basement vs. garage for new shop

Mine is in the basement - not really an option. We both like to park cars in the garage, plus it's nice having a car at a normal temp in the morning - no ice to scrape or 150F interiors. HOA will not allow an outbuilding over 150 sq ft.

So into the basement I went. It has a walkout (couldn't have done without this) - think it is really important to have the easy in/out.

It is about 12' wide and 25' long. Only has 7.5' ceilings over most, 9' over about a third. Needless to say, the latter is where the bench is and final assembly occurs.

I do have a dual laundry tub in there, there is also a bathroom in the basement which is nice (the whole basement is finished, well almost, with full amenities.

Regarding dust, noise & fumes. For dust, the shop is separated from rest of basement with a wall and door! The door has weather-stripping and an exterior threshold. The DC has one of those huge pleated filters (from an industrial supply - much cheaper than a Jet-type - no 'flappers' inside though) with a ridiculously micron rating and huge surface area. Except for what doesn't go in the DC, no dust. I have a set of furnace filters connected to the DC as an 'air cleaner'. If the DC runs for 15 mins or so drawing through those filters the air is clear as can be seen - I can usually start applying finish. SWMBO no longer complains about dust (she did before walls & DC rigged up).

Noise. Walls and ceiling sheathed in plywood, every cavity insulated (including ceiling). Shop is directly under family room. The big tools are a not-unpleasant "rumble" - planer munching wood (I have 15" w/induction motor) is probably the loudest. Routers scream the most. Almost no complaints. Even at night I don't get complaints - the only sound she & the kids hear is what is travels through the ductwork - a long way to all the bedrooms.

Fumes - biggest complaints - stinks up the clothes in the dryer if it's running. Two fixes have quieted this down to no complaints on recent job: 1. sealing the door, 2. big (rated at 300 cu.ft./min, but probably less than a 1/3 that ) exhaust fan. If door is shut it draws air through the ductwork. If I leave door just a crack open then it the air comes through the door. I sometimes do the latter as it allows me to crack a basement window nearby and reduce the draw on the house. Basically, I maintain a slight negative pressure in the shop. For most finishes (especially shellac) you only need 4 hours to get odors "below threshold" and can stop sucking precious heated/cooled air out of the house. If you like BLO finishes (straight, "maloof" mixes, etc) all the solvent is gone but, damn, that BLO stinks for days and the laundry problems arise (we have three small kids so it's a daily affair).

Moving finished products isn't an issue. If it's too big to get out of the basement door - it's too big to move through the front door. I don't build those kinds of things. If I didn't have a walkout I wouldn't do it (or equivalent, like a bilco door) with my stair arrangement.

The low ceilings are a pain, but you learn to work around it. It feels smallish, especially with all the tools packed in there. The upside is I can really only fit one project at a time in there so I am better at getting things done than in the past.

I do tend to do quieter activities at night if I can - hand planing, finishing, etc.

I do like being "in the house" - SWMBO can leave and I'm still accessible to the kids.

Apologize for the length.

Reply to
tabergman
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Speaking of this subject: (its now a sore point for me)

Those expandable systems with intercoms just do not work for me in my woodshop... just nowhere loud enough for me to hear especially if I am running a machine...

My local Phone Company (Verizon) stopped offering the Home intercom feature about 6 months ago in my area...and I still have not solved the problem...of of letting my wife "call" me in the shop...

I can not find another carrier MCI etc that offers it anymore... SOB

When I had the home intercom system from Verizon when the ophone rang Radio Shack strobe lights lite up and flashed ...easy to know I had a phone call....

Anyone have another solution...???? As of now I have 4 Family Radios in chargers, always on in my shop and the wife has a couple in the house... She can buzz me with them BUT I still miss a lot of calls if I am running a machine..

Rather Frustrating... almost to the point of installing a seperate phone line just for the shop...OR installing VOIP and creating a vertual phone number for the shop... Thinking about that option...

Iam not too old (60's) and I have not been able to remember to carry my cell phone down to the shop... heck I forgget it most of the times when I leave the house... Cell Phones and Me just are incompatable..I Guess

Bob G.

Reply to
Bob G.

It was a lot easier to install a sink and plumbing in the basement than in the garage.

I can add new circuits easily in the basement.

The basement already has heating and cooling ducts, and the temperature is pretty stable throughout the year anyway, so adds little to heat or air condition along with the rest of the house.

If only the basement were at street level, it would be perfect.

Leuf wrote:

Reply to
Mike Berger

Can you get a walk out basement, with some access to the street? That makes getting tools and wood in, and projects out much easier, as they typically have double wide sliding glass doors in our area.

Get a good vacuum system, and possibly an air cleaner too. Invest in changing the furnace filters more regularly (or get cleanable ones) and run the vacuum once in a while upstairs (your wife can show you how). You may want to consider some extra sound insulation for the basement ceiling.

Use of hand tools rather than power tools will reduce dust and noise, and makes it easier to listen to the radio. . Rob

Reply to
Rob Mitchell

Having air conditioning in your shop is wonderful, but if the ducts are connected to a central system that also supplies the rest of the house, you are going to have sawdust spread evenly throughout the entire house and you will suffer the wrath of SYMBO. Putting filters in the return duct won't be adequate to stop it. After your first project you may never be permitted to use your shop again. In order to avoid this, your shop air conditioner/heating system must supply only your shop and all air duct connections to the rest of the house must be blocked off and sealed. All other openings that could pass dust to the rest of the house also needs to be blocked off and sealed as well.

Reply to
Charley

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