If you love woodworking and have some wood skills, it is time to do your woodwork workshop. Although a beginner can build a woodwork workshop too. If you have a place outside your house or are blessed with a garage or basement, you can quickly do a workshop there.
You do not need many things to build your shop. Just a proper plan, workbench, and a couple of tools will help you to start your journey.
You have to consider some things when you start building your workshop. Dust collection, ventilation, lighting is most important. Also, the place should have a noise reduction system. If you cannot make a plan alone, you can ask any experienced one, and decorate the place with your personal choice.
I build my workshop some days ago, so I decided to share my experience with you. In this article, you will know some crucial things which will help to make your plan more manageable.
Small Woodwork Workshop Plans
If you have a small budget and get a small place, do not give up. You can build your workshop with your little budget too. It may not give you a service like a big or medium workshop.
But you can work with your wood project in your small workshop without any hazards. You can use your home space or a corner of your garage to building your little studio.
There have some advantages if you use a small workshop. You do not have to install many lights, and you can organize things better, the tools storage will be near you so you can take any tools at any time, etc.
Although the disadvantages are not little. But if you make a plan properly, you can use those small spaces correctly. Here I will give you some tips about a low workshop plan.
Power Tools Setup
Put your utensils in a bin. Then put the bins under a table or shelves or in your house. Do not buy those tools which are less critical, like drum sander. No one can say all tools are unnecessary, but you have to gather only essential tools because there is not much place for your devices.
The Place for Building Workshop
You will have a lot of power tools like (drill press, lathe), safety equipment, and lumber, wood, sheet goods there to work. SO, it would help if you had enough areas to place the sheet goods and woods along with the tools.
Make a design for your workshop where you should place your furniture and where you should work. If you find a lack of space, do not sacrifice your essential tools like air impact wrenches, drill presses, saws etc. You can change the layout and make it again.
You can sketch your place and think where you should place your item correctly. The floor plan should be perfect and space-saving. You don’t need extra furniture except for workbench, tool storage, and working area.
Electricity and Noise Reduction
Now the next part is electricity and noise reduction. Choose a place where the electricity supply is available, or adding heat is comfortable. Your mini-workshop should have enough lights and plugging system because you have work with power tools when you are doing any project.
But do not install the electricity system alone. This type of work should be done by a professional one.
Invest some money and buy suitable circuits for your work so that the chances of a short course will be less. Install the LED light, which is ideal for a workshop. Also, the plugging system should be near you so that you can work efficiently with power tools.
Reducing Noise While Working
Noise reduction is another important thing for your tiny workshop. Although you are choosing a small place near your house or inside your home the noise will be loud. Primarily working with a drill press, welding machine, welding helmet, etc.
So, reducing noise is a must in these shorts of the situation. If you can spend money, I would say, make a soundproofing system in your workshop.
If not, use daytime for work. Do not work at night and holidays as the noises will disturb your neighbor. Also, you can buy low noise tools which are not expensive. Search online, and you will get lots of collections.
Ventilation and Dust
It is a widespread problem that you have to deal with lots of dust and debris when you are working. If your workshop does not have enough ventilation system, you can face many problems like skin diseases or the flying fragment will hit in your eyes.
So along with safety glasses, a proper ventilation system is mandatory for your workshop.
You can install an exhaust fan so the inside air can pass out. Also, buy a vacuum cleaner for removing the dust. Choose a place where you can make a window or the place already has it.
A heater and air cooler are also needed. Save some money and buy the right quality heater. You do not have to obtain a large coverage heater so you can save money.
Make your workshop temperature perfect so that your tools may stay good. There are many tools like wood carving Dremel tools, hand saws, which are made of steel and metal and need a proper environment and temperature to be in good shape.
Have Proper Safety Gears & Equipment
The safety of you and your workshop is the top of your priority list. Do not think that your workshop is small, so maintaining security is less critical.
Just imagine, if your shop is inside your house, and there is a short circuit in your shop. Because of that, your entire home will be in danger too. So, have proper safety gear and an appropriate filter system around your house.
Do not leave the cables here and there and unplug tools when your work is done. You can tie your cables, power cords together and keep it in a corner. You also get proper stable supports while working with long pieces of items.
Moreover, buy a fire extinguisher as well for security throughout your woodworking works. Also, buy your safety equipment like hand gloves, safety goggles, etc. It will save you from fine dust and other sparkles.
Especially working both with welding and drilling needs safety goggles and gloves for protection of your eyes and hands. If you are welding, you should have a good welding helmet. You also need to have hearing protectors along with eye safety gear if it is too loud out there.
There are different hearing style protection options available in the market. You can use Earmuff of reputable brands like Mpow, Howard Leight, etc.
Woodworking Workshop Floor Space Plans
You need a smooth and clean surface for your workshop. Because sometimes you have to stand all day in there, so your leg should be comfortable when working. Also, the plain surface on the floor space helps to do your work better.
If your floor has cracked, pores, or stain, your workshop floor needs repairing. Either you can paint or repair your basement, or install a new flooring system. If you want to improve your floor and make it unique, follow some rules,
Cleaning Workshop Floor of the Storage Space
Before repair your workshop floor, it needs to be clean first. Vacuum your entire floor so that any dust or debris will not be left.
The damaged area must be clean because you have to put some repairing things on it. If you paint the floor before, remove the old paint and start your repairing process.
