# A basement wood working space



## jonlan (Dec 21, 2015)

Hi all - Long time reader, first time poster. Im looking for some advice on building a basement shop. Here's my story…

My wife told me a few months ago that I needed to get a hobby. I've always enjoyed working with my hands, so I thought wood working would be fun. I start by buying some basic tools, and as I enjoyed it more and more, I bought more and more tools. So I have most of the necessitates now, but they're all out in the garage. I live in MN so working out there during the winter is awful. Also - Im worried about moisture starting to get on some of the tools and having them starting to pit or rust. On top of that, every time I do any serious work the garage gets covered with that fine layer of dust that is impossible to clean up.

So - as of today, my wife suggested that I pick a space in the basement and make it my wood shop. Im excited! Not only will it be nice to have a dedicated space, but I'll be able to work there year round!

So here are my questions that Im hoping to get feedback on.

-My basement is unfinished so I'll be framing in an area to do this in. Besides dry wall, has anyone had any success with sound deadening insulation? Most of my free time is when the kids go to bed so I'd like to be able to work down there without waking them up.

-Dust collection is a must. I plan on getting a dust filter system to hang from the ceiling (The Jet unit gets good reviews) but havent quite made up my mind on dust collection. I have some big tools that I'd like to hook up to it (miter saw, table saw, planer, etc). After seeing a dust deputy and a shop vac Im pretty sold on that solution because of limited cost and size (Size is still a priority because the space isnt massive). I'd like to build an integrated vacuum solution that has ports at different locations in the room to hook up different tools. Anyone have any input on how they did this with a shopvac/dust deputy? I've seen some cool designs where people put in raised floors and ran the vac lines underneath but that seems like it might be a bit much.

So those are my two primary concerns right now. Sound and dust. The room will eventually walk out into a finished basement when we get around to that so I want to make sure that dust and sound arent an issue. Any other big hitters Im not thinking about? Any other tips for building a shop in the basement?

I'd appreciate any feedback you might have!


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## sawdustjunkie (Sep 12, 2013)

You should let everyone know what the size of the room will be along with the height you have to work with. That way you will get some great advise from these folks!


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## jonlan (Dec 21, 2015)

Sorry! The space is about 11 foot by 12 foot with 9 foot ceilings. This is unfinished so I'll need to account for walls and studs.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

My shop is in the garage, which is 1/2 of the basement. Drywall with fiberglass insulation does pretty good for sound dampening. Of course our bedrooms are 2 floors up instead of right overhead. If kids were trying to sleep right above the garage, I might have to put some effort into it.

I would also advise against a raised floor unless your concrete is in really bad shape. A solid floor reduces vibration which also reduces noise.


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## BasementShop (Nov 3, 2014)

Welcome to the basement!

I insulated inside walls for sound deadening. I'm anxious if others provide a better answer. I just used the regular fiberglass insulation for the typical 2×4 wall.

Remember to run your power where you will need it. No one wants to be tripping over extension cords strung across the floor.

I didn't finish the walls of my shop and so I have a piece of trim around the top of my work bench to keep from loosing things into the wall. It was a nice theory but I wish I had put up something to stop stuff from being lost into the wall space.

Give your sweeping a little forethought. I have some storage placed in such a way that I can't get a push broom into some spots. It's a bit of a pain to have both a kitchen broom and a push broom (I also keep a bench brush) at the ready because of where things got placed.

I wish I'd been a bit more thoughtful about light placement as well. I hung shop lights down from the floor joists above and that gives light enough to see but not enough task lighting for working on the bench. I end up using a secondary light for task lighting and that's a pain. Think about where your shadow will fall from the lights when you are standing at your tool or bench.

I used the few spaces between floor joists that didn't contain ducting for storage. I had to put some 'covers' over wiring and plumbing so that I didn't damage them. I know some people use the space between studs as well, but if you insulate, that won't be a solution for you. I don't operate my shop when anyone sleeps so I haven't insulated the ceiling of my shop. You may have to do that if you are directly underneath someone's bedroom.

I have thought numerous times about using the between the studs spaces with cabinets that slide between studs. Maybe one day I will. (I framed a 2×4 wall inside of the outer wall. This allowed me space to insulate between the basement concrete wall and the 2×4 wall. The space between studs could be used on those walls because my sound insulation is on the inner walls between my shop and the living space.)

