Colors for Garage walls and cabinets

[tording01bolt]

I just purchased my first house a few weeks ago and it has a very nice detached 2 1/2 car garage behind it. The garage is only a few years old so its in good shape but I want to paint it to make it look nicer. It already has cabinets so I want to paint the cabinets and the walls. What colors do you guys suggest or what kind of a theme would you suggest? I am going to go take some pictures of the garage and post so maybe you can help me come up with some ideas.

 

[ThatsWhatSheSaid]

maybe black/red or black/grey to go with the theme of the cars

 

[IONH]

I was looking for the answer to this question with regards to lighting just recently, here's a link to my thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81363

btw, awesome head room... fit a nice lift in there.

 

[cooliorz]

You should paint it white on top, gray on the bottom and a thin red stripe separating the two colors. It will be real original that way

 

[v7guy]

I would keep light colors if you plan on working in there. it makes a huge difference. I chose off whites and light grays.
If not, match it to whatever team or vehicles you like.

 

[tording01bolt]

I was thinking of leaving a white strip at the bottom then doing a section of gray then above the gray doing a blue section then above that leaving the white. I was also thinking of painting the cabinets either blue or orange. I just hate all the white but I don't want it to be too dark either.

BTW IONH I am for sure putting a lift in, that's why I loved this garage when I saw it because of the headroom.

 

[santagary]

check out Jack's 12 guage garage...that green with his black Porsche is very restful with the tan ceramic tile floor. I like it so well, his garage is the wallpaper on my computer!

 

[bazzateer]

Finish insulating/dry-walling the ceiling first. Then paint. I'd keep the upper levels white then maybe graduate down through light grey to a darker grey? The transitions could be highlighted with relatively narrow coloured stripes.

 

[stellar91]

Congrats ! on the new house/garage. I think you are on the right track if you keep some white area for lighting an maybe a light gray and some sort of accent color, red is always nice.
BTW , Nice Traxxas Slash you got there, the kids and I use ours alot. OK, Mostly me but they are fun .

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd keep the white at the top of the walls and ceiling. Trust me it makes a difference, as I am currently repainting mine. I had dark gray wall and bare kraft paper on the ceiling. The white paint has made it so much brighter in there and the new lights aren't evn up yet.

Put a dark color at the bottom to hide the dirt but leave the white up high.

 

[IONH]

BTW IONH I am for sure putting a lift in, that's why I loved this garage when I saw it because of the headroom.

Awesome! I was hoping for the same with my house, but my double wide has the roof peak in the center of the doors so not enough clearance for a lift. Got a scissor lift as an alternative and that is just taking up too much space on the floor when not in use!

 

[LocoCoco]

Awesome garage. I love the vaulted ceiling on that side. Aside from the obvious lift-ability, it looks like something found in an interior design magazine, but less gay. That said, if I were you I'd finish insulating/drywalling the tall side and paint it a colour while leaving the shop side a practical white. You won't need bright paint way up there anyway.

To go the extra step, I'd put some sort of spot lights in there pointing up into the void. Again, it won't offer much practicality, but it would show pure ****.

Your garage is more unique than most square boxes with flat ceilings, so emphasize her curves.


Now to sway off-topic for a minute... structurally, what was done to allow the trusses to be removed (or never installed) on that side? Just 2x6 rafters because of the steep pitch of the roof?



LC.

 

[IONH]

Now to sway off-topic for a minute... structurally, what was done to allow the trusses to be removed (or never installed) on that side? Just 2x6 rafters because of the steep pitch of the roof?

Good question, I'm curious as well.

I think the second picture in the first post you can just make out that there may be some collar ties.

 

[drmoonshine]

Red or Orange and white or grey.

 

[tording01bolt]

Well my wife had mentioned the insulating and drywalling the ceiling as you guys mentioned but heres my question on that. I live in Virginia and the climate here is very moderate in the winter only getting down into the 50's and 40s on most days but during the summer we see 100+ degree days. If I insulate the top won't that trap more heat in during the summer keeping the garage hotter? I am not too worried about the cold because I am use to it and I know it will be warmer than my previous garage I had because that had no insulation whatsoever anywhere but I am concerned with the heat in the summer.

As far as the question about what was done to allow the high ceiling I don't have a clue honestly, I don't really know that much about construction but I can take some more pictures of it if you guys want me to so maybe you can help school me.

 

[ket-tek]

Awesome space to work with.

And a lift is a must since you got the ceiling that alot of people wish they could have.

