Shop Image and Layout
by Nancy Beaudette and Noella Cotnam
Signcraft Magazine, May / June 1999
The Critical Factor
Rumor had it that Sign It was moving and even though we hadn't officially made
the decision, we knew it was inevitable. A friend and business associate approached
us and asked if we would be interested in leasing space in a warehouse he was
considering purchasing, and we said yes. Our previous shop was 1800 sq. ft. and
though we loved it, we had simply outgrown it. The last couple of years there
involved working out of as many as four locations at once. Near the end, we literally
came to work in the morning, opened the garage door and rolled the inventory
into the parking lot, and then rolled it back in at 5:00. Productivity was down
because we would have to setup and re-setup for every job, and inevitably something
would get banged up and force us to go two steps back instead of forward. Many
things suffered, including morale and the bottom line. The critical factor for
our move was more space; to house everything under one roof again, and still
have room to grow. We also wanted to address the morale situation, which was
probably more complicated than figuring out the shop layout. Our solution involved
creating a designated lunchroom, personal area for employees and spacious work
stations along with administrative things like detailed job descriptions, scheduled
reviews, and opportunities for discussion and additional training ( but that's
a whole other article ).
Features we wanted
We spent quite a bit of time dreaming of a perfect sign shop, (if one can really
exist) so when it finally came down to creating a floor plan we were confident
we could get everything we wanted. Though there were one or two heated debates
during the process, we agreed that the following shop features were a must:
* Roomy offices
* Warm, friendly showroom
* High ceilings
* Spacious work areas
* Movable workbenches
* Proper lighting
* Organized inventory storage
* Large overhead door
* Noise reduction within the shop
* Ventilated sandblast room
* Safety stations
* Networked computers
* Phone system & intercom
* Stereo system in the shop & office
* Security system and fire detectors
Planning the workspace
The total square footage of our new shop is 5000 sq. ft. We knew we wanted
an attractive showroom and nice offices up front because they are the first
things our customers see. The value of spending money on a good showroom
was proven at the old shop. A large paint and finishing area was crucial,
as were high ceilings and good lighting. We wanted to lay out 20 jobs at
one time if necessary and not have to move them again until they're done.
There are five movable workbenches 24"x 72" scattered about the shop and
one 4' x 8' table on wheels. Sawhorses are still a favorite because they
can be stacked to free up floor space when not being used. We have a paint
mixing table and lots of shelving for gallon cans and sign paint, and there's
even an area set up for shipping. We also wanted a large woodworking/carving
room, shared with the 408 Sabre router, yet isolated from the rest of the
shop so that dust and noise could be kept to a minimum. To achieve this,
a large insulated wall would be constructed as a divider between the two
main shops. The compressor, dust collector, vacuum pump, substrate racks,
tool storage, and a cut-off rack are all housed in the woodshop area. A 10'
x 16' sandblast booth would be built at the back of the shop, complete with
exhaust fans, sealed lighting and a viewing window for curious customers.
As well, we thought we should have a designated area for doing express jobs,
which would include lots of counter space, a wall easel and weeding table.
The plotter and Gerber Edge are also set up in this area. We have 12' ceilings
in the shop and 8' in the offices and sandblast room, which allows for 4'
of storage space up above.
Lyndon and Nancy's offices along with the multi purpose
room are semi-open concept, meaning there are walls between us but no doors.
It was important that we be able to communicate easily throughout the day
and have quick access to files. We also wanted the library to be close at
hand for researching design projects. Noella's office and her pictorial painting
area were designed and built to add flavor and a sense of fun to the shop.
We even have a hammock rigged up in the multipurpose room for those extra-tight
deadlines and "all
night, get it done, sleep in shifts" projects.
The computers and phones all had predetermined locations so cables and jacks
could be run during construction. For peace of mind, a monitored security system
was installed at the same time. We also gave consideration to fire extinguisher
and first aid locations. Five safety stations are set up along with two eyewash
stations, and six fire extinguishers.
Having a lunchroom is like being in heaven. No more scraping paint off the
silverware! We have a microwave, full size fridge, cupboards, coffee maker,
water cooler and enough room for everyone to sit together and have lunch.
We have two bathrooms, which seems like a luxury, but we didn't have a lot
of flexibility when it came to water supply in the shop. We had to settle for
a wash tub in the paint room and a kitchen sink. We hope to add a water line
to the truck bay at the rear of the shop sometime in the future.
What we might do differently:
We have no regrets about the move; the environment is not only more efficient,
it's more relaxed. Everything has a place and work flows smoothly through
the shop. We still have work to do on the outside of the building; maybe
some window treatments or something. As for other additions, maybe someday
we'll add french doors with a deck off the lunchroom…maybe a swing,
barbecue, hot tub …
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