3 stall garage - wall or not?

[Mike Willeson]

Thanks for all the thoughts. To answer the questions of what's my purpose, its pretty unspecific. The largest thing I have made is a small folding kitchen table for my daughter. I also make things as small as a wood turned miniature bird house two inches in diameter.

For me, my shop is my retreat. I do a lot of miscellaneous projects, mostly smaller. I also do a little wood turning, some wood carving, reading, watching TV, and generally relaxing.

My main objective is just to have a place to play with wood and tools. In addition to the lathe I have a table saw, small band saw, and other various tools. I don't see my projects spilling into the rest of the garage.

[Brian W Evans]

Face it. Sooner or later, your shop will occupy the entire 3-car garage, and you will be wanting even more space. DAMHIKT.

Wayne

Two years ago I promised my wife that I would have her bay in our 3-car garage cleared out before the snow came. I subsequently spent two winters cleaning the snow off of her car. There always seems to be a project that needs more space, even if it's just to move a couple of tools out of the way. Granted, I have a large sliding table saw and way too much lumber, but I have never felt like I had enough space.

Put up a curtain as others have suggested so that you have the flexibility to expand if necessary.

[Wade Lippman]

Thanks for all the thoughts. To answer the questions of what's my purpose, its pretty unspecific. The largest thing I have made is a small folding kitchen table for my daughter. I also make things as small as a wood turned miniature bird house two inches in diameter.

For me, my shop is my retreat. I do a lot of miscellaneous projects, mostly smaller. I also do a little wood turning, some wood carving, reading, watching TV, and generally relaxing.

My main objective is just to have a place to play with wood and tools. In addition to the lathe I have a table saw, small band saw, and other various tools. I don't see my projects spilling into the rest of the garage.

If that's all the tools you intend on having, then I agree with those who say a wall is essential to dust and temperature control. If you hope to get a full size planer, jointer, etc. then there is no way you will get them in a one car garage and get any work done.

[John K Jordan]

Thanks for all the thoughts. To answer the questions of what's my purpose, its pretty unspecific. The largest thing I have made is a small folding kitchen table for my daughter. I also make things as small as a wood turned miniature bird house two inches in diameter.

For me, my shop is my retreat. I do a lot of miscellaneous projects, mostly smaller. I also do a little wood turning, some wood carving, reading, watching TV, and generally relaxing.

My main objective is just to have a place to play with wood and tools. In addition to the lathe I have a table saw, small band saw, and other various tools. I don't see my projects spilling into the rest of the garage.

For years I had my shop in 1/2 of a 2-car garage. I had a large lathe, a jet mini lathe, a 18" bandsaw, a 14" bandsaw, and a number of 4'x8'x18" wire shelf units to store turning wood, tools, and such. I kept a portable planer, table saw, oscillating drum sander, and router table on shelves and set them up in the other 1/2 of the garage as needed.

It was a little tight for two people but fine for just me. I didn't build a separating wall since I planned to build a stand alone shop but I worked effectively in the space for almost 10 years.

You adapt to what space you have. My 24x62 shop building is feeling crowded now, although most of that is I have large woodworking equipment, office, welding room, little machine shop, and a general maintenance room. And way too much wood. I'm thinking of adding a wing...

JKJ

[Steve Peterson]

I vote to add a solid wall if the garage is a large 3 car garage. It also depends a bit on your specific layout.

Our 3 car garage at our last home was at least 32' by 32' with a 16' door and a 10' door. The double door was closest to the entry into the house and my shop was in the corner. This kept the workshop out of the normal traffic flow. You would not want to pass through the workshop to get into the house.

Another consideration is that the solid wall takes away from the space for car doors. There is plenty of space to open car doors if they are parked 24" apart, but it gets cramped if you lose 4" for the wall.

[Stan Calow]

I wish I had that choice. Just the benefit of dust control by having a wall would be worth it.

[Matthew Hills]

Here are some industrial curtains designed for containment, if you're interested in a fancy option (as opposed to the get'r'done stapled plastic) https://www.curtain-and-divider.com


I'm looking at similar options, although trickier as I'm splitting a 2-car garage, so need to deal with containment with the garage door getting in the way. I'm also thinking that it is important to mind gaps in the ceiling that might allow fine dust to spread...

Matt

[Jim Dwight]

I've had 3 houses in the last 30 years (5 total). Three houses ago we had a 28 feet deep 2 car garage and I used the wall furthest from the garage doors for my shop. I could do a little work with the cars inside but I had to move them for bigger projects. My wife was pretty understanding but didn't like me tracking dust into her shop and hated it when I was messier and she had to walk through it. If you are a lot neater than I am, you could make it work.

After that experience, we built a house next when we moved so I could have a dedicated space. It was an oversized 1 car garage, about 400 ft2, in the walk out basement. I was great. Tight sometimes but all mine. In the current house, we added on a 14x24 garage for my shop. There is no link between the house or the car garage and my shop, you have to walk outside to go between. I would like a door sometimes (if it's raining) but I like it.

Long way of saying that you have to be neat to share. If you are not or might not be, you should put up the wall.