Workshop Shelf / Articles / How to set up a small woodworking shop on a budget
How to set up a small woodworking shop on a budget
Affiliate links: some buttons on this page are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. #ad Product notes are based on each vendor’s own description, not hands-on testing.
Ultimate Small Shop
A guide to planning and equipping a small workshop on a limited budget, according to the vendor.
How much space do you need?
You can do real work in a single garage bay or a 8×10 ft shed. The limit is usually the length of boards you can cut: allow about 2.5 m clear in front of and behind your main saw, or break boards down outside first.
The first tools, in order
- Workbench with a vice.
- Cordless drill-driver.
- Circular saw and a straight-edge guide (or a track saw later).
- Clamps: you can never have too many.
- Combination square, tape, marking knife.
- Random-orbit sander.
- Chisels and a block plane.
- Mitre saw, then a router.
Ultimate Small Shop
A guide to planning and equipping a small workshop on a limited budget, according to the vendor.
Dust, power and safety
Fine wood dust harms your lungs. Use a shop vacuum on your sander, wear a properly fitted FFP2/FFP3 (or N95) mask for dusty jobs, and clean with a vacuum rather than a brush. Don’t overload a single extension lead; for a shed workshop, have an electrician run a proper supply. Keep a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit by the door.
Layout tips for small shops
- Mobile bases on heavy tools so they can share floor space.
- Wall-mounted French cleats for hand tools.
- Bench in the middle of the room if you can, so you can work from all sides.
- Lumber stored horizontally on wall racks, off the floor.
Common questions
What is the most important tool in a woodworking shop?
A flat, solid workbench. Accurate work is very hard without one.
Can you do woodworking in a flat or apartment?
Yes, with hand tools and quiet, low-dust work. Plane and saw by hand, and sand outside or with a dust-extracting sander.
What we’d look at next
Ultimate Small Shop
A guide to planning and equipping a small workshop on a limited budget, according to the vendor.
TedsWoodworking
A plan library for when the shop is ready and you want projects.
Not sure which fits? Take the 30-second quiz or see our comparisons.
Related comparisons: TedsWoodworking vs My Shed Plans · Best woodworking guides for beginners: 3 compared
More articles
- How to build a shed, step by step
- 12 woodworking projects for beginners (basic tools only)
- 8x10 shed plans: materials list and what it costs
- How to build a shed base (and which type to choose)
- Pent vs apex shed roof: which is better?
- Is it cheaper to build a shed or buy one?
- DIY workbench plans for beginners
- Beginner woodworking tools list: what to buy first
- Woodworking projects that sell (beginner-friendly)
- Pallet wood projects for beginners
- How to build a simple garden bench
Get the free PDF
A 4-page PDF plan for a sturdy freestanding 2×4 and plywood bench, with tool list, materials, cut list and step-by-step build. Metric with imperial equivalents.