Is my garage suitable for a workshop

[billw]

I've got a detached garage next to my house, it's got no power at the moment as it was going to be dismantled. It's 23' x 9' (ish) and is made from pre-fab concrete panels. It's quite dark as there's only one window to the rear of it. The roof is corrugated panels, and there's a small gap between the top of the concrete and the roof.

I'm now having thoughts that it would actually make a decent workshop and given the fusebox is about 2 metres away it's not hard to get it wired up.

Question is, does a workshop have to be pretty warm? There's no heating in it, and given the fact it's not "airtight" it would cost a bloody fortune to do so.

One answer might be to get it panelled internally with plasterboard? I have no idea really

At the front it's got an up and over door, which I was thinking of replacing with two partially glazed doors so that i could open up the whole front to get stuff in and out (and for any hot days!).

I wouldn't want to sped too much on it because there's every likelyhood that we'll extend the house out at some point and so it'd all get knocked down and a new "proper" workshop built in its place.

I also need some excuses to spend the money on it! My wife's first question was "well what am I going to get out of all of this?" and I've so far come up with "erm.....a bit of peace and quiet in the house and some furniture?" She's more likely to get the former than the latter :roll:

 

[Mike.C]

Hi Bill, you can buy corrugated profile filler http://www.casupply.co.uk/acatalog/corr ... xings.html which fits into the gap between the top of the wall and roof, and are pretty good, and if you do a search you will find threads where other members have insulated their up and over garage doors.
Here is a link where Philly did his http://www.philsville.co.uk/ (click The Workshop on the left hand side, and then click again right under "Philly's New Workshop 2007"

Obviously your needs maybe different and you may want to use your up and over door, but you can still do a light weight version of the above which will allow you to use the entrance.
After doing this the heating bills should not be to bad.

As for the darkness, you can buy clear corrugated sheets to replace a few of the normal ones and these let a lot of light in. This along with your normal strip lighting should do you nicely.

HTH

Cheers

Mike

 

[ByronBlack]

nothing wrong with your garage to be used a workshop. If you want it to be a bit more toasty, then simply add a 2x2 batten wall all round, fill with insulation and OSB over the top of it. That will help keep it cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

As for lights, get a few double 6' flourescents wired up (with daylight bulbs) and you're away.

Yours is almost exactly the same size as mine, and for security I didn't add windows in my shop, the lights and walls (painted white) and the doors when open give me ample light.

 

[billw]

Hadn't thought of clear panels, sounds ideal and that filler stuff looks the job. Not sure if I could get away with panelling off the front doors though, the only entrance is a standard sized door on the side down a narrow alley - would make it difficult getting bigger machinery/furniture out of there. Obvious answer is not to buy anything big and use it not to make anything big :lol:

 

[9fingers]

Depending on how far off you extension plans are from starting, I'd be tempted to do a detailed design for the extension and then start by building your new workshop now.

1) You would not fill your garage with tools and then have to store them whilst the garage is demolished.
2) You would have the workshop up and running to use when fitting out the extension.
3) No 'wasted' funds on fettling the garage only to scrap them in a short time.
4) You will have a warm dry purpose built workshop sooner and can collect tools at the rate you want to and when opportunities come up for second hand bargains

Need I go on further? Go find your measuring tape and sketch pad now! :lol:

Bob

 

[billw]

Extension is at least 3 to 5 years away, if not more. I'm already approaching 40 and would like my furniture making efforts to commence before Parkinsons kicks in :wink:

 

[OldWood]

At all costs get rid of the up and over door first. The simple reason that everyone understands is the complete and absolute lack of insulation and draft proofness that such a door gives.

The serious problem is that such a door is a death trap if something goes wrong. Such a door killed my father - he couldn't get out. That was over 20 years ago and the terror that he must have gone through still haunts me.

If there's one reason for building a proper workshop with proper access it's that.

Rob

 

[studders]

Hadn't thought of clear panels, sounds ideal

They are... until Winter arrives, then the constant drip from condensation will drive you nuts.

Don't ask me how I know that. :lol:

 

[Blister]

Hi Billw

Click the link

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/what ... 34753.html

As you can see I have converted my garage into a workshop , battens , insulation , OSB board , re wired , almost finished now :lol:

Will do a shop tour when its all up and running

:wink:

 

[Boz62]

The other cheap option to help the light is to paint the inside walls (and ceiling if you fit one) white. I did this last year on the recommendation of several other members and agree with them that it's the cheapest way to brighten up a workshop and make use of what little light you already have. Just cheapo white emulsion . My "wall lining" thread is here.

Good luck

Boz

 

[woodbloke]

The garage conversion sounds doable to me, plenty of sound ideas on how to go about it. Between three and five years is a long time to wait for a new, purpose built toasty 'shop.
I reckon it could be converted to something quite respectable with a minimum of outlay and if you do decide in a few years hence to demolish it, then you may not have lost too much in the process. Additionally you'll have had the benefit of somewhere to make sawdust for a few years before the new one is a reality - Rob

 

[kasandrich]

As long as your garage is water tight, then you have a good starting point.

