Garage shop planning, by the numbers

Build a real shop in the garage you have.

Pick your garage size and see a workshop drawn to scale inside it: which machines fit, which circuits they need, and what to buy first. One-car, two-car or three-car, with or without a car still parked inside.

What fits in my garage?

Or jump to your bay, woodshop layout:

A 22 x 22 ft two-car garage with one sedan parked and a compact woodshop on mobile bases beside it.

1. Jobsite table saw on a stand (32 x 26 in)2. 14 in bandsaw (25 x 18 in)3. Tool bench (Planer, Drill press) (60 x 28 in)4. Shop vac with cyclone separator (18 x 18 in)5. 4 ft workbench (48 x 24 in)6. Steel shelving unit (60 x 24 in)

machinebenchoperator zonevehicle

The calculators

All 16

01Layout and what fitsPick your garage size and the machines you want. See which fit with operator clearance, which do not, whether a parked car changes the answer, and the circuits the shop needs, drawn to scale.02Space left with a carEnter your garage and your vehicle. Get the space behind the nose, the strip beside the doors, the deepest bench that fits and the floor left in the other bays.03Workshop amps and subpanelEnter your biggest machines. Get the full-load amps from the NEC motor table, a demand estimate for one or two operators and the subpanel size to ask your electrician about.04240V circuit sizingHorsepower, voltage and run length in. Full-load amps, minimum ampacity, breaker, wire gauge with a voltage-drop check, and the receptacle type out.05240V outlet install costA transparent cost model for adding a 240V outlet in a garage. You enter the quotes and prices; it sizes the wire for the breaker and adds the pieces.06Voltage drop and cordsAmps, volts, length and gauge in; volts lost, percent drop and the smallest gauge that stays under 3 percent out. Works for extension cords and branch wiring.07Compressor CFMTell it which air tools run at once. Get the CFM at 90 PSI you need, the tank class, the motor size and whether it will run on 120V.08Dust collector and duct sizeTick the machines you own. Get the CFM you need, branch and main duct diameters from 4000 fpm, and which Grizzly collectors clear the bar.09Garage heater BTUDimensions, insulation and temperatures in. Heat loss in BTU per hour, the electric heater watts and breaker, and the gas input to look for.10Mini-split BTUFloor area, insulation, sun, people and the tools that run all day. Get the cooling load and the standard mini-split size to shop.11Shop lightingRoom size and the work you do in, lumens and fixture count out, with spacing and the amps the fixtures draw.12Air filtration ACHRoom volume and a target air-change rate in; the CFM you need, how many hanging filters, and the air changes each speed of a Grizzly G0738 gives.13Workbench height and depthYour height and your work in; the bench height for heavy, general and precision work, and a comfortable bench depth.14Workbench size for a garageGarage, vehicle and bench depth in. The longest bench that still leaves an aisle, for three depths.15Mobile base sizingMachine size and weight in; the base footprint, the load rating to shop for, the caster count and which listed base clears it.16Shop budget plannerPick a trade, a budget tier and your garage. Get a machine package, a budget band for the Amazon items, the Grizzly items to price direct, and whether it fits the bay.

Layouts: six garages, five trades

All 30

TRADEWoodshopTable saw, bandsaw, jointer, planer, dust collection and a bench.TRADEMachine shopLathe, mill, drill press, grinder and a heavy bench on a slab that can take it.TRADEWelding and fabWelder cart, steel table, plasma, grinder station and a fire-safe corner.TRADEAuto and mechanicThe car stays in the bay and the shop works around it.TRADEMixed shop with a car parkedMachines on mobile bases so the car still sleeps inside.

What small bays run on

Mobile bases, adjustable benches, shop lights and a hanging air filter: the gear that gives floor back.

WEN Mobile Base WEN Under $100 Check price on Amazon

Betterhood 70" Adjustable Height Workbench Betterhood Under $250 Check price on Amazon

hykolity 4FT LED Shop Light hykolity Under $50 Check price on Amazon

POWERTEC AF4001E 3-Speed RF Remote Controlled Air Filtration POWERTEC Under $250 Check price on Amazon

Prices change often; the button shows today's price on Amazon.

Machines that earn their floor space

Each card shows an Amazon pick and the matching Grizzly Industrial machine.

Hybrid table saw for a 120V garage

SAWSTOP 1.75HP Contractor Saw with 30" Premium Fence Assembly See on Amazon

Grizzly G0771Z 10 in 2 HP 120V Hybrid Table Saw with T-Shaped Fence Buy direct at Grizzly

Both are 10 in saws in the 1-3/4 to 2 HP class. Pick Amazon for the SawStop contractor saw; pick Grizzly for an enclosed cabinet hybrid you can order direct and wire for 120V or 240V.

Cyclone dust collector for a one-man shop

POWERTEC 1 HP See on Amazon

Grizzly G0860 1-1/2 HP Portable Cyclone Dust Collector Buy direct at Grizzly

The Grizzly G0860 is a two-stage cyclone on 120V with a 1 micron canister; the Amazon pick is a bag-style 1 HP machine. The cyclone costs more and keeps the filter clean far longer.

Hanging air filter

POWERTEC AF4001E 3-Speed RF Remote Controlled Air Filtration See on Amazon

Grizzly G0738 3-Speed Hanging Air Filter Buy direct at Grizzly

Both are 3-speed ceiling-hung filters in the 300 to 400 CFM class with remotes. The Grizzly unit is owner-rated 4.8 on grizzly.com across 301 reviews.

Prices change often and Grizzly runs sales, so the buttons show current prices.