Planning Farm Shops
AE-1066, March 1994
Vern Hofman, Agricultural Engineer
Dr. Kenneth Hellevang, PE, Agricultural Engineer
Introduction
Location on Farmstead
Planning the Shop
Insulation
Electrical Service
Electrical Lighting
Ventilation
Heating System
Tool Benches and Parts Storage
Office
Floor Designs
Fire Prevention
An efficient farm shop is essential on a modern farm. The farm shop
serves a multitude of roles, including equipment maintenance, fabrication and service,
parts and tool storage, and as an office. Parts storage and service is becoming more
important as service centers and parts distributors become more scattered and it may be
necessary to travel many miles to get needed parts.
A shop provides a place to service, assemble, repair, adjust and modify equipment and
keep tools in one location for field and farmstead operations. Overall, farm labor
efficiency can be significantly improved by providing good shop facilities which will
encourage preventive maintenance of equipment. Good preventive maintenance is known to
significantly extend machine life and reduce the chances of costly downtime. It is also
possible for the operator to construct or rebuild equipment to suit particular needs.
The shop can be the headquarters for farm management, employees and farm callers. A
heated office with washroom and space for farm records and catalogs is an added
convenience for efficient farm operations.
A producer will likely go in and out of the shop more times than any other building on
the farmstead except the house. It should be located convenient to the house, machine
storage and other farm traffic routes. It should be near the center of farm operations.
The shop should be at least 150 feet from the house to allow for easy equipment
movement. This helps keep noise away from the living area and still provides for security.
During the growing season, equipment will be moved and parked near the shop, which can
detract from the appearance of the house and landscaping if too little room is provided.
Machinery too close to the house can create a safety hazard if small children are around.
A shop should be situated on the farmstead so it is accessible only by passing near the
farm home. Locate large doors so that valuable tools and equipment are not visible from
the main road. Also, large doors should face away from the prevailing winter winds. In
North Dakota, they should face south and/or east.
Good drainage is important. Shop floors should be at least 12 inches above existing
grade and slope approach aprons 3 to 5 percent away from the shop.
Figure 1 shows ideal farmstead layouts with shop, machinery, livestock, grain and feed
storage areas indicated. The booklet MWPS-2, "Farmstead Planning Handbook,"
gives additional information about complete farmstead planning.
Figure 1. Farmstead layouts in relation to main
roads. (24KB b&w diagram)
Factors that need to be evaluated in a shop include: space requirements, equipment
layout, access, storage, insulation, wiring, lighting, heating, ventilation, and office
requirements.
The size and type of structure that houses the shop, the need for an outdoor work area
and the kinds of tools, equipment and supplies that are used will vary according to
individual needs. The ideal farm shop should include a large concrete slab outside where a
farmer can park a machine for service or repair in warm weather. Tools and equipment
should be conveniently located in the shop so equipment attachments can be installed or
removed quickly. Welding equipment should be located near the large door so repair jobs
can be completed outside without having to move the welder or use extension cords with the
welder. The ramp needs to be equipped with floodlights so machines can be serviced night
or day. The inside area should be large enough to run most equipment inside for major
repair jobs.
A survey of 300 North Dakota farmers suggests that the minimum shop size is related to
the size of the farm. The results are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Minimum Shop Dimension Based Upon Farm Size
Farm Size Shop Size Shop Width Shop Length
(Acres) (sq. feet) (feet) (feet)
----------------------------------------------
1,000 1,680 40 42
2,000 2,000 40 50
3,000 2,300 46 50
----------------------------------------------
The suggested building width should be at least twice the door width. The recommended door
width should provide at least 2 feet of clearance for equipment being brought into the
shop. A smaller service door is suggested so that the large door does not have to be
opened for routine activities. The door height should provide at least 1 foot of clearance
above machinery. Suggested minimum sizes are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Suggested Minimum Farm Shop Door Dimensions
-----------------------------
Door Dimensions
-----------------
Farm Size Door Door
(Acres) Width Height
-----------------------------
1,000 20' 14'
2,000 24' 15'
3,000 28' 15'
-----------------------------
A concrete apron to work on equipment outside the shop is encouraged. This provides a firm
surface to park machinery on and reduces the amount of dirt carried into the shop on
implement tires.
Table 3. Suggested Dimensions of Concrete Apron Outside Shop
---------------------------------------
Farm Size Apron Width Apron Length
(Acres) (Feet) (Feet)
---------------------------------------
1,000 20' 40'
2,000 25' 40'
3,000 30' 46'
---------------------------------------
All machinery access door frames should be protected both inside and out with concrete
filled metal pipe at least 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet high. Place them in concrete 12
inches out and in line with the door frame or slightly inside the door.
