Creating a Woodturning Workshop & Woodturning Topics.

WORKSHOP CONSTRUCTION TOPICS

WOODTURNING TOPICS.

GARAGE TO WORKSHOP CONVERSION.

Workshop & What Else?
Such a project usually involves a compromise between different needs of the household and this was no exception! The plan was to divide the garage into two parts by means of a stud-wall partition. This would create a workshop area of 3.2m by 2.4m, with the front (vestibule) part of the garage (1.9m x 2.5m), used for bicycle and general storage.

The Main Structural Changes.
Constructional modifications were quite extensive particularly on the rear wall of the garage with replacement of a wooden frame enclosing a single glazed 6-panel window and adjacent wooden door, with a large UPVC double glazed four-panelled window, spanning the entire wall.

Ceiling & Mezzanine Floor Construction.
A pitched roof (as against a flat roof) is a bonus as it enables additional storage in the roof space (between the two sloping sides of the roof). A chipboard mezzanine floor was constructed to take full advantage of this additional roof void space.

Scale drawing of workshop ceiling & mezzanine floor construction.

Cross-section Showing part of Workshop Ceiling & Mezzanine Floor Construction.

This scale drawing shows a partial cross-section of the workshop ceiling and overlying mezzanine floor. The 45mm x 70mm studwork attached to the brick walls of the garage support 144mm x 45mm joists. The top of the joists support an 18mm thick chipboard floor. A 12.5mm plasterboard ceiling was screwed to the base of the joists. Rockwool insulation, between the joists, was sandwiched between the chipboard floor and plasterboard ceiling. PIR foil-faced insulation board was placed in the interstices of the studwork of the walls. The studwork was fronted by a polythene vapour barrier (shown by a green line), and 18mm thick OSB, screwed to the stud wall woodwork.

(Click picture for larger view)

To support the mezzanine floor, the brick walls (of the workshop area), were lined with 45mm x 70mm wooden studding. This supported nine 45mm x 144mm joists, with the 18mm chipboard mezzanine floor above. Access to this additional storage above the workshop, is by ladder from the vestibule. 12.5mm thick plasterboard, suspended from the joists, forms the ceiling of the workshop, as well as a foundation for the rock-wool ceiling insulation (sandwiched between the plasterboard below & the chipboard floor above).

Insulation of Walls & Ceiling.
This was deemed essential to make the workshop habitable in both winter & summer months. Insulation also helps to control humidity, preventing the rusting of tools and machinery by condensation.

Wall insulation was achieved by filling the interstices of the workshop wall studwork with foil backed 40mm thick insulation board (Celotex or similar product). This was fronted by a polythene sheet vapour control barrier stapled to the studs. A lining (erected in front of the polythene vapour barrier), of 18mm thick Orientated Strand Board (OSB Grade 3), was screwed to the studwork.

Ceiling insulation was achieved by creation of an 'insulation sandwich', with the interstices between joists (supporting a mezzanine chipboard floor above and a plasterboard ceiling below), packed with rock-wool insulation.

This insulation strategy has proved remarkably effective both in keeping warm (20 to 25^o C.), with a minimal amount of heating, even on the coldest days in the winter, and keeping the workshop cool (19-20^o C. maximum), during the heat of the summer months.

Power Supply & Lighting Modifications.
The electrical supply is a spur (from the utility room in the house), leading into the garage eaves via an overhead steel conduit. Originally the cable connected to a small fused consumer switch on the garage wall. This supplied two circuits (via stapled twin & earth cabling). The lighting circuit consisted of one 4 foot fluorescent strip-light & two plastic bayonet light-bulb sockets, all controlled by a single wall-mounted plastic light switch. The radial power circuit, supplied one single wall-mounted plastic switched socket.

On the advice of a qualified electrician, the original electrical layout was extensively modified to provide adequate switched sockets to power lathes, bandsaw, drill press, grinder as well as portable power tools. Lighting was likewise improved with the installation of additional fluorescent lighting units. The supply from the house was unmodified but the original wire-fused consumer switch (in the garage), was replaced by a small consumer unit with two RCD (residual current device) protected circuits (16 amp for the sockets and 6 amp for the lighting circuits). The original wiring was completely replaced with a ring main feeding 12 metal clad double sockets. New lighting comprised three 4 foot daylight strip-light units for the workshop and two 4 foot strip lights for the vestibule/mezzanine storage areas. All the wiring was surface mounted (to avoid cable runs in the insulated walls & ceiling), in plastic conduit to facilitate ease of inspection and facilitate any future modifications which may be required.

A Note on Viewing the 3D-Drawings.

All drawings for this project were made using free 3D modelling software called SketchUp.

The Garage Before Conversion.

CLICK HERE to view a table of measurements.

