Square or rectangular? (Workshop design)

[jonw1664]

I am about to apply for planning permission to build a 2,500 sq ft workshop and so I am trying to finalise the design. I was wondering is there any particular school of thought over whether a rectangualr or a square shape gives the optimal layout. I appreciate that evryone is different and has different tools, machinery and priorities but I just wondered if there was a general rule of thumb? I'm all in favour of avoiding wheel reinvention! Thanks

 

[Spectric]

If you think of lengths of wood then rectangular would make sense, but there is no optimal layout or design that would suit everyone and workshops evolve around yourself to deliver your approach to working and you have not mentioned what you aim to put in the workshop or what it is you wish to make or produce.

 

[rogxwhit]

It's personal, & revolves around the equipment used, work paths (through machinery - infeed and outfeed) and assembly space. There is no ideal.

 

[rogxwhit]

I suppose that for a given area, the rectangle can have a smaller roof span, which might influence practicality / cost?

 

[niall Y]

2,500 square feet? If this is all on one floor, that would equate to a square of 50 ftx50ft.
From a build point of view, its going to be a lot easier to construct a roof over a rectangle with spans shorter than 50ft.
It might be worth experimenting with the layout of the machine tools you will be using, taking into account the feeding on and off, of material, and its likely length. this will give you an idea of the optimum shape of the workshop. You can do this with scaled paper cut outs of the machines.
I have adopted a similar strategy when designing for a particularly small bathroom, to ensure that everything fitted in, and that I could still open and close the door.

 

[clogs]

with that size place u could build in a living apartment for when u get chucked out of the house.....
enough room for some collectable m/cycles and the odd car.....
nice one.....

 

[rogxwhit]

I'm imagining a band resaw, a 6-side moulder, a cnc router, a showroom & a mezzanine .... etc.

 

[Jameshow]

What are you making?

If it's big then a square with a large open area is more useful. Ie like a hanger.

If it's a boat then long and thin.

How about 70x 35ft??

What is the vernacular style of agricultural / industrial building?

 

[recipio]

Some machines absolutely have to have floor space - a table saw or Planer thicknesser for instance. Over the years however we build up a range of machines like sanders and drill presses etc which can stand around the periphery. I am so crowded that I have to use the table saw to assemble anything so I would consider a square to be the optimal shape. Roof height should also allow planks to be rotated end to end.

 

[johna.clements]

I would consider other shapes than a square or rectangle. With that much space you could have a court yard on one side with the workshop around it with full height folding or roller doors.

I have suggested this elaswhere but I would cut out card board with the plane area of all the machines, benches timber store, toilet etc that you want or may want and have a play feeding material through it on your dining room table. then you can try different building and machine layouts. I would take a couple of weeks to do this.

 

[baldkev]

With that sized space i doubt you can screw it up. Id build a mazzanine and live above my workshop
I was going to say you should consider the longest lengths of timber you'll cut because youll want twice that length and having a sheets worth of space around the tablesaw, but unless youve got plans for large storage area, seperate metalwork area and a spraybooth, you'd struggle to run out of room.....

Congratulations bynthe way, hope your planning is successful