What's your preferred working temperature?

[-Brent-]

Ideally, I'd love for my garage to be 66* F when I'm working in there. Currently my shop is pretty archaic. The stand-alone propane heater could never get the garage to 66* when it's freezing outside. However, on Thursday I was working and had the heat running and found myself very comfortable at... wait for it... 42*! I had a sweatshirt and jeans. I had a knit hat on but tossed it onto the bench because I was actually comfortable.

Perhaps it was because I was wrenching and moving around? I don't know. But, I was surprised when I looked at the thermometer of the wall and it was as low as it was.

So, all that said, what's your ideal working temp. and what's the actual temp.?

 

[Rod N]

My wife pointed out the other day that the garage is warmer than the house. lol

 

[fury9]

Depends how hard I'm working, 55-60 seems good. Beer drinking 72 is nice, actual temp I just turn up or down the heater to my comfort zone

 

[Crazy68Dart]

50-55 in a sweatshirt, anything warmer is uncomfortable unless you are just standing around wishing your car was done... lol.

 

[brycez28]

During the winter, 55-60 feels pretty good if I'm actively working. By time my garage gets up to 60 degrees, I've shedded my jacket, sweatshirt and I'm down to my jeans and a tshirt.

 

[tadwolfe]

Sunny and 60 Degrees

 

[Bull]

I want 70 degrees, maybe 75.

What I actually have is between 40 and 60 during the winter. I do end up getting pretty comfortable if I am moving around and properly dressed, especially in my new insulated Dickies suit.

 

[Gasgt1]

usually 55-60 in the winter is comfortable.
Cooler if working on something more physical.

 

[Stinger]

60-66 depending on how warm I'm dressed.

 

[JakeKohl]

I'm with you at 66 degrees. I can work pretty hard in a long sleeve Tshirt and not break too much of a sweat. When I stop to catch the game highlight, it's not too cool.

 

[LWW]

65 is the sweet spot for me.

 

[purplezr2]

45 is pretty comfy in the Bibs, I grew up with out a heated garage so I'm use to doing all my mechanical work no matter what the temp is, changing out a axle in -10 isn't the most fun.

 

[tdkkart]

With radiant floor heat, 52-54 is very nice in a long sleeve shirt. Any more and you'll be sweating if you're working.

 

[tjmonsen5]

When i am working in the garage, I am usually pulling off my hat and sweaters. I am usually very comfortable. When my girlfriend comes into the garage she says its FREEZING in here!
As long as you are moving around and pulling wrenches, you will be decently warm.

 

[wood02]

50° to 55°

 

[Gary S]

40-60 degrees is best for me. Below that, everything I touch is cold. Above that, I sweat and my day is done.

 

[shooting4life]

The heat is in the tools, at least, that is what I am told when I complain about being cold.

 

[lukedwag]

If I am hustling it can be as cool as 50 and be fine. If I am doing something more seditary (like messing with a chainsaw or something) 65-70 is nice. We heat with a little woodstove and even with no insulation in the walls and 2 inches of foam in the ceiling we can keep it 70 or if the outside temp is 0.

 

[chops101]

70 is good, but that only happens for a few months

 

[Garage Coffee Roaster]

My preferred temp would be 55-60F with a nice warm floor. What I have is usually 38-50 with a 38F floor in the winter.
I am in a uninsulated one car with a concrete floor. I am working on closing gaps in the ceiling that leads to the loft.

 

[moonpool145]

I am different than yall. Much much different. I don't have to hustle in my garage to make a living as it is just for fun. So, 85 is about right. However I don't mind it a bit warmer. Though as it approaches the mid 90's it is no fun anymore

 

[nmcqueen469]

65* is my sweet spot so I can work in a t-shirt.

 

[rlitman]

I prefer cooler temps. I can always throw another layer on.
But there gets to be a point where it is too cold. For me that's right around freezing.

At 40F, I'm still comfortable. At 35F, I'll turn on the heat to take the chill off.
Below that I'll turn the heat on max and run it a while. The colder it is, the warmer I'll try to heat the shop. Because the tools take longer to heat than the air, the colder the tools get, the warmer I'll try to make the air to make up for it.

But in the winter, I don't ever bother heating past 45-50F.

 

[colt zantop]

60-65 is perfect....

