Last Updated on 2022-03-16 by Harry Masterton
As woodworkers, we are willing to enjoy our hobby wherever there is room, including setting up a woodshop in a garage. It can be necessary, especially if you have family or live with roommates. What are some of the benefits of setting up a garage woodshop?
- You don't have to use part of your unfinished basement or an interior room in your home. That lets you (and those that you live with) use space in the house for other things like a guest room, entertainment area, other hobbies, or just a “man cave” to hang around;
- A garage woodshop setup is easier to clean and maintain. Even with the best shop filtration or shop vac, dust and debris will make their way across the house. The garage usually provides only a doorway into the home (fewer entry points for sawdust) and has a concrete floor that is easy to clean;
- Setting up a garage woodshop keeps fumes out of the home. Once you begin to use adhesives, paints, stains, and topcoats, you will appreciate that the house doesn't smell like a manufacturing plant. They are easier to air out, thanks to the big garage door;
- Setting up a woodshop in a garage protects the floors in your home. Carpet, hardwood flooring, and tiles are susceptible to damage by the chemicals, tools, and projects you build. Spilling wood stain on the garage floor will be a quick cleanup compared to spilling it on the carpet in your spare bedroom;
- Moving building materials and tools is simple with a garage woodshop setup. Unloading things from a vehicle makes the garage an ideal location. Setting up a woodshop in a garage avoids having to maneuver things through your home or down a tight set of basement stairs;
- Finally, a garage woodshop setup usually offers more shop space. Interior walls and design can be challenging to use effectively and limit your project size. Setting up a garage woodshop is almost a necessity for those using full-sized shop tools.
Are there disadvantages to setting up a woodshop in a garage? The biggest are temperature and humidity. If you live in a climate with four seasons, there will be times your shop feels like a sauna or a freezer. Humidity is also harder to control, with inside and outside air moving more freely.
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Setting Up A Woodshop In a Garage
Small Garage Woodshop
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When you begin setting up a woodshop in a garage, limited floor space can still be an obstacle. A small garage woodshop will still offer you plenty of space if you use tricks and layout ideas to maximize your working area.
Small Garage Woodshop Layout
- Keep a pathway open to the garage door: Eventually, you will want to build something larger than your corner of the garage will hold. Even breaking down paneling or long lumber can require space you might not have. A footpath to the garage door lets you take work to the roomier outdoors when the weather permits;
- Use walls and ceiling space in your small garage woodshop layout. You have to use every inch of space when your work area is so tiny, and I find that wall and overhead storage provides access and clears room;
- Future proof your small garage woodshop space. I can not express how frustrating it is to finally get your shop together, only to find you have to redo half of it because you upgraded a tool. Keep future woodworking aspirations in mind as you design your layout.
Small Garage Woodshop Ideas
I enjoy seeing how others go about setting up a woodshop in a garage, especially with small garage woodshop ideas that I can incorporate into my own space. What can I pass on to you for setting up a tiny small workshop?
- Hand tools are the king of small garage woodshop ideas. When I started woodworking, I used hand tools. My first upgrades into power tools were hand-held designs, and you should consider the minimal space these need when square footage is limited;
- Mobility is another consideration when setting up a woodshop in a garage. Collapsible work tables, sawhorses, toolboxes, and material carts are some things you will need;
- A shop vac is a must-have. You can attach power tools to it for dust/debris management. When you finish, it helps clean up the garage.
One Car Garage Woodshop Layout
I find it easier when setting up a woodshop in a garage in a single car garage. If you can use all of the space in a 1 car garage woodshop, you can build about anything. What would I recommend focusing on with a single car garage woodshop layout?
1 Car Garage Woodshop Floor Plan
- When setting up a woodshop in a garage of this size, plan for a stationary workbench. It will be more stable and can hold the larger projects safely. A one car garage woodshop layout will still be restricted in space, so store tools and materials under your bench;
- Plan for benchtop power tool designs. I set up three workstations on my single car garage woodshop layout, focusing on benchtop power tools that I could move and store. That gave me assembly space and finishing space while keeping most of my small shop tools at the bench;
- The best full-sized tools for your one car garage woodshop layout would be a lathe, joiner, and table saw. If you are not into turning wood, consider just the other two. I enjoy using my table saw on almost every project, and the joiner gets plenty of use when I bring wood home for dimensioning;
- Now, you might consider dust extraction or shop filtration systems. I recommend keeping it basic, perhaps having a vent at two or three workstations. You are still working in a limited area, so save space for storage more than a conduit for an extravagant extraction setup.
