# 3 Car Tandem Garage Work Shop Layout Ideas



## Oosik (Oct 16, 2013)

Anyone have a 3 car tandem garage shop? I'm trying to get ideas for the best layout for the space. Most ideas I can find are for traditional 3 car garages or 2.

Thanks!


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

My garage is 36'x36'. I put a wall up so the back section of the garage is 14'x36'. Plenty of room but as always you could use more. We are never satisfied.


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

What does the garage floorplan look like? Is it a double door with a single wide section further in?

Are you trying to take over the whole garage? Or just the single car section?

How many cars or other items will need to fit into the space?

What large tools are you trying to fit in?

It is hard to provide any inputs without a bit more info.


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## Oosik (Oct 16, 2013)

2 car garage with one side extending back making 2 spaces 19' x 37' with 12' ceilings (Which is really 1.5-1.75 with water heaters and softener in the back). No need to park any vehicles, just a bonus with the wife if possible. I'm trying to put just about everything on wheels.

Large Tools:
10" Cabinet Saw router table attached
12" Miter Saw
Portable Planer
8" Jointer

Future Large Tools/Items:
17-20" Bandsaw
Portable Dust Collector
Floor Drill Press
Lathe
Spindle/Combo Sander (Maybe?)
Cabinet Maker's Workbench

Other Large Items:
4' x 6' Workbench
Trash/Recycle Bins (HoA rules)
Other numerous shelves that might be repurposed up high on the wall

Limiting factors are lumber rack is on short interior wall with the trash/recycle bins and all my 220 outlets are on the long exterior wall.


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## Johnny_Yuma (Nov 29, 2009)

Best thing you can do is model it.
Draw out the garage, make scaled cut outs of all your tools and move them around until you're happy with the layout.

A few things to keep in mind:

Power. You don't want cords on the floor.
I like to keep my TS against the wall (right side). Most people like theirs in the middle of the shop. If you have a router inset it is probably on the right side which kills my idea though.
Try to keep all your pathways wide…. like 48" if you can. 
It's nice to have your jointer very close to TS.
Outfeed table makes a great assembly table in a one person shop.
I like to have my work bench close to my assembly area too


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Grizzly has a FREE shop planner….
http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

DIYaholic beat me to it.

Use the grizzly planner, and their click and drag shop


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## TimberMagic (Mar 4, 2015)

If you are not a SketchUp user, your layout project would be a good way to do the layout and learn the use of the software. You can become pretty proficient in a few hours with SketchUp. My first project was a workbench, so it was done in 3D.

I seem to move stuff around in my basement shop periodically. I am always on a quest to fins a better way to make the limited space work better. And I guess I need to take my own advice, and start a layout the next time I am ready to start moving things around!


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## webbrowan (Jan 5, 2016)

That looks like one amazing garage you have in mind! And if you don't have the 3 cars yet, actually having the garage built and installed would be a great reason to go looking for financing to get them all!


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## JSOvens (Nov 12, 2013)

If I had such space, I would consider sectioning off a portion for tasks such as finishing (unless you happen to live in a climate conducive to doing these things outdoors most of the year, which I don't).


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## Oosik (Oct 16, 2013)

I've thought about sectioning off a portion but the water heaters and water softener are on that back wall of the garage. I'm about to move my lumber rack since that small space is hard to maximize it's usage.


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## ste6168 (Mar 12, 2015)

> If I had such space, I would consider sectioning off a portion for tasks such as finishing (unless you happen to live in a climate conducive to doing these things outdoors most of the year, which I don t).
> 
> - JSOvens


I agree. I would probably do some type of partition on that back section/nook. Even if it were a temporary curtain or something. I would probably put my bench in the middle of that section, and be designated for hand tool use/finishing. That is the worst part about my shop, when I am finishing a project, I essentially have to shut down shop for a week.


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## Nezzerscape (Jan 14, 2016)

For sectioning off an area. I have built bi-fold (or accordion) doors using hollow core doors. They are light enough you so not have to do much to mount them and one door will support another. For one friend we added a cheap laminate on the doors so he has a huge "white board" for sketching ideas.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

For sectioning off an area temporarily I use shop made roman blinds out of plastic sheeting. Just pull a string to raise and lower, tie off the string when raised. Including a space for finishing, temporary or permanent, should be included in your plan, especially if you spray finishes and want to include a blower/filter. Include storage room for finishing chemicals. With all those tools you may want a fixed DC with plumbing - sounds like the bigger tools will be along the long wall so plumbing may be simple. The Grizzly shop planner is a helpful tool for shop layout.


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