My first gargage. 19x12 Single

bshusted · Jan 19, 2014

Hey guys. I'm new here, but have been working on cars for must of my life. My wife and I were looking for our first place a few months ago and a garage was at the top of the list.

Though it's a small space, I'm making the best of it and have been getting some great organization ideas here. I thought I would share my progress and see if you guys have any ideas or suggestions.

I don't really have any "before" pictures, but the previous owner had shoddily constructed a 4ft high loft on the back wall. He spanned the 12ft space with 3 2x4s. I could flex it by pushing in the middle with my pinky. First order of business was ripping it out and building something I would be confident parking my car under.

Since we were still in the process of moving I just threw a lot of junk up there. I need to go back with some plastic totes and reorganize.

Next up was lighting. There was one CFL bulb toward the back. I picked up a pair of 4ft fluorescent shop lights (bulbs included) for $10 on craigslist. I converted the light fixture to an outlet and got them hung up. I've still got to do some more work on organizing the wires.

bshusted · Jan 19, 2014

Time for a workbench. With the narrow space, I didn't want to make the bench too wide. It's 75" long and 18" wide.

The top is 3/4" maple plywood. Home Depot was running a special on it. So far I've only got 1 coat of poly on it, but I plan to do several more. I also picked up some grey paint for the rest of the bench. Still deciding on sliding doors for the shelf area. What do you think?

Today I spent building cabinets for the wall. I want to get everything off of the floor possible. The cabinets are basic 24" boxes that are 12" deep. I plan to use some doors sourced from IKEA. I've got 3 built now and I'm worried that I've made them too deep. There is a lack of space in front of the car and I feel that these intrude too far. I'm thinking of moving these to the side next to the door tracks and building some more that are only 8" deep. Again, thoughts?

k1rodeoboater · Jan 19, 2014

Looks like you're off to a good start.

Regarding the cabinets, I don't think you made them to deep. My rule of thumb is fit a 5qt oil jug in there with 1" to spare or 4 deep of 1qt containers with the labels facing out. I do think their location is awkward though. You're losing 1' of your workbench. Maybe move your tall tool chest next to the bench and mount the cabinets from that corner moving towards the middle. It looks like you've got plenty of room there to pull your car forwards under them if need be. You could also probably store your ladder under them if you put in some eye bolts and use a bungee cord or piece of rope with a hook on the end to make it quick and easy to get at. Additionally you could hang stuff from under them as well if you wanted.

Just a thought, but you should consider putting in a few 4 electrical boxes on the underside of the loft and putting in a light fixture or two sucked up between the joists. there as well.

Another idea for more storage that wont take up any wall/floor space would be to do something like this between the joists

carkardad · Jan 19, 2014

Awesome storage ideas! I love the drop down racks.

bshusted · Jan 20, 2014

I do like those drop down racks. I'll have to work on building some of those!

I do have another pair of 4' fluorescent lights to put in between the joists on the loft. I got one of them hung up for now. I have not wired it up yet though. There is only the one ceiling outlet in the place and the circuit for the overhead lights. I plan to run conduit down to the workbench for additional outlets. I'll also plan to pull another wire for the lighting circuit to run the two under the loft.

About the cabinets, I wasn't so worried about the workbench as the headroom for working on the business end of the machine parked in the space. Since that is the primary function, I wanted to make sure that it would be comfortable to work.

I have considered rotating the tool chest 90 degrees where it is. I didn't want to put it next to the bench as it makes the space next to the passenger front wheel very tight. I'm open to suggestions.

Another option for the location of the cabinets I've already made is in the space next to the door tracks.

I'm not too happy with the current ladder storage solution. The white particle board shelf is on it's way to goodwill sometime soon. I'm also thinking of putting pegboard on the wall above the bench.

k1rodeoboater · Jan 20, 2014

If you put the cabinets there you could easily put the ladder on top of them or use the space on top for storage. Kills 2 birds with one stone so to speak. Only downside I see is it's going to make walking to the car a real PITA from outside if you don't have a door into the house from the garage.

Also look into doing french cleats. It would allow you to easily move things around and you can make mounts for all sorts of things. It's way more useful than pegboard IMO.

As for your toolbox...that seems like it's the awkward piece of the puzzle. You've probably got it in the best location if you want to keep it stacked. The only other one I can think of would be on the passenger side by the garage door, but then again it presents the same issue of getting in and out of the garage for the passenger. Unless there's more room on that side. Another option would be to move your cabinets a little bit so you can put our top box on the end of the workbench with the drawers facing towards the garage door.

