A garage is an excellent addition to any home. It gives you a place to park your car, provides outside storage space, and adds some extra living area to your home—it is no wonder that garages boost the value of your home!
Sometimes, however, you might have more garage space than you need. Maybe you prefer parking in your driveway, or maybe you have a two-car garage when you only have one car.
Whatever the reason, if you find yourself staring at an ample unused space in your garage, you might wonder what to do with it.
You don’t want to let that space go to waste!
If you’re into crafting, woodworking, or metalworking, one idea that you might have is to turn it into your personal workshop. It doesn’t matter if you’re a master craftsman or want a space where you can take care of DIY projects, the extra space in your garage could be an excellent area where you can keep all your tools.
If you’re considering converting your garage, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Figure out how much space you need
Think about how you want your garage to function. If you want space for storage, your car, and your workspace, determine how much space you want to dedicate to your workshop.
You may want to figure out how to partition your workshop away from the rest of the garage. After all, you don’t want to risk sawdust scratching your car. This partition can be as simple as a few sheets of plywood.
If you want to use your garage as a woodworking space, consider machines that can easily be set up on a workbench or table. A perfect example would be a laser cutter machine because many of them are designed to be used in a garage or an open space with plenty of room to work. With enough ventilation and space, you can quickly turn your garage into the perfect workspace for your business.
Make sure you’ll have access to the power.
If your garage is attached to your house, there are likely outlets in your garage already. However, if it is a separate garage, you’ll want to double-check that you can access power.
If you have power access, remember that your power outlets might be placed in unusual locations in your garage. You’ll want to construct your workshop shop around the outlets, or you’ll want to figure out a way to run extension cords to the area safely.
Determine where you’re going to keep tools
In addition to your workbench, you will need a place for your tools. Pegboards attached to the walls are great for small tools, but you might also want to invest in some tool chests.
If you place extensive power tools around your workspace, ensure enough room.
Take into consideration future purchases as well. For example, you may eventually want to upgrade your cordless drill to a benchtop drill press.
Be prepared for changes in the weather.
Garages tend to get very chilly in the winter and very hot in the summer. Unless your garage is already a part of your HVAC system, you will want to find a way to keep it comfortable while working there.
Space heaters are a safe way to warm up a small space quickly. For air circulation in the summer, you may want to install a ceiling fan or invest in box fans.
Take lighting into consideration.
Most garages are poorly lit, making it bad for when trying to work on a project. Consider installing a skylight above your workshop to help add more natural light.
In addition to that, you’re going to want to install some overhead lights. Overhead lights can help prevent shadowy areas around your shop. Make sure to use LED bulbs instead of fluorescent lights. LED bulbs are brighter, last longer, and don’t get as hot.
Don’t forget about the ventilation.
You’re going to want good ventilation around your shop. Breathing in toxic paint fumes or inhaling sawdust can result in respiratory problems.
Sidewall ventilation vents paired with some circulation system (a ceiling fan or box fan) work well. Depending on how often you’re in your workshop, you may also want to consider some exhaust systems.
If installing vents or an exhaust system isn’t an option, you’ll at least want to get into the habit of opening the garage door while working.
How to fund this?
You can start a side business of selling dining tables by purchasing cheap butcher block worktops cutting them to size, oiling and mounting them on a pair of metal legs.
Final thoughts
If you have the space and the desire to turn your garage into a workshop, then yes, you should do it! Garage workshops are an excellent addition for those that enjoy home improvements, are working on DIY projects, or need a place to keep all their tools.
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