Many older shops are remodeled farm buildings that may not be well suited to today's
large farm equipment. Most existing farm structures are extremely difficult to convert to
a modern shop because of the need to install a large door. An exception to this may be a
relatively new machinery storage building where one end is often used for a shop. A
concrete floor, ceiling and insulation can be added and a wall installed to partition off
the machine storage area. An insulated overhead door may be needed plus heat and better
lights installed to make the shop more usable.
When a farm shop is built, most farm operators intend to use it during the winter.
Insulation in a shop is extremely important to maintain a comfortable working environment
at a reasonable heating cost. Many operators keep the temperature in the shop between 40
and 50 degrees at all times. Maintaining a temperature in the 40s helps keep the heating
cost down, plus if desired it takes only a short time to heat the shop to a comfortable
working temperature. If an operator is working on machinery, a comfortable temperature is
usually about 55 to 60 degrees.
The minimum recommended insulation level for a heated shop is an R-value of 15 to 20 in
the walls, 25 to 30 in the ceiling and 10 for the doors. It is also recommended to
insulate the foundation with at least 2 inches of polystyrene insulation (R-10 to 12) to a
24 inch depth. This helps keep the floor warm, reduces heat loss and eliminates frost
buildup on the inside perimeter concrete.
Windows installed in the shop sidewalls and overhead doors should contain double
glazing. Better insulating value is obtained with triple glazing.
A vapor retarder of 6-mil polyethylene should be installed between the inside wall
panel and the insulation to keep moisture out of the insulation. Six-mil is recommended as
it withstands rough handling and tearing better than 4-mil. A vapor retarder should be
installed in the ceiling as well as the walls.
A suggested wall section is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Sidewall construction with insulation.
(7KB b&w diagram)
It is recommended to cover the lower 8 feet of all walls with plywood or metal paneling
to protect the insulation from damage. Covering the entire inside wall with plywood or
metal panels helps improve looks. A ceiling at eve height provides an attic area that is
easily and economically insulated with blow-in insulation. Roof vents should be installed
to provide 1 square foot of vent space for each 300 square feet of ceiling area.
An electrical service of 200-amp, 240-volt is the minimum recommended for all shops. In
larger shops, a larger service may be needed. This will provide power to operate power
tools, an air compressor and welding equipment.
Where motors 1/2-HP or larger will be used, install a separate circuit to serve no more
than two 1/2-HP motors, and no more than one 1-HP or larger motor.
Install a 50-amp or larger 240-volt outlet for the welder. Two or more outlets properly
located will make it possible to use the welder in most locations when working on machines
inside the shop. Have at least one welder outlet near the large door so welding can be
done outside.
Unless thoroughly familiar with wiring, always have a qualified licensed electrician do
the work. Electrical wiring will need to be approved by an electrical inspector before
electrical service will be connected by a power supplier. Remember that 120 volts can be
very dangerous and improper wiring often is the cause of serious fires.
It is recommended to install 120-volt duplex outlets every 4 feet along work benches
and every 10 feet along walls. If power tools are located away from walls, it may be best
to install outlets in the floor or suspend them from the ceiling.
Ground fault interrupters (GFI) are recommended on all single phase 15- and 20-amp
convenience outlet circuits. The National Electrical Code requires GFIs on all 15- and
20-amp receptacle outlets installed on the outside of a building and near wet areas. A GFI
senses a fault in a circuit to protect the user of an electrical tool from electrocution.
These faults may be caused by deterioration or accidental damage to electrical equipment.
A GFI protects against the hazards of ground faults by monitoring the current balance in a
"hot" conductor with the current in a neutral conductor. If the current in the
neutral conductor equals that of the "hot" conductor, a ground fault does not
exist. If current leakage occurs and the current flow in the neutral wire becomes less
than the current in the "hot" wire, a ground fault exists. Upon sensing this
current difference, the GFI trips and opens the circuit almost instantaneously. Ground
fault interrupters are available as portable units, circuit breaker-interrupters or
receptacle units.
Plenty of light in a farm shop is essential. Good lighting over the workbench is
necessary for detailed work.
Some natural lighting is recommended. A window installed in a wall facing the entrance
to the yard and small windows in the overhead doors allow workers in the shop to see
arriving visitors. Windows in the door are also handy for those inside the shop to see
when a door should be opened to drive equipment inside.