I use a shopvac with a separator in my shop. I also sweep often and have to vacuum the stairs frequently. I hope your system saves you from some of that repetitive non-productive effort.

Good luck!

BasementShop


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## AZWoody (Jan 18, 2015)

One thing about sound dampening is that even with insulation, the sound is actually transmitted through the studs.
Sound is passed through vibration so the best way is to isolate the studs from the drywall. Using an adhesive to put up the drywall will do a lot to help sound dampening.

Some people, when making studios will actually lay a large bead of silicon over the studs, let it dry, then put up the drywall. Then, even a second layer of drywall is used.

As for dust collection, it's going to be tough to not have fine dust settling over the shop and even leaking into the house. Seriously think what you can really afford for that and get as big as possible. It is loud though, so you might want an isolation closet for it.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

> One thing about sound dampening is that even with insulation, the sound is actually transmitted through the studs.
> 
> - AZWoody


Yep.

I've never heard of the silicone trick, but can see how it could work well. Any time I've seen someone do drywall for sound isolation, they use drywall isolation furring strips and rock wool insulation (it absorbs sound a bit better than fiberglass)


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## sawdustjunkie (Sep 12, 2013)

Make sure you make your doorway extra wide, so you can get stuff in and out!
11×12 sounds great till you start filling it up with tools. I am using my 2 & 1/2 car garage and wish I had more space. I haven't had a car in there for over 5 years. I keep my bike in there during the summer and have to put in the driveway so I have more room to work.


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## levan (Mar 30, 2010)

If anyway possible I think I would try to work things out in the garage, or a shed. Dust collection, air cleaner, heat, AC. Being in the basement with a finished area right beside it, I think the tracked dust will be nasty. Keeping the fine dust out of rest of the house and HVAC can be a real challenge. 
Best wishes


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Basement shop here …. 3 year old at home too.

Keep a spare pair of shop shoes and a mat at the top of the stairs.

As to noise, its just gonna be noisy without going through a major hassle of drywalling a ceiling. The way ive been doing things relies on planning. Ill make my cuts, do my jointing, planning, and all my noisy work on the weekends or when everyone is awake. During the time when everyone else is sleeping I use a lot of hand tools and ill do all my prep for noisy work. Ill have my gear all set up and ready to go, fences dialed in, etc so my "noisy time" isn't soaked up by doing all that.

From time to time ill get stuck and really wish I could fire up my gear but with good planning and some hand tools the noise issue wont set you back too much.


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## Bobby57 (Dec 21, 2015)

My advice is if possible build your workshop with access to your driveway or somewhere outside. All my big tools are on wheels that lock and on a nice day I just wheel what I want to use outside. Clean up is then just the leaf blower.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

This may be the soundproof solution.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Is insulating and heating the garage out of the question?


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## MattLinPA (Oct 18, 2015)

I also do the basement shop thing and will echo many of the comments already left here. 
Dust collection is a royal pain, I'd seriously look in to a fullsize (4" hose) dust collector if you're ever going to be working with jointer or planer. I have a modified harbor freight DC (similar to the Wynn 35A filter) that I move the hose from machine to machine for each operation. I'll be adding a Thein Baffle/separator and changing the orientation of the fan/motor mount to avoid having to change the plastic bags as often as I have been in the very near future. There a ton of good threads and examples on this site for these mods and the HF DC. That being said, the HF dust collection doesn't get ALL the dust and at the end of a long planing and or jointing session or if making a ton of chop saw cuts, I used to look up and see the particles suspended in the air and found myself with the occasional cough as well. I ended up purchasing a ceiling mount air cleaner (Powertech AF4000) and that made an exceptional difference in air quality, both while making dust and afterwards with the reducing the amount of residual dust that gets on everything. Chrisstef also noted on another item in the dust control toolbox is pair of Crocs. Yup, those hideous shoes that are something you don't want to be seen in public wearing (unless you're in a hospital). I slip them on and and off when I go in my woodshop and that has reduced if not eliminated the need to vacuum our floors cause of sawdust. (Dog hair is back to being the primary reason to vacuum every other day.) The other item I do is I have a pair of shorts and a tee shirt that I "try" to wear when working there so as not to track dust stuck on my clothing. I do try and keep this separate from normal laundry, that I'll at least blow out with the air compressor before washing the clothing

Noise - Chrisstef also noted what I do, if I need to be quiet or work after "hours". However I don't have the same restrictions that you have noted with free time and disturbing children sleeping. I'm usually working while my wife is home, but there isn't a good way to mask the noise without massive improvements to the house would have no ROI so she'll either go outside to play with the dog or just turn up the volume on the TV, she doesn't seem to mind it much (according to her).

