Small Unfinished Garage Shop?

[KC]

You're gonna be glad for that work you did this year.  IT IS coming...wait for it...wait for it...  

I know.  I haven't ordered the heater yet, but probably will pretty quick.  I'll set that to keep it in the low 50s unless I'm out there working.

[toolmiser]

Any shop is better than none. I guess there are a lot of questions you need to answer. Are you going to be there for a long time? Budget-that can be in steps. If the money is there, you may want to stud it up maybe a 1/2" from the block wall and get it spray foamed. If you do a floor with "sleepers" you could do electric heat to warm it. I don't think it's cost effective to use that as your dominant heat source. I don't think that you will enjoy the shop without conditioned air, and without insulation you will have a hard time heating /cooling .

[KC]

...  I don't think that you will enjoy the shop without conditioned air, and without insulation you will have a hard time heating /cooling .

I'd be curious to know how many folks with a hobbyist shop (vs pro) have air conditiong.  I know some do, but  expect a whole lot more deal with the summer heat because you may sweat, but glue and finishes still work.  Not so much in a winter shop with no heat.

[TDKPE]

My new house has an 18 x 18 unfinished (cinder block) garage.  I’m thinking of running a 220 line into a new sub panel, and getting my tools out of storage.  It will be a tight fit.

You need to decide if you're using electric heat in addition to tools and lights, or just wire it like you will and decide later.  If the run is long, it may not be wise to spend money you don't have to, though.  Consider aluminium SER cable as the feeder if you're going big; much cheaper than copper.  Your house is probably already fed with aluminium service entrance cable anyway (no worries, in other words).

But the first question is whether I should finish the walls first?  Is it worth the cost and hassle to put up furring strips and Sheetrock (plywood)?  I figure this will make it much easier to attach cabinets to the walls later.  Or maybe it’s going to be more of a hassle to put up all the furring strips?

I would insulate the walls and either drywall or plywood over that, then wire with EMT.  Keep boxes more than 4 ft off the floor (allow for sleepers on the floor) so sheet goods don't interfere with the receptacles.  

Westchester isn't exactly Bismarck, but it gets cold in the winter so insulation and some heat would absolutely be required unless you don't work out there in the cold.  I lived in the tri-state area most of my life until moving up here.  At least my house in NJ had insulation and 5kW of electric heat, but the exposed block garage in Yonkers didn't.  No electric out there, either.  Brrrrrrr.

[tablesawtom]

I am getting up in age and here in Iowa it gets cold.  The river has already froze over 3 times. In fact it has been really nice this November and I can still work it the shop. The building is 44 X 88, two stories and over 100 years old with no insulation.  The shop is about 1/2 (44 x 44) of the main floor at street level. Fixed income so there is no money to try to insulate let alone heat.

I have been straightening up cleaning, getting my sharpening station set up and doing all the little shop jobs that I have put off all woodworking season. I have given up woodworking projects for the year. At 40 degrees my fingers get cold and I have to warm them quite often, hate gloves.  At 43 my fingers do not get cold, go figure.   Have a big thermometer in shop.

The best temperature for finishing is 70 or above and wood and glue should be at least 55 for it to properly work right. Lower temperatures also change bearing tolerances and I stop using equipment below 40 degrees. If it is to cold for my fingers, it is to cold for the machines bearings and my fingers warm up much faster that the bearing on my machines. One can warm up a space a lot quicker than a machine. What may take a 1/2 hour to warm up a space may take several hours to warm up the bearings, lets say on a table saw. Something to think about.

Also in Iowa it is not uncommon to get temps in the 90s with high humidity for several days at a time. In fact we have a lot of humidity all the time.

I would put the beginning work in insulation and get the best possible. Then heating, Plan for cooling later. Electric can be run anytime in conduit if it can't be buried in the wall. and contrary to popular belief I would paint the walls and ceiling if you put one in light beige. It won't show the saw dust that clings to everything.

I am done doing any actual woodworking until at least the first of April, and it sucks.

It is no fun working with sweat dripping on your wood or when your fingers hurt form the cold not to mention dangerous.

It also adds resale value.

Plan for it.

Tom

[David Stone]

Thanks everyone.  Very helpful advice.

[Tapper]

Looks like I'm late to the party on this one but I'm in the camp that's in favor of insulating, heating and drywalling the area. I like the finish look and feel of drywall. I have a daylight walk-out basement shop and a couple of winters ago I finished out the walls with drywall. The studded part of the basement was already insulated. On the poured concrete stem walls (~4') I furred them out, insulated them with batts and then installed, finished and painted the drywall.

I have a separate Rinnai propane heater for the shop space, which works nicely. No AC necessary as it stays nice and cool during the summer. The area is bright with overhead fluorescent lighting. Last winter I installed woodgrain laminate flooring in the shop. The foam padding really makes it comfortable on your feet. I had picked it up at Home Depot a few year ago on a closeout at a bargain price.

Good luck!

Doug

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I’ve had 2 separate basement shops. I painted the concrete walls in the first shop and did nothing to the second basement shop. White walls will help the lighting. Insulation will help with noise. At the end of the day, I wasn’t willing to sink more money into a basement that wasn’t a “dream” shop. I have no regrets.

[KC]

I got my heater installed and turned on this morning.  Comfort Zone 3000/4000/5000W with fan and thermostat hanging from the truss. It was 48 in the garage when I turned it on about 11:30, and 62 when I went out there at 1:15.  I'll take that.  My plan is to set it to stay above 50.   Garage is well insulated, and even though I haven't put up the dividing wall yet, I'm sure this unit will keep one stall as toasty as I want it.

[rayknight]

Big fan of mini-split AC/Heat for shop, easy to install, affordable, no smell or fumes, tools don't rust, newer units work down to pretty cold without requiring use of heat coils, keep it set at 60 in winter/ 74 in summer. don't see big change in electric bill.
Ray