# One Car Garage Workshop Layout



## PapaFran

Hello,

Does anyone know of a good website or other resource that has ideas for a one car garage (13' X 23'), workshop layout?


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## sbryan55

PapaFran, Grizzly has a workshop planning program that lets you program in your shop and arrange tools in it that might help you plan your shop.


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## CharlieM1958

I work in about the same amount of space. Placement of things is going to depend on what type of work you do most frequently. It will be hard to plan without some good old trial and error. The biggest piece of advice I can give you: Put as much as you possibly can on wheels. There is no way to lay out a complete array of machinery in a one-car garage and have perfect access to everything. You've got to have some things you can slide around.


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## vestan_pance

Hi PapaFran, being from England where everything is small, my biggest project by far was setting up my shop which is 9' x 16' . This feature from Fine Woodworking was the best piece I have found on this subject, giving me a lot of helpful suggestions. http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=29505

As Autumn and Charlie have said, wheels are the only way to do it. The planer/thicknesser is the only thing I have to move on a regular basis, but having the option to move the rest is essential. Here's what I came up with (taken on the day the machines arrived. Oh how I wish it still looked this tidy!)









Left: band saw, bench, Planer/thicknesser.
Right: Table saw, router table (which can be pulled out to provide an outfeed table for the saw), chop saw, drill press, dartboard.
Since then I've added more storage with units along the wall on the right.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Andy


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## PapaFran

Holy Cow, thank you for all this help. These are all very helpful. I will be sure to put up pictures on how it's going.


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## pete57

Is this a space where you have a two car garage and plan to park a car? I have that situation and everything is on wheels. The only tool that I have that is a table saw and it is on wheels, but it usually stays dead center between the two doors. If it is 13X20 FWW.com has some shop layouts and storage ideas for that size shop. I have a subscription to FWW and pay 15-20 bucks a year for their website that is full of ideas and projects. Good luck and as for most of us we had to find out what works in our shops.


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## ND2ELK

I work in 14' X 21' garage and please feel free to look a my workshop. It might give you some ideas. I mainly do cabinets. Everything is on wheels, neat and organized is a must. Good luck on planing your new shop.

God Bless
tom


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## MarkShultz

i notice in the above photo, as well as the FWW.com article, that the table saw is positioned such that a rip cut starts at the "outside of the shop" where the viewer is, and the ending piece is at the rear where the workbench and free space are / back of the photo.

Is there a rationale for this vs the reverse flow? Just curious as I am about to finalize the setup of my shop which is similar to what is discussed here. The table saw orientation will impact where the power receptacle is put.


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## Jim Jakosh

Put everything on wheels so you can move it in and out of the work area. then their storage place is not as critical.
Be sure to have enough power all around the shop and make table heights real close so some tools can double as out feet tables for other tools.

If using a dust collector, make the ports accessible to the tools when it is moved into the work area.


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## vestan_pance

"Is there a rationale for this vs the reverse flow?"

There are 2 problems I can see with having it the other way around - firstly, to use the saw safely (out of the line of fire) would mean standing roughly where the router table is. There is a only a small gap (maybe 6-8") between the back of the table saw and the router table.

Secondly, if using a mitre gauge I can cross cut pieces up to about 4', which is the space between the blade and the bandsaw. If you have it the other way around you limit your working space to the gap between the blade and the wall which is only about 2'.


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## Jenine

Tom,
WOW, I am modeling my shop after your layout. After two years of woodworking, my husband finally takes me seriously, and he is going to help me strip our little one car garage out tomorrow so I can finally, truly, set up shop. I am going to use the photos that you posted on your homepage as my "dream setup" plan! Thanks for sharing! 
Andy, your shop is amazing, too - with an even smaller footprint! I am amazed by how efficient your space looks. I think my wood hoarding is an issue with my shop space, I think I am going to try to make my pile better resemble your little stack in the back of your photo. Well, close  Every time I want to pick up an exotic hardwood, I have to drive 6 hours round trip to the nearest dealer, so I kinda stock up when I am there. 
Thanks to everyone for sharing!


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## MT_Stringer

Yep. wheels or mobile bases for everything. Plan your work flow, set up your tool and get after it. Being cramped can have it's disadvantages so you have to pic your fights. For example a base kitchen cabinet that is 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep is about as big as I want to tackle.

Check out my blog. I have made some major strides in clean up and organization in my one car garage which shares the washer, dryer, freezer, HW heater, and a wall of storage shelves.

I have my table saw set so my back is to the overhead door. I only have to raise the door if I am ripping stock that is longer than 48 inches.

By far, the single biggest improvement has been the dedicated miter saw station. I gained additional storage (four drawers, and air compressor stg), some short cutoff storage and the miter saw…always at the ready. And my custom built cabinets have worked out really well also.

Good luck.
Mike


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