Here’s a little background. About 4 years ago I built a 48x64 pole barn for my landscape business I was running out of my home. The shop has really transformed since I built it. Trying many different lay outs and trying to get the flow right is a challenge for sure. Get to the present day, the shop is no longer used on a daily basis for landscaping and is just used for my hobbies. My question to y’all is how do I keep this place clean? I have tried everything under the sun and it’s just getting out of control. Dust settles on everything! There’s not a day I can go in there and not get my hands completely covered in dust and dirt doing simple quick tasks. I know it’s a little problem but there has to be a solution other than getting the Navy in there lol. Here are some things I have tried, sweeping out the shop after every project, using the floor scrubber that has water to control the dust, blow out the shop with leaf blower, asphalt Millings from the street to the shop, I have perfect grass so no bare spots that kick up dust, wipe down the flat surfaces weekly. It’s fully insulated and air tight. I am at ends and need something else to try.
48x64 Dust control
- Thread starter jtpappy
- Start date
Hack Fabrication
Banned
You might consider some sort of air filtration system. I have one of these in my basement shop:
I upgraded the outer filter to a Merv 8, and it captures a surprising amount of dust. But not all of the dust. My basement shop is used for woodworking primarily, so even with my dust collector 'system', there is still a bit of dust:
With as large a space as you have, you might need several air filtration devices.
Or, you could fabricate them yourself. I've seen several videos on building them.
I upgraded the outer filter to a Merv 8, and it captures a surprising amount of dust. But not all of the dust. My basement shop is used for woodworking primarily, so even with my dust collector 'system', there is still a bit of dust:
With as large a space as you have, you might need several air filtration devices.
Or, you could fabricate them yourself. I've seen several videos on building them.
TylerRNEMT
Well-known member
That is one beautiful building you have there!! My jealousy meter is through the roof looking at those pics..... I agree that large of an open space is going to require more than one filtration system that constantly recirculate air through their filters to keep it under control. Will be costly. OR you could just use cleaning daily as an excuse to hang out in that awesome space!
-Tyler
-Tyler
astroracer
Well-known member
Nice looking shop but I have to tell you to "relax"... 
Dust and grime are never ending and you will be chasing your tail forever trying to control it, especially if you are welding, grinding and doing wood working.
I do a lot of welding, grinding, body work, painting and wood working in my shop and it is a mess ALL of the time. I quit trying to control the dust a long time ago and just do a general cleaning when I get the time or am getting ready to paint again...
My shop is a place of work, it is not a "show shop" so it gets dirty and you don't go barefoot in there.
Mark
Dust and grime are never ending and you will be chasing your tail forever trying to control it, especially if you are welding, grinding and doing wood working.I do a lot of welding, grinding, body work, painting and wood working in my shop and it is a mess ALL of the time. I quit trying to control the dust a long time ago and just do a general cleaning when I get the time or am getting ready to paint again...
My shop is a place of work, it is not a "show shop" so it gets dirty and you don't go barefoot in there.
Mark
nadogail
Well-known member
IMHO, I agree with astroracer. Dust happens, the things we do make dust, those big doors allow the dust to enter along with the daylight and machines.
Learn to live with some dust, air filters and dust collection will help reduce the dust. Without a "Clean Room" you will always have dust, with a "Clean Room" you probably will still have some dust. Are you trying to run a Surgical Center?
Adapt your cleaning and dust control so that the dust is no longer an issue.
Learn to live with some dust, air filters and dust collection will help reduce the dust. Without a "Clean Room" you will always have dust, with a "Clean Room" you probably will still have some dust. Are you trying to run a Surgical Center?
Adapt your cleaning and dust control so that the dust is no longer an issue.
Thanks everyone for the kind words, and advice. I really appreciate it. After a lot of thinking about it and hanging in the shop all day I came to the conclusion that on top of cleaning after all the projects, just learn to slow down a little and careful not to make a huge mess in the first place. I was wiping my trans jack down and noticed just how messy it really got when I could have put more rags down in the first place.
On the other hand, here are few more current pictures. Today’s project was vacuuming all the dirt out the expansion joints. Lol
On the other hand, here are few more current pictures. Today’s project was vacuuming all the dirt out the expansion joints. Lol
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4xdog
Well-known member
Love your shop, jtpappy.
