Perfect Size for New Shop?

[Mark Blatter]

If you could build a new shop, being reasonable here, what dimension would you build? I have thought about this and have not arrived at an answer yet, as there are a number of considerations. What height would you put the ceiling at? Standard eight feet, or would you go ten?

Cost is a major part of the equation, but should not be the top priority as once it is built, you will obviously live with it for a long time. How about rooms inside it? Just one big open room, or would you include a separate finish room?

[Myk Rian]

2 1/2 car garage size would be nice.

[Carl Beckett]

Mine is a tad small at 24x20 - but a couple considerations that would make it about right:

Put your dust collector in a separate room (or some type of add-on to the outside). Ditto on the air compressor.

Have a separate area for sharpening (grinding grit does damage on machine tools)

Have a separate area for spraying (clean room type concept), with good lighting.

Definitely go higher than 8ft ceilings. I have a platform over part of the shop where I store lumber overhead (and other storage) - great for keeping working floor space clear. Also having the really high ceilings is good for handing sheets and longer pieces.

Im thinking this question might be like how much money is enough..... always about 50% more than what you have today seems about right. So I might build something about 24x36 although really what I have is pretty decent and I am thrilled to have so much dedicated space. (several pieces on casters so this helps)

["Gary Smith"]

24'x30' with 10 foot ceilings would be a super nice shop, but you can learn to do with no less, but no less then 16x20 if you are starting new

[Bill Bukovec]

My shop is 20 x 20.

I would say this is a minimum.

You need at least 16 feet to rip an eight foot long board.

I find that even 20 feet seems tight.

Bill

[Tom Hamilton]

Mark, an interesting question and one with interesting and multiple answers. So, here's another answer. First, what are you going to do. Turning takes "X" amount of space, building cabinets and bookcases requires another multiple of square footage of floor space. If you want to do both then you know some portion of your shop size. Add storage, desige space, dust collection, compressed air, hot and cold air and hot and cold running water and you add another multiple of square of floor space.

Cost is always an issue, but if you can't use the space "X" months out of the year because of temperature, then heat and A/C is a necessity. As noted above, I think hot and cold water is an essential in a shop.

So, figure out what is essential for you, diagram the elements, add up the footprints and SCHAZAAM you've got your first floor plan. Run it by the budget committee and either you're ready to build or revise!

Enjoy the process, Tom

[David Kumm]

All of the above is good advice. I can tell you that moving an existing wall four feet cost $12000 so that is what NOT to do. You will fill up what you have but build as much as you can reasonably afford and skimp on anything you can efficiently add at a later date for a small premium. Ten ft ceilings and an eight foot high door. Dave

[Carroll Courtney]

Mine,is 28'X 32' and alittle L shape.If I could do it all over again,it would be wide open with minimum columns and have a wood floor(easier on the back and feet) over concrete and ceiling height no less than 9'.All the air lines would be above the ceiling and only the drops would be showing for the air hose,the compressor would be mounted just outside the shop in its own shed.I would have one space heater mounted to the ceiling and have oscillating fans mounted in several locations.The ceiling would be painted white to help reflect the new T12 light fixtures.To dream-----Carroll

[Steve Griffin]

Here's two approaches to your question:

1)Plan a building as big as you think you can afford. And then make it a little smaller--since you almost certainly underestimated what you can afford.

2)On a piece of graph paper, draw your shop. Then make scale cutouts of what machines and workbenches/shelves you have or plan to have. You should not just draw the machine, but it's required working space around it. Maybe color the machine dark, and the work zone stays clear. Then, like a puzzle, try various layout ideas. Whenever possible, share working zones around machines. If it doesn't all fit, draw a bigger shop until you reach your max budget....

Have fun, and don't get over extended and ruin all the fun....

-Steve

[Dave Cav]

Is this going to be a hobby shop, or are you going to be building it to use to make money? How much space do you have? Are there permit or code issues that will restrict the size of the shop? Do you plan to work by yourself or have helpers and/or employees? Will you be doing your own finishing, or contract it out? Working with a lot of sheet stock, or dimension lumber? Lots of things to consider.

In my experience, the ideal shop is usually about half again as big as the one you just built, because everything tends to fill up the available space. Things you want are a lot of headroom (10 feet is great, 12 is even greater), lots of light, insulation, installed heat (and maybe A/C in some locations), about 3x as many outlets as you think you'll need, lots of 220 outlets, a plumbed in air system, a separate home for the air compressor and dust collection system.

[Brian Tymchak]

Regarding ceiling height, I recommend at least 10'. But, since you have options, I would urge you to think out how you want to store lumber and how much lumber you want to store, if you plan to store it in the shop. That decision could effect both wall height and length. If you prefer vertical storage, your ceiling height will govern the length of board you store. Most of the hardwood I've bought in the last couple years is 10'-12' lengths. I picked up some antique walnut that was 13'. Unfortunately, with 8' ceilings in my shop, I have to store that horizontally on racks, which takes a lot of wall space. If you want to store sheet goods on end, that's (generally) 8' + some room for the storage framework.

