Many owners of city apartments are familiar with the desire to transform a balcony from a place where they put unnecessary things or occasionally go out to get some air, into a useful room, especially if its area is large enough. Some people need an extra bedroom, others need a children's room, and others dream of a workshop, but cannot afford to turn one of the apartment rooms into it. Already exist good examples such transformations. A do-it-yourself workshop on a balcony is no more difficult than a living room. Now we will tell you how you can implement this idea and give some useful tips.
Initial preparation of the balcony for refurbishment
Whatever the purpose the premises being created, glazing is a prerequisite for the planned alteration. If there is already one on the balcony, you will have to evaluate its condition and compliance with your intentions. For those who are going to use the balcony only in the summer, it will be enough to install cold glazing (it is noticeably cheaper), but those who want the new room to be comfortable in the winter should take care of equipping it with warm glazing and insulation.
There are many articles on this topic, so here we will simply outline the basic steps. Warm glazing involves frames made of heat-insulating material and double-glazed windows. It is very important that all seams, cracks and cracks are well sealed. Then you need to ensure thermal insulation of the floor, ceiling and external walls. Features of insulation installation depend on the selected materials. In the very general case To base surface a timber sheathing is attached, and all gaps are filled with insulation. The lathing will then be useful to you as a basis for the finishing coating.
If you have a workshop, for example, a carpentry or metalworking shop, where there is a lot of waste, it is especially important to choose the right coating. It should be easy to clean and resistant to washing. The use of fabrics in decoration is undesirable. One of the simplest and most affordable combinations is plastic panels on the walls and linoleum on the floor.
Heating and electricity on the balcony
Another significant point is the choice of heating method for the new room. These methods are now quite varied, but in our case it is more rational to choose those devices that do not take up the usable area of an already small room. Commonly used options include underfloor heating, wall and ceiling heating units. You can combine several heat sources.
The ability to connect to the electrical network is useful for any room, but for a workshop on a loggia, where, as a rule, there are electrical appliances, it is not only desirable, but necessary. This means we need an extension cord, it will be more convenient if it has several sockets. Optimal thickness wires - 2.5 square millimeters. You can make an extension cord yourself, but it’s easier to buy a ready-made one network filter with protection against power surges.
How to set up a workshop on the balcony
When the room is ready, you can finally start decorating it. It is at this stage that the room acquires character traits related to its purpose, and the actual conversion of the balcony into a workshop begins. When a small room must accommodate a wide variety of items, it is all the more important to carefully think through and plan everything. Almost mandatory elements of any workshop on a loggia will be a work table and storage sections. From them correct location largely depends on how comfortable you find it to work.
For a workshop table, the main qualities are stability, strength and functionality. Various models, where support elements are complemented by shelves and drawers, have long become widespread because they are convenient and allow you to use space as efficiently as possible. Cabinets and shelving of various sizes can be added to the table or separate design. Items that are rarely used should be stored on the top shelves in boxes or containers.
If you are making a carpentry or metalworking workshop, in addition to regular shelves, you can make a specialized one for screwdrivers and similar tools. Drill holes of the required diameter in it into which the tools will be inserted, so much more items will fit on the shelf and they will be easier to find. There are also other storage devices - hooks, pockets, loops, etc. With their help, you can arrange everything you need for work so that the tools are in sight and at hand, and you don’t have to spend a long time looking for the right thing.
If it was stored on the balcony old wardrobe or a table, they, of course, can be transported to another place (for example, to the country) or simply thrown away. But it would be much more rational to find some use for these pieces of furniture by repairing them or using individual parts for new designs.
Nowadays, those who like to craft at home can find almost everything they need on sale, including compact machines designed specifically for such working conditions. If the balcony area allows, you can place one or even several of these machines. But at the same time, you must follow the rules for installing and operating the selected devices. Most of them require a stable base - a metal frame.
So, creating a workshop on the balcony is within the capabilities of most people. Even small balcony allows you to organize workplace with a table and a section for the most necessary tools. And if its area is 4-5 square meters or even more, then such a balcony can be turned into a full-fledged workshop with everything you need.