Fluorescent lighting is recommended in heated shops. In cold shops, fluorescent lights
are extremely slow to start. Recommended lighting levels are shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Recommended Lighting Levels
--------------------------------------------------------
Fluorescent Incandescent
Foot Lights Lights
Candles (watts/sq. ft.) (watts/sq. ft.)
--------------------------------------------------------
General 30 1/2 2
Bench 50 1 4
Office 70 1.5 6
Detailed Work 100 2 8
--------------------------------------------------------
If it is desired to use mercury vapor or high pressure sodium lamps for general lighting,
install at the level of 0.8 watts per square foot for mercury vapor lamps and 0.4 watts
per square foot for high pressure sodium lamps. These types of lights are slow to come on,
so if mercury vapor or sodium lamps are installed a few incandescent lights may be helpful
for initial lighting.
For outside lighting, provide for 3.0 foot candles of illumination. Install a 300- to
400-watt photo-cell controlled mercury vapor lamp or 200 watt high pressure sodium lamp
over the outside entrance about 20 feet above ground.
Ventilation is necessary to remove welding smoke and engine exhaust. A welding hood
with a fan that will move about 1,000 to 2,000 cubic feet per minute for each welder that
is being used is recommended over the welding area. If vehicles are to be operated in the
shop for a period of time, an exhaust hose through the wall may be adequate or a small
suction fan pulling exhaust through a tube from the exhaust pipe may be a better solution.
Usually a fan capable of moving about 250 cfm per vehicle through the pipe should be
adequate.
General ventilation in a shop is usually not needed. Opening and closing doors will
usually provide adequate ventilation.
The size and type of heating system will depend on the size of the shop and how often
large doors will be opened and closed. Many types of heating systems are used in shops,
including hot water pipes embedded in the floor, electric resistance cables in the floor,
infrared and forced air furnaces. Most are powered by electricity, propane, coal, wood or
fuel oil. Waste oil furnaces are becoming popular due to the difficulty in disposing of
waste engine and transmission oil in rural areas. Several of these heaters are designed to
burn No. 1 or No. 2 fuel oil as well as waste oil. This provides an alternate fuel supply
if waste oil supplies are not adequate.
It is up to the farm owner to decide the most economical fuel source and whether to use
forced air or water pipes in the floor for heating the shop.
If an operator decides to install a heating system in the floor (electric heat cables
or hot water pipes), it is recommended to install a ceiling hung furnace near and to the
side of the big door, directing the heat to the back of the shop. This furnace is
extremely helpful for quick temperature recovery when the big door is opened in cold
weather. Floor heating system temperatures should not exceed 75 to 85�F. Warmer
temperatures will cause foot discomfort after a period of time.
Waste oil furnaces are excellent for forced air heating systems. They are economical to
operate, provide a quick heat source and will utilize fuel oil as well as waste oil to
warm the shop. Coal furnaces are economical to operate if a coal source is available. One
disadvantage is that they may not be as fast for bringing the temperature back up as
propane or fuel oil forced-air furnaces. However, in a shop this may not be a problem. If
a coal heating system is used, it may be best to place the furnace in a small building
adjacent to the main shop.
The heating system for a shop should provide about 50 BTU per square foot per hour. A
40 by 50 foot shop would require about a 100,000 BTU per hour heating system. If a floor
heating and forced air system is used, the heating requirement may be divided between the
two if using both systems is desired. More information on floor heating systems is
available in Extension Circular AE-1014, "Hot Water Floor and Space Heating,"
which is available from your local county agent or from Extension Agricultural Engineering
at North Dakota State University.
Tool Benches and Parts Storage
Keeping tools in place in a shop is often difficult. The advantages of having tools
hanging on tool panels with the tool outlined include tools being easy to find and easy to
put back in place, and one glance at the panel will tell what tools are missing.
The arrangement of tools on the panel is a matter of individual taste. Generally, it
works best to have the various types of tools grouped together. Extra tools can be stored
in drawers built into the workbench.
Pegboard is satisfactory for tool panels providing the type of hangers used can be
permanently anchored into the holes. Three-quarter inch plywood can be used. It is thick
enough so nails, screws, or other fasteners, can be used for tool hangers without locating
studs behind the panel. If the inside wall is covered with 3/8 inch plywood, an additional
plywood panel will give enough thickness for tool hangers.
Workbenches should be 34 to 38 inches high and adjusted to the principal user's height.