Bob noted to put everything on wheels so you can work outside, that for me was what I was doing initially out of my garage, however I found that having to "set up" and "take down" my woodshop every time really limited my desire to play with wood since it would add 15-20 min to each side of the "session". I will say that I do miss the natural light of the single car garage/driveway and the fresh air, but not having to "set up" and "take down" the big tools every time is a huge positive for me. I find I'll go and play down there for at least 20 min almost daily, sometimes 3-4 hours when time permits, which has made projects go much faster and less effort, as well as starting where you left off is also much easier.

Last thoughts - Since you're going to be building out a space specifically for this hobby - I encourage you to really plan ahead with the bigger purchases. My hobby started with a Dust Right separator that I don't use anymore, I wish I had purchased a different miter saw (non-sliding because it takes up depth), I've replaced my 10 month old portable tablesaw (because it failed cutting 12/4 poplar) with a Sawstop PCS. (Want to buy a repaired Ridgid 4510?) and have had to make changes to process, shop layout, etc and the miter saw for example is taking up valuable space that a non sliding saw wouldn't.

Congrats on getting wife buyin - have fun building out your shop!

-Matt


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

I'll just speak to noise right now. Here is how I used to start with designing a studio:

- Assume we are starting with a box-shaped room, roughly rectangular with hard walls like concrete or cinder block.
- When framing, do not attach the studs to the house walls or the floor joists above; build a box inside a box.
- 2×4's are fine, and with a box in a box you don't need RC channel, silicon, special adhesives, or what have you
- If you want to maximize the sound isolation, use 2 layers of drywall with non-overlapping seams (stagger the seams between the layers.
- Seal off any air leaks if possible. The two rules of sound isolation are that you need mass and air-tightness. Absorption in the walls is a very minimal effect compared to having lots of mass and keeping the room air tight.
- If your furnace/AC ducts run through the basement, try to orient the room so that as few of them run overhead as possible. Once sound gets into the ducting, it's game over.
- If you have cash to burn, getting some dead sheet to put between layers of drywall up the sound isolation factor by a lot, but only if you are following all other principles of good design.

I work in acoustics for a living and have done a good bit of architectural acoustics in my time. If it were me doing it, I would do the box in a box with 2 layers of drywall, and air tight and call it good. Minimal extra cost and effort relative to other approaches. It's what we call the 80% solution which is you get 80% of the maximum effect at 10% of the cost/effort. Good luck.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

I use garage and basement. Most of the big loud, dusty tools in the garage, I only use them in the daytime. Nothing loud in the basement after 8 P.M. I use 2 air cleaners,and keep the shop clean as I go. Sawdust and chips on the floor is a trip hazard, sawdust gets kicked up into the air.

I didn't build internal walls, too restricting for me. We don't have a dust problem in the house from my workshop in the basement, but it does take effort.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Welcome to visit the Dungeon Shop anytime….


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## Minorhero (Apr 8, 2011)

I second the box inside a box design. Visit some sites about sound proofing rooms for home theaters and this is what they suggest. The sound deadening sheets are incredibly expensive. Like can outfit a new shop of tools expensive. So chances are those are not going to be an option and even then they are not a catch all. The box inside a box design is key.

That being said. Do not build this shop.

Seriously do not build it. There are multiple red flags here.

1) You are concerned about dust getting into the house including a finished space that is right next to your work space. You are 100% right to be concerned. Wood dust is measured in microns for goodness sake and it will get everywhere. It can go through ducts, it can be tracked out on your shoes, it can blow through the door as you open it and create a mini vacuum just through the movement of the door. Everyone I have talked to or seen who has a basement shop has dust issues in the rest of their house.

