Firstly, forgive me if my metres/feet calculations are wrong, I'm from Aus and most of you are from the states...
I'm currently planning a workshop and hobby room for my backyard to cater for my woodwork and train hobby. I'm hoping to build a 10m x 6m (about 33' x 20') building.
As the wood working shop generates a lot of dust I'll be partitioning the train room. I'm planning a train room of around 4m x 4m (13' x 13') and a storage room of 2m x 4m for tools and hardware leaving me a large room of 6m x 6m for the wood work. I'll be working in N scale so 13x13 gives me plenty of track options.
I know a few of you will think I should allocate the large room for the trains and the small room for the workshop, but my mind is set on this
What I'm after is some input on design considerations for the room so that I can ensure I cater for them when I'm building. What I have so far are
- fully drywall lined (we call it gyprock), walls and ceiling
- fully insulated (walls, ceilings) to reduce temperate variation and so it is more bearable in summer and winter.
- plenty of power points (at least 6 sockets)
- I'm open for suggestions on lighting.
- internal door (from the workshop) to reduce drafts etc.
- 2 large windows for natural light (but will need blinds when not in use to protect against sun and for insulation)
- beer fridge, TV and comfy chair!!!
I have a small custom wood shop, and you are right about the dust. I have a separate room between the shop and the rest of the house and the dust is still bad at times. I would not put a door between the rooms and would arrange for separate heat and cooling.
Sizes are what they are, but a too small train room is frustration, a too small wood shop is non functional.
You can get a lot of N scale in that room, and you can add an addition easily when the time comes.
It sounds like an excellent start to a train room. If I could I would have started with the frig and chairs and then built the train room around that. I have a shelf layout about 18 x 22 feet. That allows me the entire center of the room to move around in. The shelf is 24 inches wide and extends around the perimeter with an 10' peninsula. I have included a stereo, refrig and television to make it more comfortable. Good Luck. Post pictures when you can showing how construction is progressing.
Larry
I'll be building a freestanding building. Totaly at concept phase at the moment. Much easier to make changes now than later on.
I'm leaning towards an internal door for additional security. The workshop is likely to have a dust extraction system so hoping to reduce dust significantly with this. Also, the internal door is much more convenient as most of the contstruction will be done in the workshop.
Ashes68: You didn't mention if you have a basement under the addition. I am assuming from what you said already that you do NOT. Therefore, I would strongly suggest that you insulate your floor, this will help you to control temperature and humidity.
If this building is not attached to your home, I would also use GFCI outlets to protect your equipment AND yourself from electrical shock. This is always a good practice around power equipment.
I would design your building in such a way that if you desire to expand your layout, you will have one side wall that you can easily expand outward.
Make use of the suns angle in the Winter months to help with the heating of the building, as well as natural lighting to keep utilities costs lower.
Insulation is absolutely key to maintaining a good environment in all seasons. There are many products on the market now that are superior in insulating value, some are spray-on, others have reflective surfaces, which are best for the roof.
Keep the circuits for the workshop seperate from the train room. Power equipment is noisy ( power line noise ), and if you are going DCC, you need "clean" power for decoders.
Use a large enough electrical feed to this building to allow for all your power equipment and the Train room, plus expansion in the future. It is much easier now then later to install a large enough power feed.
Hope this helps,
Thanks for the power tips. I certainly now will be looking to have seperate circuits for the workshop and train room. I handn't thought of seperating them. Safety switches (overload circuits) are mandatory here so these protect you and your equipment. One thing I'll also do with my power is ensure I have a locked away circuit board. I'm real conscious of the kids deciding they need to play with the power tools when I'm not there. The lighting circuit will not be locked away.
The floor is most likely going to be a concrete slab. We have a lot of subsurface rock here so stump footings are often impractical. I also need to keep the overall height of the building down as it will sit against a neighbours fence. I'll have to put a floor on top of this. Would love a timber floor and it has good insulation and noise reduction qualities.
I will also give some careful consideration to expansion possibilities. I think the structure is big enough but I will have a few metres either end that I could lengthen the building if the need arises. I'll now change my roof design to be a gable instead of hip so that if I lengthen the building, the roof will be easier to alter.
Any issues people can think of with having windows in the room?
Hi Ashes68
Don't forget to tint the windows and seal the floor properly, also paint the train room walls the closest to sky blue you can find that will make an unbelievable difference to the railway before any background scenery or back scene is done.
If you think you might need more space later then you do and build it now you will not do it later because it will cost to much.
You will excuse me if I laugh at the inadequate number of power points that's enough for the railway room don't know what you plan on having in the workshop you want double GPO's on three walls and a quadruple GPO on the wall where the control pannel is going to be and that's just the railway room all with an earth leakage breaker at the switch board
lighting I would suggest three rows of two 40w twin fluoro fittings for the railway room alone it needs to be very well lit.
Don't forget heating and cooling for summer and winter
A single laundry trough with water supply is handy for clean up after modeling or woodworking
Better still dump the carpentry shop and keep the trains in the whole shed
Hmm TV or bigger fridge?? your an Aussie mate bigger fridge
I make no comment on the work shop requirements because I have no idea what you would need other than more lights and GPO's than you think you will
That's myAU worth
regards John
Termite or rust proofing?
