From pyrography to saw scrolling, woodworking is a craft that requires a designated space to stay focused and inspired. Whether you find yourself beginning to dabble in the art or are a person who has some experience under his or her belt, creating a woodworking station within your home requires a lot of thought and consideration.

In order to help you get started, we reached out to woodworking experts from Toronto, ON to Chicago, IL to help you get started. In order to help you achieve your woodworking goals, take a look at what they had to say. 

Safety first 

If you plan to have your woodworking station in a basement or attached garage shop where a mistake could have a lifelong impact, have an extinguisher that’s appropriate for electrical and chemical hazards, a basic first aid kit in the shop, and wear your personal protective equipment. –  Archer Woodworking

Start with a clear design for your woodworking station

It’s important to have accurate measurements and an understanding of the functionality of your design. Do you need access to electricity or add lighting? Be sure to plan the whole layout and design before you start building your woodworking station. – Raleigh Woodworks 

Every inch counts 

In a small garage or room, make use of all available space for cabinets, shelves, and storage for your woodworking station. Covering openings with doors or plastic sheets will help keep dust out. –  Szabo Woodworks

Make use of outdoor space and fresh air

I have used the front steps of an apartment building, a balcony, my lawn under the tree, and a deck. All of them give a little more space for big jobs., This also allows the wind to remove sawdust from your woodworking station and helps reduce the fumes when using any finishes or paint.  – Scribal Workshop

Or install an air filtration system

Many hobbyist woodworkers end up breathing more sawdust than professional woodworkers that are working with wood 8 hours a day. An air filter, a dust collector, or an exhaust fan will all work. While the smell of wood can bring on nostalgia, if you can smell it, you are breathing it and that can cause long-term lung issues. – Early Wood Designs

Build around your table saw 

Most of your work as a woodworker revolves around your table saw, so make it a centerpiece and build an out-feed table in front of it as one side. Once you’re done cutting all your parts, the out-feed table becomes your assembly table and you’ll have a ton of shelving storage space underneath while keeping everything off the floor. – Viktor Nikolayenko Woodwork

Make your bases mobile

For those with small woodworking stations, be sure to add mobile bases to your tools or workstations. By doing so, you can store and use more than your space may allow. Mobile woodworking stations permit you to work outside in the fresh air, keeping unhealthy dust out of your shop. – Four Oaks Crafts

Look into the option of making your woodworking tools and machinery mobile. This will help maximize your space. Don’t forget to have a dust collection system too. – Satoshi Yamauchi Woodworks Build your own benches and work tables and put them on wheels. This will save you a lot of money, allow you to make stuff to fit the space you have available and make everything easier to maneuver. – Kaizen Woodworks

Utilize wall space for your tools 

Utilize your wall space for tool storage with shop-made storage or solutions that get your tools within reach and off your floor. Then, make the most of your floor space by either making or purchasing stands or bases for your tools that are on wheels so you can roll tools out of the way when not in use. – Knottyburl Woodworks

Keep your tools and equipment within reach

Keep your work area clean after each use and know exactly where your tools are at all times.  That way if you need to get a project done quickly, you aren’t trying to clean up and locate your tools before you can begin. – Love’s Custom Woodwork

Easily clamp your projects to the table

Sawing, routering, carving, and drilling are all operations that need to be able to perform safely. Add a face vise and have a good overhang on the tabletop so bar clamps can hold the project for you. You need your hands free to work the tool, and clamps are an easy way to hold your project steady while you work. – Jake Wilson Woodworks

Make use of vertical storage 

One of the simplest ways to add tool storage to any area is to use the space above floor tools or harder-to-reach areas for tools you use less often. These are good spots to add custom-built cabinets or shelves that can fit specific tools or other things you need to store in your workshop. – 42nd Parallel Woodworking

Don’t forget about temperate control

When converting an area in your home to become a woodworking space, consider temperature control. Keep it above 50° Fahrenheit so that you don’t impact glue drying and any other dry times. If your space is detached from your home, be sure to insulate it and if you are working on concrete, anti-fatigue mats will save your knees — wood floors are best. – Dusty Dude Woodworks

Create as flexible of a woodworking station as possible

Use overhead space for material storage in your woodworking station. Keep tools and workbenches on wheels. Have everything at the same height as possible, which will make the space versatile and allow you to combine elements, like an outfeed table for your table saw that also serves as a workbench and tool storage. –  Revolution Workshop 

We recommend starting with a solid, good-quality workbench and storage for a few tools – using the walls for storage is optimal. From there, you can add a basic tool kit, and don’t forget to keep those tools sharp. – Allied Woodshop

Originally published on Redfin.com