The Shop Upstairs

Pennsylvania woodworker Todd DiOrio's shop outgrew both his garage and his basement. The solution? Build a two-story garage and use the 700-square-foot upstairs for woodworking. To maneuver wood and sheet goods up the stairs, he hinged the stairwell guard wall on one end so it swings like a gate.

Wanting something different from plain plywood sheets for the flooring, Todd ripped the sheets into 6"-wide strips, screwed and plugged the ends for a plank-floor look, and finished it with polyurethane and bowling-alley wax.