It would be foolish not to use the limited area of an apartment wisely. Great resource extra space can become a balcony, which is often cluttered and simply not used. Even if it is not filled with junk, it is often not used as efficiently as it could be. A little knowledge and willpower can give your home an extension of the room, another room, a dressing room, utility room or a workshop on the balcony of a city apartment. If you are ready for change, go ahead.
This part of the redevelopment for a workshop may be the most expensive, but the expenses will more than pay off. Not only because they will give you an additional work area. But also because they will save the heating budget during the cold season. If the space is not glazed, we glaze it. If the balcony has old windows or cold double-glazed windows, they will have to be redone or completely replaced.
Strengthening the parapet before glazing Consult with specialists - before installing the glass, you may also have to strengthen the parapet in order to install strong frames. Double-glazed windows for the workshop should be chosen. Frames must be heat insulating. Gaps, cracks and seams should be sealed most carefully with reliable materials - polyurethane mastic and sealants.
We insulate
When remodeling a balcony, the walls, floor and ceiling require additional attention.
Expanded polystyrene insulation, which is light in weight and relatively thin in thickness, has proven itself well in the construction market. It will not crumble and can be easily cut with a knife into the required sizes. With the most modest budget, you can insulate the space with polystyrene foam leaves, but you need to be prepared to lose extra centimeters.
Insulating materials can be attached using timber sheathing, dowels, or glued to them. You can combine two methods at once for greater effect. After fastening, all seams must be filled polyurethane foam.
It is better to choose glue, foam and other building materials (solvents, varnishes, paints) without toluene. This Chemical substance is a toxic poison and can lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system upon contact.
The most labor-intensive process will be the process of insulating the balcony floor: it needs to be well waterproofed, leveled, and only then lay out the insulation. The insulation of the floor is completed by laying polymer concrete and reinforced mesh.
To insulate the walls and ceiling, it is enough to attach insulation and cover the walls with moisture-resistant cardboard. Can be installed on the ceiling suspended structure. To avoid the inevitable problems with fungus and mold on the balcony, use vapor barrier tape.
Finishing
We provide comfort depending on the purpose additional meters. You can simply paint the moisture-resistant cardboard that completed the insulation stage in any color. You can paste wallpaper, sheathe walls MDF panels, wood or plastic.
Properly laid tiles are one of the keys to success If you are setting up a workshop on your balcony, it is better to take materials that are resistant to frequent washing, mechanical damage or fire - depending on the field of activity. Perhaps the best reliable solution would be a tiled floor. Linoleum or laminate in cases of work with high temperatures undesirable. In such cases, it is better to cover the walls with plasterboard and paint them. This will be both more durable and safer.
Adjusting temperature and light
For additional heating the most obvious options are to make a heated floor, install a radiator, heat gun or heater. If winters in your region are harsh and long, you can use more than one heat source. Depending on the climate and the direction of the world to which the balcony faces, in the summer you may not be able to do without air conditioning.
It is better not to use air conditioning for heating to avoid overheating of equipment
If the space is being equipped as a workshop, it needs to be equipped with good light. We take the electricity cable out of the room and use extension cords to help. For general workshop lighting ideal option There will be fluorescent lamps that provide good illumination and are gentle on vision. You can install lamps separately for each work surface to make the balcony workshop the best workplace in the world.
Let's make it cozy
If all the main work is completed, the final part of the transformation remains - to create comfortable conditions for housing, comfort, productive work and creativity. To select furniture and interior details general recommendations No. It's a matter of taste and imagination of the owners.
About a separate work area Many people dream in their apartment, regardless of whether it is a man or a woman. In other words, such a corner can be called a working workshop. Of course, the owners own home this idea will not seem impossible. In this case, the workshop can be located in any free area, both inside the house and nearby.
It is a little more difficult to fulfill such a dream if a person is the owner not of a huge house, but of an ordinary city apartment. In an apartment with a large area, a workshop can be organized in a spare room. But what to do if the housing is small? In this case, you can get out of the situation in your own way. If you really want, you can organize a workplace on your long-empty balcony.
As with any construction, you need to plan your actions before you start working. First of all, the balcony is freed from various furniture and other things that no one remembers for a long time. This usually takes a little time. Many find it very difficult to part with their old furniture, so you don’t have to send it to the trash, but transport it to a more secluded place, for example, to a dacha, to a garage, or simply give it to good hands. But you can donate an old cabinet or table new life. In this construction it will be possible to use their parts.
