Shop windows

[RAT]

I'll be retiring in a year and considering relocating. This would give me the possibility of having a stand-alone shop (rather than working in my garage). If you wanted to make the best use of natural light with a window above your bench would you orient your shop so the window faced south? I'm currently in SW Montana with a possible move to NW Montana, but that's not yet decided..

[bama]

SE exposure I think would work well.

[blackdave]

In photography, North light is considered best for coverage and diffusion.  Others may disagree.
I remain your humble servant.

Just Dave

[kaintuck]

wet light in the morning, and becomes 'dry' by afternoon..........that's why you NEVER take girl photos in the evening....... soft warm morning light....but then girls don't get up early...........
anyhow~ I oriented the greenhouse east/west to get the most outta the sun......
but tomtom and I both need extra light in the shop no matter how many windows....AND a magnifier..........

marc n tomtom

[WKevinD]

South windows will give heat and glaring light, painters use North light for true color and soft shadows, west facing will drive you out in the summer. Keep in mind the seasonal movement of the sun (narrower East/ West rise and set) and the seasonal angle (lower in winter higher in summer) I have built a number of passive solar homes so I'm very focused on window direction.
My shop windows are East,South,East in a hemlock stand.

[Mike Brooks]

I have one to the east and one to the south. I need curtains over them at certain times of the day. Believe it or not you can have too much light at times.

[P.Bigham]

 If I could build a new shop.   I would have the north side full of windows with my bench under them.

[Mark Elliott]

Indirect light is the best for most things.   There are no hash shadows and it is a high temp blue light (as in 6000K) that gives you good color rendition.    So, anything from northwest to northeast is best for most of the day.     You will need lots of window area though.   Little windows don't cut it. 

[Bob Roller]

I have one to the east and one to the south. I need curtains over them at certain times of the day. Believe it or not you can have too much light at times.

My shop has that problem,It has 3 windows.36x72 North,East and West sides. The South wall has a big air conditioner that makes working there pleasant. I installed a new window pane in the North side and sometimes I get too much light. Maybe 6 foot venetian blinds would help. My bench is under the North window.

Bob Roller

[Kermit]

Or follow George Bernard Shaw's lead and build a shop that rotates. His writing hut here:

http://www.fuelyourwriting.com/the-writing-spaces-george-bernard-shaw/

[Blacksmoke]

I put in sky lights with direct sun light diffusers and all of my other windows face West or North. during the day I do not need artificial light except on cloudy days.  However during the winter I do have to keep the snow cleared off of the skylights.  Ever seen Charlie Russell's studio in Helena MT. All of his light came from skylights.  If you have a chance to build a new shop you might want to consider skylights.   Hugh Toenjes

[Nordnecker]

My shop windows pretty much all face the south. This is not really ideal but that's the way it ended up. During the winter, on a bright sunny day, the light coming through the windows is so strong and angled so low that I have to pull shades down. Then I have to use a work lamp to see what I'm doing at the bench. It sounds crazy, but the contrast between the bright light and the ambient light in the rest of the shop is too great. It's fine on an overcast day or in the summer.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I installed windows on 3 sides of my shop to take advantage of sun at different times of the day and seasons.  I positioned my main woodworking bench and stain/finishing bench by the north and northwest facing windows.  My engraving bench faces northwest to west but I have a porch roof that shades that work area from sharp light from the southwest and west. I have windows on the south - southeast facing wall for morning light, and no windows on the east - northeast wall. 


The windows work well and I rarely need my overhead lights during day.  I have roller shades on the northwest facing windows near my woodworking bench because late day low angle sun is too intense for woodworking and carving.  Ironically, my shop is brightest inside during winter because the sun is at a lower angle and light reflects off the snow.  Skylights are great.  My wife had them in her studio.  However, depending on the pitch of your roof, they can get covered with snow and may also need to be cleaned of leaves and debris.  An alternative to skylights are tube lights.  These are reflective tubes that passively funnel light from your roof to points within the room.  They use less ceiling space so you have plenty of room for overhead lights, however they are best for filling in light at specific points rather than general distributed light.  Good luck and post photos.

dave

[Tony N]

Wow, your shop looks very clean and organized!!

~Tony

[smart dog]

Hi Tony,
It is very organized.  Clean....  well that's another story.

dave

[Longshot]

I'm going to echo the recommendation for north light.  Easiest to live with year round [east coast].  I find that Clerestory mounted northern windows with at least one S/Sw facing window that casts light across the length of your principal bench is an especially nice set-up.

[Curt Larsen]

I don't have options as my shop is a separate room in my garage with two small west facing windows also facing my neighbor's house.  I have to settle for 4 tube industrial fluorescents.  Loewes or Home Depot carry them.

[Daryl]

Dave - where's all your "STUFF"?

[Acer Saccharum]

North light is best for even light, softer shadowing. Ideal for engraving, inletting, stock contouring. Put your workbench under a North facing window.

South light will illuminate your whole shop. You need some of that. But it's too intense to work under.

South windows for general lighting and heat gain. North light to work by. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I have 3 side by side North facing windows and my bench is in front of them.....Sometimes the light is so bright that I have to adjust venetian blinds to keep from being blinded by the glare........ No big deal, It works.

[Old Ford2]

To control the acute glare in my shop..........I put a hat on to stop the glare of light from the top of my head 
Fred

[J Henry]

 Put in lots of windows,,lets in the outside and plenty of light,,you can always put shades up.Want to see how it feels with few windows,,work in the basement for a day or a room with only one natural light source..Setting in my Living room, you feel like your in a Green House, 3 sides,wrap around windows and a Vaulted  15" ceiling.When in doubt ,, add windows,,,,

[Mike Brooks]

I have one to the east and one to the south. I need curtains over them at certain times of the day. Believe it or not you can have too much light at times.

My shop has that problem,It has 3 windows.36x72 North,East and West sides. The South wall has a big air conditioner that makes working there pleasant. I installed a new window pane in the North side and sometimes I get too much light. Maybe 6 foot venetian blinds would help. My bench is under the North window.

Bob Roller

The window over my bench faces east. There are certain times of the morning at different times of the year it is impossible to see any contour or texture on a stock. I have  a mule deer rack mounted over that window and strategically hang old towels and shop rags from the antlers to give some temporary shade. I actually like a relatively dark shop with a 100 watt bulb on a swing arm lamp to cast sharp shadows.
 You,d think my wife would take pity on me and make a curtain for me....

[smart dog]

Dave - where's all your "STUFF"?

Hi Daryl,
Here is my stuff:

[Ric27]

North light has all the advantages that natural light has to offer with none of the draw backs. It creates defused shadows and very little specularity. North light seems to just wrap around three dimensional objects. Big, tall windows work the best but any window facing north will emit beautiful light all day, year round.