I'm getting a rare opportunity to make a new shop from scratch. I'll get all of a three car garage. We'll have a separate barn/outbuilding for the lawn equipment and bicycles and such. Here's what I've been thinking:
A separate subpanel for the equipment, although I'm undecided on the current. I have a 100amp panel mainly for the extra breaker positions, but I may only run 60 amps to it. Should I do the whole
100? It's possible although unlikely that I could end up with some really big machines and maybe even a rotary 3-phase converter. Although for the time being, I'm not likely to have more than a 5 horse single phase on any machine.I'm considering framing a separate room for the dust collector and compressor. Right now, I have a little PC pancake compressor that can wake the dead, but I plan on a big 80-gallon compressor when I move up to hvlp. Should I make a little room for these things or leave them out in the open? What should I do to sound-proof the room? insulate? solid core door?
How would this room affect the dust collector? wouldn't I need some sort of air return between this little room and the rest of the garage defeating the sound isolation? Maybe this would help the air quality keeping the fine stuff that gets past the DC in that room and not ni teh rest of the garage?
I figured this room would be maybe half the size of a 1-car garage, maybe a little smaller.
I could also frame the rest of that 1-car garage side to be a finishing room. Is this worth it? Or would it be better to just have a finishing "area" so I could use that space for something else just in case? Believe it or not, I'm worried about being able to squeeze into a 2-car garage, but I guess if the DC and compressor are out of the way, it would be easy. I guess I could use the finishing room for assembly and storage also.
Should I paint the floor with something? The bare concrete in my current garage/shop has been fine. I'm thinking that by painting it white, it might brighten up the shop. I'm worried about the floor being too slick when there's sawdust on it though.
Another idea for the floor crossed my mind. The ceilings are going to be about 10'. I could, in theory, build up the floor by 6" and run electrical and DC under the floor, even heat. That would certainly raise some eyebrows I think if anyone saw it with the door open. It also would prevent me from moving the machines and fitting a car in the shop for an emergency winter auto repair. It would also make an unwanted step at the garage door. The thought did cross my mind though.
6" or 4" ductwork?I plan to insulate which made a huge difference in the current place. What should I put on the walls? I'd like to cover the wall with wood so I can screw stuff in anywhere, but I'm worried about the cost of that. What do you guys use? pegboard? t&g paneling? painted plywood? osb? I hate drywall so I'd like to avoid that.
Heating should be an easy problem to solve, but what about A/C? I can't use a window A/C since there's no window, and I'd likely end up with a lynch-mob in the tract neighborhood. Any creative ideas for using a window A/C without a window, venting out the garage door somehow? Maybe run a duct from the house A/C?
I think a ceiling fan would mix up the air and help with heating.
Sorry for so many questions, thanks.
brian