Best tips for setting up your own home car workshop
A home garage can be used for basic maintenance and vehicle upkeep. That will save you long trips to the mechanic and possibly save you some money.
Having a garage workshop or garage at home can have its perquisites for anyone who works on cars as a profession or hobby.
In addition, when around the home, some minor problems with the vehicle ought to occur. These problems call for quick fixes that should not merit a visit to the mechanic.
Therefore, having a garage workshop around your home that is solely dedicated to repairing your car is a great idea.
Read more: Starting problems? Top 9 reasons why your car does not start
7 tips and ideas on how to setup a home car workshop
1. Evaluate the workspace
The initial step towards creating a garage workshop is to assess the workspace you will be working with. You must first determine what activities will be going on in that space.
For some, who may have a small space, use it to store simple tools and set aside a workbench.
If you have larger floor space, you may use it to park the vehicle and have a space for the storage of power tools and other items necessary for car repairs.
During the assessment, take into consideration how many tables you would like, what tools you have, and what tools you intend to acquire in the future. You may also consider having a second vehicle bay if you plan to get a second car.
Furthermore, you must consider where you will be storing car parts, metal scraps, and other workshop materials. It might also be a great idea to install an air conditioner or furnace if you have a cold cement floor or depending on your area of residence.
2. Create a layout for the home car workshop
How a mechanic’s garage is arranged is very important. If the car workshop is not adequately organized, it will become messy and possibly play a role in slowing down a project you will be working on.
Do not undermine the power of a good workshop layout plan on your garage. Many professionals advocate for triangular tool storage ideas.
One corner is solely dedicated to tool storage to ensure they are easily accessible in this layout. You will store toolboxes, power tools, and spare parts you may need in this space.
As an additional tip, it is always great advice to create a shelf space to avoid cluttering the tool storage area. Shelves are easy to install and can be added to any wall.
In the second corner, this is where the cars will be parked. If you want to go a step further, you can install a lift while working underneath the vehicle.
Moreover, if you have a smaller workspace, you may use this space to work on body panels and other big pieces.
The last corner of the workshop layout should be used for fine-tuning. In this storage space, make use of more shelf space to store small power tools and other hand tools.
3. Install car lifts
A car lift can be a big investment, but it’s worth the cost. Not having to lie on your stomach while working in or under my vehicle means more time for other things like family!
A car lift is functional, saves time and hassle while working on cars. You can easily access all areas of the vehicle by raising it to an appropriate height – great if you have limited space.
There’s more than one type of car lift available for purchase, for example, four post lift, scissor lifts and in-ground auto lifts so it might take some research before deciding which is best for what kind of vehicle or job site situation
4. Install a sub-panel
Sub-panels are lifesavers for any home garage workshop. They provide the owner with enough power so you will never have to worry about a power shortage when you are working on a project.
Additionally, you can install a subpanel for safety reasons. That is because if the main panel is full such that the wires resemble a crowded maze, it can be used as an alternative.
They are also used alongside the main panel just in case it fails.
5. Focus mainly on safety
Safety should be a priority when putting up a home workshop. If things go sideways, the repercussions might be disastrous. Safety is essential because you will be using high-risk tools that need steady hands to operate most of the time.
It is a great idea to have the right tools such as hydraulic car jack stands on standby when building on the safety aspect. The car jack stand raises the car and makes it easier for you to work underneath without worrying the car might fall.
Additionally, do not just go for a cheap floor jack. It is advisable to purchase excellent heavy-duty jacks that are far more efficient. They are indeed more costly; however, your mind will be at ease when working on a vehicle.
6. Ensure there is good lighting
A well-lit workshop is safe and efficient. If you have poor lighting, likely, you will not have any visibility of what you are doing. This could cause expensive mistakes that you would have easily avoided.
When designing the workshop, include an air compressor, large windows, and even a translucent roof to allow natural light to permeate for good lighting. That will come in handy during the day.
If you intend to keep working even at night, install sufficient artificial lighting that will be just as effective as the day’s natural light. Do not depend on a headlamp to guide you through repair projects.
7. Take into account your comfort.
When setting up the garage, you might be carried away by the functionality and sticking within the budget constraints. You may therefore forget that your comfort inside that garage is also important.
It is important to remember that you will be spending a lot of time in that workshop. Hence, it might be a great idea to make it comfortable so that you do not end up with backaches and other problems that an ergonomic workspace could have avoided.
Wrapping up
When you finally setup the home workshop, make sure you have drawn inspiration from some of the home car workshop ideas included in this post.
Ensure that you have enough lighting, internet access, hydraulic jack stands for safety, and take your comfort into consideration because you will be spending a significant amount of time in the garage.
Furthermore, it is also essential to determine the source of finance before embarking on this journey and selecting a good storage solution for the tools.
Finally, if you are in the market for car spares parts, visit autoparts24.com for some of the best prices in town. Here, you will find used car parts online for any car model that you may need in your garage. The products are quality guaranteed.
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