Either New Shop or Great Wife Gloat

[Outa Square]

After working in the driveway and the front porch; storing tools in the mud room; and wood where ever i can: the loml told me i should take some of the money that we have saved and build me a shop. She willing for me to spend more money then i am willing to let me spend.

Thus far i have decided on a 16 x 24 with a 12/12 pitched gable roof. I decided to build it on peirs instead of a slab. I was surprised that cost of a slab and the wooden floor is going to be close to the same cost; if i do both myself. I am planning on over building the floor system so that weight isn't a worry when getting future equipment upgrades. Right now, i am looking at having a loft that extends for 3/4 of the 24' so that i have 8' by 16' area that has more than a 8 foot clearance. Depending upon what i use to span the area for the loft i should be able to to recess the lights and have 8' clearance there as well.

What i haven't decided yet is the orientation of the building, initially i was going to use it to screen a view of my neighbors yard to the rear but that would mean placing a door on the gable end where i could store lumber vertically and have 8 to 12 feet clear, which wasn't an issue but because of a thread here i am rethinking.

Sorry for my ramble; i am just excited and need to share this with you guys and everyone for that matter. My nine year old is now asking for a shop for Christmas, when i told her it was my shop and nobody else's. I told her she welcome to come visit me but she need to remember it was daddy's shop; of course she wanted me to paint it pink.

I am hoping to work out the details soon and pull the permits. I am fortunate that i have been able to speak to the building inspector that is the supervisor in my area, he has been very helpful and suggested somethings that will save me some money. Although plans aren't required i plan on drafting a set up so that he can review them for me that way i can hopefully do everything right the first time.

Please share you thoughts as i am limited on my wood working experience and my shop knowledge is based on my father and grandfather's shops which are both a lot larger.

[Bigdog72]

My shop is 16x24 but was built with a shallower pitch (8/12) so I am not using the attic area for anything. On my to do list is an attic scuttle so that I can throw stuff up there. If I had built the shop, I would have poured a slab. No sag issues ever. At first, I didn't have things right but I think the layout works now. Put in plenty of outlets at 4' high and double the number of 220 plugs that you think you will need. Put in plenty of lighting and plan for some natural light as well. I have a 3' entry door and also a double door with a ramp up into the shop. The ramp is very handy. If I ever finish my shop cabinets I will post pictures.

[JimmyC]

-Make it as large as you can.

-Wood floors will definitely be better for you feet, legs, and back, but make sure that they are termite proof.

-Make it as tall as possible, verticle storage will help, also make sure that you can get at least 8' plywood upright (min. 9' ceilings) remember that lighting hangs down.

-If possible, pipe DC and compressed air, before closing walls in.

- Run as many outlets as you need, then double them because you can't have enough. Also make sure to run some 220v, eventually you will need them.

-Bring in a minimum electrical service of 60 amp/220v sevice, 100 amp is better, 200 amp is even better.

- Put a couple of outlets on the outside of the shop, you will find uses for them.

- OSB is probably the cheapest product for the interior walls. Either paint the walls a light color or expect to have more lighting, dark walls absorb light.

-If possible, put an exhaust fan on the opposite wall of the door, it will used more than you think.

- Windows are nice for natural light, but they make it easier for prying eyes and break-ins, they also take up precious wall space.

Hopefully this helps, I'm sure more will follow.

[Douglas Robinson]

Think about running dust collection piping under the floor. (Look at Alan in Little Washington's set up.) Put your outlets over 4 feet about the floor so that sheet goods againt a wall do not block the outlets. Run separate lines for the lights, one for AC, one for a dust collector, and then group tools that will not be run simultaneously on the same runs.

I love wooden floors and you wont regret it.

What kind of doors are you thinking of? A garage door is not the best in my opinion. It blocks lights when open and if it has rained recently it will drip water onto your tools and work. A wide sliding door is preferrable.

Doug

[flatheadfisher]

When I built mine, I was going to build it 10 x 20 and the wife talked me into 12 x 24 - she said I would be glad I did. Now, I wish I had gone even bigger. You will be amazed how fast the new "large" space suddenly becomes very small. If you are going to be there for a while, make it as big as you can and you will be glad you did. I have never heard anyone complain they built a shop too big.

Install more electrical outlets than you think you will need then install a few more. You can never have too many. Put several on each outside wall.

Consider building a lean-to on the side for wood storage.

Wood floors are good. I wish I had insulated mine to keep it from getting so cold. Now, I can't easily get to it.

Be sure to install wide doors.

[JimmyC]

One other thing, It's BOTH a new shop and great wife gloat.

[jeff...]

My shop it 16x32 on piers with a beefed up flooring (2x12 joists on 12" centers). I like the length but the width needs to be wider. One word of advice make sure your big wide door is located closest to the ground so you can get big tools up into the shop without having to use steps. I uses the natural slope of the ground to place my door.

[Don Sorensen]

12x12 pitch on the roof? If you have a cat, it will look at you funny. I understand the need for storage space, but you'll wish you cold hire Spiderman to put wood, tarpaper, and shingles up there. I say this from experience on a fellow "Engineer's" shop...built to get best use of materials, and that was the one mistake he will admit to: that 12 x 12 pitch roof.

While we're talking roof, the underlayment (plywood) should be offset - start with a 4x4 sheet along the bottom, followed by a full sheet. Next row starts with a full sheet. You get more of the rafters tied together - stronger structure. The "other" mistake I caught while helping put on the roof. I guess that summer job of framing carpentry has helped me out several times, now.

[gator]

Mine is 16 x 24 that I built myself on piers. I used a garage kit from BDC (Builders Discount Center). I had a 3' drop in grade from one corner to the diagonal corner so instead on moving a LOT of dirt to make it level for a concrete pour, I used piers. One advantage is that I have a crawl space that I could run the DC piping and the power for the tablesaw under the floor to the center of the shop and not have to worry about tripping over DC hose or power cords. All the other comments about 48" high outlets, OSB for the walls etc are good. I traded in the garage door that came with the package for additional windows. My figuring was that a garage door took up valuable wall space and better than 90% of what I build has to go into a house through a normal door so it must come out of the shop through a normal door.

George

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=198

[LeftyTom]

How about a Great New Shop Wife gloat?

[TracyP]

Now I am jealous, I want a new shop and have offers from friends to build it, just no friendly offers to pay for it. Congratulations and good luck.

[Splinter]

Build it as big as you can afford. It will never be too big. Also if you think you might ever build onto it in the future, you need to take that into consideration when you place in on your lot/land.

You said you were going to make drawings of the shop. I recommend spending a lot of time studing the drawings to ensure you get everything planned as near as possible to what you want BEFORE you begin construction. I did that on the shop I am currently building and so far so good....no surprises yet.

[scsmith42]

Lots of good advice on this string. Let me add something that has not already been stated:

Consider a 10' floor to ceiling height downstairs. Much easier to move large boards around in and things hanging from the ceiling will not get in your way.

If you pour a slab, you can build a knee wall from cinder block and use standard 8' studs on top of it.

Having storage upstairs is "theoretically nice", but ingress/egress can be a real pain.

Scott

[Travis Porter]

Congrats on both counts and ditto on all the suggestions you have received!!

[PChristy]

Al, congratulations on the new shop Two years ago LOML suggested that I build me a new shop but I decided to build our new livingroom on to the house instead - WHAT was I thinking well I guess we made our house more valuble - I will get my new shop soon of the Lord is willing