What are you going to DO in the garage? Are you going to be taking apart rusty hulks and turning them back to beauty? Or are you parking and polishing and doing mostly simple bolt ons? Does your lawn mower and lawn tools and bikes and Christmas decorations etc. go in there?
As I'm rebuilding the Grosh I can tell you that the more finished it becomes the better I like it. Lots of outlets, good lighting, drywall, all of it makes the experience of stepping into the building nicer.
Building up the track car du jour, light mods on daily drivers, maybe some woodworking. Probably have to keep some yard equipment and bikes/kayaks in there too, but lots of storage room in basement for decorations, etc.
I've been too busy previously to do what I want with cars, but would like to get more into fabbing parts and more in depth builds. I have a rental with a 2 car garage now, drywalled with okay lighting, and really enjoy having even that. But I basically have a bunch of hand tools, some electric tools, a few ramps and jacks, and little else. A nice work bench with a big vise, drill press, welder, and compressor would open up my world.
Knurled wrote:turtl631 wrote: I'm scheming some garage improvements and looking for your input since at garage journal they'll tell me to knock down the house and build a giant pole barn with 4 lifts.And this is different from GRM because?
Folks here prioritize the cars over the house for cars?
Instead of drywall, use white peg board it slat wall. Then you could add hooks, shelves, etc. wherever you need it later. Are the trusses above exposed? They are great for storage, add wide shelves perpendicular to the trusses from below, creating multiple storage bays between the trusses. You can mount your lighting to the bottom of the shelf. Mount your air hose and cord reels up there too. Paint everything white up there too before you move in, it will look cleaner and brighter.
+1 on painting everything white - ceiling, rafters, walls... everything. Do it NOW before you move in (try to overlap the rental garage for at least a couple of months).
Resist the urge to put the lift in the bay with the doors. It's nice to have a long-term project on the lift and then be able to get cars in/through the garage without obstruction.
If there's enough height, build a loft over the non-lift area, allowing for an 8-9 foot ceiling. You don't need much height up there, but the extra "floor space" will be welcome for long-term storage.
Try to get a small shed for yard-care stuff and other things that won't be used often (like an engine hoist). Doesn't need to be huge. Most twps allow for a 10x10 (100 sqr ft) without a permit. 12x8 is another option depending on yard size. This can also be the "gardening spot" for you or the other half if so inclined. Run a 20A feed out there for lights and a receptacle. Depending on location, you may install the air compressor in it as well and pipe the air into the garage.
Shelves are nice, but make sure you size them so you can fit common storage bins on them. Personally, I like the idea of keeping the bottom open so that large items on casters (engines, for example) can be stored underneath. Plus, it allows for easier sweeping up and reduces low, hidden spaces for critters to make nests.
Place receptacles everywhere. For a welding receptacle (220V), you can run multiple receptacles on the same breaker, just be sure to label them for welding only so you don't plug more than one thing into the circuit at a time. A 150A service is nice. I'm only planning for 100A in my 20x20 shop.
In reply to Ian F:
+1 to the extra shed. One of my favorite "garage" improvements was an outdoor shed to store yard tools, kids bikes and sports equipment, etc.
if its walls are open, what about spray foam? good for noise and for thermal control.
We moved in June. The summer has been really busy and improvements to the garage minimal. It is 24x36x10, uninsulated OSB and studs at this point. I got a few gladiator storage cabinets at Sears, and added the HF 44" tool box. No real spot for a shed, but the yard tools are minimal and live over by my wife's car.
Realistic goal prior to winter is insulation, getting the walls/ceiling finished, lights, and a heater.
I'm leaning towards OSB and painting it white since you can hang reasonably heavy things from it and it doesn't get banged up like drywall. Not the best looking but I think it strikes a good cost/durability balance. Thoughts?
I'm planning on a natural gas heater, maybe a Reznor. That was I can keep it like 40° all winter, and turn it up when I want to work out there. This is looking like a big undertaking since I need to run a gas line. But then I can wrench all winter and spend more time driving and enjoying my other hobbies in the warm months.
Lights will probably be the LED units from Costco getting hyped on garagejournal.
If you're ok with the surface texture of osb, id suggest b/c 3/4 ply instead. More dense and resistant to damage, about the same surface texture. And similar price. May be called sheathing in your area.
And im finding t12 four foot fixtures to be a good bang for the buck for lighting.
Take a look at mazduce, mad ratel, mine, and the other guy (can't remember his name) garage rebuild threads on here. We should be able to give you some good cheap inspiration.
Yea I don't mind the wood texture, I'm not looking for a Ferrari showcase kinda place here. My wife actually likes the look as is because it's "rustic" and has fought me on insulation and paint. I may leave it bare but lean towards painting for usability sake.
Pics above show the fun end of things, layout certainly not set in stone. I still want to get a rack on the wall to get tires outta the way, and I don't yet have a welder, compressor, or pressure washer which are things I would like eventually. Also need another storage rack to get my few bins off the ground and for future acquisitions. But there is a lot of room, it's hard to photograph.
Check Harbor Freight for racking and work benches.
Plans are coming together a bit. I think I'm going to use a Reznor natural gas heater. Walls will be painted plywood for durability and reflectivity. For lights, looking to use standard 4 ft fixtures with LED retrofit bulbs (James Electric). I will worry about floor finish, lift, etc in the future; at this point I want to be sure it is warm and bright enough to work out there in winter.
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