2) Your shop is too small. 11×12 may sound like a good size but since you are making it from scratch you should seriously be considering a shop twice that size. If you only do lathe turnings and work with hand tools then I take it back. But if you plan on building furniture and using power tools then its pretty small for a shop you plan to build from the ground up.

3) You are concerned about noise. And you should be, this is a hobby that is LOUD. As in neighborhood ordinances can get involved loud. When you start running 13" wide boards through a planner you are going to need the best sound proofing around to keep a small child sleeping directly above that machine from knowing. You can deaden the sound a lot simply by using the box inside a box design, but realistically there are limits. A handheld circular saw according to the interwebs is 110 decibels. That's the same as the front row of a rock concert. So you are talking about trying to keep a child from knowing that the Grateful Dead are playing 10 feet below their head. That is a tough thing to do.

4) You have a viable alternative. Keep it in the garage. Get a pellet stove out there. If you can insulate the garage even better.


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

> - If your furnace/AC ducts run through the basement, try to orient the room so that as few of them run overhead as possible. Once sound gets into the ducting, it s game over.
> - Ripthorn


This is my big problem with my basement shop. The furnace is in my shop area and a duct runs right through so the sound goes straight up to the 2nd floor bedrooms. With just under 8 foot ceilings plus loss from pipes and such, I don't know if I can pull off room within a room and have a useable space.


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## MrSmith670 (Jan 26, 2014)

+1 for heating the garage. By the time you do all the work in such a small basement shop you will wish you just heated the garage.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Didn't read all the posts so sorry if anything is repetitive.

I wouldn't totally discourage you but keep in mind that's a very small space for the equipment you're talking about. I started out in a 12X16 building and really struggled because once you start building a project you can run out of space real quick. But you can make it work.

One alternative is to keep big machines up in garage with DC. The TS and any kind of sander are the big dust creators if you have good DC you shouldn't have much problem there. Then do your assembly and handwork in the basement. There will be alot of stair climbing but if you're young its good exercise ;-)

Electrics - I ran all my circuits in surface mounted conduit. More expensive but way easier/faster than drilling holes in studs & cutting box holes. Biggest plus is flexibility in adding/changing circuits. Also, unless you have access to main panel and plenty of spaces, you will need a subpanel.

Water - very handy if you can swing it.

Soundproofing: You could insulate, cover with 2 layers of drywall, or drywall + 2×2's and another layer of drywall.

Air quality. I think the biggest drawback of an attached shop (garage or basement) is keeping dust out of the house. Keep in mind some of the dust is not good (MDF, cedar to name two) and you sure don't want that stuff getting sucked into your air handler past a filter. You can seal off the air handler in several ways like building a closet or installing weatherstripping.

In summary, I think your biggest challenges are going to be sealing off the shop from the house, soundproofing and layout. Good Luck!!


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Check Menards for the air cleaner. They're inexpensive compared to jet and work great. I have one in my 30×33 garage and get very little if any dust on my things. I can't help you on the basement shop. I built a detached heated garage with water and bathroom that solves a lot of issues.


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## jonlan (Dec 21, 2015)

Hi guys. Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. It seems like some of you are suggesting it's a bad idea to even consider the basement shop for an 'everything' workshop. That makes sense and the more I think about it the more Im wondering how feasible it is. Not only is the space likely too small for everything, but the dust is likely going to be a problem as well. Maybe I should consider the space in the basement just a general purpose work space that I can use for smaller work (glueups, hand tools, etc).

I'd love to insulate my garage and put a heater in but I thought the cost of doing that would be significant as well as figuring out a way to vent any such heater. Maybe that's the right approach though. So that leaves me with some of the same problems…

Heat - It gets damn cold out there. A heater and insulation may be viable but I need to look into how I can install a heater and have it pass the association guidelines (yes, I live in an association).

Dust - My initial thought on this was a mobile vac cart that I could just wheel around from tool to tool. This might be the way to go for the garage. I think regardless of what I do a dust filter system that hangs from the ceiling is likely in order too.

Tools - Im concerned that the tools might start to rust and pit over time in the garage considering the moisture. Even if I put in a heater, I wouldnt heat the garage all winter long. Anyone live in the north that has this problem? Doesnt have this problem?

