Keeping Your Workshop Warm: Heating Options

Working in a freezing workshop is miserable and can affect your work. Stiff hands make mistakes. Here's how to heat your space effectively.

Understanding Workshop Heating

Workshops present challenges:

• Often poorly insulated
• Large doors lose heat when opened
• High ceilings (hot air rises)
• Concrete floors stay cold
• May contain flammable materials

Your heating solution needs to account for these factors.

Heating Options

Electric Fan Heaters

Pros: Cheap to buy, instant heat, portable, no installation

Cons: High running costs, heats air not objects, heat lost quickly when doors open

Best for: Occasional use, small spaces, temporary heating

Oil-Filled Radiators

Pros: Safer (no exposed element), maintain heat after switching off, silent

Cons: Slow to heat up, still expensive to run, take up floor space

Best for: Smaller workshops, office areas within workshops

Infrared/Radiant Heaters

Pros: Heat objects not air, effective even in draughty spaces, instant warmth where directed

Cons: Only warm what they're pointed at, can be intense close up

Best for: Spot heating workbenches, larger draughty spaces

Propane/Gas Heaters

Pros: High heat output, lower running cost than electric, no electrical installation needed

Cons: Need ventilation (produce moisture and fumes), fire risk with flammables, fuel storage

Best for: Large spaces, workshops with good ventilation, no electrical supply

Wood Burners

Pros: Very warm, cheap fuel if you have wood access, pleasant heat

Cons: Need flue installation, fire risk, takes time to heat up, maintenance

Best for: Permanent workshops, rural locations, if you have wood supply

Fixed Heating Systems

Tube heaters, ceiling-mounted radiant panels, or proper HVAC.

Pros: Permanent solution, even heat, safe

Cons: Installation cost, may need professional fitting

Best for: Serious workshops, professional premises

Insulation First

Before spending on heating, reduce heat loss:

• Insulate roof/ceiling if possible
• Seal gaps and draughts
• Insulate doors or fit draft excluders
• Consider a heated zone rather than whole workshop

Insulation pays back every year.

Keeping Warm at the Bench

Sometimes heating the whole space isn't practical. Consider:

• Infrared panel above your main work area
• Heated floor mat under your standing position
• Proper work clothing - layers are effective
• Keep moving - stationary work gets cold

Safety Considerations

• Keep heaters away from flammable materials and dust
• Gas heaters need ventilation - open a window
• Don't dry clothes on heaters
• Keep fire extinguisher accessible
• Check electrical capacity before plugging in high-wattage heaters
• Don't leave unattended

Calculating Heat Requirements

Rough guide: workshops need about 50-70 watts per square metre for basic heating in insulated space, more for poorly insulated.

A typical single garage (15m2) needs around 1-2kW of heating. A double garage or larger workshop needs 3kW+.

Browse heating and electrical supplies in our electrical range.