I'm moving from a house that has a conditioned room which I use as a shop as well as keeping motorcycles and a safe in, to a smaller house without, so I'm in the planning stage of what to build and how to do it. The space will house 3-4 motorcycles, bike lift, various tool cabinets, 16' work bench and a largish gun safe. I also have the following which I store close together just pulling out whichever one I happen to need; ban saw, table saw, drill press, and grinder. And finally an area for my treadmill and Bowflex along with closets and storage. I want it well constructed and very well insulated but I don't have unlimited funds so price is an issue. Any suggestions are welcome. Here's what I've pretty much settled on so far.

28'x 36' free standing structure built to somewhat match the house (Hard-plank siding) on an insulated slab with a 12' car port on the 28' end to park tractor implements under.

9' ceiling, drywall walls and ceiling for fire with lots of pegboard. Partitioned to 24'x 28', 12'x 12', and 12'x 16'.

Commercial exterior 6' x 7' high double door. Minimal windows maybe 3-4.

Trusses to accomodate 4' overhang on 48' front and 2' on rear.

I'm still undecided on exterior wall construction and insulation; 2x4 or 2x6? Fiberglass in the cavity with a thermal break of foam board over the OSB sheathing? Fiberglass in the ceiling with additional loose over it. Since I'll be attaching a lot of shelves and pegboard I better go on 16" centers.

I don't know much about concrete is there a specific type I should spec? What about pouring 6" vs the typical 4"? This is how I'd like the the slab insulated.


I know I want the slab raised above ground level so there's at least one block exposed.

Thinking mini-split for heat and AC.

Not putting in a bathroom but might have them allow for it by stubbing in for drains and a water line in case I decided on it later.

Don't skimp on electrical. Put in capability for more than you think you will need.

The new inverter type heat pumps are awesome for this type building.

Insulated doors with good sealing around them. Don't skimp on doors.

Run a conduit from your main structure just in case. It's a lot easier to put in a new wifi router in you shop if you can hardwire it back to your house. Also telephone or security camera, security system wiring.

I built (had built) this one in December. 30'X40' with 12' lean-tos.




I would strongly encourage adding lean-tos if it's in the budget. Lots of extra storage room out of the weather.

I, too, was looking to do this within a reasonable budget and went with a pole barn style. I don't have enough good things to say about the builders and the quality of the structure. Best part was that they started on a Monday morning and finished the following Monday afternoon! 4" slab was poured about a week later after I had had the plumbing and electric stubbed in. The 12' door required a 14' ceiling.

I'd also encourage the floor drain that you mentioned.

No need for AC around these parts, so I put a Modine Hot Dawg propane heater in and will add a woodstove as well.

I had microfoil wrapped around the entire thing with R38 in the ceiling and will be putting 19 in the walls.

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Originally posted by Gustofer:
I built (had built) this one in December. 30'X40' with 12' lean-tos.

Did you use a local company or national? I am looking to get something very similar done this year.

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Originally posted by }BuLL:

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Originally posted by Gustofer:
I built (had built) this one in December. 30'X40' with 12' lean-tos.

Did you use a local company or national? I am looking to get something very similar done this year.

They are local. Central and Western MT, N. Idaho, and Eastern WA is all they do as far as I know.

Great outfit. Mennonites, and they know how to work. One guy and his two teenaged sons did all my work and it only took them 6 full days, including taking the time to completely clean up the site at the end of every day. Real professionals.

Yeah it'll have its own service so there'll be plenty of receptacles and lighting.
Better sealing is why I plan on using a double door as opposed to a garage door.
Conduit to the house is a good suggestion. And yes I'll have it wired for security.

Wow, that's a nice building Gustofer! I'm trying to keep the footprint from getting too large but am doing a 12x28' "lean to" and 36' of 4' overhang on the front where I can stack firewood, etc. Might make it 6'.

I'm in the process of building a new 34'x70' workshop too.



I wish I would have done bigger overhangs, but too late now. If you have the room, definitely go with the bigger eaves.

That big door has an R22 insulation value, so you can get decent insulation value even with a roll up.

Put in at least twice as many outlets as you think you want. It's cheap to do it up front vs trying to add in later. I also have 6 circuits in the main work area, so no neighboring outlets are on the same circuit.

Good luck with your project and have fun.

THAT is a real workshop!

