Need Workshop Ideas! Taking down Storage Shed and Building Bigger!

[RTR]

Finally getting to build me a real workshop. It isn't gonna be anything real big but big enough and more than I've ever had from scratch. Will be wood construction and want it big enough to hold an Allis D-17 tractor, shut the doors and be able to work on and walk around. Also thinking of having a second working room with a wall and walk through door so I can paint a small tractor like a Farmall Cub or paint tractor parts in it if needed. I have many old tractors, mostly Farmall Cub, Super A, and 140 and plan on restoring 2-3 a year; so those should fit easily.

Help me come up with some things to plan for that I would want/need. I would LOVE to hear your ideas. Here is a list of things I've thought of that are a MUST:

• Painted concrete floor for easy cleanup/no stains & so small tractors can be split easily with floor jack.
• Mini-Split HVAC (I already have this to use)
• Good Lighting with exterior flood lights
• Indoor & Outdoor Plugs
• Outlet in ceiling corner to mount a fan or anything else.
• Spray Foam Insulation and Fiberglass Insulation (I have some of the fiberglass already and have a spray foam guy to use)
• Concrete pad in front of building about 6 foot??
• Work bench the length of one side in each room with hide-a-way bench that will pivot & roll out 90 degrees when needed.
• Water line for a spigot & sink, but that would require burying a water line about 100-120 feet.
• Room enough for a sand blast cabinet, tool boxes, storage shelves, storage cabinets.
• Electrical Breaker panel (have electrician doing the work)
• Plug for Mig Wire Welder
• Plug for my 30 gal air compressor & plan for a 60 or 80 gal in future.
• Building Design that is pleasing to fit in with my house (hardy board exterior), but allows for maximum height and ceiling storage space if I spray foam the inside of the roof. I have a carpenter friend building the shop.

Attached are some not-so-great photos of the current shed I will be taking down, and adding to the concrete slab that is there. It is a 12 ft. by 13 ft. shed and I have about 10-12 foot on either side to add on, about 10-12 foot at the front extra, and have about 7 foot to the rear extra.

 

[RTR]

Could plan to put a steel I-beam monorail for splitting and lifting too. Just a thought

 

[redtom]

On your scale, I would suggest 10 ft high walls. This allows a place for a beam, etc and the height for lifting. When we started out with no shed at my dad's we built a 24 x 36, 10 high. After 10 years or so we added a 12 ft lean to, to make it36 x 36. 10 high also allows for a full 8 high roll up door. You might not want to hear this but I feel your existing slab should be removed so your new floor is one even pour. You can also add foam under neath, (which I wish I had). And tubes for heating.

 

[caterpillar guy]

For get about the paint on the floor anything like water oil or snow will make it slick as glass and just as dangerous. There was a local dealer did that about 40 years ago and had to put some thing different on it so they could walk on it if it had anything on it like that. If you do still paint it get some sand and throw on the floor in a light even coating for traction, There is a trailer manufacturer in NC east of Charlotte that does that to their trailer floors on steel decks and it makes a lot of difference on a wet floor. No matter how big it is it will be to small in short order. Now if you want to up grade to a bigger compressor you need to look at having 220 in there in stead of just 110. 5 HP will work better on 220 than 110 . Other wise I would probably keep the old shed for a place to park tractors in under roof or to store parts needed but not right at that time. Never had to much storage for good useable parts. Your outside slab wants to be separate from the inside portion. And needs to be bigger more like 15-20 feet then you could park your trailer on it to work on without laying in the dirt to work on it.

 

[bc]

If you enlarge it where are the kids going to play? Looks like the yard is one big playground with a zip line. Maybe everyone needs a zip line from the house to the barn and back.

I think your present slab would be movable Maybe as the parking for the new building. Might have to saw it. Not sure any concrete contractor is going to want to work around another slab and try to make it all level with the expansion joint board all around. First winter and everything will be out of level.

I don't think you will be able to save and reuse much of the wood in the old shed. I vote building a new one next to it and use it for storage, kids playhouse, mancave, quilting barn, etc.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

You might as well build it big enough for 2 pickups with 8 foot doors. That would have more resale value if plans change. Or keep the current shed for your painting projects and build one single stall good sized one next to it. Looks big enough to paint the little farmalls if you wanted to do that in the winter and a bigger door on the little shed looks possible. The d-17 you would have to wait for the perfect day and run the important pieces back inside to dry away from the bugs. If you are dead set on ac in both with one unit butt them together in an L shape and remove a wall to your liking. Would even give you a bit more space if you make the new construction longer and that would give you plenty of room in the little one. Length costs much less than width. This would also make your slab usable since you aren’t disturbing it. Your only trouble is there isn’t a whole lot of space till the fence.