Repairing the Floor of the Work Area
Floor repairing is not that difficult. After cleaning the floor, smoothly scrub the broken place. There are many crack repair solutions you will get in the market. Inspect the home carefully so you might not skip the pores. Because pores will loosen your repair solution.
For larger cracks, fill it with sand or silica gel. Then apply one or two coat of repairing solution and wait for it to dry. After that, you can paint on it.
Other Issue on Finishing
If your workshop floor has poor finishing, you can repair the pitted area with cement topping or patching mix. Also, check if there is an issue of the sunken slab, pores, underground water problem, etc. Hire a professional one and fix it.
If your shop floor has low spots or pores, you can apply a polymer topping or epoxy. Those will fill the pores. You should finish the application procedure properly so that your floor may not get damaged for a long time.
Some Special Renovation Ideas for Flooring
If you want to do your work floor with a new one, you can change it.
Concrete Flooring for the Workshop
You can change your floor to concrete flooring. It is best for heavy woodworking because the concrete floor is strong enough to tolerate the vibration of a machine.
Just sealed the workshop area properly so the old flooring is not visible, and your floor can be dust-free.
After that, you can paint on your floor. But a newly painted floor will be a bit slippery for you. So you can sand the floor when the painting is dry. Sand removes the wet surface and make it comfortable for you.
There is some disadvantage of concrete flooring. The specific surface is not comfortable for all-day stand-up work. Also, the floor is not suitable for keeping your sharp tools.
Rubber Matting on Storage Space Flooring
If you are not comfortable working on a concrete floor or you feel it is slippery for you after painted, you can use rubber matting on the floor. It is very flexible and has a good grip so you can work standing all day long.
Although the mat is heavy, so moving it a little tricky. You cannot do it alone. And sometimes, it also slides automatically.
Wooden floors Look Goof on Storage Space
I think the wooden floor is best for all except one thing. It Is comfortable, solid and you can also install it on the concrete floor. But the only problem is, it may break if your shop has heavy machinery.
Tiles on the Floor Space
If you want to spend more money on your floor, you can install tiles on it. There are many designed tiles you can get in the market which have excellent resistance and a good insulation system. It will increase your shop’s beauty and also comfortable for work.
After selecting what type of floor, you will install, remove all the furniture and other things. It should be the first thing in your work when you are building your workshop. So that you do not have to face the hazard of moving all your tools.
Workshop Storage Space Plan
Although you have a gigantic or tiny workshop, the storage option is mandatory for your shop. Without it, you cannot even work properly. Because every tool needed proper storage for them.
Their service and longevity depend on storage. So, keeping excellent storage facilities is most famous for your workshop. You do not need much money to make a storage system. You can use home furniture like kitchen cabinet, shelves, and other things for storage.
Make a proper plan before you start creating your storage. You can also use your ceiling and shop walls to keep your tools and other things. I will give you some idea about shop storage.
Working with Wall Space and Ceiling
Here are few ideas and tips you can follow to make a proper woodworking spaces.
Making a Shelf on Wall
You can use your shop wall to keep your tools and other items. That high flat vertical surface has a lot of space if you use them properly. You can install a wall shelf in there.
Make separate compartments with the different sizes so that you can put your small and big tools separately. You can get the wall shelf in various dedicated outbuilding as well.
Use one dimension for the shelves and keep the last three for making a different type of storage. Also, you can use the corner by using a corner shelf. Making the corner shelf is easy. Just take two or three pieces of wood and screw them in the wall. You can out your air compression loft in there.
Ceiling Drawers or Wall Shelf
The ceiling is cannot only use for service panel lighting but also it can be a functional area for wall shelves and other stuff. Using lightweight pegboards and wood, you can get a perfect thing out of the ceiling.
You can use your ceiling for storage, just like a basement or wall by installing drawers in your ceiling. You need glue and screws for holding the drawer or wall shelf. But do not fill the drawer as it is tool storage. Instead, put the lightweight items like drill bits, screwdriver bit set, clamps, eye safety gear, etc.
Because open a drawer from the ceiling is a bit challenging if it is already filled. Use it only occasionally. Use proper safety devices and stairs to do the project safely.
Some Other Plans for Woodworking Areas
Hanging and Clipping
Drill out some hooks in your shop wall so that you can hang tools in there. Use your other wall for this. But this way, your tools get dust quickly.so you have to keep them clean always.
Muffin or Cupcake Tin
There have many small items that are important for every woodworking shop, like screws, nails, short clips, etc. Those are very tiny and easy to lost. You can use muffin or cupcake tin for keeping them.
Filled the tins with those small items. Fill the separate section in separate items and put the tins in drawer or shelf. But the muffin tin should be heavy and do not move them quickly; otherwise, all your tiny pieces will fall in the ground.
Workbench Cabinet
Workbench is mandatory furniture for a woodworking workshop. You can also use this for a storage system. Made a cabinet behind the workbench and put your wood piece in there. So you do not have to go far for taking your wood.
You can use clamps and wheels to make the drawer more convenient in the busiest hours of your work.
Make your Messy Drawer Adjustable
Do not keep different tools in one drawer.it would be messy and you can not find the needed one quickly when you hurry.
It is better to keep different tools in a different place, but if there is a lack of storage, you can make a partition in your drawer. It helps to keep your devices organized.
Gaps and Ends
You will find many holes and ends, which seems you cannot put tools in there, but this doesn’t seem right. You can set your thin wood piece and pipes in it.