By correctly measuring the territory and calculating the scale of the work ahead, you can save not only personal time, but also money. This must be done with great precision in order to acquire the right amount building material.
What you will need
A workshop on the balcony of a city apartment is quite a serious step, especially for a beginner in this business. Therefore, select necessary materials should be done slowly. Initially, you need to consider everything as carefully as possible renovation work that need to be completed. For best result You can see the workshop options in the photo. You can find many options in the gallery, and at least one should definitely suit you.
You can create a workshop on the balcony yourself or with the whole family. Buy necessary details for repairs you can go to hardware store or even on the market. It is much easier, of course, to turn to masters of their craft, who will complete the order as quickly and efficiently as possible, but for a certain amount of money.
DIY artist's workshop on the balcony
For execution construction work It is advisable to purchase the following materials:
- wooden slats;
- wooden blocks;
- screws;
- foil insulation;
- putty mixture;
- small devices.
What do you need first?
In any case, the loggia must be glazed - this is the first rule for creating a workplace on the balcony. By doing this, you keep your future workshop warm. If the balcony is already glazed, but with old drafty windows, you need to install durable double-glazed windows. This is exactly the moment when you cannot do without specialists in your field. Only they will be able to cope with this task quickly and efficiently.
Thorough insulation of a balcony should be approached only if it is used all year round. If in winter time The workshop will not function; insulation will not need to be done. All that needs to be done is to update the interior and restore order by making cosmetic repairs.
DIY workshop on the balcony
Balcony insulation
After the windows are installed, you need to pay attention to cracks and crevices; if identified, they must be covered up. Cracks can be on the walls, floors and ceilings.
Afterwards, the frame is installed around the perimeter of the entire room. To do this you should use wooden beams. They are attached to the walls of the balcony at equal intervals from each other, after which insulation is inserted into the resulting openings. Its thickness should correspond to the scale of the balcony area and not take up unnecessary space.
After the work is completed, you need to hide the insulated walls behind a special fabric - isospan. Thanks to this fabric, neither cold nor moisture is allowed into the house. Therefore, full-fledged work in the workshop on the balcony will be ensured.
Workshop on the balcony - do-it-yourself conversion
All insulation and coverings are pressed using wooden slats, this is done using a drill and screws. Plastic panels are used to cover the main surface of both walls and ceilings. This step ensures not only practicality and reliability, but also aesthetics.
To complete the insulation, it is necessary to install a heated floor and a radiator. These elements are purchased in a special store. After the heating elements are installed on the floor, they are poured cement screed. Leave the floor in this state and wait until it dries. You will need to close it later using any flooring which is more suitable.
At the final stage, you need to connect the radiator and floor elements with the electrical wiring, checking how well everything works. The main work can be considered completed, in front of you is a ready-made workshop on the balcony. But soon this place will look different.
Room furnishings
It is at this stage that an ordinary balcony turns into a workshop. You need to think through and plan everything well, since you are faced with the difficult task of accommodating a large number of different items into one small room. It must be remembered that the most basic element of any workplace on the balcony is the table and departments in which the storage of all sorts of small things is concentrated. The convenience of your work depends on the location of these elements.
Table and cabinet
The table that is located in the workshop simply must be durable, stable and functional. On this moment There are already widespread models that include drawers and additional shelves. They are not only considered very convenient, but thanks to them the use of space is as rational as possible.
Shelving can be either a separate structure or located above the table. Items that will be rarely used should be placed in boxes, containers or on the very top shelf. To conveniently store small parts, many are inclined to use shelves, pockets, loops, hooks and any other convenient devices. Thanks to them, all the necessary tools will be at hand, and you won’t have to search for them for a long time.
To avoid buying new furniture, you can use an old cabinet or table. They can either be repaired or used as separate parts for new structures. Nowadays, almost everything is available for sale for those who like to make things at home.
Based on the area, you can even place several machines on the loggia. But you should not forget what to use similar devices you need to adhere to certain rules. Most machines require a stable base - a metal frame.