Utilities Billing?
Zoning restrictions?
Land behavior as in how storm water runs off? Dont build it where it all goes to.
You may want a big laundry room tub type set up that can handle all kinds of chemicals and provide a safe isolated place for your life support (A/C, HEating etc)
Skylights are better than windows some buildings like Qounset Huts dont do skylights or windows very well.
Is the new building viewable from the main road where everyone driving by sees it? What happens if they get curious and venture towards it?
Doorways big enough to handle building materials?
And finally construction costs, labor and materials?
Hi safety Valve
Pest control ie white ant (termites) is usually part of the council building regulations in Aus
Rust is a good point make sure the frame is hot dip galvanized and if its a metal shed colour bond the same colours as the house so it fits in it needs to be an improvement not an impediment later
I would disagree with the sky lights in Aus windows with awnings to help keep the heat out but let light in are a better bet unless in a temperate climate.
But then 40 degree C is common in summer where I am.
Power....yep, at least 6 sockets in the train room. The wood working room needs around 10-12 to keep cord runs to a minimum, plus a couple of exteria sockets.
The shed will be timber framed, weather board (or similar), we have a product here called weathertex with a colourbond roof. Building regs need to be followed as it requires inspections, permits and council approval.
I like the idea of windows rather than skylights due to not be so isolated from the world. I hadn't thought about painting the room.
Project is probably 2-4 months off starting, but becoming clearer in my head.
Don't use single power points you will kick yourself if you do, make all of them doubles except the one exclusively for the train control pannel which believe me you will end up needing the quad power point or two doubles.
The cost saving between single and double power points is not worth a second thought given the size of your project.
My thoughts on them are illustrated by the fact I got an electrician to replace every single power point with a double when I bought the house I have, why is it builders never put enough in to start with and insist on using single points.
You do need to think the whole thing through right down to painting or other finishes so you know what it will be like when its done and know how much dollars your up for.
You can bet your local council will have thought of something you have not.
Hi Ashes68,
I'm only slightly ahead of you in creating a train room (see photo below). I much prefer your room dimensions to my own (8.5' x 42'), but mine was actually an after thought. Built an enclosed porch, then figured out the space below could become a train room. :^) However, yours will be completed before mine, as presently I am out of funds to finish it. The floor right now is plastic sheeting covered with sand (to keep out moisture), waiting for cement.
I agree with everyones comment regarding power outlets. Put in more than you can imagine ever using. As with any workshop, train room, art studio, etc...you will be surprised how useful the extras will become.
Post photos when you have some to share, good luck, and enjoy the process! -Rob ps: I am a little further than the photo below shows. The siding is done, door is in and most of the lights are now up.
Dont forget to think about how much you will be paying utilities to support the new train room when everything is all done and running.
All of those lights and machines feeding off those outlets will cost you over time in Kilowatt Hours. I think it takes 6 cents a day to run a 100 watt bulb.. not quite sure. 100 of those bulbs generate a 6 dollar per day electric bill.
Cedarstrand, that is a great photo that clearly tells the story.
Can lights, ceiling fan, phone , computer with internet hook up , place to keep a rollaway/tool box, 2x6 studs in the walls with extra insulation, paint before you build the layout, uv double payne windows. lights under the layout,. The drawer cabinet is 4x6 with drawers on one side and shelfs on the other. sorry the room is a mess but you get the general idea. This room is attached to the house so it is heated and cooled. directv and a stereo is a must.lots of electrical outlets for all those wall warts. good luck.
glenn
Carpeting? Industrial? Plush? Padding? Is it better to have a concrete, tiled or hardwood floor instead?
What about cost per square footage?
What kind of overruns incurred?
Safety Valve wrote:Carpeting? Industrial? Plush? Padding? Is it better to have a concrete, tiled or hardwood floor instead?What about cost per square footage?What kind of overruns incurred?
overruns? remember, this is your "hobby" , As long as your going to hide out from the wife you might as well be comfortable. just kidding. mine helps me all the time, she made the curtains. I prefer the carpet with plush pad. feels much better than hard concrete.
Glenn
I don't like the carpet idea. All carpets create lots of dust.
I've gone with floor tile over the concrete and then in my aisleways I have that rubber fatigue matting on top of the tile. It works great. My knees and hips thank me for it after any time I spend down there.
James:1 Verse:5
Keep smiling ya all.
Johnboy out.......................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
[As long as your going to hide out from the wife you might as well be comfortable. just kidding. mine helps me all the time,]
That is important! My wife has some HO scale stuff (guess who started her on that?LOL) and I collect N. When the train room is eventually finished, I have been thinking of ways to combine the two scales. HO front and center (single track), perhaps on one end only of the layout, with a river separating it from the N side. Could also use farm fields and forests as a way of creating the depth and hopefully end up with an acceptable transition between scales. Wife is into the carnival/circus/zoo end of things, I prefer long trains traversing rugged mountains with mining operations. Best part will be adding a number of warped alternative versions of industries (ie: Soylent Green anyone?). Still, some real challenges in using both scales on one layout, but one sure way to keep the wife involved in my hobby. ;^) -Rob