Dai Phan

My Feedback: (2)

Hello all,

I just bought a house and next to the garage is a goft cart storage room. I don't play golf so I am thinking about making it into a workshop. The room has windows and electrical outlets. I have some questions to ask:

1. What can I do to control the temperature? Can I buy a unit that works as a heater and A/C?

2. How hard is it to install an overhead light fixture? The ceiling has two fixtures but I like to have one that hang over the table.

3. Is it hard to put carpet over a cement floor?

4. I feel very loney while in there. Is that normal feeling that will go away?

5. Above my head is an attic door access. Can I wire this shut so I can prevent heat loss? I still can get to the attic from the playroom doors.

6. Is it normal to have a workshop that is not in the house?

Thank you and I look eagerly to your answers. DP

meaden

My wife and I both wish my workshop was not in the house!

Your area sounds very workable as a shop.

1. Open the windows or close the windows. Kidding, it seems to me in Albuquerque you might need to cool it more than heat it. Getting some fans and opening the windows might cool things enough as well as vent fumes and dust. If it's to hot, just work out there for short periods of time.

2. Get some clamp on (work) lights. You can move them around to where you need light.

3. A cement floor will be easier to clean up! Put some floor mats down in the places you'll stand the most...easier on the feet.

4. Start a good building project, and put some good music on...

5. Don't see why not.

6. For most of us I would say it's a luxury.

Dr1Driver

I've built a workshop in a 10 x 12 outbuilding and an attic. Both needed insulating and power. Here's what I did.

1. What can I do to control the temperature? Can I buy a unit that works as a heater and A/C?
I used a window AC with a small space heater for winter.

2. How hard is it to install an overhead light fixture? The ceiling has two fixtures but I like to have one that hang over the table.
Not hard at all. You might consider putting an outlet in the ceiling and running your workbench lights from that. I have a 4' flourescent lights for the whole shop and 4' flourescents over each bench and special area. Hang them with hooks and light chain or wire. You can never have too much light.

3. Is it hard to put carpet over a cement floor?
I wouldn't. It'll be hard to keep decent. If you want, lay down some indoor/outdoor stuff. If the cement is relatively smooth and level, I'd go with that.

4. I feel very loney while in there. Is that normal feeling that will go away?
You will at first. You're cut off from the rest of the house and family. Put in some sound. Get a cheap (it'll get dirty and dusty) CD player and/or a small TV.

5. Above my head is an attic door access. Can I wire this shut so I can prevent heat loss? I still can get to the attic from the playroom doors.
Lay some R-13 insulation on top of it and nail it closed.

6. Is it normal to have a workshop that is not in the house?
I'd love to have one. You have more space and options that are not feasible inside the house proper. One example - sanding. You can sand and not worry about it filtering back into the house.

One more thing. I'd install a small wall-mounted exhaust fan to pull fumes and vapors away.

Good luck!

Dr.1

Dai Phan

My Feedback: (2)

Hello all,

Thank you so very much for your guidance. I feel much better now. I have no idea that most of us would prefer to have a dedicated workshop not inside the house. It feels SO SO lonely standing in that room and I am very afraid of ghosts being in there alone. Any of you have this feeling? DP

Laird SS

Dr1Driver's advice sounds great, except that I don't think I would necessarily nail the attic door shut. If it is a flat sheet parallel to the floor that sits in a cutout, I'd just put the insulation on it and let it sit in place. You never know, you might want to put something into storage in the attic and it would be easier than walking through the house to where ever the attic access is.

If you're a little bit handy with electricity, you could remove a light fixture and put a duplex (two outlets moulded in one piece) outlet in its place and plug in the hanging fluorescent work lights from Home Depot or Lowe's. That's how most of the lighting in my garage is done. I think this is what Dr1Driver was suggesting.

I agree, you are lucky to have a workshop separated from the house. I have to work on the island in the kitchen. My wife is very understanding, but I still have to move stuff all the time.

jessiej

I agree with the others that the separate shop is superior for a variety of reasons. I have never had any bothersome ghosts. I HAVE, however had someone suddenly open the door and startle the S*%# out of me. For that reasonI 5recomend securing the entrance while in the shop alone. You could also consider a dog or cat as a companion.

jess

mimhoff

My Feedback: (3)

I think the lonely feeling will go away pretty quick -- once you get involved in a project you will be surprised how quick the time goes by. Sometimes I go to my shop at 10:00pm thinking I will work on a project for just a few minutes and the next thing I know it is 1:00 AM. I may be "wired" different from others but I enjoy my time alone in the shop -- It is when I do my best thinking and I can relax and get away from the "real" world for just a little bit. Not sure about ghosts -- they have never bothered me...

I think you will really enjoy your new shop sounds great. Just get started on a project and you will be fine.

Earlier post said you were in the Albuquerque area -- whera about (N,S,E,W)? I have been looking for a place to build a home there to retire in someday. I was looking North of own in Placitas. NM is very pretty -- I am struggling between New Mexico and Arizona (Tucson).

Take care.

Mark

Dai Phan

My Feedback: (2)

If it is too lonely there, I can call up the escort service. I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars for someone to keep me company while I tackle a scale project for a few hours. I will take some pictures and show you all what I am looking foward to do. Boy, I do have luxury and not knowing it. DP

Dai Phan

My Feedback: (2)

By 10 PM, I already had my milk and cookies and under the blanket. I usually get home by 4:45 pm then work on my planes from 5:00 pm till 6:30 then off to bed. Then I get up at 7:00 am and off to work. I get most of building done on weekends. I miss Albuquerque so much. I tell you, the weather there is so good and the flying site (Albuquerque Ballon Park) is best in the world! DP

bassfisher

My Feedback: (21)

1. What can I do to control the temperature? Can I buy a unit that works as a heater and A/C?
Yes, you can buy that type of unit, if you can find a hotel that is being remodeled in your local area, sometimes you can buy units from them. Myself, I have a small window AC unit and for heat a ceramic heater and a floor heater.