Converting a balcony into a workshop
So, it became clear that the workshop on the balcony, photos of which are presented in this article, is a dream that can be brought to life. Almost anyone can create a workplace on a loggia. Even a small balcony allows you to organize a workshop, which will have a table and a section with the most necessary tools. And if your balcony has an area of more than 3 square meters, it can become a full-fledged workshop, which will contain everything you need.
Option for decorating a workshop on the balcony with your own hands Workshop on the balcony - do-it-yourself conversion
No matter how spacious modern apartment, the home master still interferes with the rest of the family members. And a home craftsman always wants to have his own place for creativity, where no one would disturb him. In modern new buildings the loggia is very spacious. Set up a workshop in the loggia home handyman very attractive idea glass balcony will do too. If we ignore specific types of creativity or business, a workshop on the balcony is not such a difficult task. The main thing is to approach the design of your workplace systematically.
Creating comfortable conditions
Any building construction, especially in a new building, has a number of flaws that have to be eliminated. We must try to seal the cracks in the seams of the loggia with foam, inspect the glazing and frames, and foam the cracks here too. If there is open space under the loggia or balcony, the floor will freeze in winter. The floor needs to be insulated. The simplest and most effective option is polyurethane foam yoga mats. If this is a carpentry workshop on the balcony, then linoleum should be laid on top of the rugs for ease of cleaning.
In areas with long and cold winters, Siberia and Far East, there is a need for an electric heater. Nowadays many economical and compact models are produced. The choice of model is up to the owner, but it is better to place the heater on the wall of the loggia, so you need to choose a model with the possibility of such mounting. The location of the loggia on the street wall is more rational, heating occurs more quickly and the influence of street temperatures is immediately cut off, and the apartment wall is warm by default.
Organization of space
Typically, the area of a balcony or loggia ranges from 3 m2 to 5 m2. For a workshop project on a balcony and even for starting a business, this is quite enough if you organize the space correctly. There should be one vertical rack or cabinet for tools and materials. It has to be installed by blocking one of the windows. To the detriment of design, but vertical structures cannot be avoided in order to save usable space.
You need to choose the side where the sun is least time during the day. It is better not to block the eastern part, but this depends on many factors.
Illumination is one of the main conditions comfortable work. Electric lighting is provided by a duty lamp above the exit to the balcony and a lamp on a flexible tripod above the workbench.
Set up a workbench or desktop according to the most long wall tempting, but not rational. Working with any material requires maximum maneuverability in the workshop. If the workplace on the balcony is not a creative workshop of a writer or webmaster, you need a workbench, not desk. You need to find a workbench on sale with a width that fits the width of the loggia, or make it yourself. And the processing of long parts can be done on a folding workbench, several models of which are always on sale. They are very convenient and functional, and when assembled they do not take up much space. This way you can free up as much space as possible.
A stationary workbench must have a cabinet with drawers for small tool and a heavy, stable tabletop. In any case, you will have to attach a metalworking vice to it - a mandatory attribute of the metalworking craft.
This example of a simple design is universal for any type of DIY project. If the work is not a business, and the creativity itself is episodic in nature, this type of planning is the most rational - verified. A folding workbench, if necessary, is like a continuation of the stationary one.
An alternative design involves installing a stationary workbench large sizes. In this case, it is installed along warm wall under the window leading out of the room.
The design is similar, but leads to the loss of free space and the acquisition of the ability to install equipment on a workbench. Such equipment can be a mini lathe, small drilling machine, milling machine based on an electric drill, etc. The partitions between the window and the balcony glazing are definitely occupied various tools, which is recommended to be placed on special hangers. Reinforced hangers and shelves on the walls will free up space on the lower tier of the workshop.
Machines and equipment
The workshop on the balcony provides various modes of creativity and various areas of business. Narrowly focused workshops are equipped in accordance with their specifics. The design will also be subordinated to the type of activity of the home craftsman. The universal workshop is subordinated to the idea of “a master with golden hands.” To the most common types home business include the work of a home plumber, carpentry, wood carving and fabrication carved sculptures. “Jack of all trades” is also a kind of business, the neighbors will always be grateful. We do not consider such specific activities as working with glass, repairing computers and TVs, wicker weaving and macrame.