Oh, and whatever you decide on shop space, definitely leave yourself a separate finish room with proper ventilation.

Have fun planning your shop out. I have shop envy!!

[Neil Brooks]

I agree with those who said -- basically -- how big do your needs direct it must be.

Grizzly has an online planner.

Plug in all the tools you HAVE, and all the tools you think you'll probably BUY.

Arrange them in a way that makes sense for your work flow.

Include lots of storage -- tools, hardware, lumber, and incidentals.

Be sure that there's PLENTY of room around EACH tool to easily work with ... the biggest material you'll EVER work with, on that machine.

Allow plenty of room between machines to walk, move lumber, and roll carts -- lumber, tools, or ... other machines.

If I did that, then ... I'd probably add 15 or 20% square feet as a fudge factor.

High ceilings ?? Unless it's prohibitively expensive to build, heat, or cool the space, then ... the higher the better !

[Rob Cunningham]

My shop is 23' x 50' with 10' ceiling height. I have a finishing room (11' x 14') in the back corner with a horizontal wood rack along the 14' wall. The rest is open floor space. I would like to enclose my dust collector and compressor someday.
Drawing a floor plan with the machines you have and ones you plan to buy, is well worth the time. Arrange the machines so you have a good work flow rather than having to run back and forth and all around the shop.
I put skylights and windows in to grab as much natural light as I can.

[Sean Nagle]

800 sq ft w/ 10' ceiling. That would be the main shop. If you're planning a finish room, office, bathroom, DC closet, wood storage... room for your truck, Porsche and Harley add that square footage ;)

[Sean Nagle]

When you do a machine layout, be sure to leave enough working room for a slider. That's going to take up considerably more space [in one dimension] than a typical cabinet saw arrangement.

[Jim Rimmer]

I built a 20x30 shop once and it was a great size (close to the 2 1/2 car garage size Myk suggested). Then I moved and added 16' across the back of a 2 car garage which made it about 16x20. It was OK but a little tight. Now I'm in one stall of a 3 car garage, about 10x20. If I were to build today I would go back to the 20x30 and do the layouts, etc that have been suggested prior to finalizing my plan. And as was asked, what do you plan to build. I build some furniture, refinish some furniture and build smaller items so i don't need a huge lay down area. But if you're going to build cabinets or large furniture, that changes things.

Post pictures of the build and good luck.

[Bryan Slimp]

I'd love to be able to have a 20 x 40 shop with a small bathroom, finishing room, and a clean room for office/retreat area. It would have a small loft for storage and dust collection. It would have a covered porch on one side and the south side would have a good size solar kiln.

I live in the middle of the city and the costs for this shop would destroy my budget for the next 40 years, but if we can dream why not.

[Mark Blatter]

Lots of good thoughts and suggestions. While I know what I like to build (furniture, cabinets, thingys, you name it), I didn't stop to think much that everyone has their comfort zone and it is different for all.

Like you Jim, a number of years ago I had a 40 x 40 garage that gave my wife room to park her car and the rest for my shop. Then we bought a cabinet shop and had 15,000 sq ft. Today I have one stall of a three car garage. We are going to be moving again soon and I may have the chance to build.

For my perspective, I think a 24 x 36 +/- is about the right size. I would love to have a small head in it so I am not running to house all the time, but not sure that is in the budget. I would certainly go with ten foot ceilings in most of it, but something higher in part of it to give overhead storage would be ideal. A room in back for spraying would also be ideal. If the funds were the, I would like to put in radiant heat in the floor as it is safer when using flammables, plus it simply makes everything feel so much warmer. I had not thought much about it, but the skylight is a great idea. Hit fifty last year and I need all the light I can get anymore. There is no doubt that putting dust collection and air compressor outside is the only way to go. Gets the sound outside so I can hear my tv while I work.

Thanks all for your thoughts. If the build happens in the next few months, I will be asking more questions.

[Chip Lindley]

The Perfect Size shop for me? I am going to shoot for 30' x 50' ! That seems huge, but is only room to use my many big machines comfortably, with an adequate work flow. I am tired of giving myself an appendectomy, or ripping off my belt loops every time I negotiate my narrow spaces between machines. Room to store a nice pile of rough lumber; room to set up a finishing area with dust curtains, room for metalworking machinery also. Just room! room! room!

[rick sawyers]

I would say go as big as you can afford to, 24 x 40 would be good, but more importantly, I think you should have 10-12' high walls. The height is great for flipping long boards around and for vertical lumber storage.

[Frank Drew]

As a work space for one person making furniture, 20x30 would be ok (it was for me, but I wouldn't want it any smaller); you'd need a lot more room if you plan to be making kitchen cabinets. In any case, it would help a lot if you had a totally separate, indoors, nice-sized space for lumber storage and scraps/offcuts (which can really clutter up a work space); a clean finishing room including a spray booth if you plan to spray; etc.

