Garage Workshop Ideas

Making Space

• Before you do anything else, set aside room for your workspace in your garage. If you are designing and building your garage, design with your workspace in mind. A deep garage of 22 to 26 feet allows for cars and a workshop. Additionally, you could create an extra car spot specifically for your workshop. However, the larger your workshop, the more heating and cooling will cost.

  Make sure to include plenty of light for your shop. If you want, use a rubber floor covering to prevent slipping during certain types of projects.

Storage

• Pegboard, shelving and cabinets are musts in any well-outfitted workshop. Pegboard works best to keep cords wrapped and manageable, and keeps other tools at hand and off the floor. Pegboard also is great because it is adjustable, and you can add or remove hooks as needed.

  Shelves can be made of plastic, metal or wood. Either buy shelving or construct units out of unfinished wood. Nail lids under vertical shelves, then screw containers onto the lids for small-item storage. Cabinets can be purchased or salvaged from a kitchen renovation project. Pegboard can be attached to the inside of a cabinet door.

  Plastic bins work great for garage storage because they won't rot like wood or rust like metal, and they can easily slide into cabinets or onto shelves. Use clear plastic bins to store items used for similar projects. Try to get plastic containers with separate compartments. The more sections in your containers, the easier things will be to find.

  Labeling spaces for stored items is one of the keys to keeping it organized. Use a permanent marker and a strip of masking or duct tape. To identify paint cans, paint a block of color on the edge of each can's corresponding space on the shelf.

  For lumber that won't easily fit on a shelf, install L brackets on the wall for storage.

Deluxe Additions

• In a workshop where you will be working on a car, a hydraulic lift is a great idea. Only 12.5 feet of clearance is needed to accommodate a lift.

  No matter what kind of workshop you need, a bathroom in the garage is useful. This way, you won't have to leave. In addition, a walk-in shower for cleaning up after projects will help contain any mess you have made to the garage.