Single car garages definitely make you really think out your layout/design as well as your tool selection.

dubber · Jan 20, 2014

Welcome! I'm biased towards single garages myself. Your off to a great start. Are you able to get the garbage and recycling out of there? I know that really helped save me during my project.

Arps · Jan 20, 2014

I love seeing creative ways to maximize small space. Keep up the good work!

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

One idea posted on another thread here was to mount the ladder on a platform over the garage door. You need room to walk and open the doors on both side if possible.

Good job on the cabinets and work bench. If the workbench gets too deep it starts to be more storage space.

theoldwizard1 · Jan 20, 2014

bshusted said:
I don't really have any "before" pictures, but the previous owner had shoddily constructed a 4ft high loft on the back wall. He spanned the 12ft space with 3 2x4s. I could flex it by pushing in the middle with my pinky. First order of business was ripping it out and building something I would be confident parking my car under.

Nice job ! How are those end boards attached to the studs through the drywall ? If screws/lag bolts, they are fine as long as you aren't loading that shelf much.

I have a similar shelf spanning my 2 car (20') garage, but it is about 4.5-5' off the ground. I like that height as I can still store things underneath (grill, compressor, bicycles, etc.) and larger things above. You could not put your double stack tool box underneath, but you could build a short stand for it. My shelf is about 54" deep, so I do need a stool/ladder to reach things that get pushed to the back. I actually have a 2' deep shelf above it about 18" down from from the ceiling. I just used heavy duty shelf brackets lagged in studs for this shelf as it is not holding anything heavy.

If you decide to drop that shelf down or go deeper for more heavy duty storage, I would highly recommend that you cut some 2x6's to fit between the boards attached to the side walls and the floor. Snug fit and screwed through the drywall into a stud. This way the load is transferred to the floor.

Nice work on the cabinets !

I like pocket screws, but I hope you also used glue on the joint, especially the bottoms.

Before you make any more cabinets, buy yourself a Kreg shelf pin jig - Amazon $27

k1rodeoboater · Jan 20, 2014

build that for the narrow end of your A-frame ladder, and something like this for the wide end. Spacing should be about 2' shorter so you have to slide it forwards to get it off. Use some rope tied to a carabiner as a safety to keep it from vibrating loose and falling on your car.

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

My local HD has the same maple 4x8 sheets on special for $40 and change. They have had a stack at the contractors entrance since after Xmas. Maybe time to invest in a Kreg Jig kit to build some more cabinets.

kyle@hcb · Jan 20, 2014

Nice start! Congrats on the new home :thumbup:

Mr. 360 · Jan 20, 2014

Nice looking space, great job so far on the loft for extra storage space, and your workmanship on those cupboards is quality stuff! I like the idea rodeoboater posted with the swing down storage, may just have to steal that. I like how you're keeping the storage and bench shallow for extra room in the garage, good ideas!

taumac · Jan 20, 2014

Great start... Love the use of space. Keep up good work.

bshusted · Jan 20, 2014

theoldwizard1 said:
Nice job ! How are those end boards attached to the studs through the drywall ? If screws/lag bolts, they are fine as long as you aren't loading that shelf much.

I have a similar shelf spanning my 2 car (20') garage, but it is about 4.5-5' off the ground. I like that height as I can still store things underneath (grill, compressor, bicycles, etc.) and larger things above. You could not put your double stack tool box underneath, but you could build a short stand for it. My shelf is about 54" deep, so I do need a stool/ladder to reach things that get pushed to the back. I actually have a 2' deep shelf above it about 18" down from from the ceiling. I just used heavy duty shelf brackets lagged in studs for this shelf as it is not holding anything heavy.

If you decide to drop that shelf down or go deeper for more heavy duty storage, I would highly recommend that you cut some 2x6's to fit between the boards attached to the side walls and the floor. Snug fit and screwed through the drywall into a stud. This way the load is transferred to the floor.

The loft is 4' deep and ~18" from the ceiling. I needed to have plenty of room to walk underneath it and open the hood. Each of the 2x6 on the end have 6 5" lag bolts into 3 different studs. It is on top of the drywall, but I think there is still plenty of meat in the stud to keep it there. When I was putting on the decking (3/4" plywood), I was crawling all over the place on it and felt totally secure. It will never see anything too heavy by virtue of its height, but I wanted to sleep well knowing that I wouldn't wake up to it falling on the car.

theoldwizard1 said:
Nice work on the cabinets !

I like pocket screws, but I hope you also used glue on the joint, especially the bottoms.

Before you make any more cabinets, buy yourself a Kreg shelf pin jig - Amazon $27

Thanks. They didn't turn out too bad for the tools I have to work with right now. I really wish I had a table saw.

