separated from the rest of the shop activities. Since I almost always do smaller projects, boxes, small tables, clocks etc. this serves my needs well. I can set it up, do a little finishing and still work in the other areas of my shop. When I do larger projects then all other shop activity gets put on hold.

[Steve Clardy]

I would go with the 8x10. Use a 4' base board heater. Insulate the walls for a quick warm up in the winter. And on 1 or 2 walls, build in shelves, for finishing supplies and other hardware.
Serves two purposes. Storage, Finishing.

Steve

[Greg Scott]

I think Wood Online had a shop tip describing a spraybooth that was heavy sheets of plastic hanging from the ceiling that could be rolled up when not in use. If you have an area that is close to ventilation I think this would be the way to go.

[Frank Pellow]

I would go with the 8x10. Use a 4' base board heater. Insulate the walls for a quick warm up in the winter. And on 1 or 2 walls, build in shelves, for finishing supplies and other hardware.
Serves two purposes. Storage, Finishing.

Steve

I very much like Steve's suggestions. Go for them ...

[Chris Padilla]

Jeff Jewitt's book (well, one of 'em) has a little write up on a portable spray booth made in tri-fold fashion of plywood and is complete with an exhaust fan.

I don't like Steve's suggestion and beg you to NOT go for it.... :p

[Gary Max]

Waste of space---you do not really have any to waste.
If I was building several hundred peices of furniture a year and was using a sprayer them I would have a paint booth

[JayStPeter]

I didn't vote as I vote "Yes finishing area, but don't make it so permanent". If you find yourself finishing and WWing at the same time, a separate area could improve efficiency tremendously. Since you're not spraying, all you need is some plastic to keep the dust out. I say make it temporary. Wood frames covered in plastic or something like that. If you find that you would like it more permanent, just install some walls. Interior walls are fairly easy to add/delete.

I thought about the same thing. Since I'm usually in a one project at a time mode, I decided that having the extra room while WWing would be good. I'll keep my machines mobile and go into finishing configuration when the time comes. But, I want to spray, so I'll have to setup a temporary booth of some sort.

Jay

[Steve Jenkins]

I would not make a finishing room. I would install an exhaust fan in a corner of the shop to take care of fumes and odors. Using a wipe on finish dust really isn't an issue nor is it much of one for shellac since it dries so quickly. Granted brushing poly or varnish dust is a problem but even with the typical finish room it still is. If you get to spraying you will probably be using products that dry faster so it still isn't a problem. I think the drop down curtains are a good idea. Steve

[Steve Clardy]

Jeff Jewitt's book (well, one of 'em) has a little write up on a portable spray booth made in tri-fold fashion of plywood and is complete with an exhaust fan.

I don't like Steve's suggestion and beg you to NOT go for it.... :p
Brother Chris. :eek: Mom doesn't like it when we fuss at each other.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Steve:D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jeez.....now the Clardy twins are squabbling??????? I just wanted opinions and or advice. :eek: :rolleyes: :p

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Now Steve.........................dint Mom tell ya that it is not nice to pick on someone that is smaller than you? :D

(Which in Chris's case means NONE of us should be pickin' on him..............it ain't his fault he is a RUNT!) ;) :D :p :p :p

[Steve Clardy]

The Clardy Feud? <hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> Jeez.....now the Clardy twins are squabbling??????? I just wanted opinions and or advice. :eek: :rolleyes: :p
<!-- / message --><!-- sig --> _________ Now Steve.........................dint Mom tell ya that it is not nice to pick on someone that is smaller than you? :D

(Which in Chris's case means NONE of us should be pickin' on him..............it ain't his fault he is a RUNT!) ;) :D :p :p :p
<!-- / message --><!-- sig --> LOL on boths counts. What I don't understand is, is why Chris is only 4' tall, and we are twins?
Steve. Having fun

[Bruce Page]

Ken, I voted no in your poll. It’s not that I think it is a waste of space, I just wouldn’t be willing to dedicate that much square footage to it :confused: . I have found that leaving a good air cleaner running for a few hours to remove airborne dust works quite well for finishing.

[Chris Padilla]

Fraternal twins...fraternal.... :D :D ;)

[John Miliunas]

Fraternal twins...fraternal.... :D :D ;)

Twins? Fraternal, paternal or otherwise ( :eek: ), all I can say is, "Whew! What a pair to draw to!" :eek: :D :cool:

[Steve Clardy]

Fraternal twins...fraternal.... :D :D ;)
Oh Oh. MOM:eek::eek: ain't gonna like that statement Chris.

Steve:rolleyes:

[Donnie Raines]

I dont know how many times I have been wanting to building something else...while "something else" is still cureing from a fresh coat of whatever. If I had the ability to have a finishing room...I would have one.

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie,

I'm the opposite...once I get a finish on, I'm only too happy to leave the shop for a bit!! :D :D

[Scott Coffelt]

In my future 1,000 sqft shop I toyed with the same idea and decided that I would invest in some uni-strut, bearing guides and make a curtain arrangement where I can close of the overspray when finishing and then open when not. This would allow for sharing space. Think of it like a hospital and the privacy curtains.