UK Single Garage - Start to finish

jimgreen · Aug 26, 2012

Hi everyone, have been reading the forum for about 2 weeks now since moving into my new place.

Wife and a Kid forced a move to a bigger house, it's in a much better area with better schools also.

This was my last garage

How it looked when I moved in

When I had finished

And a link to the project it was done for
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimer/sets/72157602122998077/

Anyway, the new house, it's a fairly typical 1930's detatched (this is a big plus in the UK) 3 bedroom place. The garage is smaller than my last one

The garage in question. It has a nice high ceiling and a loft above (planning to put the compressor up there). All my tools and gear are just piled high for now

First job, lets see who can spot what I did today!

Before

After

pals444 · Aug 26, 2012

Welcome!

I am sure Your new garage will be great. The ceiling height is a plus. With smaller garages its a question of efficient use of the whole m3. Plenty of ideas in here.

In Yor previous garage, is there a Mini-bonnet I spot on the wall?

jimgreen · Aug 26, 2012

Yeh. I had an '89 mini with a 1275cc engine. Loved it, but ended up rusted to death!

pals444 · Aug 26, 2012

jimgreen said:
Yeh. I had an '89 mini with a 1275cc engine. Loved it, but ended up rusted to death!

I bought my wife a -90 Mini 5 years ago. A joy to look at, and a pain to own (yeah, I'm talking about the car). It self-detructed faster then I could manage to keep up with.

Derrickwade · Aug 26, 2012

I see you mounted a vise and moved your helmet! Looks like you might've vacuumed as well? :lol:

Nevermind on the vacuuming, i looked again an noticed it playing hide and seek behind the ladder.

jimgreen · Aug 26, 2012

Unfortunately the vice is not mounted

that whole bench is coming out.

It's very boring actually, I've just moved all the electronic bits for the boiler to the right of it. It means some cupboards can now be mounted on the wall there.

In other news, has anyone built a bench higher than the standard approx 700mm ?

jimgreen · Sep 20, 2012

Been doing some messing in the garage, some cupboards are up, computer mounted and I'm getting started on the painting.

Also picked up a stainless bench

jimgreen · Sep 22, 2012

so my cab has to go under the bench, which leaves my top box out in the cold. I've had brackets that held the back of some pews in an old church for a while, so up it all went...

My dad's 80's vintage craftsman top box suspended. The brackets took my 100kg frame, so they shouldn't go anywhere. Only time will tell I guess.

timbitca · Sep 22, 2012

Interesting solution for the chest!

Good looking progress so far, can't wait to see more!

jimgreen · Nov 17, 2012

Well, got a friend round to help me adjust the stainless bench. Tig welding extensions to the legs and moving them apart for the tool box. Also needed the drawer moving to the right hand side.

Bib Overalls · Nov 17, 2012

Ingenuity and self discipline are the keys to making a small shop work for you. Obviously, you have both.

GBsnoopy · Nov 18, 2012

Liking the progress so far.

Olliecampbell · Nov 18, 2012

Looks great. Did you make the stainless bench yourself or buy it from somewhere?

jimgreen · Nov 18, 2012

I kept a look out on eBay, then one came up in a pub that was the exact measurement of my back wall. For 60 squid I'm really happy with how it's starting to look.

Olliecampbell · Nov 20, 2012

jimgreen said:
I kept a look out on eBay, then one came up in a pub that was the exact measurement of my back wall. For 60 squid I'm really happy with how it's starting to look.

Exactly what I'm trying to do. How sturdy are you finding it? I'm worried that it won't be as strong as a home built wooden one something like this:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2039686&postcount=40

Ollie

jimgreen · Nov 20, 2012

I'm having to put some ply under it, and it will need bolting to the wall for sure. I think it should be fine past that!

That bench is a beast though, totally mental!

jimgreen · Jan 2, 2013

With the bench all done I started to think about getting stuff off the floor. I've seen this done many times on the forum, so I had a go.

Turns out my garage isn't very level/straight/square so I had to make up my mind about it looking right or being plumb.... I aimed for the middle of the two

Some plywood tomorrow and some sliding doors too...

felixgogo · Jan 3, 2013

Looking good!

I want to do this in my garage too, please keep posting pictures!

Thanks

jimgreen · Jan 3, 2013

I need a nail gun. I've just put 50+ panel pins into some plywood and white faced MDF. EEERG!

jimgreen · Jan 5, 2013

Well, it's all up, no doors on yet, but it looks good. Great to get all my car cleaning stuff off the floor too.

Also mounted my sink. This is genuine Royal Navy, tough as old boots.

Does anyone else get in a real mess on projects ? My bench (and the sink) are now a complete dump !

My trusty old (massive) Record vise mounted.

Olliecampbell · Jan 6, 2013

Nice vice. Exactly what I'm looking for but with the quick release.

jimgreen · Jan 6, 2013

quick release for which now

?

jimgreen · Jan 22, 2013

Whole corner finished and painted.