The bench depth is normally 24 to 30 inches and should be anchored securely. Many
individuals place a bench along the south wall and install windows above the bench for
natural lighting. Windows reduce wall space for tool panels so large windows usually are
not recommended. At least part of the bench should be covered with a steel surface for
durability.
Large, free standing power tools are best placed near the welding and repair area. Do
not place grinders, drills, or similar equipment in building corners. This reduces access
when working on large pieces of equipment. They are usually best located near the repair
and welding area. Provide stable bases, but do not fasten tools to the floor. This helps
allow flexibility for working on large equipment. Wrenches and a workbench should be close
to the welder, drill, and grinder if possible.
The welding area near the big door should include a solid metal welding table, but do
not fasten it to the wall or floor. Line the wall in the welding area with 1/2 inch
plywood and cover flammable wall liners with sheetmetal. Another alternative is to cover
wall liners with 1/2 inch cement plasterboard.
A wall-mounted air compressor near the large door saves floor space and is convenient
to service equipment outside on the apron. Air outlets on a pipeline mounted on the
perimeter of the building provide for convenient use of air tools and air pressure over
the entire shop. Install water traps and drains on pipelines to remove the moisture.
Storage space is commonly inadequate and parts bins and cabinets are often shoved into
the work area. Freestanding parts storage units work well for filters, spare parts, bolts
and screws. Wall mounted racks also work well. Other racks should be included for long
pieces of wood, metal and pipe. Standing long pieces on end utilizes wall space well and
provides for easier removal of stock material as compared to laying pieces horizontal. It
is suggested to sectionalize the vertical rack so material can be chained into
compartments to avoid falling.
The extent of the office will vary considerably depending on need. A minimum
recommendation is a desk, telephone and storage for service manuals and records. A
restroom with running water and shower is optional, along with a washing machine for
greasy or pesticide contaminated clothing. It is convenient to have an exterior entrance
into the office, and this provides a good entrance for farm visitors. The office will
usually need additional climate control such as baseboard heating panels.
If washing of machinery is to be done in the shop, a good drain system is a must. The
simplest type of floor drain is to slope the floor to the center and to the doorway. This
can cause problems with ice freezing along the bottom edge of the door if ice melts off
vehicles that are stored in the building. A center floor drain with an oil and sludge
collector is a better option but is more difficult and expensive to install. An example of
this type of drain is shown in Figure 3. The drain is designed to catch oil on top of the
water and collect heavy solids in the bottom of the pit. This type of drain will collect
these materials before they flow into the drain field as long as it is cleaned on a
regular basis.
Figure 3. Floor drain. (18KB
b&w diagram)
Another type of drain that works well in the service bay is a long narrow type which
slopes 0.1 inch per foot of length.
Floor Plans
Figure 4. Floor plan for a 1000 acre farm shop. (14KB b&w diagram)
Figure 5. Floor plan for a 2000 acre farm shop. (15KB b&w diagram)
Figure 6. Floor plan for a 3000 acre farm shop. (19KB b&w diagram)
Figure 7. Floor plan for a 40' x 50' shop on the end of machine
storage. (15KB b&w diagram)
Figure 8. Shop floor plan 40' x 60'. (14KB
b&w diagram)
Figure 9. Shop floor plan 40' x 50'. (10KB
b&w diagram)
Figure 10. Shop floor plan 40' x 40'. (15KB
b&w diagram)
Figure 11. Shop floor plan 40' x 60'. (13KB
b&w diagram)
Fire Prevention
Every farm shop should be equipped with one or more approved fire extinguishers; at
least one unit should be located near the walk-through door. This provides convenient
access when moving from or toward a fire. The chances of putting out a fire are good
during the first few seconds after it is discovered, so easy access to a good fire
extinguisher may mean the difference between extinguishing a fire or the shop burning
down.
Fires that occur in farm shops can be caused by electrical power tools or grinding
sparks igniting flammable liquids. Water should never be used to control electrical fires.
Water on flammable liquid fires will tend to spread the flames.
The best extinguisher to use on electrical or flammable liquid fires is a 2 1/2- or
5-pound dry chemical type or a carbon dioxide type. They produce a smothering effect and
are easy to use. Both types of extinguishers contain a material that does not conduct
electricity. Dry chemical or carbon dioxide extinguishers will knock the flames down on a
wood or paper fire and give temporary control or until a better extinguisher is available.
If the electric power to the shop can be disconnected, water can be used on wood or paper
fires.
AE-1066, March 1994
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