How many circuits do I need in a garage workshop in New Brunswick?

A well-planned garage workshop in New Brunswick needs a minimum of 6 to 8 circuits, with 10 to 12 circuits being ideal for a serious workshop that includes heating, EV charging, and a full complement of power tools. Planning for more circuits than you think you need today is always the right call — adding circuits during initial wiring costs a fraction of what it costs to retrofit them into a finished, insulated garage later.

Here is how those circuits break down for a typical NB garage workshop. Start with two or three 20-amp general purpose circuits for receptacles around the perimeter of the garage. These handle portable power tools (drills, sanders, routers, jigsaws), battery chargers, radio, and anything else you plug in casually. Having at least two general circuits means that plugging in a shop vacuum on one circuit does not trip the breaker when your drill is running on the other.

Next, plan dedicated 20-amp circuits for each major stationary tool. A table saw, a planer, and a dust collector should each have their own circuit because these tools draw high startup amps that can trip a shared breaker. If any of these tools are 240V models, they need dedicated 240V circuits with appropriate wire gauge and receptacle type. A typical workshop layout calls for two to four dedicated tool circuits depending on your equipment.

You need a dedicated circuit for the garage door opener — this is often overlooked but important. The opener draws 5 to 8 amps during operation, and sharing a circuit with other loads can cause the opener to struggle or trip the breaker. One 15-amp circuit dedicated to the opener is sufficient.

A dedicated lighting circuit keeps your workshop bright regardless of what tools are running on other circuits. Workshop lighting should never share a circuit with motor-driven tools because motor startup surges can cause lights to flicker or dim. Plan for one 15-amp circuit for all garage lighting, which is plenty for even a heavily lit workshop.

Heating demands additional dedicated circuits. In New Brunswick's climate, where winter temperatures routinely hit -20 to -30 degrees Celsius and the heating season runs six months, most serious workshop users need electric heat. A 240V unit heater rated at 5,000 to 7,500 watts requires its own 30-amp or 40-amp circuit. If you use a smaller 120V portable heater for mild days, it will plug into one of your general purpose circuits — but it will use most of that circuit's capacity.

If you plan to charge an electric vehicle, budget a dedicated 40-amp or 50-amp 240V circuit for the Level 2 charger. And if you do any welding, a 50-amp 240V circuit for the welder is essential.

Putting it all together for a well-equipped NB garage workshop: two to three general 120V circuits, three to four dedicated tool circuits (mix of 120V and 240V), one lighting circuit, one garage door opener circuit, one heater circuit, and optionally one EV charger circuit — that is 8 to 12 circuits total, fed by a sub-panel with enough capacity to handle the load. A 100-amp sub-panel with 16 to 24 breaker slots gives you room for all of these circuits plus future expansion. In the NB market, wiring a full garage workshop with 10 to 12 circuits, including a 100-amp sub-panel and underground feeder from the house, runs $3,500 to $7,000 depending on the distance from the house panel and the complexity of the layout.

Do not make the mistake of wiring your garage with four circuits and assuming that is enough. NB's long winters mean you will spend more time in your garage workshop than you might expect, and every homeowner who has lived through a winter in an under-wired workshop wishes they had planned for more capacity from the start. All garage electrical work requires a permit and a licensed electrician in New Brunswick — get matched with qualified professionals through the New Brunswick Construction Network at newbrunswickconstructionnetwork.com.