Garage / workbench layout

[freedom_in_4low]

I've been here two months with no garage work bench and now I need to do a wheel bearing on my wife's car, which requires me to clamp something in a vice, which means I need something to mount my vice to, so it's time. I don't want to do this again so I want to get it right and lean on some of you guys' experience.

Length: I know I want at least 16' linear feet. I had about that in my house in Colorado and it worked, though I wouldn't say I had extra.
Height: I've read 30" is good for heavy work and 37-39 is good for fine detail work. With the length I'm doing I could do half of each, or do the whole thing splitting the difference at the most popular 36". I'm 6'0" with a bizarrely long torso and a sketchy lower back. I can see why a lower bench would be easier to lift stuff onto and a higher bench would require less bending over to get a good look. For comparison sake, most of the rolling tool carts with workbench tops seem to be around 37-38" tall.

Layout: This is where it's the most complicated...especially if I go much past 16'. "My end" of the garage is the at the bottom end of the plan below, with a window. I have a 36" toolbox and a 4' wide shelving rack, and would like a parts cabinet at some point. None of those can block the window (which is about 38" off the floor), or my water spigot near the jog in the back wall. Toolbox has a power strip so it could (and ideally, would) go in front of or near an outlet, but the workbench won't interfere with any of them. So it's tempting to run the bench entirely on the end, but I also want to make sure I leave space for brake and axle work beside the vehicle. Going down the back leaves the end for the stuff that can't go in front of windows and outlets....so maybe I start somewhere along or just behind the window and wrap it around the corner, put the cabinet in the corner near the overhead door and add an outlet for the toolbox?

 

[sab]

Shop setup is very personal, so I don't have any direct advice for you. I do have general advice, though. I don't like "built-ins" in a shop. I try to keep everything movable, with casters, if possible. That way, I can reconfigure if I end up not liking placement. Also, when fabricating, I like to be able to move my stuff around, depending on the project.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Shop setup is very personal, so I don't have any direct advice for you. I do have general advice, though. I don't like "built-ins" in a shop. I try to keep everything movable, with casters, if possible. That way, I can reconfigure if I end up not liking placement. Also, when fabricating, I like to be able to move my stuff around, depending on the project.

that's a good point. I probably won't do casters but I don't plan on fixing it to the wall. The walls are concrete 3' high under the windows and 6' high on the back wall, so the effort to attaching to the wall is a step up from what it would be for a stick framed and sheetrocked wall and I don't really want to deal with it. It'll be freestanding, 3/4" plywood topped over 2x4 and/or 2x6 "joists" (?) with 4x4 legs and 2x4 bracing to stiffen it up.

 

[tworley]

Build to what suits you. You're going to be the one working in there.

I prefer a higher work bench so I am not bent over the whole time. My last workbench was 38.5" and I thought it was perfect. I also suggest various outlets because once you start adding lights, radios, tool box, chargers, etc...they can fill up fast. I also prefer them up higher (6' ish) simply because I dont like to crawl onto my hands and knees to plug something in under a table that is already full of junk and storage.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Build to what suits you. You're going to be the one working in there.

I prefer a higher work bench so I am not bent over the whole time. My last workbench was 38.5" feet and I thought it was perfect. I also suggest various outlets because once you start adding lights, radios, tool box, chargers, etc...they can fill up fast. I also prefer them up higher (6' ish) simply because I dont like to crawl onto my hands and knees to plug something in under a table that is already full of junk and storage.

the height of the outlets at least is ok...the quantity is a whole story. I was asked to tell the electrician everywhere that I specifically needed one, and he would follow code for the rest. That worked ok for the house but apparently the baseline number of outlets in the garage was zero, so I ONLY got them where I specifically asked. I've already had to add one near the stairs because that's where the fiber comes in, and I'll probably end up adding at least two more to the back wall, and then maybe even add some more to the wall where I did get them.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Shop setup is very personal, so I don't have any direct advice for you.

Build to what suits you. You're going to be the one working in there.