 

[Fizbin]

I try to keep my workshop around 70 in the winter and about 75 in the summer. Since my garage is attached (underneath the main house) and fully insulated, it doesn't take much to get there. Living in the South also helps a good bit.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Depends what I'm doing. Painting/staining, I want it atleast 70, which means I have to get the garage side warmer than that. Wrenching or welding 65 is good. Overall, I'd say it's relative to what I'm doing.

 

[justanengineer]

~70F is preferred. Need to get started on installing a vented NG heater, the electric space heaters dont keep it warm enough and Im tired of cleaning surface rust off machinery. My last rental had the furnace in the garage and while it was a waste of space that made me nervous (SWMBO parked in there and we hit it once), when the furnace was kicking it got up to 75F+ in there despite not being "heated."

 

[Steevo]

I prefer my shop at 55º-60º, if working, but maybe as high as 65º if just hanging out (haven't ever done that, but it sounds like fun).

Note: temps in F

 

[rlitman]

Depends what I'm doing. Painting/staining, I want it atleast 70, which means I have to get the garage side warmer than that. Wrenching or welding 65 is good. Overall, I'd say it's relative to what I'm doing.

My kerosene heater doesn't have a chance at reaching 70F in the garage when it's below freezing outside. But I've got a 2 car uninsulated detached garage, and only a 20kBTU heater. Yes, vented heater (mine is sealed combustion) is the only way to go. But I can supplement it with a radiant electric heater and stay comfortable enough in a sweatshirt and watchcap.

70 is indeed ideal for painting, but here's a secret.
40 is just fine for most oil based paint. Especially for something like Kilz primer.
When I had a winter painting project, I did all the stinky priming in the cold garage, let the pieces dry, then brought them in to do the latex finish paint in the warm house with no complaints from the wife for weeks about the smell of the oil based paint (used low VOC latex).

Rustoleum is fine in the cold too. Just use acetone instead of naphtha as a thinner.

I agree that staining in the cold is not so great though. The slower drying can mess with the evenness of your sheen. But a hand rubbed french polish is still fine. The denatured alcohol doesn't notice the cold.

 

[MRFORDMAN1994]

I have a well insulated 18/26 garage with a concrete floor and it gets about 90 in there with my new coal stove burning. i like it at about 75-90 but with the stove having the ability to put a 3000 square foot house at 80 it is hard to not overheat my garage especially since it only has a 7 foot ceiling. i have had it at 110 with no problem with that stove.

 

[crewchief888]

my garage isnt insulated,
all i have for heat is a noisy propane fired heater.

during the winter, i'm typically dressed for cold weather anytime i walk outside the house.

if i can keep my hands and feet from freezing i'm fine.

hot summer day?
dont bother me at all, i worked in heavy eq shops in central florida for 15 years.


at work i try to keep the thermostats down around 55F-60F.
i'm dressed for single digit temps.

 

[Krodad]

I like to wear a jacket when I'm working in the shop, and boots, so 55 seems about perfect. Incidentally, that's the perfect temp for weight gain on cattle!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[1/2 Cup]

25.5 degrees C for me down here. 12 months of the year would be nice.

 

[bbmach]

Mid 60's and I've lost the flannel shirt for a t-shirt. Perfecto. If I can get it under 80 in the summer, I'm a happy camper then too.

 

[911mike]

60 with infloor radiant heat. Once the lights are on and the 60" plasma heats up it climbs to the upper 60's. The shop with infloor heat "feels" warmer than the garage with force air at 70+

 

[toofart]

During the winter, 55-60 feels pretty good if I'm actively working. By time my garage gets up to 60 degrees, I've shedded my jacket, sweatshirt and I'm down to my jeans and a tshirt.

x2 Same here

 

[Jagmandave]

Humidity is the problem for me, if the humidity is up even 60 can be too hot to work hard.

If it's dry, 60-65 is nice.....

 

[Zeke]

Under 80º is the best statement yet. Under 50 and I need a bit of heat.

 

[Kurt E]

When I work in the shop I like it about 50-55 when working. I wear carhart bibs and flannel shirts. If I am in jeans and a t shirt doing light work then 65 is about right. My shop isn't insulated the greatest so on the coldest days 60 is about all I can maintain. I do have an office/warm room that is insulted very well. I keep it about 65-70.

 

[Mike Miller]

In the winter my heat is set at fifty two degrees.