Workshop size

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

I'm planning to build a decent size workshop area… As far as space goes, I have plenty… I have an area around 4 – 5 meters square that is idealy located so i can just ride my bike in!

I'm planning on making the whole area a solid concrete base and adding a few security fixings to the floor during the laying process, just so they are all solid. These will be to lock down the bike and anything else that may need securing.

Without going OTT, what would be a good size for a workshop.. i know you've NEVER got a big enough shed, but having a decent idea on a practical size wouldnt hurt.

Got a lathe/mill combo and planning on a couple more bits, compressor ect, but nothing major.

Rick

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Mines 22' x 16' (approx 6.7 x 4.9 meters?) and I keep thinking I should have gone bigger

Edited By Lofty76 on 12/10/2013 15:42:43

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

My workshop is 5m by 3m and when I built it the space inside was huge, but over the years the volume has shrunk considerably due to me keeping finding new things to put in it. This will happen to you as well so start BIG and it will be longer before you are unhappy. Plenty of bench space to lay things out, well insulated and secure and with a decent concrete floor, perhaps with a wooden top layer for comfort.

If you are storing other things like bikes then perhaps a bit bigger than my 5 by 3 would be wise. If you have the space use it – all of it, good luck

Doug

[Rick ParryParticipant @rickparry]

My workshop is 15 X 5 Meters with a 5 X 5 upstair storeage area and guess what… it's not big enough!!

I think that what ever you decide to build will eventually not be big eough if you have the space you will use it all and the more you have the more you want

Richard

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

Well we have a local guy who sells 30 foot long 5" wide by 1" thick wood for about £5 a piece, figured if i can buy a good amount i could get a discount and get a good solid shed for the price of a cheap crappy one.

Rick 15×5 with a 5×5 upstairs… Bet you were well spoilt as a kid eh lol!

At the moment I have my lathe squashed into a 1.5 meter square with a bench grinder and what little tool collection i have in a number of plastic tubs. I have to move all my tools and squeeze between the lathe and a shelf to change speeds… Kinda set it on a middle of the road speed atm. Its ok for now but cant avoid the swarf shower.

Rick

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

My workshop is one third of a 15ft x 35ft pole barn with sheet steel roof.

I've made benches all round from various sizes of pallets. The strongest bench is from two pallets made from 6×2 planks on 4 x 4 cross members, fully planked with inch thick planks and then topped with a 6mm steel plate from a skip. This is the most used bench as I can access it from both sides, and has my vice, thicknesser, anvil & cnc machine on it. Other benches have my lathe, pillar drill, grinder & mitre saw. The shaper & bandsaw stand on the ground.

Unfortunately I can't find room for a 6Tonne flypress, and my welder has to be packed away on its trolley when not in use. So, I'd suggest that sole use of a 35ft x 15ft barn might be room enough for small jobs, but anything bigger than pen making & a bit of serious DIY will need a bigger shed.

Regards,

Richard.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

I find the thing that gobbles space is material and come in handy. If I had the space, I would have a division in the shed with a separate door for the material bit. This would give you one extra wall for hanging stuff on. It also means you don't have to heat up the store shed.

My workshop is only 4m x 3m, so I have to limit myself to the machines and size of project, some tools (wood working) have wheels on them, metalworking tools are mainly bolted down.

Workshop is insulated concrete floor (consider electric underfloor heating ??), 24mm wooden shiplap walls, double insulated and tiled roof. Center of the workshop roof is a 6Kg automatic powder fire extinguisher, plus a CO2 extinguisher by the door.

Sweet dreams

BobH

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Makes a difference what countlry you are in. In the Uk planning permission is required for over about 165 square ft which is a bit smaller than a standard garage. This is obviously to stop people putting up garages without paying. However you can have more than one provided they are not touching.
You can also have a car port which is a covered area of about the same size open on 3 sides. Worth having aswell for test running those bikes and general summer working.

[frank brownParticipant @frankbrown22225]

I had a home built 12' X 8' home made shed which I wanted to extend. At one end I left the central "king" post in supporting the original ridge beam and extended this end by 2'. this gave me the original work surface running along the front of the shed and running in front of the king post. The cupboards on the back wall were then extended right up to the new end. This gave me a narrow area in which I stored materials along with a high level shelf (above head height) along the new end.

I have now got a larger shed 5m X 3M and the area in the middle is only used for walking/dancing in. I think that the optimum area for a shed is a long skinny structure so as to maximise the wall area, this also makes the roof slope shorter so smaller joists can be used.

Frank

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

My last workshop was 5m square, which was just about big enough, and relatively easy to heat in winter, but I kept my bikes in the house!! which freed up a lot of room, since the move my workshop is 6m x 5m, and she insists no bikes in the house "wimin ehh, philistines….. anyhow the solution for me is build another separate room for the bikes, which will double as a study etc, for me this is the ideal solution the workshop remains manageable and small enough to heat the bikes don't get covered in dust and swarf and me and my mates have a place to hangout talk rubbish and have a laugh, wimin are not allowd in unless they are carrying cups of tea!. this may seem sexist, that's because it is……

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Thick wood is good for w/shops, but can cause problems with planning etc. if applicable. I would strongly advise making a small space ,big enough for main tools and a bench. Easier to keep clean and easier to keep warm. Rest of space for storage ,welding etc.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I presume this is a motorbike not a pushbike. I would be inclined to build over as much area as you can and possibly divide it in two . One room for the bike, with enough space to work on it and a bench for the dirty jobs, and one room for the machine tools and clean bench.

My workshop is 3 x 5 m and seems to get smaller each year!

Russell

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Rick,

Think of how much space you think you need, then double it.

My Workshop is a '70s garage, that is bigger than the cubbyholes provided today, but I wish it was twice as large.

The biggest problem, however, is that nature absolutely abhors empty spaces, so it's soon filled up and the merry-go-round starts.

Catch 22 at its best!

Geoff – Finish the TS today with luck

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