# Small Workshop recommendations and suggestions



## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

Looked at a 12×24 A-frame building yesterday to use as a small workshop/storage building. Any tips or advice on getting a small building like this? I am not sure what type of door, the company said they can sorta customize it. They have the regular swing doors or roll up doors. What is the pros and cons of each type? It also has a loft in the top, which would be good for storage. Any tips and advice to help me pick it out would be helpful. This is the first time I am actually getting a dedicated workshop/storage building.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

Also it has two windows in it, which they said they can put where needed or I assume added maybe. One which will have a small A/C unit for the Texas heat. The door is on the 12ft side and windows in the middle of the 24ft sides.


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

An A-frame building decreases the useable wall space, therefore is inefficient for your storage needs, IMO.









I don't know what I would do without vertical walls.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

My shop is 12 by 24 and it works. Are you talking a true A frame? If so I too would be worried about the sloping walls. You definitely want the door in the end. Mine is in the middle of the 24 side which is a little inconvenient.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

Ok maybe I was a little wrong on the description. I guess it is not a A frame. I looked up A frame and it looks like a triangle. That is not what I was meaning, I am not sure what the actual type is then haha. 
It is not this:









It is this type, but not this exact building:









The one I was looking had one window on each 24ft side and the door was a hinged swing type door on the 12ft side.


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## paratrooper34 (Apr 27, 2010)

That is every bit as big as my shop. I don't use many power tools and it is plenty big enough for me. I imagine you could be very happy with that; nice dedicated space with ample room, even a little overhead storage is possible in that.


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## americancanuck (Apr 4, 2011)

I would make sure, if possible, that you include a man door. No sense in opening a big door and letting all the AC go out into the Texas heat. In my humble opinion overhead storage is a huge bonus, you will need all of the floor space you can possibly get.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Upper loft = where you store your lumber to dry out. Offcuts go downstairs.

See miscellaneous wood and tool storage ideas below (collected google pics). You can see how happy the lady in the red shirt is with her clamps storage. And don't forget to set up good lighting first!


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## BArnold (May 20, 2013)

While I have plenty of room in my new shop, I was limited to half of a two car garage when I first got into woodworking bigtime. Following are photos of how I managed to have a fully equipped shop that fit into my half of the garage so my wife could park her car inside at night. The ceiling was 10' high, so I added a rack for wood storage above the garage door.


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## Picklehead (Feb 12, 2013)

my shop is 8×24, plenty big enough. I put the door on the end in the corner, so my tablesaw, up against a wall, can run outfeed out the door. windows on the long side.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

Wow thanks! This is helping out a lot, giving me a lot of good ideas with all the pictures! Awesome, keep them coming if you think of anything else!!!


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Where in Texas are you? It's not that difficult to build one of these and there are complete free build sheets online.

Even if you put a window AC in it, if you don't insulate you'll be pissin' in the wind.

If you were close enough I would be happy to help , but then I'm sure you couldn't possibly be within 20 miles of Robertson County, LOL.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

I live in Burleson county, near the town of Caldwell which is for sure more than 20 miles because it is not a neighboring county. I have heard of Robertson County but not sure exactly where that is. Thanks for offering to help but I will just buy one, the company delivers and puts it up which is very easy and stress free for me haha. I know we have some insulation from a add on we were doing on our old house, might look into using it possibly.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I'd just make a hole in the wall and frame it out for the AC.
Save your windows for light, and to open for ventilation on cool evenings.
You'll need about a 11,000 to 12,000 BTU, 120 volt AC for a shop that size if you insulate.
Probably will need 18,000 to 20,000 BTU, 240 volt AC if you don't insulate.
The difference in the installed cost of the AC would pay for the insulation.


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

If you check "my workshop" page there is a list of things that I'm happy I did when i built a workshop and a list that I would do differently next time.

The roll up door gives more headroom inside the shop but it doesn't seal well if you were going to heat or cool the space.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

This is 24'x48'. It has 2 A/C units, 2 8'x10' slidind doors, 10' high ceiling, 200 amp service. I wish it were bigger.


