Ok at 51 I am finally going to have a shop to work in instead of my 2 car garage! Now I need to design the thing. It will be 24 x36 with one garage door What should I use for an electrical layout and what wall material. I have deltl with sheet rock in the past should I consider some other wall material? What about storage and work benches?
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One thing I cant stand at my work shop is not enough outlets, 120 & 220, every four feet or so would be nice, just my .02
Bathroom! Just a sink and toilet if that's all the room you have, but those two will save you several trips to the house each day. If you can get away with a small septic tank next to the shop do that, it may be cheaper than running sewage pipe to the house, especially if the shop is lower than the house. LOTS of windows for light will save on your power bill. Skylights leak.
I strongly agree with the bathroom! Evertime I go out to work I have to go back to the house for a few minutes. I also have 110 outlets every 4 ft in mine and it works great, I would add a few more 220 outlets if I do it again. The fridge is a must.
When I did my shop, the Electrician whined the entire way! "I've done houses with less wire!" Fkn baby... In planning your shop, try to plan where you're benches, compressor, welder, clock, lights, etc will be placed. That will tell you where the elec outlets need to be placed. Every 4' near workbenches is a good start, but where will the 30a & 50a- 220v outlets for the welders need to go? Compressor in the corner? Do you want ceiling outlets for the shop lights & ext cord reels? What about the halogen work lights outside the door? As you can tell, an electrical drawing will help you plan out your shop & make the most out of it. Just my 2cts...
I would do a door on each end its nice to open both up and get a cross breeze Also put the window up high keeps the thieves out
I agree with the other posters, but I would like to add that I wouldn't go 24'. My garage is 24' x 40' and the 24 is a real pain, it just isn't deep enough. Even 28' would make a huge difference.
i would put more than just one door and be sure and face the doors north and south to get some airflow through the shop.my doors face the west and in the evening the sun shines in and its unbearable in the summer.of course you are in the frozen waste land of the north and not texas like me
If I built a shop from scratch I would add wire it with 20 amp circuts all around exaust fans 12 foot side walls so you can add a hoist plumb air lines on all 4 walls fire code will make you use dry wall but line the walls with FRP like the side walls of a car wash its white and washes off easy I hope you mean 24 wide 36 deep with a 8x 18 door on it 3 foot side entry door radient heat in the floor
When I built my shop I have a bathroom with shower,sink,toilet that way you can clean up and slip into bed without disturbing the little woman at 2 in the morning. I insulated my overhead doors. I insulated all the walls and roof and covered with 1"2 plywood and primed and painted white. That way you screw or mount anything you want anywhere you want. I hate sheetrock in the shop. I used 2 x 4 flourescent lights throughout with one exception an 8'. Installed 110v power outlets with multiple circiuts all over the place and dedicated circuits for the welder,plasma,air compressor in a few locations. Installed a 1" galvanized pipe air header to various locations with regulators at each drop. And the last thing was epoxy the floor. We fabbed up some huge rolling shelve units also and permanent shelving and cabinets along the walls also. You got to have a proper work bench for sure. Last but not least make sure you can use a lift in it. I boxed out my ceiling for a lift also but this was a late thought.
add an outside electric (110) by each door, there will be times when you will be glad you did. And a 220 outlet by your drive in door. never know when your stalls are full and you need to fire up your welder on something you can get into the shop. I'd go with a urinal versus a toilet, they take up less space, that way you don't have anyone coming in and stinking up the place. Wouldn't hardwire my overhead lights but run a string of outlets and plug them in of course on a switched circuit or circuits. Take time in your planning, simple things like running conduit and air lines under the doors prior to pouring your slab will keep you from having to run wiring over the doors. and of course you'll want air fittings every ten feet or so along the walls and one on each end of your benches and just like the door welder plug put one by your rollup door.
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