2. How hard is it to install an overhead light fixture? The ceiling has two fixtures but I like to have one that hang over the table.
Easy, if you know how to wire a new outlet, you can go buy additional wire to to wire in additional outlets. My shop lights are all plug in 4' fluorescent lights (like Laird said). I would also wire in additional outlets. I have 12 outlets in my shop on 4 separate circuits. You can never have enough.

3. Is it hard to put carpet over a cement floor?
I would not put carpet down. Just make sure that the concrete has a sealer on it to keep down dust. There are some really great products now for concrete that you can find a home improvement store that are designed for garage floors.

4. I feel very loney while in there. Is that normal feeling that will go away?
If you build enough, you should never be lonely. On teh other hand, your family might feel all alone if you spend too much time out there.

5. Above my head is an attic door access. Can I wire this shut so I can prevent heat loss? I still can get to the attic from the playroom doors.
Just add some insulation keep it closed. Its alway nice to have additional attic entrances.

6. Is it normal to have a workshop that is not in the house?
I built my workshop/shed to get my stuff out of the garage so I could park my cars in there. Must people would love to have a separate workshop from the house.

RevGQ

I am just finishing my shops, one in garage and the other in the bedroom vacated by the baby boy, who is now at UCLA. Bedroom has Gladiator modular units with 8' and 6' benches. Home built rolling benches in garage and both floors done in Race Deck.

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FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I have found the indoor/outdoor carpet will stay flat if you cut it to the shape of the room and will not move. When its gets worn or to the point you can't stand to look at it anymore you roll it up and throw it away.

FokkerAce

this would explain why you've not been bugging me about the PFALZ!
[fyi: I am a week away from having no other projects in the shop, except your pfalz]

sounds like you've got a good space, I wish mine was out of the basement , too, but I have 12x22 + 12x 10 to use for planes, and its dry and heated, so I'm not complaining. [headroom is only 6.25 feet, so it's hard to flip wings, etc....]

Is access thru your garage, or is it from the outside, or not attached to the house?
If it's inside, then just close the garage, and you've got no worries about being snuck up on,
If it's outside, but attached, I'd consider cutting a doorway to get to above situation.
If it's not attached, I'd keep the door closed, put in a peep hole, and outside light, and a door bell.

You're in SC, I think I'd just commandeer the WHOLE garage for a shop, and park outside

FA[8D]

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

[/quote]

If it is too lonely there, I can call up the escort service. I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars for someone to keep me company while I tackle a scale project for a few hours. I will take some pictures and show you all what I am looking foward to do. Boy, I do have luxury and not knowing it. DP
[/quote]
Escort service?? [X(] WoW! That is luxury! Can I come over and help you work on your planes? [8D]

Deadeye

It's not the ghosts that should bother you. The Boogeyman and/or Boogeymen pose a much larger threat than ghosts. Ghosts can only make you feel cold and might give you a start. The Boogeyman, on the other hand; can hide in shadows, and jump out at you without warning. They will hide stuff in your workshop too. "Where's that #11 exacto I just set down?" The Boogeyman got it. "How did I build 2 left hand wing panels?" Again, the Boogeyman. "Who drank all my beer?" You guessed it, the Boogeyman.

Have fun in your new workshop, but watch out for the Boogeyman!

Appfan

Congrats on your new space. We just completed a detached garage where I've got my own shop. I absolutely love it. When my 2 lil' grrrls become teenagers I'll be able to happily stroll out to the shop while The Mrs and the grrls go at each other. My $.02 below...

1. What can I do to control the temperature? Can I buy a unit that works as a heater and A/C?
Yup - either go for a all-in-one or get a window AC unit and a separate heater. I've got a kerosene heater for the chilly days. Make sure your space is insulated well and you probably won't need AC. This past summer our insulated garage was 20 degrees cooler than the outside. I'm located just outside of Charlotte NC BTW.

2. How hard is it to install an overhead light fixture?
The ceiling has two fixtures but I like to have one that hang over the table. Check into some portable lights like were suggested above. If you still want hard-wired units you'll have to be the judge on the "ease of installation".

3. Is it hard to put carpet over a cement floor?
Seal the cement and get a couple of exercise equipment matts for where you'll be spending most of your time. I've built a 42" build table that my hydraulic shop chair fits nicely beside.

4. I feel very loney while in there. Is that normal feeling that will go away?
Get a radio or ipod and you'll be better off. For building at night, tune into 1110 AM they up the wattage and you can catch some pretty good talk radio. As for the ghosts, just think of it as training for a busy day on the flight line. If you can cut a straight edge with casper whispering to you, you'll do fine when they are rolling harriers 20' away and you are landing a plane in 10 mph crosswinds.

5. Above my head is an attic door access. Can I wire this shut so I can prevent heat loss? I still can get to the attic from the playroom doors.
Check into an "attic tent". We put one in our 100+ year old home and it made a pretty big difference. This will still allow access, but provide a nice R value insulation.

6. Is it normal to have a workshop that is not in the house?
See my first comment. I love my detached garage.

enjoy your new shop!

Hill202

My Feedback: (24)

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