I did use my Kreg pocket hole jig for the cabinets. Every joint is glued except for the shelf. I considered getting a jig for adjustable shelving, but decided against for now. Maybe in the future.

k1rodeoboater said:
build that for the narrow end of your A-frame ladder, and something like this for the wide end. Spacing should be about 2' shorter so you have to slide it forwards to get it off. Use some rope tied to a carabiner as a safety to keep it from vibrating loose and falling on your car.

While I'd love to take more advantage of the space above the garage door, I wonder how much of a pain it will be to put up and take down the ladder each time. Right now especially, my wife has me constantly getting stuff from up there and putting it back as we get settled into the new place. I'll have to keep thinking about that one.

Any thoughts on enclosing the shelf on the workbench. Originally I thought I would want to add some sliding doors, but I'm not sure.

I spent some time working on the animal that lives in the garage today with the cabinets still mocked up on the wall behind the bench. While it wasn't as claustrophobic as I had initially thought, they do need to move.

dubber · Jan 20, 2014

What kind of car is that in the garage? I feel like it may be an early B5 A4

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

Can you store the ladder on the beam in the loft area until you get done moving all the stuff up and down? Just an idea instead of getting it from someplace else.

I know it is only 4 feet deep and 18" tall but will the tip fit in there? Not sure if it is a 6 or 8 footer.

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

Can you store the ladder on the beam in the loft area until you get done moving all the stuff up and down? Just an idea instead of getting it from someplace else.

I know it is only 4 feet deep and 18" tall but will the tip fit in there? Not sure if it is a 6 or 8 footer.

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

Double entry

Disregard

captain14 · Jan 20, 2014

Double post.

Operator error.

bshusted · Jan 20, 2014

dubber said:
What kind of car is that in the garage? I feel like it may be an early B5 A4

Good eye! It's a 1999.5 B5 A4.

Not quite stock anymore though...4.2L V8!

It's being German right now and leaking power steering fluid. I spent several hours today wrestling a new hoses on to the rack and I still have a leak at the banjo bolt on the pump.

I had to take a break from the car and work on the garage for a bit. I finished the third cabinet and moved all of them to the space above the trash cans. I wish I didn't have to store them in the garage, but there is no other option. I do plan however to get rid of the compost bin left by the previous owners.

I don't want to add any more cabinets further back on that wall or I risk not being able to open the driver's door.

k1rodeoboater · Jan 20, 2014

bshusted said:
While I'd love to take more advantage of the space above the garage door, I wonder how much of a pain it will be to put up and take down the ladder each time. Right now especially, my wife has me constantly getting stuff from up there and putting it back as we get settled into the new place. I'll have to keep thinking about that one.

Any thoughts on enclosing the shelf on the workbench. Originally I thought I would want to add some sliding doors, but I'm not sure.

I spent some time working on the animal that lives in the garage today with the cabinets still mocked up on the wall behind the bench. While it wasn't as claustrophobic as I had initially thought, they do need to move.

It's not that much of a pain if your ladder isn't stupid heavy. I had that sort of setup in the first place my wife and I lived at. If you're using it often now I'd not worry about storing it then, once you get settled in more you will not use it near as often, and by then you'll have a better feel for your garage setup. Just find the least obtrusive temporary home for it, I'd probably slide your tool box a few inches over toward the wall cabinets and tuck it in the corner.

If you can get those garbage, yard waste, and recycling cans outside you'll gain a ton of room back. Maybe look into building a covered thing for them that you can hide them away in so the're less of an eyesore outside.

As for enclosing the workbench...frankly I'd probably leave it as it. If you want to cover it I'd either do doors that open or go to the fabric store and get a sheet of clear thick vinyl, slice it into 4" wide strips that overlap each other by 1/2" or so, and nail it up. Allows you to access the stuff and should keep the dust levels in there down some and protect the contents from over spray. It's not without it's annoying downsides though, namely you'll encounter the flaps every time you put something away or go to get something. Some people would find that really annoying.

<ETA> you posted while I was writing this reply up. I like that cabinet location a lot, seems to be fairly out of the way and you can still access the garbage cans. A nice bonus is you have some more storage space above them now too. ***** you can't get them out of the garage, my wife wants them inside for convince even though I'm the one who takes care of the trash (unless I'm away of course).

venturesomerite · Jan 20, 2014

bshusted said:
I considered getting a jig for adjustable shelving, but decided against for now. Maybe in the future.

