5 Tips For Setting Up A Workshop In Your Garage
Guest post by Ricky Miles
Setting up a small workshop at home can be exciting, but it’s also challenging when your garage is small and cramped.
Square footage can be limited, especially nowadays that it’s at a premium.
If you have the space to expand your garage to accommodate your workshop, then it’s to your advantage.
If you don’t, you have to be more strategic about your approach.
Whether your workshop is for the purpose of working with metal or wood is immaterial.
The important thing is setting it up the right way, so you can have an effective and functional workshop, even in your garage.
Here are some tips on setting up:
- Plan Power Sources For Tools
The corner or area where you’ll position your workshop should have enough provision for power sources for your tools.
It’s a safety hazard to have a spaghetti of long extension cords and wires because the power source is on the opposite end of your garage.
Planning enough power sources for your tools is important so it doesn’t overload or tip your circuit breaker.
It’s also a plus to have to simply turn a switch on, plug your tools right beside you, and you’re good to go.
Because this is a major technical work requiring the expertise of tradesmen, call an electrician Sydney and others to do the job for you.
- Create Ample Space For Tool Storage
A garage workshop is never going to be complete without ample space for tool storage.
For beginners, you may not have a lot of tools just yet. but once you get the hang out of woodworking, you’re going to acquire many more tools.
This is when you’ll start to feel the need for more space.
Early on in the renovation or construction process, make sure to have enough provision for tool storage, even when you think you don’t need it yet.
Apart from keeping your garage workshop organized, it’s also a matter of safety.
You shouldn’t have sharp and dangerous tools placed all over your garage, which can become a safety hazard.
- Clean And Prepare Your Garage
If your garage is overflowing with tools and other equipment, you may want to start by giving it a good clean.
Declutter your garage so you can free up more space and make room for your workshop.
By cleaning and preparing your garage, you have to do a major purge.
For instance, you may have accumulated a lot of old items you’re still keeping like books, toys, bicycles, old furniture, and other equipment you may not be using anymore.
The more items you can let go, the more space you’ll have for your workshop and a proper storage system.
- Paint Your Space
Your garage doesn’t have to feel gloomy.
Especially now that you intend to have a workshop in your garage, you may want to consider repainting it to a brighter colour.
Remember that your workshop is your personal space where you’re supposed to feel happy working long hours for your hobby or doing something you love.
If your workshop is less than inspirational because it’s dingy and dark, you won’t even enjoy staying in it at all.
When you give your garage a fresh coat of paint, you’ll realize it’s one of the best changes you can do for a pleasant-looking space.
- Install The Needed Insulation
While a garage is now one of the staple parts of a home, it’s also the case that many garages today aren’t equipped with the needed insulation.
This means during the summer, your garage is too hot and during the winter, your garage is too cold.
Unfortunately, the unpleasant temperature can become a deterrent that’ll inhibit you from enjoying your workshop.
In fact, you may not like working inside at all because the weather makes it unbearable.
If you’re up for a major re-do of your garage, installing insulation is a good idea to have a comfortable workshop.
Conclusion
The garage is a common feature in many homes today, and its function has also gone beyond simply a home for your car.
If you enjoy working with wood and metal, it’s a plus to have your workshop at home.
In fact, a garage workshop is often the starting place a new wood and metalworker can practice their hobby and skills.
If you’ve long wanted to set up your workshop in your garage, the tips above can help you get started with that pursuit.
You don’t have to do all of these at once; take it one step at a time and make a decision based on what tips apply to you.
Ricky Miles
Ricky Miles is an expert electrician, who enjoys both electrical work and blogging. His focus, however, is in helping budding workshop owners in setting up their own at home – just as he has done one, too. When he’s no working with electrical-related matters, he enjoys blogging to share his thoughts and ideas about his trade.