Recommended size for new workshop

[gyuunyuu]

I have a concrete base in my garden and intend to create a workshop on it. I believe that a size of 5mx5m approximately would be a great size. The things inside would be: table saw (portable version), router table (full size, not bench), mitre saw, drill press and band saw. I will also need to have some area for the workbench.

Is 5mx5m sufficient? I am sure that the more space the better but obviously, space costs money.

 

[Jameshow]

4.8m x 5m would be ideal so you use standard 4.8m timber lengths.

 

[HOJ]

I have a concrete base in my garden

How big is the pad? that's the starting denominator, work from that, if its a suitable base for building on.

 

[simonridout]

I have yet to meet the man or woman who has too big a workshop! Is the 5 X 5m internal or external? What is the construction method? Will the walls be insulated? Will timber be stored in the workshop or elsewhere?

 

[Fitzroy]

5x5 sounds great I have 5.8x2.9 internal and I wish I had an extra meter on the shorter dimension. Then I could have machines across the width not just along the length.

 

[LancsRick]

As big as you can go!

As a comparison, I've got a 6x6 workshop with lathe, mitre saw, table saw with outriggers, planer/thicknesses, bandsaw, workbench. That fills the space up pretty completely.

For what you describe I reckon 5x5 will be fine, however I'd echo the other sentiments here to build as big as you can manage and afford. Firstly nobody ever complains they have too much space, and secondly it's much easier and cheaper to build big than build and extend!

 

[TRITON]

5x5m doesnt have to be the total size, you can go over that. it just means that the middle or offset part has a concrete floor.

 

[dzj]

It would be nice if the dust extractor had a room of its own.

 

[Scruples]

As big as the space and wallet allow.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Does P.P. come into the equation?

 

[Terrytpot]

Having started off with a modern ridiculously small single car garage I’ve elevated myself to a property with a decent sized double (6m x 6m) but even that feels cramped when you start thinking about infeed/out feed and somewhere to put all the stuff you aren’t currently using. My stuff includes a largish table saw, a 10” planer thicknesser, floor standing pillar drill and bandsaw, a 4ft tool cabinet, an scm on a cart with folding wings, an assembly table made from the old internal doors from my house a cabinet with my morticer on top and internal storage for routers etc and a small cast of set of bedside drawers with my oscillating sander on top. All of those are on wheels (apart from the table saw) but a lot of wall space is used up too for either storage or hanging smaller items. Because my garage is attached I also have a loft above it where I’ve stored most of the cases and typical handyman stuff that normal diy covers. Could my layout be better? Definitely but it’s an evolving process and I’m not very far along in that journey.

 

[eribaMotters]

I built an 8x5m footprint timber workshop at our second house and the size was perfect. 5m width gives room for working around a 1.2m sheet whilst you have a bench down long side and storage or machinery pushed against the other long wall. Realistically must stuff you are going to cut up will not be much longer than 2.4m, so you need twice this length plus saw table size plus room to stand at each end. That is how I ended up wit 8m.
With a pitched roof construction you can easily come below the 3m ridge height required by building regs, but you will exceed the permissible floor area and need to apply for permission.

Colin

 

[gyuunyuu]

The concrete base is slightly longer than 5m on both dimensions.

The 5m is the external dimension.

I require that it must have insulation. This is absolutely necessary.

Someone told that that they can build one from PVC with rubber roof in the figure of ~6.5k£.

I don't want it to be a wood building since wood can rot eventually. I need something more durable.

What is the best material or type of construction to use in this case for a workshop?

I don't think a whole lot of timber will be stored inside but as I become more advanced woodworker that might change. I am at a beginner level at this time.

At the moment I have a wooden shed which is less than half the area. Together with law mower, aluminium ladder, lot of shelves, vacuum cleaner and other things, there is little area to do anything. This is why I need bigger area. I shall make some proper storage drawers and bench once I have that.

 

[eribaMotters]

Timber will last the test of time, so don't limit your material choice to plastic. I built my "shed" on 3 courses of bricks out of tanalised 4x2. It was wrapped in roofing felt then faced with featheredge. 100mm of rockwool insulation was added before a 10mm plywood internal skin. The roof was in artificial slate. I applied a coat of Dulux Weathershield Aquatec every three years, which has now been superseeded. I saw it a couple of years ago when it was 30 years since built and it looked in excellent state. Getting back to plastic, it took me longer to clean a UPVC bay window that it did to paint one.

Colin