what type and size of work shop do I need

[DavidF]

The benifit of the concrete floor is somewhere nice and cool for our dog (Bernese Mountain) to lie in the summer:lol:

For me, I have rubber foot mats that make a big dfference. Down side is that I pulled my ROS off the bench last week onto the floor and now it's in the bin with a bent platten and a new Ridgid sits in it's place. Cost $69.97

 

[grumpy]

I have a 24' square shop and wish it was larger but no matter how large have twenty amp wired recepticles. I had 100 amp service with 15 amp recepticles and I occasionally blow circuit breakers. Harry

 

[Littlejon]

Well, I am still dreaming of my shop, so I won't be able to help much.

I will suggest that if you decide to frame it yourself, you may want to look at some of the BORG's to see if anyone ordered trusses and either didn't use them all or brought them back for whatever reason. You can get a pretty good deal sometimes. You may also want to check around to see if anyone (farmers, etc.) are about to tear down a structure that has trussess. A friend was doing this to some buildings on their farm and one of the barns had 40' trusses in it. Another friend helped him take them off the building before they tore them down and he was given teh trusses for his time. He used them to build his shop, which is 40'x40'. He split it down the middle and has his "car" shop on one side and his "woodworking" shop on the other. A good amount of the big lumber came from another barn that was torn down by a big-time horse dealer in Greensboro. All in all, he had almost everything in the structure part of his shop essentially for free. He did have to help tear it out and had to transport it, but that was minor when weighed against the cost of having to buy it outright.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Travis Porter]

Ditto on the concrete floor. Dropped my Makita cordless angle drill, $90 in the trash..

 

[PurpleThumb]

Everyone in the world is younger than I am so you're not considering what is most important to us Seniors. Knees !!!! A wood floor is worth every penny and all the effort if you spend much time in your shop.

 

[Mark Anderson]

for get siding (if local ordances allow)

forget insulation

keep electrical to two circuts (one for lights one for plugs), but a service that you can add more circutes to

shop habitat and second hand shops for doors and windows, light fixtures, anything you can use

wood floor is nice

build as big as yu can, figure on 20x20, if the figure you come up with is less than u can aford go bigger (you have the price on 400 sqft so figure how much more you can get.


all the perks, insulation, siding, inside finish can be added later, after using your shop "as is" (unfinished) you will have a better idea on how you need it wired, dust colection ect

if you go with a cement floor rough in for plumbing, even if you never use it the rough in will be a lot cheaper than the jack hammer later.

stay far enough off the property line for additions, there is no such thing as a shop big enough.

 

[Jim Murphy]

One major mistake I made (due to ignorance) when I ordered my kit was not specifying 2x6 lower chords on the trusses, and not specifying attic storage trusses. I did put an 8/12 pitch on it (restrictive covenants required matching house pitch) and did space the trusses 16" OC instead of the 24" OC the package come with. I had to cut a truss (shhh, don't tell) to get the attic door installed, and talking with the truss manufacturer before cutting, he said with 2X6 bottom chords you can store anything you want anywhere you want.

Also, I disagree with only two breakers. Yeah, one for lights works, but I divided the shop into quarters (longitudinally and transversely bisected) and put in 4 breakers, each with 20amp/12GA wires.) I put boxes and receptacles on every other stud, and the lead box in each circuit was a GFCI. I also ran 12GA and 20amp to my 3-way switches and then to a junction box, where I split it into three individually switched gangs of overhead flourescents on 14GA. That way I can illuminate the area of interest and save a few pennies on watts.

The wooden floor was expensive, but well worth it. I dropped my Makita impact driver from the top of the 5' stepladder when installing lights. I used it yesterday, it's fine. I also can power the TS and BS with 220v and the assembly bench with 110v running underneath in the crawl space, no cords on the floor or hanging down. I can (and will) run dust collection underneath also.

Speaking of scrounging, my package included one girl door and two windows, plus the ovhd door. I went to the Habitat reuse center and bought another exterior door and three vinyl windows for less than $125, and it makes a lot of difference to have that extra sunlight. The second door is midway on the long side of the shop and I built a stoop and a ADA spec. ramp for it. The ramp is nice for heavy stuff on the hand truck, and one day I may have to roll up there. (Is there a fingers crossed smiley?)

In reading back through this thread, it seems that for those that are dreaming/designing, this is very helpful for those "oft-forgotten" things. I dearly wish someone told me about 2X6 chords and attic space truss configuration before I started.

 

[MikeH]

One major mistake I made (due to ignorance) when I ordered my kit was not specifying 2x6 lower chords on the trusses, and not specifying attic storage trusses. I did put an 8/12 pitch on it (restrictive covenants required matching house pitch) and did space the trusses 16" OC instead of the 24" OC the package come with. I had to cut a truss (shhh, don't tell) to get the attic door installed, and talking with the truss manufacturer before cutting, he said with 2X6 bottom chords you can store anything you want anywhere you want.