- avoid oversized and heavy machines and tools, professional equipment there is no place on the balcony, if only because it is impossible to work effectively on it, and the energy costs will be prohibitive,
- noise and vibration can not only disturb neighbors, but also lead to loss of strength of the balcony itself,
- the mini-workshop specifically involves the use of compact removable equipment, which achieves versatility and ease of use,
- Avoid fire hazardous work and work with chemicals; in case of such work, it is imperative to have all the necessary means of protection and elimination of negative consequences.
When visiting Do-It-Yourself, Home Goods, or My Home stores, the home craftsman’s heart skips a beat when he sees the variety of equipment that has gone on sale not so long ago. The choice ranges from basic sharpening machines to mini lathes for wood and metal. They are low in energy consumption, do not create dangerous vibrations and take up very little space. At the same time, modern manual equipment often has the function of stationary installation and addition of various devices.
A skilled craftsman simply needs a workshop on the balcony of a city apartment in order to equip a stationary place to work and “create” without consequences for the environment in living rooms. When systematically performing some tasks, it is not always convenient to regularly go to the garage or country house, especially in winter. A constant hobby even more so requires a separate room where you can concentrate and do what you love.
Planning and calculations
Depending on the type of activity, before starting reconstruction on the balcony, the workshop is personally designed according to the following parameters:
High-quality performance of all calculations and determination of the parameters of interest is the key to the comfort and effective functionality of the room.
Preparing the site
Make the most of your usable space
An ergonomic use of the space limited by balcony slabs and fencing will allow you to plan the location of all objects, drawn in 3 dimensions. Since the area of the room to be finished is, as a rule, not large, it is advisable to load the vertical surfaces (number of floors) to the maximum.
If you plan to use a workshop on the balcony only during the warm season, insulation and heating are not necessary, it is enough to protect the room from the sun, wind, and prying eyes. In summer it is more advisable to provide air conditioning.
Layout
The main zones of the workshop, located on a limited area of the loggia, most often intersect, but they can be made separate, even separated by partitions. These include:
- reserve storage departments - spare parts, raw materials, infrequently used tools, as well as storage of finished products;
- table for precision work with small details, assembly/disassembly of components and assemblies. There are also shelves with drawers, pockets, pencil cases, glasses, in which there is hand tool, devices, product components. The principle of placement is to reach everything that may be needed in work;
- platform for mechanical processing (drilling, cutting, rolling, sawing, rewinding). Here they place machines, plates, mini-workbenches, or simply unwind roll material, drums, cut sheets and rods. In general, blanks of the required size are made from large raw materials.
In the case when your favorite activity does not take up much space, you can separate it with a partition, screen, vertical blinds from the recreation area where flowers, books or a computer desk will be located.
Lighting
Make combined lighting on the balcony
The following rules will help you rationally plan the location of light sources:
- The general lighting is made diffused, not creating contrasting shadows;
- The work site is equipped with directional sources that create a light spot below the level of the master’s eyes, so as not to dazzle;
- The lamps are switched on in sections, on separate fittings, for use as needed (it is convenient to use dimmers).
The required number of points with low power consumption is achieved by using LED spotlights and strips. For lamps with certain characteristics (white, yellow, ultraviolet, incandescent light), separate tabletop, portable, and bench options are used. Watch this video to learn about turning a balcony into a workshop:
Furnishings
Standard pieces of furniture will not be able to tightly fill the narrow space of the balcony so that the workshop takes on a finished look. Most The furnishings are made independently or according to individual orders.
Tables, shelving, sectional cabinets, tool holder shelves are made in such a shape and dimensions that they do not restrict the movement of the craftsman. Deviation from this rule not only creates conditions for poor quality of work, but can also lead to injury. To learn how to make a workshop on the balcony with your own hands, watch this video:
You can expand the functionality of a small area by using folding, dismountable improvised devices, which are placed during a certain type of technological operation (the principle of an ironing board).
Security Question
After a detailed plan for the future workshop, you should return to checking the ability of the balcony to support the weight of all the property. It is necessary to take into account not only specific gravity maximum permissible loads created by people, but also the harmful effects of vibration, strong wind and snow.