You could use expanding foam around the gaps to make it air tight.

The up and over door will require special attention, both for insulation and draught exclusion.

The walls and ceiling as previously stated can be battened and insulated, prefab garages are notoriously difficult to get any fixing, but I would suggest "No Nails" to hold the battens up. Be sure to use some breathable membrane which will breath but stop water getting in through for example the gaps between concrete panels. Then loft insulation, then line it with sterling board.

You will end up with a lovely snug workshop.

 

[big soft moose]

The serious problem is that such a door is a death trap if something goes wrong. Such a door killed my father - he couldn't get out. That was over 20 years ago and the terror that he must have gone through still haunts me.

holy sh!t rob, sorry to hear that

if its not to painful could you tell us more about the circumstances as there might be a lesson here for all of us

Personally i'm never happy with a workshop that only has one entrance and exit for exactly that reason - and if i were converting a free standing garage into a 'shop i'd keep the doors on the front (tho i'd swap the up and over for barn doors) as big doors are useful for getting materials in and furniture out , but I'd also knock through and instal a second door to the back or side for emergencies.

 

[billw]

Lots of positive stuff here - I am completely cack-handed at building so it's probably a good thing that it might all get demolished in a few years' time 8)

I think the barn doors idea will probably get the go-ahead, and I can easily fix up the problems with gaps and holes (I have not mentioned that part of the roof has collapsed, so needs some new sheeting put on it!)

The worst thing that could happen is that it becomes a permanent home to a workshop and the money I would have spent on extending the house can go on an Aston Martin

 

[9fingers]

Bill, I quite see your point about 5 years hence etc so a refurb on the garage sounds like a good route.

Do be careful about the draught proofing. Whilst it might be very cosy in there with insulation and no draughts you need to be very careful about damp. I doubt if your garage has a damproof course in it so do a test now.

Find a piece of glass ideally a couple of foot square but even something borrowed from a picture frame will do. cut a few thicknesses of dry newspaper the same size as the glass and place these on the concrete floor. Place the glass on top and leave for a few days. Then check the newspaper - odds on it will have lost its 'crinckle' and might be quite damp.
This means no damproof course in the floor.

Think of the paper as the air in the workshop and the glass as the draught proof barrier that you are proposing.

So when you have warmed the air in in your draught-proofed garage, the air will absorb moisture from the floor. As the building cools overnight, the air can no longer hold the water and will deposit it as condensation on the coldest surfaces - like your table saw and other tools and you will have the demon rust forming before you know it.

So ventilation is important too. Close it by all means when you are in there but get in the habit of opening it every time you leave.

Good Luck

Bob

 

[Blister]

Bill, I quite see your point about 5 years hence etc so a refurb on the garage sounds like a good route.

Do be careful about the draught proofing. Whilst it might be very cosy in there with insulation and no draughts you need to be very careful about damp. I doubt if you garage has a damproof course in it so do a test now.

Find a piece of glass ideally a couple of foot square but even something borrowed from a picture frame will do. cut a few thicknesses of dry newspaper the same size as the glass and place these on the concrete floor. Place the glass on top and leave for a few days. Then check the newspaper - odds on it will have lost its 'crinckle' and might be quite damp.
This means no damproof course in the floor.

Think of the paper as the air in the workshop and the glass as the draught proof barrier that you are proposing.

So when you have warmed the air in in your draught-proofed garage, the air will absorb moisture from the floor. As the building cools overnight, the air can no longer hold the water a will deposit it as condensation on the coldest surfaces - like your table saw and other tools and you will have the demon rust forming before you know it.

So ventilation is important too. Close it by all means when you are in there but get in the habit of opening it every time you leave.

Good Luck

Bob

Bob

you are a mind of information , I learned something with this post :lol:

will do the paper / glass test in my workshop , now the floor is sealed with polyester resign paint

Thanks Bob :wink:

Off to work now

 

[9fingers]

Bob

you are a mind of information , I learned something with this post :lol:

will do the paper / glass test in my workshop , now the floor is sealed with polyester resign paint

Thanks Bob :wink:

Off to work now

Only too happy to help!

Bob

I used to be a research engineer for a living!

 

[OPJ]

...I'd also knock through and instal a second door to the back or side for emergencies.

I like the idea but, a second door would almost certainly have to go at the other end wall, as most garages are only about 2.1m tall at the sides. Not enough room for a lintel and anyone over 5ft tall would have to squeeze under it. Unless you fancied a lot of extra work re-arranging the roof overheard...

Someone on here (I forget who) was going to build a pair of barn/FLB doors, with a smaller door inside one of the larger ones for easier access. Not sure whether that one made it past the design stage though?

 

[billw]

There is already a door to the side anyhow

The roof slopes down from front to back, and the door's near the back, but I'm not entirely sure how tall it is!

 

[jhwbigley]

I like the idea but, a second door would almost certainly have to go at the other end wall, as most garages are only about 2.1m tall at the sides. Not enough room for a lintel and anyone over 5ft tall would have to squeeze under it.

That would be alright for Bill :lol:

JH