Woodworking and Neighbors?

[lincmercguy]

If you have an HOA, get elected for the board and work to dissolve it. You'll probably have more issues with them than any neighbors who actually live next to you.

If you have an HOA that forbids owners from using power tools, sell the house because that's insane.


My last house was in the burbs, but my shop was in the basement, so no issues. I did have an air compressor in the garage, so I would not run that with the garage door open after 9pm. There was no HOA (on purpose)

Insulation in your garage can help, especially with the door. If you have insulation in the door and need ventilation, you can open it slightly and still get some sound deadening. There are plenty of noise measuring apps out there, so you can have someone measure during certain operations.

[lincmercguy]

"Thanks everyone. I'll ease into it slowly to not pee anyone off.
No HOA."

This will probably help if you have neighbors that intentionally avoided an HOA.

[Bob Potter]

We live on 1/2 acre lots where there is a timber in front so the trees don't care how much noise I make. Neighbors on both sides have never complained . And I have even made some things for them. I never start early in the morning and never late at night. The planner is the only thing that would be excessive noise. Any way no problem's here.

[AHill]

When my shop was in my garage, the neighbors never complained. In fact, one of them told me when they heard my saw running, they wondered what the project was going to be. I was mindful of the time I was working and never ran the loud stuff too early or too late. You can mitigate the sound by keeping the garage doors closed and insulating the doors with foam insulation.

[AHill]

As already mentioned above, be very cautious of HOA rules.

Bill Mayo used to get low-mileage Shopsmith units from folks who moved into HOA-controlled developments in FL where they then learned that the use of power tools by homeowners is forbidden 24/7.

Interesting, since I'm constantly hearing loud mowers, weed trimmers, power washers, and the like.  Here in central Florida, you need your lawn mowed almost very week year 'round.  God forbid someone run a power saw, though.  And every night around 9:00 PM, I get to hear Disney World fireworks.  EVERY SINGLE NIGHT - save a several month hiatus during the first part of the pandemic.  Sounds pretty similar to night artillery when i was in the Army.  Good thing I don't have PTSD.

[MT Woodworker]

Why would someone move into an area, neighborhood, that you can’t enjoy your woodworking?