1 Car Garage Woodshop Considerations
Setting up a woodshop in a garage this size still has limitations. Most woodworkers limit full-sized power tools to one, keeping space open for storage and work surfaces (especially with bulky tools like a table saw with accessories). A single car garage woodshop layout should still use the wall and overhead storage if possible, freeing up more workspace.
Unless you live by yourself (or with sympathetic family and friends), your one car garage woodshop design needs to consider their needs. If possible, build storage along a wall for their stuff. It will make your use of the entire garage more palatable, and it is a perfect way to incorporate a fun build or two while setting up a woodshop in a garage.
2 Car Garage Woodshop Layout
Setting up a woodshop in a garage with two cars' width is ideal for a full-sized woodworking shop. A woodshop layout 2 car garage set up has plenty of space for storage options, tools, and moving around the shop. My recommendations for things to consider on your 2 car garage woodshop layout include:
- Your two car garage woodshop layout should include several workstations. I suggest a full-sized woodworking bench that you can access from all sides. Consider adding smaller work areas for sanding (near the 2 car garage woodshop door), finishing (by a window or other vent access), and a miter saw table for quickly rough-cutting lumber;
- When setting up a woodshop in a garage of this size, keep open pathways between work areas. Smaller garages force you to wiggle around benches, tools stands, and projects; a two car garage woodshop layout should offer more space to move safely about;
- Take advantage of the space in your 2 car garage woodshop and install proper filtration and dust extraction. You want to enjoy the hobby for years to come, so keeping your lungs, tools, and home protected from sawdust is crucial. You have the room here to install vents and ducts at almost every workstation and standing power tool;
- Another advantage of a woodshop layout 2 car garage design is the room you have for wood storage. When you start setting up a woodshop in a garage like this, don't hesitate to use space for curing and storing timber.
2 Car Garage Woodshop Layout Considerations
While a woodshop layout 2 car garage design can provide permanent homes for everything in your shop, consider adding mobility. Continue to use storage and tool stands that have wheels so that you can move things around and alter your two car garage woodshop layout. Mobile storage and equipment also allow you to move stuff out of the way if you ever want to park your vehicle during bad weather.
Two garage doors mean more temperature and humidity fluctuation. Turning this space into a 2 car garage woodshop means you will want to address this. When setting up a woodshop in a garage with large (or multiple) doors, inspect the sweep, threshold seals, and weather stripping to make sure they are working (or consider installing some).
3 Car Garage Woodshop Layout
Most three car garages are about 30 x 20. That makes it a dream when setting up a woodshop in a garage this size. A 3 car garage workshop layout gives you so many options that the limit on design is more about your interests.
That said, I would suggest that you keep in mind a few things when setting up a woodshop in a garage with this much room: Workflow and specialization.
3 Car Garage Woodshop Layout: Workflow
Setting up a woodshop in a garage with lots of floor space allows you to focus on workflow. You want a 3 car garage workshop layout that lets you logically move from one station to the next.
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- Store wood along a wall, and place a miter station near that storage. That lets you rough cut lumber quickly;
- Locate your joiner across from the miter station. I find it easy to crosscut wood to a certain size and then joint the board right after
- The table saw should be right next to the joiner, allowing you to use it right after you have a usable edge. I also keep the operator's side facing my garage door so that I can open it to accommodate panels and long lumber;
- Center your workbench. For me, placing the main bench in the middle of the garage allowed me to access it from anywhere in the shop. It also lets you get to any other station or tool quickly;
- Keep other stations along the walls. My dust extractor system sits by the back door. Sanding, finishing, drilling, and lathe stations sit along the walls.
3 Car Garage Woodshop Layout: Specialization
A 3 car garage workshop layout needs to let you specialize, providing all of the room needed for gadgets, accessories, and storage. What do I mean by setting up a woodshop in a garage for specialization?
- Layout for unique tools and accessories. You might enjoy turning wood on a lathe or making things with your jigsaw. Hand and power tools that help with these types of woodworking will take up space;
- Room for storage. Many woodworkers turn to build from fun to profit. Others challenge themselves with cabinetry, clock-making, or other types of woodworking that require space for assembly.
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