The problem I've experienced with garage doors is not the R value but air infiltration around them. And the fact mice eat through the rubber bottom seal where it meets the side seals. It works ok for my garage but I'd rather have a more air tight door for this shop and definitely want it mouse resistant.

My idea is a larger, climate controlled, building along the line of the 24x24 garage.

I'd add good sized well made energy efficient windows. Natural sunlight always seems better to me than artificial light.

Good luck!

I would do 10’ ceilings.

I would suggest, if at all possible, creating a layout that would easily convert to an inlaw suite. one never knows what curve balls life will throw them and it might well help solve domestic complications and even improve salability.

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Originally posted by ridewv:
And the fact mice eat through the rubber bottom seal where it meets the side seals. It works ok for my garage but I'd rather have a more air tight door for this shop and definitely want it mouse resistant.

I have that problem with the door on my attached garage. There is a nice hole on the end corner. Little bastards.

On my new doors, the rubber bottom is beefier. Also, I put in LiftMaster 8500 openers. These allow you to program the door to close pretty much as tight as you want it and I have mine squeezed down quite firmly. Hopefully that'll keep the vermin out.

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Originally posted by silverspyder1996:
Put in at least twice as many outlets as you think you want. It's cheap to do it up front vs trying to add in later. I also have 6 circuits in the main work area, so no neighboring outlets are on the same circuit.

I didn't quite go to that extreme, but I did put an outlet every four feet all the way around and one on each side outside (along with an outside RV plug). I used just two 20A circuits inside and one each for the outside outlets and RV plug. I don't have any equipment (and don't anticipate getting any) that has that big of a draw so I think I'll be alright with that.

I'll also be building a 12X15 room in the back corner for reloading and other stuff that'll have a few more outlets and I'll likely put those on a separate breaker.

I need to be a bit judicious as I only put in a 12 place panel.

Had a friend with a beautiful, simple workshop. You can just take the idea - his might have been 15x35’ but on one long wall he had windows that started workbench high and went up to about 1 foot below the ceiling. He then built a work bench the whole length of that wall. The natural light on the bench was perfect. An interesting man, Daniel O’Hagan...

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Originally posted by OKCGene:
I'd add good sized well made energy efficient windows. Natural sunlight always seems better to me than artificial light.

Good luck!

quote:

Had a friend with a beautiful, simple workshop. You can just take the idea - his might have been 15x35’ but on one long wall he had windows that started workbench high and went up to about 1 foot below the ceiling. He then built a work bench the whole length of that wall. The natural light on the bench was perfect. An interesting man, Daniel O’Hagan...

Believe me I would love to have many large windows offering lots of natural light in my shop, but there are four disadvantages Ive come up with.

1) Heat loss, I can have R19 walls but every "energy efficient" window will be what.... R-3?

2) Loss of wall space for cabinets, shelving, peg board, etc which I find to be a premium in my current shop.

3) Security, I'm in a rural area with no close neighbors. I'm considering installing rolling security shutters over the few windows I will put in.

4) Cost, every window adds to the cost especially if factoring security shutters.

I was planning on no windows but I've decided to at least put in a few.

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I would do 10’ ceilings.

I may... but I have 8'-3" ceiling now and can reach the items on the top shelves which are a foot from the ceiling. Another 9" will be a stretch, more than that and I'll need a ladder. Plus a bit more to heat. 54" drywall works well for 9' ceilings.

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Originally posted by m.tenenhaus:
I would suggest, if at all possible, creating a layout that would easily convert to an inlaw suite. One never knows what curve balls life will throw them and it might well help solve domestic complications and even improve salability.

Good thought but at my situation in life I don't see that being beneficial. I have a mother-in-law suite or apartment above the shop in our current house which just doesn't get used. I'm stubbing in plumbing but this is only for resale thinking a potential buyer could want to make it into a mother-in-law apartment.

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I have that problem with the door on my attached garage. There is a nice hole on the end corner. Little bastards. Mad

Honestly, I'm determined to make this mouse proof! I've never had a mouse in the house but they get in my garage all the time.

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Originally posted by Chris42:
Had a friend with a beautiful, simple workshop. You can just take the idea - his might have been 15x35’ but on one long wall he had windows that started workbench high and went up to about 1 foot below the ceiling. He then built a work bench the whole length of that wall. The natural light on the bench was perfect. An interesting man, Daniel O’Hagan...

Do you happen to know which direction those windows faced?