Again - Thanks for all of the feedback and comments. Lots of good stuff.


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## AZWoody (Jan 18, 2015)

Box in a box? Yes, it's the best for sound isolation but realistically is way over the top unless you're looking to make the shop smaller as well. He already has a small space, doubling up on the width of the walls is only going to reduce that.
A true sound proofed room would not just have a box but the whole thing would be floating on a shock absorbing floor, so you would need not just the walls, but a floor as well.
Many studios actually use old used tires laid sideways over the whole floor, then build the whole secondary room on top of that. There goes ceiling height.
Then, it's a set of double doors. That will be fun trying to move wood and projects in and out of the room.

Will it be soundproofed? Yup, is it really effective? Only if he really wants to build a complete room again.


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## CharleyL (Mar 10, 2009)

Shop in the basement? I've been there. Noise and sawdust gets into the house way too easily. I spent a fortune trying to sound proof and seal off my shop to keep the sawdust and noise from getting into the upper floors.

Then I got transferred and I decided that this time I would be building a detached out building for my shop. It's 100' from the house, so shop noise never makes it into the house. Sawdust doesn't either, if I remember to blow myself off before leaving the shop. Humidity problems are much less too, and this shop is 150' from the edge of a lake. Being detached from the house tends to keep the wife from constantly interrupting your work too. She will solve the little problems herself rather than walk the 100' to have you deal with it, unless she really can't handle it herself. I have my cell phone with me so she can also call me if she needs my help.

Wherever you build your shop, make the inside walls of wood and not drywall, because you will want to hang things and a 1/2" or thicker wood wall will let you do this without the need to find the beam locations. The ceiling can be drywall, but I prefer wood there too, for the same reason. Several coats of white paint on the wood walls and ceiling will brighten up your shop and will look much like drywall, even if it gets a little dirty later. Insulate heavily for sound or climate. Use rock wool if trying to reduce sound transmission, if you need it, but good insulation in an out building is a must too. I have a heat pump for heating / cooling and my shop is about 70 deg whenever I'm working in it, year round. I have a small frige and a hot plate, for hot or cold drinks too. The only thing that I left out, and I'm still regretting this, is a 1/2 bathroom and I totally misjudged the amount of space that I would need. My next shop will have the bathroom and it will be at least a 3 car garage in size.

Charley


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## vernonator (Feb 21, 2011)

Too small--way too small. I have a basement shop 15×24 and its too small. Now others have sworn that they have never seen a basement shop that does not leave dust in the house. Well I must be a unicorn then. My basement is finished and the shop is accessed via a door in the finished area. I do have a HF DC/Wynn combo and a hanging air filter. I do NOT have any hvac in the room - supply OR return. There is NO dust upstairs and if I am REALLY going at it there might be a small amount in the bar area just outside the shop.

If you can fix the cold in the garage stick with that. I wish I could but my 3 bays are stuffed as it is. Schlepping supplies up and down the stairs is a PITA. If you do go in the basement have a way to break down sheet goods upstairs (I use a track saw) 4×8 plywood and basement stairs is NOT a good combo.


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

> Box in a box? Yes, it s the best for sound isolation but realistically is way over the top unless you re looking to make the shop smaller as well. He already has a small space, doubling up on the width of the walls is only going to reduce that.
> A true sound proofed room would not just have a box but the whole thing would be floating on a shock absorbing floor, so you would need not just the walls, but a floor as well.
> Many studios actually use old used tires laid sideways over the whole floor, then build the whole secondary room on top of that. There goes ceiling height.
> Then, it s a set of double doors. That will be fun trying to move wood and projects in and out of the room.
> ...


I recommended the box in a box as the best way to address his noise concerns with little ones sleeping. It really doesn't eat as much space as you seem to be thinking. Say it is framed with 2×4's. All you really need is a gap of 1/4" or so from the side walls to decouple the studs from the wall mechanically. This consumes a negligible amount of space compared to just framing it out with 2×4's attached to the wall. Even if he was just going to use 2×2 furring strips, he is giving up a total of about 4.5" across the width of a room. As for the roof? Again, only a small gap is necessary, so figure it might eat 4" of his head space relative to just sticking drywall up there. He has 9' ceilings, so a few inches is an acceptable sacrifice for the vastly improved performance. So in short, it really doesn't make it that much smaller, just smarter. Your example of studios is true, but that falls easily into the remaining 20% that is outside of the 80% solution. He asked how to do it, I provided a simple way to obtain maximum benefit with minimal cost or space sacrifice. I recommend it for anyone who is concerned about noise.