Most places that (try) to keep clean have a positive air pressure inside. That's a lotta volume to pressurize, but some sort of blower system sucking in clean-filtered air would keep outside dust from infiltrating the place.
How well are the doors sealed, especially the bottoms? My (much dirtier) garage seems to get a helluva lot through the door seals -- it seems to have something to do with the aerodynamics of that wall vs the prevailing winds, where a low pressure area against the door ***** everything inside. I'm thinking about brush seals for the door bottoms -- I've used those in industrial labs I've worked in over the years and they worked well there.
Most places that (try) to keep clean have a positive air pressure inside. That's a lotta volume to pressurize, but some sort of blower system sucking in clean-filtered air would keep outside dust from infiltrating the place.
How well are the doors sealed, especially the bottoms? My (much dirtier) garage seems to get a helluva lot through the door seals -- it seems to have something to do with the aerodynamics of that wall vs the prevailing winds, where a low pressure area against the door ***** everything inside. I'm thinking about brush seals for the door bottoms -- I've used those in industrial labs I've worked in over the years and they worked well there.
Don1357
Well-known member
You have a lot of space, which means you have a lot of air to filtrate. Start by calculating how many cubic feet are in your building and how many air changes per hour you need, from six per hour for your average office to 18 for a running woodshop.
Say a 10' by 10' by 10' box is 1,000 cubic feet. If you want 12 air changes per hour that's 12,000 cubic feet of air. That means you would need a filter capable of doing 200 Cubic Feet per Minute, which adds up to that 12,000 over an hour.
Multiple filters adding up to your need would be more effective as they would spread the intake.
Say a 10' by 10' by 10' box is 1,000 cubic feet. If you want 12 air changes per hour that's 12,000 cubic feet of air. That means you would need a filter capable of doing 200 Cubic Feet per Minute, which adds up to that 12,000 over an hour.
Multiple filters adding up to your need would be more effective as they would spread the intake.
sberry
Banned
I agree, air cleaner, floor scrubber, vacuum up dirt and dust.
sberry
Banned
I been in that size of garage and like the footprint. Got some relatives built a shack, then added on before the grass grew back, considering the family labor they could muster they should have doubled the size.
But back to this, nice footprint and I wired one a while back so got to walk around in it. Nice room and could make some turning radius.
But back to this, nice footprint and I wired one a while back so got to walk around in it. Nice room and could make some turning radius.
sberry
Banned
What climate, there is no location. I like the more square design. I am always inclined to get the doors in the gable but the look here is superb. Probably slick for landscape.
Judging by how neat and clean your shop is inside and out, I think your other "problem" is similar to mine...you have OCD lol. It's not a bad thing but sometimes it can consume you and you have to learn with some dirt, dust, and disorganization once in a while.
sberry
Banned
The flow is my thing too.
So just to update y’all. I have cleaned every square inch of this place and I think I have it under control. The vacuum is my best friend now, using it every time I am messing with a dirty part. Even the vacuum gets cleaned after every use lol. I also built a loft and finished the bathroom. Here are some pics..
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Here’s some more pics
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dcg9381
Well-known member
I run 1-2 "robot vacs" on a schedule and run 1-2 ductless systems (which also filter). Having a finished floor is a big help.
ace10
Well-known member
Keeping the doors closed is a good start. There's an endless supply of "dust" in the outside world.
Improving the sealing of the doors is another step.
Obviously won't help with inside activities that are generating a mess.
Robot vac is an interesting idea. I have been researching the Makita 36V unit because it's an absolute beast, but it's too tall (7") to fit under most vehicles.
Improving the sealing of the doors is another step.
Obviously won't help with inside activities that are generating a mess.
Robot vac is an interesting idea. I have been researching the Makita 36V unit because it's an absolute beast, but it's too tall (7") to fit under most vehicles.
dbldmnd
Member
Great looking garage! I can't help on the dust issue, but I do have some questions.
I've got a 40x64x14 that I am working on finishing out. I like look of the floors, what is the finish? Also what is the size you loft? I want to build something similar. And finally what insulation is in the walls?
I've got a 40x64x14 that I am working on finishing out. I like look of the floors, what is the finish? Also what is the size you loft? I want to build something similar. And finally what insulation is in the walls?
Thank you. No crazy finish they just smoothed it after they poured. It’s about 4 years of oil, water, coolant, and grease just soaked in. I never sealed it. The loft is 16x24 and I am planning to increase it even more. Go the biggest possible.