[james bell]

a couple of years back i put up a 40x60 steel building (rhino) with 14' eaves, 20' in middle. LOVE IT, but although it is insulated, no heat or ac - too big of a space for my budget. i did put a 20x20 'office' 8' in the air so i wouldn't lose floor space.

heat is a problem in the summer, and dressing warm and moving around between tools in the winter has been okay, but this past winter i started scroll saw puzzles/boxes, thus sitting for hours in one place. i am now finishing a 14x14 room under my office which i will heat/ac for mid-summer/winter work. also a place i can do finishing work in the winter.

check out the steel building prices - they are affordable with one of the largest expenses being the concrete floor (not being in the business, the concrete prices shocked me).

[scott vroom]

A helpful thread....

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?20180-Help-me-rearange-my-shop-Gorilla-arrives-Tomorrow!

[Karl Brogger]

If you could build a new shop, being reasonable here, what dimension would you build?

60x140, or there abouts




What height would you put the ceiling at? Standard eight feet, or would you go ten?

Minimum 12' sidewall. 16' if I could afford it.




Cost is a major part of the equation, but should not be the top priority as once it is built, you will obviously live with it for a long time.

Good plan. Waiting until you can do it right, or get what you want is typically better in the long term.



How about rooms inside it? Just one big open room, or would you include a separate finish room?

I hire out finishing, and prefer open space to closed off areas. Except the bathroom I guess. A stool and urinal hanging out on a random wall would be a bit odd.

[Larry Edgerton]

60x140, or there abouts





Minimum 12' sidewall. 16' if I could afford it.





Good plan. Waiting until you can do it right, or get what you want is typically better in the long term.




I hire out finishing, and prefer open space to closed off areas. Except the bathroom I guess. A stool and urinal hanging out on a random wall would be a bit odd.

Karl you just about discribed my old shop to a T. It was 60' x 144', 15' ceilings, and a whole lot of space. It was nice, but when the crap hit the fan here economically it was just too much to maintain. I was working to support my building. Heat on a building that size went from $400 an month when I bought it to $2000 when I sold it. Taxes were crazy, especially as this area thinks that every time they want to get something that they can tax the businesses, because they can't vote. Personal property tax got up to $1200 a year! Ok, I'm ranting...........

My new shop is 1700 sq ft, and the ideal shop is somewhere in between, and I snuck it out in the country, its just my personal shop, a well equiped personal shop..........

I'm going to add on a glass work area to the back of my shop overlooking the woods, about 24x36, so hopefully that will get me back to where I am not tripping over tools. But no more commercial taxes, power rates, gas rates, I am going underground ................

[Kent A Bathurst]

In my plans [dreams?] if I were to ever get to build one greenfield:

1] At this very moment, I would kill for a separate finishing room. Dust management. I have to interrupt machining work while a coat of finish "cooks off" - but that is only minimizing the dust problem, and is frustrating to boot.
2] 9' clear span to the joists [minimum]
3] In the basement today where my woodshop is, there is also a laundry room - with a "couldn't do without" utility sink. Also a small bathroom. I would not want to do without either.
4] Separate "mechanicals" room for cyclone + air compressor, with direct access from the outside. Avoid opening the whole shop to the inevitable dust from emptying the bin[s].
5] Wooden floor v concrete. Not that I've ever dropped a chisel, but I have heard that others have done that :p

And - since it's my dream, that wooden floor would be raised above the foundation slab by 10" +/- clear - room for dust piping and electrical.

As far as overall shop size - bigger, bigger, bigger - Chip seems on target to me.

[Cody Colston]

My present shop is 20' x 30' with 10' ceilings and I'm out of room. I have a rear shed addition planned and will move my DC and air compressor out there.

If I could build it over, I would go 30' x 40', stay with the 10' ceilings and incorporate a small bathroom, finishing room and office.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Whatever you have now, twice the size is better!

[Roy Turbett]

My shop is 30 X 40 with 8' side walls. I gained extra height by using sissor trusses and have an 8/12 pitch on the roof and 5/12 pitch on the inside of the shop. An 8' X 30' lumber loft is on one end of the building. There is16' of height in the center of the shop. I heat the shop with a 20' long natural gas radiant heater that is suspended from the ceiling. Combustion air comes in one gable and exhausts out the other gable and there is no open flame. I planned where I wanted my machines to go before I poured the concrete and ran wiring and dust collection underground. I have an 18' X 10' overhead door on one end of the shop and a 9 X 7 on the other end underneath the lumber loft. I put in the big door in case I wanted to bring a travel trailer inside, but never have. In hindsight I would go with a smaller overhead door. There is room enough in my shop for a 4 ' X 8' X 8' plywood storage rack, two PM 90 lathes, a grinder, a sander, coffee station, slop sink, urinal, router table, refrigerator, dust collector, 2' X 8' tall bench, band saw, drill press, 15" planer, jointer, mini lathe, RAS with 16' bench (same height as table saw), unisaw with 4' X 8' outfeed table, air compressor, cable TV, stereo and my extended cab truck, garden tractor, and leaf collector. The dust collector and refrigerator are in a separate 8 X 10 room that is left unheated. If I were to do it over, I'd put the dust collector and aircompressor outside in a leanto. I had quite a mess the other day when the dust collector blew a bag.