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

As to heating a garage, just insulate it really well and get something like a salamander heater. Bring the shop up to temp, turn it off, and a reasonably insulated garage should stay comfortable enough to work in for a couple hours. I used to work in my uninsulate, unheated garage in upstate NY the 4 years we lived there, and that is what I wanted to do. Instead, I used my unfinished basement for glue ups and finishing during the winter.


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## jonlan (Dec 21, 2015)

Lots of good tips guys. Thanks for all of the input. i think Im going to give the garage another go and pursue insulating and possibly heating it. I was doing some work out there today and came in a couple of times to grab coffee. Couldnt get over how much dust came in just on the mat from my shoes. My next project is going to be a vacuum and dust deputy cart that I can hook to the tools. Then after that an air/dust filter.

Considering how things now, or if I do add a heater and use it intermittently, should I be worried about tools rusting as the garage goes through varied temperatures? As I buy more expensive tools Im worried about them having issues with the temp changes. Mostly around rust.

Thanks again!


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I have a BigMaxx 50000btu furnace in my garage. It does a great job only cost me an extra 10.00 a month on my natural gas bill. I keep it at 60when not working and 70 when I am working.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

> As for the roof? Again, only a small gap is necessary, so figure it might eat 4" of his head space relative to just sticking drywall up there.
> 
> - Ripthorn


Loss of ceiling height can be as little as 3/4" (1/2" drywall, 1/4" space between drywall and floor joists above). This can be done by putting the ceiling joists up in between the floor joists, again, making sure there is no contact between the ceiling frame and floor frame. Set the ceiling joists 1/4" below the floor joists. Start by framing the walls 1/4" shorter than the floor joists' height. Attach the ceiling joists to the walls with hurricane ties.

Given the situation at hand; insulating and heating the garage is hands-down the way to go.


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## 01ntrain (Jun 21, 2015)

> Check Menards for the air cleaner. They re inexpensive compared to jet and work great. I have one in my 30×33 garage and get very little if any dust on my things. I can t help you on the basement shop. I built a detached heated garage with water and bathroom that solves a lot of issues.
> 
> - Woodmaster1


I have the unit made by WEN. It's pretty much the same unit as the Jet, but much cheaper. I installed mine, tonight and like it….it should do a great job in my small basement shop.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Been working in my basement for the last 3+ years…..so..what is the problem?

Oh, since I use mostly hand tools? There are two bandsaws, and a lathe down there, as well.

I have to share space with the washer and dryer, no big deal. Seem to have just enough room to work on what I build…


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

one way to make a 2×4 wall 'quieter'
is to use 2×6 for the top and bottom plates
frame to one side with 2×4's 
and then the other side in between that with 2×4's also
there will be a 2" space in between 
the two finished wall studs staggered back and forth
sheetrock both after insulation weaving all thru both stud sides
(you can use that roll batting across thru them)

the idea is that the vibration (noise) on the shop side
won't vibrate the other side
as they aren't connected except top and bottom at the plates

the ceiling can be done the same
if you use the space between the upper floor joists 
to run the ceiling thru so they don't touch either
and weave the batting thru that

you might loose a couple inches of height
but the noise will be reduced

make the walls so they are just high enough 
to have the ceiling joist rest on it
essentially you will make a room inside the actual one
but one that isn't connected to the real room

this way any vibrations/noise from you tools
will be greatly reduced

use some of that roll rubber stuff under the plates
(sold in the insulation isle for plate to cement closure)
or along the ends where they connect to the real walls


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## emart (Mar 16, 2011)

depending on how much you want to spend they make special drywall that is extremely good at sound deadening. If I remember right one layer of this drywall is the same as 9 layers of normal drywall


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

> should I be worried about tools rusting as the garage goes through varied temperatures? As I buy more expensive tools Im worried about them having issues with the temp changes. Mostly around rust.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> - jonlan


Its not the temp, its the humidity. Condensation on machines can only occur if a cold machine get warm and the humidity is over like 60%. As far as hand tools, again, its the humidity and leaving tools out in the environment. Rust is as big an issue if you keep your shop closed and sealed when not in use. Some people use dehumidfiers in the summer.