 

[showcrop]

I had my shop built for business use, then converted it. I am in chilly NH where heating cost can be high. The greatest plus to my building is that I have an inner room 16x22x10ft. where my heat unit is located. I do almost all of my winter work in there. I keep the inner room at 55 degrees, then kick it up to 65 when In go in to work. The outer part which is 40x50x17 stays above 40 degrees from the heat escaping from the inner room. my heating bill has been around $500.00.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Finally getting to build me a real workshop. It isn't gonna be anything real big but big enough and more than I've ever had from scratch. Will be wood construction and want it big enough to hold an Allis D-17 tractor, shut the doors and be able to work on and walk around. Also thinking of having a second working room with a wall and walk through door so I can paint a small tractor like a Farmall Cub or paint tractor parts in it if needed. I have many old tractors, mostly Farmall Cub, Super A, and 140 and plan on restoring 2-3 a year; so those should fit easily.

Help me come up with some things to plan for that I would want/need. I would LOVE to hear your ideas. Here is a list of things I've thought of that are a MUST:

• Painted concrete floor for easy cleanup/no stains & so small tractors can be split easily with floor jack.
• Mini-Split HVAC (I already have this to use)
• Good Lighting with exterior flood lights
• Indoor & Outdoor Plugs
• Outlet in ceiling corner to mount a fan or anything else.
• Spray Foam Insulation and Fiberglass Insulation (I have some of the fiberglass already and have a spray foam guy to use)
• Concrete pad in front of building about 6 foot??
• Work bench the length of one side in each room with hide-a-way bench that will pivot & roll out 90 degrees when needed.
• Water line for a spigot & sink, but that would require burying a water line about 100-120 feet.
• Room enough for a sand blast cabinet, tool boxes, storage shelves, storage cabinets.
• Electrical Breaker panel (have electrician doing the work)
• Plug for Mig Wire Welder
• Plug for my 30 gal air compressor & plan for a 60 or 80 gal in future.
• Building Design that is pleasing to fit in with my house (hardy board exterior), but allows for maximum height and ceiling storage space if I spray foam the inside of the roof. I have a carpenter friend building the shop.

Attached are some not-so-great photos of the current shed I will be taking down, and adding to the concrete slab that is there. It is a 12 ft. by 13 ft. shed and I have about 10-12 foot on either side to add on, about 10-12 foot at the front extra, and have about 7 foot to the rear extra.

View attachment 90876View attachment 90877

My neighbor had a shed delivered the other day $4500. I would sell your shed, not take it down.
I posted a pic of a neighbor getting a shed delivered. Find someone to move your shed. They are worth a lot.
In 2019 I built a 30x40x14 pole barn for $16400. I use my Kubota as my elevator to the loft. I recommend windows under the eves. Ridge vent ,, eve vents and 6 inch concrete floors with wire, not fiberglass in concrete.

You can never have too big of a shop.
Go taller means you can add a loft.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

 

[Loosehandle]

View attachment 90983

Wow whats the size of that George About 8 x12?

 

[DRussell]

Finally getting to build me a real workshop. It isn't gonna be anything real big but big enough and more than I've ever had from scratch. Will be wood construction and want it big enough to hold an Allis D-17 tractor, shut the doors and be able to work on and walk around. Also thinking of having a second working room with a wall and walk through door so I can paint a small tractor like a Farmall Cub or paint tractor parts in it if needed. I have many old tractors, mostly Farmall Cub, Super A, and 140 and plan on restoring 2-3 a year; so those should fit easily.