	Drawing of Garage This scale drawing shows the garage before any modifications were made. In the drawing, for clarity, the rafters (except those associated with the collar ties), have been omitted as have the roof tiles. Navigation is by a series of buttons located at the top right of the drawing. (Click picture for scale drawing)
	Front of Garage, 18^th April, 2015. Front of the unmodified garage, showing the wooden double doors. (Click picture for larger view)
	Rear of Garage, 18^th April, 2015. Rear of the unmodified garage. The wooden door was removed for re-use as an internal front entrance to the workshop, whilst the window has been replaced by a new UPVC unit which spans the width of the existing window plus the width of the doorway. (Click picture for larger view)
	View Inside Garage, 18^th April, 2015. View of the inside of the garage before any modifications had been made. (Click picture for larger view)
	Roof of Garage, 3^rd of May, 2015. Roof of the unmodified garage. This internal view shows the wooden sole plates (on top of the brickwork of the side walls), supporting the rafters, and 4 of the 5 wooden collar ties. Also shown is the original electric lighting consisting of one fluorescent strip light and two bayonet lamp sockets. (Click picture for larger view)
	Plan of Garage Plan of garage showing proposed workshop footprint (outlined in yellow), with dimensions. (Click picture for larger view)

How the Conversion was Achieved.

PHASE 1. Clearance, Removal of Back Door & Replacement of Wooden Window.
Started 26^th April, completed 8^th June 2015. The first task was to clear the garage sufficiently to enable the removal of the wooden rear door and wooden window. The window was replaced by a UPVC double glazed unit spanning the entire back wall, installed by Outlook Windows Ltd. The gap left by the old doorway was made up with breeze blocks with pebble dashing on the exterior wall. The final making good of the window inside the garage was completed on the 23^rd October 2015. CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

Drawing of Garage Phase 1

Scale 3D Drawing of the first phase of the project with the replacement of the old window and removal of the end door.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 2. Stud Framework Construction with Joists.
Started 8^th June 2015, completed 18^th July 2015. Construction of a stud framework against three walls to support 9 joists spanning the full width of the garage. A new plasterboard ceiling was attached to the bottom of the joists which supported rock-wool insulation between the joists. Chipboard flooring boards were laid above the joists to form a mezzanine floor facilitating storage in the void of the pitched garage roof. Click HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

Drawing of Garage Phase 2

Scale 3D Drawing of the second phase of the project with the construction of stud walls and installation of joists to facilitate the insulation of the workshop walls & roof, and the creation of a plasterboard ceiling & mezzanine floor to make use of additional storage in the void space of the pitched roof.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 3. Construction of a Plasterboard Ceiling.
Started 20^th July 2015, completed 12^th August 2015. Construction of a plasterboard ceiling attached underneath the joists of the new mezzanine floor. Click HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

Drawing of Garage Phase 3

Scale 3D Drawing of the third phase of the project with the construction of a 12.5mm thick plasterboard ceiling attached underneath the joists of the new mezzanine floor.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 4. Construction of a New Stud Wall Partition.
Started 2^nd August 2015, completed 22^nd October 2015. Construction of new stud wall partition between the outer vestibule and the inner workshop area. CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

Drawing of Garage Phase 4

Scale 3D Drawing of the fourth phase of the project with the construction of a stud partition (shown by green coloured timbers in the drawing), separating the outer vestibule part of the garage from the main workshop.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 5. Construction of a Chipboard Mezzanine Floor.
Commenced 2^nd August 2015, completed 29^th August 2015.
Installation of ceiling insulation and chipboard mezzanine flooring. CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

It's all very well constructing a mezzanine floor, but accessing it easily is just as important! To see how this problem was solved CLICK HERE.

Drawing of Garage Phase 5

Scale 3D Drawing of the fifth phase of the project with the construction of a chipboard mezzanine floor attached to the top of the joists. This facilitated storage in the pitched roof space of the garage.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 6. Installation of Wall Insulation & OSB Sheathing.
Installation of insulation in the interstices of the stud framework (of the walls and partition), & installation of OSB 3 wall sheathing. Completed on the 22^nd October 2015. CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

Drawing of Garage Phase 6a

Scale 3D Drawing of the sixth phase of the project with the construction of Orientated Strand Board walls screwed to the stud walls. (Ceiling & mezzanine flooring not shown for clarity).

(Click picture for scale drawing)

Drawing of Garage Phase 6b

Scale 3D Drawing of the final construction phase of the project with Orientated Strand Board walls screwed to the stud walls, & the relocation of the old door giving access to the workshop area from the vestibule. The ceiling and floor boards are also shown together with the new fluorescent strip lighting.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

PHASE 7. Electrical Re-wiring.
The supply from the house was unmodified but, on the advice of a qualified electrician, the original wire-fused consumer switch in the garage was replaced by a small consumer unit with two RCD (residual current device) protected circuits (16 amp for the sockets and 6 amp for the lighting circuits). The original wiring within the garage was completely replaced by a ring main routed, via plastic conduit, to feed 12 metal clad double sockets, plus an external weather-proof socket located on the back wall of the garage. New lighting comprised three 4 foot daylight fluorescent strip-light units for the workshop and two 4 foot fluorescent strip lights for the vestibule/mezzanine storage areas. All the wiring was surface mounted in conduit to facilitate ease of inspection and facilitate any future modifications deemed necessary. CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the construction.

PHASE 8. Fitting Out the Workshop.

CLICK HERE for an illustrated description of the fitting out of the workshop with woodworking machinery, furniture & shelving.

Drawing of Garage Phase 8

Scale 3D Drawing of the eighth phase of the project. This is an impression of the completed project with equipment in position including Nova DVR wood-turning lathe, Record Power BS300 bandsaw, bench grinder, drill press, bicycles in the vestibule area, etc.

(Click picture for scale drawing)

Web site first published 18^th April 2015.
Last updated 11^th February 2019 (See Latest News page).
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