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## GeorgeInNWFla (Sep 25, 2013)

Hope you guys don't mind me adding to this topic, but I'm in need of some suggestions as well. I've got a TINY shop (as you can see on my workshop page). I'm in the very early planning stages of getting a bigger one and would like some suggestions as to things to keep in mind as I'm planning it out.

1. What would be an ideal size shop to begin with? Anything bigger than what I'm using now is helpful, but I'm wanting to begin a general woodworking business. Nothing to specialized and am not going to be churning out massive amounts of big furniture (at least not for awhile, anyway  ) I'm kind of thinking around 12'x24'.

2. Should I worry about having the whole shop wired for 220 or just a couple of outlets for now? Currently, all of my tools are 120 and they suit me just fine for what I'm doing. But down the road, ya never know.

I've got some more questions, but not a lot of time ATM, so I'll stop here.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Keep at much stuff on shelves as high on the wall as you can, it will help free up you work space. Try not to hoard a lot of wood just because you might use it in the future, that's my problem now and it's eating up nearly 20% of my usable floor space.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I have a 12 by 24 shop. I built it onto my garage which is 24 by 24. I wish it were bigger. I built it on a tiny budget and didn't want to cut down any trees to make it fit. Its pretty crowded in there especially when I get a bunch of wood in there like bigblockyeti mentioned. I keep adding more high storage. If you can, make it 24 by 24. Someday you'll wish that was bigger, but for now that's twice as big as you were thinking.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

A 12×24 seems like an odd shape to me. Personally I would go 18×16. 18×16 Is the same Sqft as 12×24. A square building is just easier to work in. 12×24 is just too much of a tunnel to me. just out of curiosity what is the ceiling height?? My shop currently as an 8' ceiling and I hate it with a passion. one of my winter projects is to reframe my ceiling to give me more overhead (about 10'). just my thoughts. and something else to keep in mind is it is way cheaper to go bigger now than to add on later.


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## GeorgeInNWFla (Sep 25, 2013)

Actually, I was going off the picture MrRon posted of his 24×48 shop. I figured I only need something half that size, so that was the number I went with. Now that you mention it, 18×16 does sound a lot better. However, as I was planning the 12×24 shop, a dedicated finishing room fit neatly into one corner. I'll have to go back to the ole drawing board and see what I come up with  AutoCAD is another of my specialties.

I'm thinking about 10' ceiling, cuz my current shop is only 8'x12' with 8' ceiling and I'm constantly bumping things I have stored up there.

Thanks for the input, guys. You've given me some more stuff to think about.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

I have a set of french doors on my shop and no overhead door. I didn't want the tracks interfering with the space above my head. My shop is 16×24. It can get tight if I have a big project going on (like making all of our kitchen cabinets) but otherwise, I'm learning that keeping it clean and straightened up makes it a pretty nice place to be.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

Since I first posted this topic, we have since then decided on a 14×28 building, insulated, 4 windows, A/C, 4 four foot long lights, 4 windows, a double door on one end. Just have to decide on how many wall outlets to get. Not sure how many 220s I will need. I know will need one for A/C and one for my welder. I will have the one for the welder near the door so I can well outside of the building of course. What other equipment require 220 outlet? I will be stuffing it with all new equipment also, I want a hybrid table saw, a good size band saw 17", Drill press large enough to not be held back on projects but not over sized that I wouldn't need. Will probably get a air compressor eventually but not at first probably. Which of these if any or other machines require a 220? Also how many 120 outlets would you recommend for normal use and smaller machines?


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

At least one 220v for a table saw. My other tools run off of 120v. The 2 hp dust collector is on a dedicated 20 amp circuit as is the open end drum sander. I am working in a one car garage. My finishing has to be dome outside when the weather is OK. And you know it is generally warm → hot in Texas.

So far, I managed to collect a table saw, dust collector, 14 inch band saw, drill press, 12 inch bench top planer, a 6 inch jointer and a dedicated miter saw station. All tools are mounted on mobile bases. I move them around as needed and hook up the DC hose to each tool before using. An air filtration unit hangs from the ceiling.

Good luck with your new shop. I think you should consider a *miter saw station* similar to mine. It works great!!!