Help me come up with some things to plan for that I would want/need. I would LOVE to hear your ideas. Here is a list of things I've thought of that are a MUST:

• Painted concrete floor for easy cleanup/no stains & so small tractors can be split easily with floor jack.
• Mini-Split HVAC (I already have this to use)
• Good Lighting with exterior flood lights
• Indoor & Outdoor Plugs
• Outlet in ceiling corner to mount a fan or anything else.
• Spray Foam Insulation and Fiberglass Insulation (I have some of the fiberglass already and have a spray foam guy to use)
• Concrete pad in front of building about 6 foot??
• Work bench the length of one side in each room with hide-a-way bench that will pivot & roll out 90 degrees when needed.
• Water line for a spigot & sink, but that would require burying a water line about 100-120 feet.
• Room enough for a sand blast cabinet, tool boxes, storage shelves, storage cabinets.
• Electrical Breaker panel (have electrician doing the work)
• Plug for Mig Wire Welder
• Plug for my 30 gal air compressor & plan for a 60 or 80 gal in future.
• Building Design that is pleasing to fit in with my house (hardy board exterior), but allows for maximum height and ceiling storage space if I spray foam the inside of the roof. I have a carpenter friend building the shop.

Attached are some not-so-great photos of the current shed I will be taking down, and adding to the concrete slab that is there. It is a 12 ft. by 13 ft. shed and I have about 10-12 foot on either side to add on, about 10-12 foot at the front extra, and have about 7 foot to the rear extra.

View attachment 90876View attachment 90877

Make your concrete pad out front big enough to hold a vehicle on it. When building a shed/workshop bigger is always better.

 

[Janicholson]

Make your concrete pad out front big enough to hold a vehicle on it. When building a shed/workshop bigger is always better.

Agree. Using the existing pad for the entry pad by moving it is better than having it be a part of a new floor. Jim

 

[Koolaid]

My $.02
- Go as big as your budget and real estate allows. You'll never regret going too big.
- Draw a scale floor plan with the realistic size of each piece of equipment in CAD or on graph paper. Make sure all of the tools / benches / equipment fits in a logical manner.
- 6' apron on the front I'd consider as bare minimum. If you want to work on something outside on a nice day - I'd go longer.
- Your ceiling height gets eaten up in a hurry. 12' ceiling, 10' door - A-frame that fits in the door - trolley and hoist hanging down from that - all of the sudden you are down to 8' of working height.
- Sheet metal or wood or drywall interior may influence your electrical layout - figure that out ahead of time.
- You won't regret tighter spacing / more electrical outlets along your walls.
- I personally like switched outlets on the ceiling and using LED worklights hanging from chains. Easy to adjust / move / replace.
- If you'll be using it in the winter to thaw equipment - consider a drain. Also consider where you want the drain / where you'll be working - will it be in the way.
- Windows / windows in the doors - I don't like them from theft aspect, but love them from working inside and being able to see out.
- More than one egress point doesn't hurt.
- Go look at any friends barns - ask them what they hate, what they love.
- You'll be mad spending extra for what you want when you build it.
- You'll be mad not spending extra for what you want the rest of your life.

 

[tim s]

Keep it as tall as you can,,going up an extra few feet doesn't cost much more,, keep your floor dead level,, it makes a difference when your fabbing things,, and on a flat floor you can capture an oil spill quicker with some floor dry,,ample electric outlets,,run your air lines to where they are slopped to catch and drain moisture out,,a exhaust vent is a good idea too,,In my shop I picked up some good used glass sliding doors,, clocked them side ways and made them into nice large windows,, don't worry about eliminating windows because of break in's,,if some one wants to break in,, they will no matter what..

 

[RTR]

Exhaust fan, that is a good idea especially when painting!

 

[RTR]

What would be a good style door for what I want? One that seals off in winter or summer with hvac on. Just has to be sealed decently to hold temps while working. Sliding Barn Door, Double wood shop doors, roll-up garage door, or ??

 

[tim s]

I use roll up doors here ( the kind that roll into a drum) and I like them a lot,, when they are open they don't cover up the over head lights

 

[Square Eye]

When running your electricals consider mounting your outlets high, unlike the way it is done in the house. If they are 50 or more inches above the floor, then they will not be hidden behind anything pushed up against the wall or by most things leaning against it.

 

[Ozlander]

After 50 years, my 30 x 50 x 11T isn't big enough.

 

[ESVADuke]

go higher, loft storage bins/shelves for old/spare parts, separate for each tractor/vehicle, bulk supplies.
Metal flamables cabinet
separate area for grease, oil, etc.
220 power for a welder?
agree with level floor and I beam gantry, trying to incorporate old slab will affect your new floor integrity