I wouldn't stress about the roof structure to much as it doesn't look like modified trusses at all, it looks to be a typical stick built roof and like mentioned you can see the collar ties in one of those pics. The snow loads here in southern va are minimal and that's a good size pitch. They look to be bigger than 2x6 for sure, and if they were originally trusses that had been cut they would have been 2x4's for that short of a span just like the other half of the garage. Shoot a pic straight up to show the peak and help ease these guys worries..

More pics of the progress!

 

[tording01bolt]

I will take some more pics and post up. I was going to start with a primer coat just to help cover up any current blemishes/dirt and then paint on top of the primer. I have a buddy of mine working a deal for me right now on a BendPack Lift. One of the previous owners already had a lift in the garage at one time so there is some sort of wiring/box on the back wall that was for the lift and I am guess it was 220V. Inside the box now there is nothing so I guess I need to get an electrician to come out and tell me what its going to take to get some 220 for the lift and a new compressor I want to purchase. Those are my plans for now is paint, lift, and compressor.

 

[ket-tek]

I will take some more pics and post up. I was going to start with a primer coat just to help cover up any current blemishes/dirt and then paint on top of the primer. I have a buddy of mine working a deal for me right now on a BendPack Lift. One of the previous owners already had a lift in the garage at one time so there is some sort of wiring/box on the back wall that was for the lift and I am guess it was 220V. Inside the box now there is nothing so I guess I need to get an electrician to come out and tell me what its going to take to get some 220 for the lift and a new compressor I want to purchase. Those are my plans for now is paint, lift, and compressor.

If you know what color your gonna paint you can get the primer tinted and you won't have to put so many coats on.

You looking at 2 post or 4 post? I love my Bendpak 4 post, best purchase I've made in years. Your buddy a dealer or got a used one he is selling?

 

[regguy1]

Keep it white on top with accent on lower area, can't beat that for brightness. I'm in process of installing the lights in the lift side of the garage.

A picture is worth a thousand words..here's 5000 words.

 

[tording01bolt]

Looking at a BendPack 2 post. A buddy of mine works for Carquest and can get them through CarQuest for me $1500 shipped to my door.

 

[regguy1]

Finish insulating/dry-walling the ceiling first. Then paint. I'd keep the upper levels white then maybe graduate down through light grey to a darker grey? The transitions could be highlighted with relatively narrow coloured stripes.

Good Suggestion

 

[tording01bolt]

Keep it white on top with accent on lower area, can't beat that for brightness. I'm in process of installing the lights in the lift side of the garage.

A picture is worth a thousand words..here's 5000 words.

That garage looks very nice man. I like the look of pegboard all the way around.

 

[e-tek]

For a RegGuy - that is ONE CLEAN SHOP!!!!

 

[johno]

I'm in the process of painting mine now.
Flat white ceiling, with light green walls,I would recommend painting walls with at least an eggshell or semi gloss,easier to wash if need be.

 

[LocoCoco]

...I wouldn't stress about the roof structure to much... Shoot a pic straight up to show the peak and help ease these guys worries...

I'm not at all suggesting the house is going to come down or anything, I just want to see how it was built so I can consider it an option to do the same to mine (where there is a heavy snow-load).



LC.

 

[csp]

If I insulate the top won't that trap more heat in during the summer keeping the garage hotter?

Most of the heat comes in from the roof. You insulate to keep cold out in the winter and heat out in the summer. It's not a one way situation.

 

[regguy1]

For a RegGuy - that is ONE CLEAN SHOP!!!!

Thanks,
The secret is I put on a 12' x 20' addition in 2002 with lots of shelves etc. so I can keep the clutter out of my main work area, it also has a 8' O/H door so I can park the tractor back there...you can see the walk in door that I have to get in from the garage.....it was money well spent.

Here's what it looked like in Jan 2010 before I started the interior work...all I had done at that point was install gas lines and the heater and lights on one side. Still have a few things to do.

 

[Porschedoc]

I painted my walls after the white had gotten a bit dingy looking after a few years of work in the garage. I thought the darker color would cause lighting issues in the garage, but it didn't really seem to affect it at all. My advice is to do any extra electrical wiring/drywall work now before you paint. I went with red and grey on my cabinets a few years ago as my big tool box is red. Lighting overhead is accomplished with 6 dual T8 fixtures.

And I couldn't believe how long it took to paint a garage that already had stuff in it, lol.

 

[HarleyArley]

Here's grey and white with a red stripe and cabinets.