Also, I disagree with only two breakers. Yeah, one for lights works, but I divided the shop into quarters (longitudinally and transversely bisected) and put in 4 breakers, each with 20amp/12GA wires.) I put boxes and receptacles on every other stud, and the lead box in each circuit was a GFCI. I also ran 12GA and 20amp to my 3-way switches and then to a junction box, where I split it into three individually switched gangs of overhead flourescents on 14GA. That way I can illuminate the area of interest and save a few pennies on watts.

The wooden floor was expensive, but well worth it. I dropped my Makita impact driver from the top of the 5' stepladder when installing lights. I used it yesterday, it's fine. I also can power the tablesaw and bandsaw with 220v and the assembly bench with 110v running underneath in the crawl space, no cords on the floor or hanging down. I can (and will) run dust collection underneath also.

Speaking of scrounging, my package included one girl door and two windows, plus the ovhd door. I went to the Habitat reuse center and bought another exterior door and three vinyl windows for less than $125, and it makes a lot of difference to have that extra sunlight. The second door is midway on the long side of the shop and I built a stoop and a ADA spec. ramp for it. The ramp is nice for heavy stuff on the hand truck, and one day I may have to roll up there. (Is there a fingers crossed smiley?)

In reading back through this thread, it seems that for those that are dreaming/designing, this is very helpful for those "oft-forgotten" things. I dearly wish someone told me about 2X6 chords and attic space truss configuration before I started.

Jim do you have any pics of your shop? It sounds like a great setup.

 

[sapwood]

I speak with great confidence in saying a 10x14 shop is not large enough :roll:
But in all honesty, I think 16x16 or 20x20 would be an acceptable size for most hobbyists. IMO prebuilt or package built buildings can save you a few bucks. Just watch out for all the gotchas. The Amish Barn prebuilt I purchased was well constructed and didn't require any permits. 5/8" thick fir walls, 2x4 studs, and a couple of windows and a door. I did all the interior including: insulation, ply interior, and electrical. Total cost was about $3000. Structure wise I only have two complaints. The double barn door is a cheap construct and the eave overhang is almost non-existent.

HTH,
Roger

 

[Travis Porter]

Oft forgotten things.

*Wish the sidewalk slab was poured 2 inches below the foundation.
*Always stub a piece of conduit from the electrical panel to the attic for when you need to add that "new circuit"
*When trenching to the building include a 3/4" conduit for TV, telephone, Internet, security, etc. as well as a water supply pipe even if you aren't going to use it.
*Always put in a bigger electrical panel than you need

Wood floors are the way to go, but they are definitely expensive. Looking back, I wished I had.

 

[Jim Murphy]

Here you go, Mike.

This is looking north, showing the ramp and side door as well as overhead door and main girl door.



This is around the side, showing the slope and block foundation.




Stepping inside (after making sure the tripwire for the five bags of hardened sacrete set up to fall upon the unexpected intruder is on safety), this is with the girl door behind me, looking northeast




Same camera position, looking northwest




And this is looking toward the setting sun




Yes, I need to make a dump run.

 

[MikeH]

Thanks Jim. I have shop envy! :-D

 

[MikeL]

Jim, I love how bright your shop is and that floor! Looks like a really nice setup you have there. Thanks for sharing.

Michael

 

[Travis Porter]

Strange, your shop looks bigger on the inside than mine.... You did say it was 24x32 didn't you?

 

[Jim Murphy]

Strange, your shop looks bigger on the inside than mine.... You did say it was 24x32 didn't you?

24X30, but I probably aren't got as much "good stuff" in there.... yet.

 

[D ON BOARD]

I have won

My wife for a month plus has said i must build a seperate shop. She wants the garage for kids and her stuff. (4 kids under seven with bikes, skateboards, big wheels and surfboards etc...is alot of stuff)

Anyway my problem is flood plain. I live in it. So must be on pilings, about 3' high. So you who have built this style how does the floor cost figure into the overall budget. Looking into 18'to24' by 30'to32' range. I will have to do all myself due to budget.

dennis

this thread is so timely, i keep researching while she is yelling " just build it and get out of my garage".:eusa_danc

 

[Jim Murphy]

I used 2X10 floor joists 16" OC with pier spaced so the max span was 8'. For my 24' width, I have two rows of piers rather than just one down the middle. Over that was 3/4" TG OSB, and then felt paper and #2 red oak from LumberLiquidators. You'll have to price the dimensional lumber and sheeting locally, but if you watch LL, you can buy #2 WO, RO and sometimes hickory for $1.50/sf. Buy a hand operated PortaNailer and it's hard, but not particularly challenging work. Sand it yourself to an 80 grit and then three or four coats of Waterlox finish it off.
The 2X10 and 8' spans are overkill, but when you put half ton power equipment on it, the comfort level is worth the cost.
HTH

Jim