I'm not going to be much help with what you want to here. Wall space, like every other type of space in a shop, is very valuable. I have been paper napkin designing my retirement shop for a while now and it always starts with 12' ceiling height.

Are you doing traditional stick building or post frame? In my comparisons post frame has a less significant increase in material costs than stick framing does when making a building taller. Post frame also lends itself to thick exterior wall cavities to have better insulation thickness.

 

I guess the 10' ceiling was due to handling of 4×8 sheets of plywood. If you never will use 4×8 sheets of plywood, then an 8' ceiling will work. If your shop floor plan will be large, a 10' ceiling avoids the 8' "tunnel" aspect. Remember lighting fixtures will intrude into your 8' space. As a tip, use plenty of outlet receptacles and put them 4'-6" above the floor. I have 200 amp service in my shop with separate circuits for lighting, receptacles, machines and a DC. Electrical service is something I would not skimp on.

 

My first shop had 9' ceilings, we moved and the second shop had 8' ceilings, then we moved again and I had to have one built and went with 10' ceilings (all were freestanding buildings). At some point I thought the 9' height was ideal, I actually got that weird height by having the slab curbs poured 7" high, and then the walls framed using full length 8' studs. But if you put 6" DC ducts, lights, furnaces, and air cleaners on the ceiling you will wind up with some spots in the room that aren't quite tall enough to twirl an 8' board (my standard for adequate ceiling height). With 10' ceilings I find it looks too tall, but actually works out well. There's no concern with htiing anything on the ceiling, and even the LP furnace (a Modine type) is high enough to be safe. This last shop is very well insulated (R19 walls, and R50 ceiling) and I heat 30×32' of the building, this past winter was very cold for us and I burned about 300 gallons of LP heating it (65º daytime, 55º night usually). I'm not sure you need 10', but I'm fairly certain I wouldn't go back 8'.

 

I guess it all comes down to perspective. I'm 6'8" (Or as I like to tell people when they ask, 5"20").
Having ceilings of 9' or even 10' would be nice in one way, but as it is now, I don't need a stepladder to change light bulbs, plug in equipment to the 110V outlets I have in the ceiling, or reach the other stuff I have stored on the ceiling. (fishing rods, flashing, molding, and other miscellaneous stuff).
If I were to build a shop, I'm not sure I could justify the added expense for heating, cooling, etc… Just to be able to flip an 8' board end for end. On the other hand, it's another foot or two for cabinets, shelving, etc… for storage.

 

I have an 8' ceiling in my workshop. After 10 years, I wish i had 10' ceilings. My ceiling fan and ceiling mounted Jet air cleaner are often in the way. If you have a choice go for the higher ceiling.

 

+1 if you're planning to install air cleaners and especially duct work for Dust Collection. The added space to move 8' boards/plywood helps a lot. Even now, with my 10' ceiling, I occasionally hit the air cleaner with a 4×8 ply.

 

Just do it you'll be glad you did someday. Put in a ceiling fan to help move the hot air off the ceiling. Nobody ever said that woodworking was a cheap hobby.

 

I have 10', giving clearance for DC, air cleaner, light fixtures,vand a little space for clearance. My main garage is 8'4", and it feels like a cave withe fixtures hanging down.

 

And check into the new super efficient inverter heat pumps from LG and others. Mine heats down to -10, and heating a 16×24 x 10' high to 60 + only cost about a dollar a day.

 

I have had four workshops over the years, the first was a spare bedroom and I won't go into that one. My second shop was a basement 7' ceiling height. things were definitely squeezed, little room on the walls for storing material and the ceiling which was sheathed was to close for some operations. I remember wishing the ceiling was higher when I was finger joining the corners of a set of beds for the boys, ended up cutting them by hand. The third was to be my dream house and shop that I built from scratch. The shop 22' X 36' had 10' ceilings, ceiling hung electric heaters, R20 and R52 insulation and more room than I had tools to fill. I felt guilty working in it, all that space made me feel like I should be producing something for sale, rather than just playing and experimenting with my different interests, which was my only interest.

My current shops, three main areas all have different ceiling heights, the metal working shop has a 9' ceiling, lots of wall area above the machines for hanging and storing things like extension cords, air hose, welding cable, welding helmets, pipe clamps, etc. etc. The second space is a ventilated shop space. The ceiling hight starts close to 11' and slopes to 7'6". It is ventilated so I can do the roughest work, protected from the elements. In winter it is used for parking. In summer I can do welding , grinding, metal melting, wood construction, etc. all protected from the weather and still well ventilated. Last summer I built and Installed a hoist so the extra height comes in real handy.

My woodworking and little machine shop is part of the shell of the main house. Half of the house is living space and sealed off from the other half which is my wood shop and little machine shop. Ceiling height is 8' and I would choose it over the former 10' height. I feel comfortable working in the smaller space, the passage of time can easily disappear puttering away at something. I never felt that way in the big shop with 10' ceilings. Insulation is R20 and R60, winters up here regularly hit -40 I heat the house with a wood stove and electrical backup. Living space back-up is set at 65 and workshop back-up is set at 55. If I make no long trips and pay attention to my wood stove I can go a whole winter without paying a single dollar in electrical heating back-up.

 

I like 12 ft. I use a lot of longer lumber up to 16 ft. If I wanna use the other end of board at chop saw, i like the extra room.

 

If it were me, I would have the 10 ft ceilings. Easier for lighting, dust collection, storage and many others. Also, if you ever sell it, would be great selling point.

