# Advice sought for layout of my new shed/workshop



## Triggaaar (25 Oct 2009)

I'm building a guest house in my garden with a shed attached. I was only intending to have a shed, but while enjoying building the whole thing (and discovering this forum) I've found myself wanting to learn some woodworking skills, and have a bit of a workshop. But I've only realised this now that it's nearly finished, and I wish I'd made the shed wider (although that would mean having the guest house thinner which wouldn't be ideal either).

So here I am with a storage shed that's 5.3m x 1.8/1.95m (it tapers) that I'd like to use as a workshop too. For the purpose of this thread I've just downloaded sketchup and had a go at drawing it, with a start of my planned layout:






The sketch shows storage shelves (450mm deep) along the back wall, and then down the right hand wall. My wheel barrow and a stack of car wheels (they have to go somewhere). The double doors to the shed are at the bottom, and just to the left as you walk in seems like a sensible place for a workbench (not sure how big, but the one I've drawn there is 1.8m x 0.6m). I'd like to hang my electric lawnmower and other gardening tools opposite the workbench, I just haven't tried sketching those.

I would like to learn some woodworking skills with the intention of being able to make simple things like nice shelving and bookshelves (I have lots of reclaimed oak flooring), so it may be nice in the future to have something like a mobile bandsaw in there. I'm not sure if there there is room for a mobile table saw that could work with a similar height workbench and the open doors - even though I wouldn't be getting such equipment until I'd finished some small projects and learnt some skills, it'd be nice to hear your thoughts on whether this small space could accommodate much, and plan it out now before I embark on the workbench build.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks


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## OPJ (25 Oct 2009)

First of all, this article may give you some ideas. I'd add to that by saying that, in a small workshop, you can use a bandsaw for many of the jobs for which a table saw is often suited. To add to that, you can cut curves and rip thicker timber, too. :wink: Your space is very narrow so, sheet materials and the like would be best worked outside with a hand-held circular saw anyway.

If I were you, I'd start with a workbench and consider a bandsaw while you build up a collection of hand and portable power tools. There's plenty of space for these and, with a bit of patience, they'll be able to perform most of the same jobs you would expect from a collection of larger machines. If you can find room and money for a planer/thicknesser further down the line (so that you can prepare your own timber more efficiently) then, great.

I think mickthetree is in a similar situation, although his workshop is probably a bit wider... He's been working predominantly with hand tools and has only very recently bought himself a second-hand bandsaw to make resawing wood a bit easier. He still planes, joints and shapes his timber by hand, as far as I'm aware.


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## matt (25 Oct 2009)

Mines a garage so limited on space, however, some thoughts...

If you plan to use sheet material (and store it in you workshop) then suggest you have panel storage near the door so you can walk it straight in to the store (and out again). I have all my wood stored by the door because I drag it in and out of the overhead etc using the door opening.

Also... try and keep all your storage below bench/tablesaw etc height. I have some filing cabinets that I use for storage and they great for storage but a pain when it comes to using the tablesaw (for crosscuts) because the block the travel of the timber.

Trying to think what other mistakes I've made along the way...


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## Triggaaar (25 Oct 2009)

matt":19ljksj0 said:


> If you plan to use sheet material (and store it in you workshop) then suggest you have panel storage near the door so you can walk it straight in to the store (and out again). I have all my wood stored by the door because I drag it in and out of the overhead etc using the door opening.


Thanks. I can see that's most sensible, but I don't think I'll have space to store sheets by the door, I probably won't have space for 8x4 sheets at all. I will never make anything to sell, and I'm busy with the family, so this workshop (maybe playroom is more accurate) won't get the kind of use that others on here gets. I'd probably get sheets when I need them, and rip them outside (or by the door) with a circular saw.

It makes sense to store the lawnmower by the door, as that will be in and out a lot.

I was thinking of having draws etc in the workbench for tools, and then hanging other tools on the wall above the bench. I could store lengths of timber along the top shelves of the storage units (which at the moment has to store a lot of our junk, as well as my boxed tools), as there's 2.7m x 45cm of flat shelves there.

I can imagine using the workbench a fair amount, and making good use of an SCMS (if I've got the letters the right way round) and router. Whether there's room to add a small, cheap second hand bandsaw or table saw in the future I don't know, but if there is it would be nice to plan it now.


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## Triggaaar (25 Oct 2009)

Following my post in the workshop section, here's what the inside looks like at the moment (I'm trying to level the damn floor):


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## artHarris (1 Nov 2009)

I would not place the bench too close to the door; often long work pieces overhang the end of the bench.
Although my workshop is not as narrow as yours, I have all my machines except the radial arm saw on strong wheels, with position locks. This allows me to move things around as I need them: band saw, planer/thicknesser, spindle moulder and table saw. Only the benches and radial arm are static. The router table is light enough to move without wheels. I have a dust evacuation system piped overhead in heavy 'underground-quality' brown pvc and wall hanging collecter, with a long flexible collector, which will connect to whichever machine is being used.
Another point - double doors are a pain to make wind proof. I have a flexible plastic strip-curtain which I can slide over the entrance to my workshop; it creates another layer and definitely keeps more heat (from a night-storage heater) in where I want it.
Thinking ahead before you start using the workshop saves a lot of frustration later!

Enjoy! :lol:


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## Triggaaar (1 Nov 2009)

artHarris":3bojlb4u said:


> I would not place the bench too close to the door; often long work pieces overhang the end of the bench. Although my workshop is not as narrow as yours, I have all my machines except the radial arm saw on strong wheels, with position locks. This allows me to move things around as I need them: band saw, planer/thicknesser, spindle moulder and table saw. Only the benches and radial arm are static. The router table is light enough to move without wheels.


That sounds like the sort of solution I'm after, thanks.



> Another point - double doors are a pain to make wind proof. I have a flexible plastic strip-curtain which I can slide over the entrance to my workshop; it creates another layer and definitely keeps more heat (from a night-storage heater) in where I want it.


My doors are rebated, not sure how drafty it is yet, but I was thinking I should add some insulation to them. I've just bought some space blanket for the roof (200mm cost £21 for the room, as it's on offer) and may put some bubble foil against the brick wall.



> Thinking ahead before you start using the workshop saves a lot of frustration later!


Yes, if only I'd realised I wanted a wider workshop.


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## Triggaaar (1 Nov 2009)

OPJ":jrs6yok3 said:


> First of all, this article may give you some ideas.


Thanks, that is useful.



> I'd add to that by saying that, in a small workshop, you can use a bandsaw for many of the jobs for which a table saw is often suited. To add to that, you can cut curves and rip thicker timber, too. :wink: Your space is very narrow so, sheet materials and the like would be best worked outside with a hand-held circular saw anyway.


I think you're probably right, although further down the road I'd like to have a play with a bandsaw and tablesaw to see what I like.



> I'd start with a workbench and consider a bandsaw while you build up a collection of hand and portable power tools. There's plenty of space for these and, with a bit of patience, they'll be able to perform most of the same jobs you would expect from a collection of larger machines.


Yeah I don't think I'll need to much, and since it'll be spare time, it won't matter if I work slowly. Depending on how far I progress, I'd imagine a planer/thicknesser would be useful.

PS - not sure what happened to your reply, when you first posted it appeared as a blank message.


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