I get that...but a few weeks ago someone was talking about saws and Blaine recommended getting one with the handle on the side of our dominant hand so you could see where the blade meets the workpiece without leaning over your shoulder. I had never even considered that, and didn't even know saws like that existed. I've just been dealing with and accepting the annoyance for my entire adult life. I'm aware of the possibility that someone has had some life changing epiphany like that about their workbench design that readers like myself could benefit from.

 

[JMT]

I've been here two months with no garage work bench and now I need to do a wheel bearing on my wife's car, which requires me to clamp something in a vice, which means I need something to mount my vice to, so it's time. I don't want to do this again so I want to get it right and lean on some of you guys' experience.

Length: I know I want at least 16' linear feet. I had about that in my house in Colorado and it worked, though I wouldn't say I had extra.
Height: I've read 30" is good for heavy work and 37-39 is good for fine detail work. With the length I'm doing I could do half of each, or do the whole thing splitting the difference at the most popular 36". I'm 6'0" with a bizarrely long torso and a sketchy lower back. I can see why a lower bench would be easier to lift stuff onto and a higher bench would require less bending over to get a good look. For comparison sake, most of the rolling tool carts with workbench tops seem to be around 37-38" tall.

Layout: This is where it's the most complicated...especially if I go much past 16'. "My end" of the garage is the at the bottom end of the plan below, with a window. I have a 36" toolbox and a 4' wide shelving rack, and would like a parts cabinet at some point. None of those can block the window (which is about 38" off the floor), or my water spigot near the jog in the back wall. Toolbox has a power strip so it could (and ideally, would) go in front of or near an outlet, but the workbench won't interfere with any of them. So it's tempting to run the bench entirely on the end, but I also want to make sure I leave space for brake and axle work beside the vehicle. Going down the back leaves the end for the stuff that can't go in front of windows and outlets....so maybe I start somewhere along or just behind the window and wrap it around the corner, put the cabinet in the corner near the overhead door and add an outlet for the toolbox?

View attachment 413446

That layout is almost identical to what I had in TX, except I didn’t have stairs going into the house and I had a deeper recess on the back of the garage along that 23.5’ stretch. The 240 is even very close, and that window.

Vice has to be somewhere in the middle due to lengthy objects and favorable working position. If you could get a vacuum system it would save you a billion issues. Outlets all over. They never give you enough. Welder, saws, tools, storage. You’ll figure it out. Get as much as possible on the walls. I can’t say much else because it’s your garage and only you know what you do.

Just be happy your garage is that big. I moved to a two car garage with 8’ ceilings, no 240V, and one wall with no plugs. I plug into the laundry room when I weld. You done good boss!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

That layout is almost identical to what I had in TX, except I didn’t have stairs going into the house and I had a deeper recess on the back of the garage along that 23.5’ stretch. The 240 is even very close, and that window.

Vice has to be somewhere in the middle due to lengthy objects and favorable working position.

See, that's it. I've been putting my vises on the corner of the past 4 benches I've had because that's where my grandpa's was, and never even gave a thought to whether it might work better elsewhere!

If you could get a vacuum system it would save you a billion issues.

Never had a vac system...could you expand on this? Are we talking like a wall mounted vac so I don't have a big rolling shop vac to lug around (and find a receptacle for?) Or something to catch dust generated by cutting and grinding tools? Or have I missed it entirely?

Outlets all over. They never give you enough. Welder, saws, tools, storage. You’ll figure it out. Get as much as possible on the walls. I can’t say much else because it’s your garage and only you know what you do.

Yep. I got some work to do there. Lucky for me every place I'd add one has an existing one just on the other side of the wall.

Just be happy your garage is that big. I moved to a two car garage with 8’ ceilings, no 240V, and one wall with no plugs. I plug into the laundry room when I weld. You done good boss!

I'm happy. It's the biggest garage I've ever had by close to 200sf. We gave the drafter basically a napkin sketch of the layout with no dimensions, and he came back with this, including the oversized doors. It was bigger than I'd have asked for but I wasn't gonna go backwards from there! The house went through several more iterations but I didn't change anything about the garage.

The original plan did call for 9' ceilings but the slope of the lot ended up steeper than he'd estimated which meant either redoing the framing design on the roof and second floor, bringing in another 75 yards of fill dirt, or putting the garage floor a foot lower while keeping everything else the same. So I got a taller garage.