Mike

Edit: "Also how many 120 outlets would you recommend for normal use and smaller machines?"

As many as you can muster with two receptacles per box. Just like clamps, you can never have enough.


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## rexb (Mar 28, 2012)

*GeorgeInNWFla* - 12×24 is not half the size of 24×48, it is 1/4 the size


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I would put a double box with with two receptacles every six feet and possibly more where you will have a workbench with chargers, radio, TV, etc. I haven't yet but I intend to hang a few retractable cords. In my 12 × 24 I have 8 four foot bulbs which is good, but you may need more.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Recommendations: BIGGER… if you can afford it and have the space. Go as large as you possibly can (without going over - not likely)

Having worked in 1/2 of a two-car garage (10X20), I can say that even a modest project will have you cramped for space. Finally graduated to 2/3 of a 3 car garage (20X20) and it is not much better. If I build a free standing building for my work shop I'd be looking at 24 X 48 minimum.

Best of luck to ya.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

I have a 16×24 shop so pretty close to the same size (you have 8 sq ft on me). I have 220 capability, but didn't need it right now so I haven't run any 220 circuits. 
I have a dedicated circuit for the dust collector. 
My lighting circuit goes up from the box, hop-scotches across the ceiling for the lights, and comes down the far opposite wall with a single duplex for the "charging station". Then I have 3 of the 120v circuits. I only did the single duplex boxes, but no 2 adjacent boxes are on the same circuit and my spacing in some areas is only about 4 feet between boxes *and* I color coded the outlets. White for circuit 1, brown for circuit 2, ivory for circuit 3.

I'm a one-man shop so it would be rare that I'd be running anything more than the dust collector and 1 machine, but in winter I can plug a 1500 watt electric radiant heater into one of the outlets and still have 2 more circuits for machines.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

georgeinnwfla, 12×24 is 1/4 of 24×48, not 1/2. and yes 16×18 is a better shape. In my case, 24x any length works well. 24×36 is actually devoted to woodworking. the other 24×12 is for metalworking and other miscellaneous tasks; car repair for example. You only need 220V outlets where your 220V tools are located as they are usually stationary. You will have only 2 machines operating at the same time; a saw and DC, so size your power accordingly. I have 200amp service in my shop which is overkill. 100 would have been enough, but I have enough for expansion if I ever do.


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

*Which of these if any or other machines require a 220? Also how many 120 outlets would you recommend for normal use and smaller machines?*

will the power be installed professionally or will you be doing the wiring yourself?


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## GeorgeInNWFla (Sep 25, 2013)

1/2, 1/4, 1/8, whatever, I was in a rush and only meant I didn't need something that big.  After some tweaking on my design and taking points that have been brought up here into consideration, I'm thinking of going with 24'x24' or 24'x32', depending on finances. I know it's bigger than I originally talked about, but I'm thinking of starting a WW business and figured I better plan now for expansion. Might even get a small scale cnc router, but that's iffy, at least for now. I'm not really into large-scale woodworking, like huge furniture pieces and what-not, just smaller stuff like student desks and decorative stuff.


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## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

At 288 squair feet you would be at the exact amount of space I have (my shop is 16X18) Honistly I could not imagine it being any less wide then it is now and I am thinking about making it larger for a winter project. Here are some things I did to make my shop more liveable

1. Pegboard all of the walls
2. No stationary tools or work benches everything is on casters
3. Put an air real and extension cord real on the cealing
4. I have french doors on my shop so I can get large things in and out of there
5. I have a lumber rack that I made

Besides that the only other thing I can think of is seeing if you can get a larger shop in the area seeing as workshops are never large enough.


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## BArnold (May 20, 2013)

My shop is 24×36, plus a loft. There are a few photos in my profile. Pegboard is a good idea. I put pegboard on the top half of each wall with lauan plywood on the bottom half. Each wall has 110V duplex outlets 4' apart and each wall is on a seperate breaker. I ran 220V outlets on walls where I needed them; each on a seperate breaker. I have a combination of fixed and mobile machines. Those are the extremely basic factors in my shop. Each of us has to decide what we want to do, how we want to do it and what we can budget to get from point A to point B.


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