First steps

I’ve had a shop or at least a workspace everywhere I’ve lived, but I’ve never set up a new shop 100 percent from scratch. It’s thrilling… and a bit scary. Where do I begin?

I told you last time that our new home has an enormous walk-out basement – nearly 2,000 sq. ft. – that is mine to do with as I wish. Naturally, I wish to do many, many things, but what’s the best order in which to do them? Like I said, this is a first for me. In the past I’ve either always adapted a space intended for other things (like my current garage shop), or just managed to shoehorn some workspace in somewhere.

Some of the things I have to do are obvious. If you looked at the photo I included last time, I clearly need some type of ceiling, covering for those open studs, lighting, upgraded electrical and plenty of outlets – all that stuff. I’ll also need to plan out framing for a wall or two. I have some good ideas already sketched out for all of that.

Now, one of the things that just turned out right with this move is that we have some time between the closing and when all our stuff arrives. About two full weeks, in fact. Sally needs to finish out the school year, so I’ll go on ahead and start work on the new place while she wraps things up at the old place. With that in mind, I think my best first move is to do some kind of floor treatment.

I’ve always considered an epoxy-coated floor to be the best thing for a shop, and I figure that since I’ll be living alone in an entirely empty house till everything gets there, I’m going to take advantage of the basement being completely empty and do the shop floor of my dreams.

Your thoughts?

A.J.