Garage Ideas

SMV6LOL

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Joined
Aug 3, 2012
*feel free to move thread*

Ok so I just got with a builder and am going to start having my house built. Just wanted to get some ideas about garage ideas that you guys have done or would like to do in your garage. Heres what i have so far 2 car garage one stall is two deep(due to lots being narrow). Insulated walls and door, mop sink, plenty of outlets and on the ceiling, 220v outlet, and will be coating the floor (any ideas with what?brand?)
 
I have used the rust-oleum "tan" colored floor coating and i have been super impressed with its abilitys. has held up to battery acid as well as brake fluid with only minor discoloration.

I did not use the flakes though.... i cant stand them.

multiple 220 outlets in the garage is handy. I know ive cussed my outlet location several times because its on the wrong side of the garage

Good luck with the build~!
 
I have used the rust-oleum "tan" colored floor coating and i have been super impressed with its abilitys. has held up to battery acid as well as brake fluid with only minor discoloration.

I did not use the flakes though.... i cant stand them.

multiple 220 outlets in the garage is handy. I know ive cussed my outlet location several times because its on the wrong side of the garage

Good luck with the build~!
 
Just finishing up my detached garage.
Lots of little things.
Drywall before garage door install, saves work.
Are you considering a hoist? If so, confirm the height and width minimums.
Also, ensure you have enough concrete to support.
If installing a hoist, consider installing wiring for wall lights, also pre wire 240v to ceiling where hoist would be located.
Another option is to have floor sealed by concrete company, mine is and works phenomenal.
If painting, do a moisture test to ensure concrete is cured or paint will peal.
I actually did up a diagram on graph paper to ensure everything would fit, cars, tools, tool boxes and workbenches.
 
How about in floor radiant heating? Not sure if you need heat in your neck of the woods, but I do in my area & it would rank high on my wish list for a "man cave".
Also be sure the garage is designed with lots of ceiling height...maybe 12' to 14' so you can install a car hoist too. :)
May want to have them install re-bar in the concrete floor to reinforce the slab .

You'll maybe want a ventilation fan to exhaust the air and what the hell, if it's insulated properly, why not have A/C . If your homes central heating / cooling system uses forced air....be sure to have the appropriate number of vents installed. If it's not a forced air system in the house....just a stand alone A/C unit then.

Good luck with your build.


dave
 
Put a faucet in the garage close to the main garage door. Put hose on it to wash the car in the driveway. It is more convenient then dragging a hose across the front yard to the driveway.

If you plan to work in the garage when it's cold, you could put a heater - gas or electric. If you use it a lot natural gas would be cheaper, but electric would be easier if it's only once in a while.

When it's hot a ceiling fan is nice to move the air around.

Craig
 
Air lines for your air compressor. My garage the previous owner ran his own pvc around the garage with quick connects on each wall. I've seen a commercial product GaragePak that looks impressive.
 
Probably not code, but it would be great to have a floor drain in the garage. My builder would not do it, not sure why.
 
They wouldnt do a floor drain, code i guess. My buddy had a hoist, camw in handy when replacing head gaskets on our diesel trucks but i dont see much benefit with my cars. I dont wanna heat the garage with my heat from inside. How else are u guys heating the garage?
 
They wouldnt do a floor drain, code i guess. My buddy had a hoist, camw in handy when replacing head gaskets on our diesel trucks but i dont see much benefit with my cars. I dont wanna heat the garage with my heat from inside. How else are u guys heating the garage?

since your in Alb, firewood is resonably cheep.

i use a wood burning stove to heat mine. made it from a kit and 2 55 gallon drums. small fire heats the piss out of the place. for AC i use a regular Swap cooler hanging of the window. I only have about 1K sqft to heat and cool though.
 
What learned from my detattached 24'x30' shop build in 93, you can't make it too big, always fills up.
Need 220V on every wall, maybe in two spots.
minimum of 2 4gang box outlets on every wall, mine are every 6 ft, put them above bench height not on the floor like a house.
Prewire for a central AC and heat, even if you do not do it yet.
Outlets on ceiling for fans over each stall, plus cord reels on the sides of the cars
10-12 ft ceiling min, lifts were expensive in 93, not now.
windows for cross ventelation. Side access door to keep AC and heat in while working.
A closet for said AC unit and air compressor, I went with a window unit finally and it is frosty, insulate everything !!
Lights, lights, lights ! I have 9 8ft fixtures in that shop and it is just about perfect.
Attic access ladder, and deck the attic, you want at least a 6 pitch, plenty of storage that way.
Air drops every 6 ft on the wall, plus ceiling for hose reels.
Seal and paint floor, really helps reflect the light and cleans better.
 
^^^maybe im not visualizing this right how do you control the smoke?
its part of the kit from northern, has a ring to attach a regular flue to the barrels. from there I just slapped a piece of plywood over an open window and shot the pipe out the window and up the side of the garage to the roof.

the kit has doors and legs and all that stuff needed to make the kit from barrels

3f3.jpg
 
I mounted my air compressor at the ceiling to get it off the floor. Then I ran a copper tubing to the center of the garage and connected it to a "wand" that would pivot 360* around just like a car wash wand. The wand has two connectors to plug my air lines into: One on the very end and the other in the middle of the wand.

ks
 
My dream shop will have a makeshift paint booth. Then I have to learn how to use a paint gun.
 
Make sure you have at least a 100amp sub panel in the garage if the main is located in the house. You don't want to be running wire back to the main panel just because you need dedicateted circuit for something. Zone your lighting so you don't have to turn them all on if you don't need to. For lifts, 12' ceilings minimum with attic trusses to support Buick stuff up top. If you plan on a lift make sure the garage door tracks run up to the bottom of the trusses so you can lift the car with the garage door open. If you epoxy coat the floor don't put the flakes in it , makes it harder to find small parts when you drop them. Tie downs in a 6" thick floor, and a exhaust fan in the wall. I know I'll think of more!! Good luck & let's see some pics when done.:D Sam
 
Just curious - what would the tie downs in the floor be for? Just in case for tornados????
 
Many times I needed to hold something down on the floor or a point to pull from and wish I had installed at least one. My dad did body & fender work for 63 years and I guess I grew up with them , just nice to have .
 
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