 

At a minimum, I would go with 9' ceilings. Most lumber yards carry 2"x4" - 105" (for 9' walls - at a cost of $.60 more per stud than 93" precuts). If you're planning on finishing the interior walls with drywall, they also make dryall in widths of 54" (4'-6" x 8' or 12') so you only have one line joint at midwall.

 

My shop is 22×20. My walls are 9'6". I use the added room on top for lumber storage/drying. Also put air cleaner and fans up there. Just keep in mind that your light fixtures reduce ceiling height also. It's a personal choice you'll have to make based on your own needs.

 

Help me understand why I want 10ft ceilings, or let me know I'll be OK with 8ft

I went through the same thought process, when I built my shop, I live in west Montana, so similar climate as you. I opted for 10" ceilings. Why, because I didn't want to worry about smacking my lights every time I moved an 8' board around the shop. More than likely your light fixtures are going to be below the ceiling height, also you may want to suspend other things from the shop ceiling, like an ambient air filter. It also gives you a lot more room for shelving. I have room above my windows for lumber racks. It will cost you more to heat, obviously. I opted for pellets to heat my shop and I have it on every day. I have the thermostat set at 46°F night time and 62°F daytime, this last winter I spent $330.00 on pellets.

 

Gerry, what are you thinking after reading these replies????

 

I have 10' ceiling and my old shop was 8. I'd go 10' for sure! I'm in Minnesota and I understand the price related to heating the shop mine is 30×40. My bill is about $60 more per month to heat and that's only heating it when I'm out there. That said I think the extra height is worth the cost. Once you get air filters, lights a ceiling fan if you want one it's great plus you can build storage along the edge of your ceiling and it won't interfere with your work. Just my thoughts but not every shop can be absolutely perfect you have to decide for yourself if the extra space is worth the extra cost. For me it is.

 

I moved into a space with 9'6" ceilings, absolutely love the added height.

Of course the down sides, as stated, are heating/cooling and non-standard for common sheathing like drywall, etc. (extra waste)

The extra height for overheads like long term storage and ducting, swinging a sheet of plywood, etc. are big pluses. You don't really appreciate it all until you go back to an 8' space.
Tall ceilings are getting more common and lumber lengths like the mentioned pre-cut studs are showing up in more places. Alternatively a short stem wall with the foundation can let you use 8' products and still get the taller heights.

Either way, when you are starting from a clean sheet now is the time to consider these options.

 

The first answer which JUMPS out is overhead lumber storage, which is a HUGE advantage to tripping over it stored near the floor. Not only limber, but a lot of other items can be stored in the overhead space. Family Handyman shows an air compressor mounted up high which saved a lot of floor space. Another answer is, for those with Tim Allen like tendencies, the extra height will be advantageous in the long run. Dad took out so damned many fluorescent light tubes carrying lumber, ladders and the like it was ridiculous. I can only remember two occasions when the tube actually BURNED out. Most of them didn't make it that long. Sooner or later, someone who is supposed to be "helping" you will wind up doing something like this.

 

When I built our home, I opted for a garage/shop to be 36' by 36' with a twelve foot ceiling. that gave me room for an auto lift in the garage side. that also made the wood shop 12'. too high, I wish I had 10'. that gives you plenty room for over head lights and duct work for your vac system. Also room for an air filter unit.

 

The added height won't add that much to your heating bill. It has nothing to do with volume of the space, just surface area of the walls. There may be other concerns with heat rising, but fans or a room air filter will keep it stirred up.

Going from 8 to 10 feet is a 20% increase in wall area. It all depends on the details, but your walls may only represent 1/4 to 1/3 of the total heat loss. So a 20% increase in wall area may only be 5-8% more heating load. And it sounds like you will be insulating it very well, so I wouldn't expect heating costs to be crazy high anyway.

A single extra window may be equal to or more heat loss than adding 20% to the walls. From an expense standpoint, I would think additional construction cost would dominate. Lot's of other details may have as big an impact on heating cost. Things like how well you insulate the floor or slab, quality of windows and doors, that type of thing.

I have 9 ft ceilings and I get by fine. I whack the ceiling or a light once in a while. Could I get by with lower ceilings? Sure, but if I were building a purpose built shop, I think I would go with 10 foot over 8 foot. I would of course accurately evaluate the construction cost. I would guess it would simply make the wall cost about 20% more.

In the end, if you get the 10 foot ceiling, you'll never regret NOT getting 8 foot. But if you get 8 foot, I suspect there will be days you'll think you should have gotten 10 foot.

 

I have just over 7 ft ceilings and I would love to have something bigger. I just put in an air filtration system and had to put it above the rafters so I wouldn't smack it with everything in my shop.

 

i have 9ft 9" ceilings in my garage. after finishing it and only using r13 in the walls and above my loft using r19 in the roof. I heat mine with a 5000 watt heater and it stays at about 50 in -32 degrees. the loft is sealed off with 2 inch foam board. I sometimes will bump the heat with a propane heater but once you get it warm in there and use a fan to circulate the air its just fine to me. but I do work outside for a living so the cold don't bother me as much as it might some people.

my shop is 24×30 I stick built it myself. I just went to menards and bought a garage they had "plans" for that was 10k. so after concrete electrical insulation. im only into it for about 16k. that opposed to having someone come build it for me for 33k. all I can say is if you do it get help I did 85% of it all myself and I wont do it again lol

 

I've had several shops over the years. Only one had high ceilings. Building new, as a shop, I'd never go less than a ten foot ceiling.

In addition to more easily being able to flip a 2x without taking out a light or gouging the ceiling, it can make lighting easier. Then there is the storage advantage many mentioned.

 

My shop has 12' ceiling. I never once walked in and said " I sure wished I had 8 or 10 foot ceiling. Not one single time.