It all depends on humidity levels in your area. It shouldn't be too bad in MN, no? I live in the swamplands of NE FL. Leave a chisel on the bench for 2 days and you will see rust starting. My shop is not climate controlled it is a converted horse barn. Its nice and roomy but very subject to ambient weather. Even though I keep it closed up at night, rust is still a constant problem.

I keep my hand planes and chisels in a sealed cabinet with a tub of DampRid, but I am going to get a dehumidifying rod (like they use in gun cases). I keep my tools wiped down with Jatoba oil after every use.

As for the cast iron tables, as long as I'm using my tools fairly regularly it doesn't seem to be a problem. If it gets very cool at night followed by a warm humid day, that is the worst time water beads can actually form on the cast iron. I try to stay vigilant and keep them coated with Boeshield.

There is no simple answer. You just have to be vigilant over your tools and be aware of the weather. Various covers can help for machines, but for hand tools you just can't leave them out for days at a time.

Don't forget about your wood, too. You can leave a nice flat glued up panel overnight in the garage and have heartache in the morning when you see the cupping! Its all part of the game.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Basement shop here also. I just put up walls with cheap studs and finished it with particle board. I wouldn't go to the trouble of sheetrock as it will get nicked, dinged, and gouged. I might get ambitious and paint the shop with some cheap paint.


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## jerkylips (May 13, 2011)

One other thing to consider, that I didn't see mentioned yet. With a basement shop, every piece of wood you buy, you have to carry down the stairs. Every finished project, you have to carry UP the stairs. Not to mention, depending on what you build, you need to consider whether you can fit it through the doors/up the stairs. If your garage does not have basement access, then all that lumber, etc, will need to be carried through the house & down the stairs. May not sound like a big deal, but it can definitely become a pain.

I live in WI, so similar weather - I have my stuff in the garage and have not had any rusting issues.

Another plus to the shop in the garage, when the weather permits, you can expand your space to the driveway if needed. I know you're not thinking about that now, because it's winter, but probably from April through October, that's an option.


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## rtutsky (Oct 14, 2012)

First off… consider yourself fortunate having a wife that allows you to be involved with woodworking. Once she sees you making fabulous things out of wood she might want to get involved also.

I had a basement shop at one time with a full compliement of tools, both powered and unpowered. The walls were cinder block and I never bothered to build walls or insulate. I managed to use the noisiest machines before anyone was in bed so the noise didn't pose a problem. You might want to consider working similarly.

Over time working with the machines the noise started to bother me! That's when I began to collect and work with unpowered tools. Woodworking took on a new meaning to me, especially now that I live in an appartment and noise is an issue. Actually I enjoy woodworking more now using mostly hand tools than I did with all the noisey electric machines. I do use a band saw, drill press and router but that's about it for powered. Hampered with a small shop and the dust issue I don't miss the big machines.


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## KWood75 (Dec 2, 2015)

I have a 3400 square foot unfinished basement with full 10' ceilings. I'm using about 1000 sq ft of that for my workshop. My A/V equipment and servers are around the corner in the open so making sure no dust get on and in them is a priority. I built a large air filter box using a squirrel cage fan. I'm also finishing up my Bill Pentz Cyclone so I don't have to keep dragging around my shop vac. With just the shop vac and air filter, I haven't had any dust building up outside the shop area.

When I'm working on something that creates a lot of dust, I also open the basement door and a windows and circulate air outside. This helps a lot.

Sound doesn't seem to be an issue but it's a big house with the kids rooms on the second floor and the master on the other side of the house on the first floor. All I have is R19 in the floor joists. Walls are poured concrete 8" thick. My wife can barely hear the saw running from the kitchen on the first floor which is almost directly above the saw. I'll sometimes work until after 2AM in the shop and my wife and kids can't hear it.