 

[Blackjack]

I am still agoninzing on mine but what I have done so far is to break the bench into sections based on its purpose.

The other thing I did that has been a big help is incorporated one of the Husky adjustable height benches https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6...orkbench-Table-in-Black-HOLT62XDB12/301810799 and added an Irwin wood vise to it
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001LQY4E/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Being portable, adjustable in height lets me use it as an assembly bench, saw feed, can roll into the middle of the shop for tasks like painting and minor woodworking and put it back on the wall and use it as a plain ole bench and where I stow my stool and roll cart.

 

[JMT]

See, that's it. I've been putting my vises on the corner of the past 4 benches I've had because that's where my grandpa's was, and never even gave a thought to whether it might work better elsewhere!



Never had a vac system...could you expand on this? Are we talking like a wall mounted vac so I don't have a big rolling shop vac to lug around (and find a receptacle for?) Or something to catch dust generated by cutting and grinding tools? Or have I missed it entirely?



Yep. I got some work to do there. Lucky for me every place I'd add one has an existing one just on the other side of the wall.



I'm happy. It's the biggest garage I've ever had by close to 200sf. We gave the drafter basically a napkin sketch of the layout with no dimensions, and he came back with this, including the oversized doors. It was bigger than I'd have asked for but I wasn't gonna go backwards from there! The house went through several more iterations but I didn't change anything about the garage.

The original plan did call for 9' ceilings but the slope of the lot ended up steeper than he'd estimated which meant either redoing the framing design on the roof and second floor, bringing in another 75 yards of fill dirt, or putting the garage floor a foot lower while keeping everything else the same. So I got a taller garage.

I don’t know how “finished” your garage is, but ideally a vacuum system plumbed into the walls with multiple attachments for tools. All those metal and wood bits from cutting are annoying. They go everywhere!

Otherwise, a wall mounted vacuum with a sufficiently long hose can be a big help.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I don’t know how “finished” your garage is, but ideally a vacuum system plumbed into the walls with multiple attachments for tools. All those metal and wood bits from cutting are annoying. They go everywhere!

Otherwise, a wall mounted vacuum with a sufficiently long hose can be a big help.

Ah. Yeah, it's finished. In critical need of cleanup, organization, and relocating a bunch of crap to the attic, but the walls are closed up.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Is there storage space under the stairs and the landing,or is it completely walled in?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Is there storage space under the stairs and the landing,or is it completely walled in?

It's got studs on 16" centers but it's not drywalled and it's currently crammed with junk that needs to go to the attic.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Just an idea for that space, but this is what I did for mine. I built a heavy duty drawer which actually rides on wheels on the floor, but it will hold a crazy amount of weight. I keep chemicals and cleaners under there. In my case I had to completely rebuild the landing from scratch to make it work, but if yours is still in studs it may be easier to do something under there.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Just an idea for that space, but this is what I did for mine. I built a heavy duty drawer which actually rides on wheels on the floor, but it will hold a crazy amount of weight. I keep chemicals and cleaners under there. In my case I had to completely rebuild the landing from scratch to make it work, but if yours is still in studs it may be easier to do something under there.

View attachment 413800

View attachment 413806

I like that. I have a bit more height to work with but I definitely want to utilize it.

Photo from construction (after I'd swept out a bunch of debris and powerwashed the floors in the house, hence the water) - it's got sheetrock above the landing but it's open below. The stairs are also still exactly the same. I'd like to get something more finished looking, once I decide what to use. We have too much dirt to use carpet and my wife is too concerned about snakes and spiders to leave our shoes at floor level, so it'll probably be wood or some sort of laminate. It would be really cool if Racedeck made something for stair treads and risers but it doesn't look like they do.

It's on my to-do list to run a header across the landing and clear out those studs. Unfortunately that to-do list is quite long. The very corner of the landing where there's 4 studs sistered together is load bearing (supporting the end of an LVL beam that spans to the outer wall of the garage) but the rest of the wall isn't. If I was framing it I would have run a header across the opening and then a 10' stud from the top of the landing, but they ran 10' studs from the floor to a top plate and then another 6' above the garage ceiling. The plans weren't clear enough and I didn't want to pay them to tear it out and do it again if I was capable of fixing it later.