Downlighting

New toy, cheap made in China stuff, but should be nice for messing around with

jimgreen · Feb 10, 2013

Wooohoo, the last big thing off the floor !

Reel mounted.

All you can see of the compressor. And the switch. Keeps the noise down !

And here it lives, all snug in the loft. I only wish it was 10 times bigger!

HSpencer · Feb 10, 2013

Excellent fitting of items. I like the over the garage door shelving. I also really like that stainless steel sink arrangement. Your home looks very inviting from it's outside photo and thank you for showing it. I am quite fond of one car garages and we are getting many nice reworked ones on the site, such as yours.
Good Job.

jimgreen · Apr 12, 2013

Well the biggest development has been at the front of the house. The new driveway has been a revelation! Now both cars are parked off the street.

Before, last summer, overgrown.

After, the left side will be lawned.

Been doing more painting and sorting.

Nice place for my some of the air bits, and trying to make some flat surfaces out of the backside of the chimney.

The start of my secondary bench, this will be mainly for my chop saw and wood projects.

Folded down, hanging from its massive hinges. Not sure how the legs will work, will see what I have laying around.

GBsnoopy · Apr 13, 2013

I like the idea of the fold down table.
I also like the gray detail of the drive.
You have come up with some interesting ideas to make the most of the space.

Cat88 · Apr 13, 2013

Really great use of ur space so far mate, i'm looking forward to seeing this progress

RSOllie · Apr 13, 2013

looking good!

Olliecampbell · Apr 14, 2013

Great use of space!

felixgogo · Apr 19, 2013

Hey Jim, that white paint really makes a difference doesn't it? I did the same in my garage, and after the floor tiles it was the biggest noticeable change, it tied all the different parts of the garage together.

I also like your sink, I got a old Belfast type sink in mine, and I find a sink in the garage to be really useful.

As for your fold down workbench, I did a fair bit of work last week in my garage, and extra work space would have been very handy, I am going to copy your fold down bench if that's OK - it's excellent.

Your garage is really coming on - any chance of a new set of pics? A full view of all walls?

Thanks!

Ian

My Mews Garage - http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102265

jimgreen · Apr 19, 2013

The fold down bench is hardly my idea, steal away!! I've copied about 10 people off of here

I'll get more pics, I have to show everyone some trick bits I've done to make it a nicer place to be.

1/2 Cup · Apr 19, 2013

Looking good thus far.......great use of available space

jimgreen · Apr 22, 2013

More boring photos. Everything is like a bomb has hit it as I just replaced my wife's radiator, only to discover it was a split hose that made it look like a broken rad. Sniff. Anyway, it's done.

Back to the sink....

I didn't explain it did this, and the soap dispenser is modified for Swarfega.

I love this shelf by the door. Starting to get **** finding places for things finally.

The distance between the supporting bits of the shelf was not an accident...

I managed to do it so perfectly it doesn't need the 'cams' to hold it in place, friction just holds it up!!

I'll hate it if I change ladders....

And I said it was untidy....

Hate showing it like this, but it shows the 2 jobs I hate most. I need to do the ceiling and the floor now, no putting it off!!

Also need to think of a way of fixing my crashmat (the blue thing, I use it for when I'm under cars) up onto the ceiling.

Jay Sco · Apr 22, 2013

Looking better for sure, especially the front view of the house. The sink is a nice touch, I've always wanted one in the garage.

HSpencer · Apr 22, 2013

If you will spring for my air flight to the UK (and back) I will gladly paint that ceiling for you.
It might cost you a fish and chips at the local pub and a few pints of NewCastle Brown. There is a place in Maidstone where the fish and chips are outstanding (or is that Blackheath?) I can't remember where it was. Actually after several pints of NewCastle or Stella Atois, ANYTHING would taste great!!! Don't think I have ever been through Derbyshire, where is that exactly?
Cheers

Rscabrio · Apr 23, 2013

Looking good mate love the space saving sink

jimgreen · Jul 24, 2013

HSpencer said:
Don't think I have ever been through Derbyshire, where is that exactly?
Cheers

Thanks for the offer of painting the ceiling, but I tackled it over the last few days!!

Derbyshire is smack bang in the middle of England. Think Sherwood forrest, then you have our neighbours in mind.

Jim's guide to a cheap floor

Well, I would love some tiles, or anything really, but I had this tin of polyurethane paint laying around.

First job, get everything off the floor...

Cut in. I've decided to do it up the wall a bit so I can just slap the paint around and not really care.

Blurry photo

Carefully pour the paint on the floor

PAINT!!

Done. Sunlight made it really hard to get a picture. I'll move the toolbox out when everything is dry and finish under the bench.

dubber · Jul 24, 2013

Flooring makes such a huge difference. Nice job on your single. And that driveway extension was definitely the way to go. I'm sure that has relieved several headaches haha.

Grizz1963 · Jul 24, 2013

Really impressive use of space.

Well done.

UK Single Garage - Start to finish

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