I recently built a nice workbench and am wondering how it will fare if placed in an unheated garage. Garage is sound, concrete floor. Temperatures here range from zero degrees F – 90 degrees F. The bench has a laminated 2 inch thick maple top, maple rails and stretchers and Douglas fir legs. Leg vise of maple. Steel vise screw. It is stout but built to disassemble easily with bolts. Maple pieces finished with 2 coats of Waterlox. Doug fir legs painted with 3 coats of General Finishes milk paint. I’m concerned about how the weather and moisture will affect the bench as well as hand tools and power tools in the same space. Anyone have experience with this situation or advice to offer? Thanks.
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It should be fine inside the garage. I'd keep it blocked off the floor a little bit (1/2 in is plenty) to prevent wicking into the feet from the concrete.
Tools might rust a bit, keep them oiled or waxed and it should be fine.
The bigger issue us finishes those can't take the cold well and need to go inside.
My shop is similarly situated. Your bench will likely be just fine, although you made no mention of humidity. I am in a relatively humid area (Chesapeake Bay area). If you too are in a very humid area, you may want to consider a dehumidifier. I have one (Frigidare roughly $235) with a continuous drain hose under the garage door. I have no more issues with wood warping or cast iron rusting. I keep the humidity in the shop between 35% and 40%.
I wouldn't worry about the bench so much, but I would worry about rust on the hand tools.
Quickly going from hot to cold and vice versa is when you can get the most moisture buildup, so watch that.
I don't know if "LordUlrich" has personal experience with moisture wicking into wood from direct contact with a concrete floor, but I certainly have. After a few of direct wood to concrete contact, I had to cutoff about 2 inches of the legs to find "good" wood.
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