 

[B1Toad]

For your vise here's an idea, mount receiver tube under the workbench wherever you might want the vise then make a vise holder with plate and 2"x2" x 1/4" tubing, then the vise is not in your way and can be moved around as needed. You can also mount other tools the same way like bench grinders and tubing benders etc. I have this setup and can move the vises around on my 3 different work tables and benches, plus I have another mount which is on a 3 foot diameter 1/2" plate that I can roll out to the middle of the room and attach a vise/grinder/ring roller etc. It's heavy and stable by itself but standing on the plate makes it immoveable. To firm up the attachment I drilled and tapped for 3/8" bolts on two sides of the receiver tube, tighten up some stubby 3/8" bolts into the threaded holes and it's very solid. I could never stand working on a bench or table that had stuff permanently bolted to it, somehow it's always in the way.
I used something similar to this on my wood bench: https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...ivers/3500-lb-step-bumper-receiver-69673.html and just welded receiver tubing directly onto my steel benches/table

 

[Rickyd]

I'm 6'0" with a bizarrely long torso and a sketchy lower back.

did you know some people have one more vertebrae than most? I also have a long torso and found out during an xray years ago i have an extra.

As far as bench space I'd recommend at least part of it be steel for a sturdy surface that won't get chewed up working on stuff with sharp edges,stainless would be cool but its spendy unless you get lucky with scrap. You could do both heights you mention?

 

[tworley]

I've got my vice on the corner and inward enough that if I do have something long clamped down, it can also rest on the table.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

For your vise here's an idea, mount receiver tube under the workbench wherever you might want the vise then make a vise holder with plate and 2"x2" x 1/4" tubing, then the vise is not in your way and can be moved around as needed. You can also mount other tools the same way like bench grinders and tubing benders etc. I have this setup and can move the vises around on my 3 different work tables and benches, plus I have another mount which is on a 3 foot diameter 1/2" plate that I can roll out to the middle of the room and attach a vise/grinder/ring roller etc. It's heavy and stable by itself but standing on the plate makes it immoveable. To firm up the attachment I drilled and tapped for 3/8" bolts on two sides of the receiver tube, tighten up some stubby 3/8" bolts into the threaded holes and it's very solid. I could never stand working on a bench or table that had stuff permanently bolted to it, somehow it's always in the way.
I used something similar to this on my wood bench: https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...ivers/3500-lb-step-bumper-receiver-69673.html and just welded receiver tubing directly onto my steel benches/table

Love both of those ideas.

did you know some people have one more vertebrae than most? I also have a long torso and found out during an xray years ago i have an extra.

I heard that, along with some having an extra rib, like this week. Can't remember where, but it might have been my wife who is in radiography school. No one has ever pointed it out to me but I'm not sure anyone has ever counted either.

I had a roommate in college that was 6'5", and when we sat on the same side of a restaurant booth people thought we were the same height.

As far as bench space I'd recommend at least part of it be steel for a sturdy surface that won't get chewed up working on stuff with sharp edges,stainless would be cool but its spendy unless you get lucky with scrap. You could do both heights you mention?

That's a good point. Plus it's easy to wipe clean. Wood is only that way before it's chewed up and then all the little divots just hold crap.

I've got my vice on the corner and inward enough that if I do have something long clamped down, it can also rest on the table.

I like that. I'm finding that if you google advice for this, almost all the results are for woodworking, and they recommend lining up the fixed jaw with the edge of the bench so that the edge can act as an extension of the fixed jaw when you clamp things down. I think that probably works well for wood because you're working with boards which are straight and flat, which is almost never true of the types of car parts I'm usually clamping.

 

[B00mb00m]

Just an idea for that space, but this is what I did for mine. I built a heavy duty drawer which actually rides on wheels on the floor, but it will hold a crazy amount of weight. I keep chemicals and cleaners under there. In my case I had to completely rebuild the landing from scratch to make it work, but if yours is still in studs it may be easier to do something under there.

View attachment 413800

View attachment 413806

You are a freaking craftsman sir. I have similar drawer but it’s built like a hacksman.