One thing I did when I built the house was I installed 2 layers of 5/8" fire rated drywall on the master bedroom walls with green glue sound absorbing caulk in between the 2 layers. I also insulated the stud bays. I can hear almost nothing through the walls. The hard place to soundproof is the doors. I have solid core doors but had to install seals around the edges and an automatic threshold on the bottom. Once I did that, I was very happy with how little sound I could hear.

So check out green glue. Decoupling your walls from the floor joists may be necessary as well to keep vibrations from transferring through to them.

That all may be overkill as I used to work in my garage with a single layer of 5/8" fire rated drywall, fire rated entry door and an insulated garage door and you could barely hear the table saw and air compressor running inside and outside when standing at the doors.


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

I see you are in Minnesota, if you happen to be in the Twin Cities area, I welcome you to stop by and take a look at my basement shop. I have a modified 2 stage collector and a pair of air cleaners to help tame the dust, which I think is manageable. Also use filters on the cold air return.

It's cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and besides the steps, really have no regrets for the basement shop…..love it really…..


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## sawdustdad (Dec 23, 2015)

> If anyway possible I think I would try to work things out in the garage, or a shed. Dust collection, air cleaner, heat, AC. Being in the basement with a finished area right beside it, I think the tracked dust will be nasty. Keeping the fine dust out of rest of the house and HVAC can be a real challenge.
> Best wishes
> 
> - levan


I agree with this. insulate your garage and use a heater to keep the tools dry. A basement shop will create other problems-you will NEVER make it quiet enough to work when the wife is napping or sleeping, and the dust will go everywhere, No dust collection system can prevent it.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

My shop in the previous old house was right under the kitchen, living room, and dining room … despite the fact that it was sheet-rocked and insulated, the noise upstairs was (according to SWMBO) intolerable. Not to mention the dust that got tracked into the house.

When we bought the new old house, a stipulation was that there had to be room to build a shop away from our living quarters. We wound up buying a house with a deep 3 car garage that we partitioned into a 2 car garage, workshop and storage room. The garage is between the shop/storage room and the house. It is fully insulated, sheet rock in the garage and OSB in the shop and storage room, and we installed gas heat and a 100-amp subpanel in the shop. I stay toasty warm in the winter months, dust and chips don't get tracked into the house, you can't hear shop noise in the house, and SWMBO stays happy!


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## JoeRadose (Dec 24, 2015)

Hi! First post on LJ!

I'm going to be following this post, as I also have a basement shop (in process). Since I have a small lot, and no garage,this is my only solution available.

I have 1/3 of my basement as one room, about 16'x23', with low ceilings of about 6.5' (depending on where you're standing). The floors are all graded down to a floor drain which makes wheeled appliances… "fun".

Right now, I have only a miter saw, hand (power) tools, and a router table. For DC I use a dust deputy with my shop vac and will be hopefully getting a Jet style filter to hang on the ceiling in a place I won't bang my head on.

I'm very interested in sound deadening, as the shop is directly below my main living room, and even the shopvac causes my wife to turn the TV up. However, due to the low ceilings, I don't know what all other options I have. I think I will eventually have to tear the ceiling down, insulate, and re-drywall, but that will have to wait for finances, time, and help.

Again, I have limited tools and haven't done a whole lot yet (making half laps on a miter saw threw a lot of dust around), but I haven't seen much in the way of moving it throughout the house. I guess it helps that I have radiator heat, so no ducts to travel.

Thanks to OP for starting the topic, and to everyone with their ideas and suggestions.

Joe


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## jonlan (Dec 21, 2015)

Hi guys - some more great comments and advice. I've sort of made up my mind to make a work place in the basement, but not make it a full workshop. I'm going to build work benches down there where I can do some work, but the concerns about dust and sound down there concern me being so close to finished space.

That being said, we'll likely start work in the basement soon on finishing the spaces so Im going to start work on a mobile dust cart that I'll use in the garage long term but in the basement now for the table and miter saw. Trying to find the right vac to use with the cart that has the most suction. Im also going to keep looking for a dust air filtration system that I can use in the basement and then later in the garage. Im going to try hard to buy tools and equipment that can also be used later in the chance that I ever get to build a larger shop at a future house.

Thanks for all the advice and tips!


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