Build an Amazing Garage Workshop with These 7 Essentials
Many homeowners use their garage for storing their cars and lawn equipment but it could be so much more than that. With a little organizing, you can create a garage workshop perfect for working on projects for your home.
There’s nothing better than having a workshop in your garage. If anything breaks in your home, you’ll be able to fix it in your own space. Also, you can create your own DIY projects, such as furniture and crafts, to enhance your home.
But before you can do any of that, you need to know what to put in your workshop. We’ve come up with a list of 7 essentials you’ll need for your garage workshop. Let’s get started.
1. Have a Proper Workbench
You can’t have a great garage workshop without having a place to work. That’s where a workbench comes in handy. You need something that’s accommodating for what you plan on doing. In other words, the proper workbench is based on your needs.
You might be able to get by with a small bench you find at any local hardware store. This will give you only enough space to do small woodworking projects or minor fixes in your home. That being said, if that’s the extent of the work you’ll be doing, this is the perfect option for you.
However, someone looking for something more intense wouldn’t like that option. You’d need a large work area, especially if you’re going to be sawing wood, using a vise grip or building furniture. You can even consider building your own workbench for your garage.
The most important thing is to make sure your garage is large enough for the bench you want. Otherwise, it won’t fit and you’ll have to park your cars in the street/driveway.
2. Make Sure There’s a Place to Store Your Tools
The other very important feature of a garage workshop is the tools. If you have no tools, you have no workshop – it’s as easy as that. However, you don’t want your tools laying all over your garage. Not only is that unsafe for you, but also it can damage your tools.
Toolboxes are a great addition to your garage workshop. Depending on how many tools you have will determine the size of your toolbox. You can get a smaller and portable toolbox or a large organizer with many drawers.
Maybe you want something where you can see all of your tools and make it even easier to find what you need in case of an emergency You can get a pegboard which will allow you to hang your tools on the wall. It’s perfect for easy access and organization.
Obviously, larger tools can’t fit in a toolbox or on the walls. That’s when you need something bigger. You can get ceiling storage that will allow you to store larger items on the ceiling and keep them out of harms way. This will also help open up more space. These are called overhead storage and you can find units at hardware stores or online.
3. An Insulated Garage Door is a Must
When building a garage workshop, many homeowners don’t think about their garage door which doesn’t make a lot of sense because it can make a huge difference in the functionality of your workshop.
How does a garage door affect your workshop? Simple. The last thing you want to expose your tools – especially the electronic ones – is the elements. They can do major damage to them, even causing them to stop working.
Also, you want a workshop that is comfortable. If you have no control over the temperature, how likely are you to do work in there? Probably not likely. It would be a waste of space.
An energy efficient garage door can help keep your garage a comfortable temperature no matter what the weather is outside. This ensures your garage will be in great working condition.
Your best option for a garage door is one made from steel. Steel garage doors have a foam core for great insulation which makes it difficult for drafts to pass through the door and into your garage. That makes it easier to maintain a comfortable temperature.
4. Ample Light is Needed in a Garage Workshop
Have you ever tried to do handy work in the dark? It’s absolutely not safe. So why on Earth would you not have a well lit garage workshop?
The key to having a great workshop is great lighting. You want bright lights that illuminate the entire garage and help you see what you’re doing. It’s also important to have a table lamp on your workbench for more precise projects.
There are many different styles of lights available including recessed lights, track lights and fluorescent tube lights. As long as the light provides enough light to see while you’re working, it’s a good option.
5. Your Garage Workshop Needs Windows
Speaking of lighting your workshop, wouldn’t it be great to have natural light illuminate your garage? You can if you have windows installed in your garage.
Windows are a great way to allow natural light into your garage. Natural light helps improve your mood and productivity which is exactly what you want from your workshop. You’ll also save money on your energy bills by not using your lights all day.
Having windows in your workshop does more than give you natural light. Operable windows are great for circulating air and allowing you to enjoy a cool breeze. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your garage working on project, this is an absolute must.
It’s important to get the right windows for your garage workshop. You want an energy efficient, durable option that will protect you from the wind, rain or snow. This eliminates aluminum and wood windows because they’re not durable and aren’t the most energy efficient option.
Vinyl windows have a foam insulated frame to help create an air tight seal in the openings. You won’t have to worry about pesky drafts getting into your garage ever again.
Also, make sure that you have double pane, argon gas-filled glass in your windows. Argon is much denser than normal air, making it more difficult for drafts to pass through the glass.
6. Be Comfortable With an Air Conditioner/Heater
If you have a detached garage, you won’t have the luxury of enjoying your home’s heat and air which could make your garage workshop uncomfortable. If that’s the case, you’ll want a heater and an air conditioner for your garage.
You have many options when it comes to heaters. Convection heaters are the mostly popular option because they’re able to heat the largest area. They have heat transfer oil which they use to radiate heat.
Fan-forced heaters are exactly what their name suggests – they force heat out using a fan. There are many different option of fan-forced heaters which you can read about here.
Radiant heaters use infrared rays to provide heat to your workshop. They create direct heat so it’s perfect for warming a portion of a room but might not be able to heat larger areas.
If you want to get a heater for your garage workshop, we recommend the convection heater because it heats the largest area and it’s safe to use.
7. Make Sure You Have a Garage Floor That Can Handle a Workshop
Sometimes, a garage workshop can get messy, especially if you’re going to be working on your car or using oil. A concrete floor will stain and become damaged which will hurt the value of your home.
Thankfully, there are a couple solutions to your problem. The easiest one is to get floor mats for your garage. Non-stick mats will make it so you can move quickly in your workshop without the fear of falling and are very easy to clean and maintain.
You can also epoxy your garage floor to give it a clean, sleek look. Not only will it look better than concrete, but it’s very easy to clean – oil won’t get absorbed into the floor and stain it. With a simple rinse with a hose, your garage floor will be as good as new after every mess.
You’ll Love Having a Garage Workshop
There are many benefits to having a garage workshop. You’ll be able to fix minor problems in your home, work on your car and take on new DIY projects.
That being said, you need to make sure you have the 7 essentials to have a functioning workshop.
Speaking of garage doors, Feldco is here to help you get the perfect garage door for your workshop. We’ve served over 400,000 homeowners in the Midwest and would love to help you with your project. Get a free quote now.