Easy and cheap template for dowels for adjust able shelves is to use peg board to mark the holes, and use a drill bit with a depth stop to drill them without drilling too deep. Peg board keeps them evenly spaced, and straight.

bshusted · Jan 20, 2014

captain14 said:
Can you store the ladder on the beam in the loft area until you get done moving all the stuff up and down? Just an idea instead of getting it from someplace else.

I know it is only 4 feet deep and 18" tall but will the tip fit in there? Not sure if it is a 6 or 8 footer.

It's only a 6'. The top of it would definitely fit. K1 may be onto something with the behind the tool box idea. There is a 2" lip at the back of the foundation. If I just slide the toolbox forward a bit, I may be able to slide it in there for easy access storage for now.

k1rodeoboater said:
It's not that much of a pain if your ladder isn't stupid heavy. I had that sort of setup in the first place my wife and I lived at. If you're using it often now I'd not worry about storing it then, once you get settled in more you will not use it near as often, and by then you'll have a better feel for your garage setup. Just find the least obtrusive temporary home for it, I'd probably slide your tool box a few inches over toward the wall cabinets and tuck it in the corner.

If you can get those garbage, yard waste, and recycling cans outside you'll gain a ton of room back. Maybe look into building a covered thing for them that you can hide them away in so the're less of an eyesore outside.

Unfortunately the garbage cans have to stay. Our association provides that they can only be outside on pickup day. I really wish the HOA would just have a community dumpster/recycle bin in the parking lot. I will be getting rid of the compost bin left by the previous owners to free up some space.

k1rodeoboater said:
As for enclosing the workbench...frankly I'd probably leave it as it. If you want to cover it I'd either do doors that open or go to the fabric store and get a sheet of clear thick vinyl, slice it into 4" wide strips that overlap each other by 1/2" or so, and nail it up. Allows you to access the stuff and should keep the dust levels in there down some and protect the contents from over spray. It's not without it's annoying downsides though, namely you'll encounter the flaps every time you put something away or go to get something. Some people would find that really annoying.

Yeah, the vinyl would be super annoying trying to put stuff away. Thanks for the ideas though.

dubber · Jan 21, 2014

bshusted said:
Good eye! It's a 1999.5 B5 A4.
Not quite stock anymore though...4.2L V8! I wish I didn't have to store them in the garage, but there is no other option. I do plan however to get rid of the compost bin left by the previous owners.

I don't want to add any more cabinets further back on that wall or I risk not being able to open the driver's door.

Ohh la la! I was hoping i was correct, i really love that body style. I miss mine, just couldn't afford to keep her happy hahaha. I had a 2001 2.8 A4.

Your must be a beast.

Yea those types of items are definite space suckers, i know from experience. I really found the key to the success in making mine useable was making sure things are placed up high and or at the end. The side walls you really want/need the room to maneuver around the car.

dubber · Jan 21, 2014

captain14 said:
Double post.

Operator error.

Quadruple post hehehe

N0tt0N · Jan 21, 2014

Great job on the one car garage build! It really is a study in efficiency and thoughtful design. Keep up the excellent pics and good luck!

taumac · Jan 21, 2014

Your place reminds me of my first garage also. Bringing back memories of mind and what I did. My suggestions put ladder straight up by garage door. Take jack handle off and roll jack under bench. Storage totes everywhere you can. Everything on casters. Use every inch of wall for something. No dead space. Mutli purpose stuff like take top chest off the craftsman stack and put in where other is. Now you got tools and mobile cart bench or stack them high less foot print or put in corner next to bench. In small garage you need to lessen the foot print of each piece and go vertical. I stacked a craftsman bottom 2 intermediates and one upper as my first tool box. It was high and yes pia to see in top drawers but nothing a step ladder couldn't fix. I just put stuff I didnt use up there. I love the single garage and love the challenge of getting it to fit and work.

Have a good one, Gerard

The 5 Stitches Garage part 1 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142100

The 5 Stitches Garage part2 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899

bshusted · Jan 22, 2014

taumac said:
Your place reminds me of my first garage also. Bringing back memories of mind and what I did. My suggestions put ladder straight up by garage door. Take jack handle off and roll jack under bench. Storage totes everywhere you can. Everything on casters. Use every inch of wall for something. No dead space. Mutli purpose stuff like take top chest off the craftsman stack and put in where other is. Now you got tools and mobile cart bench or stack them high less foot print or put in corner next to bench. In small garage you need to lessen the foot print of each piece and go vertical. I stacked a craftsman bottom 2 intermediates and one upper as my first tool box. It was high and yes pia to see in top drawers but nothing a step ladder couldn't fix. I just put stuff I didnt use up there. I love the single garage and love the challenge of getting it to fit and work.

It certainly is a challenge. I may try putting the ladder vertically as you have suggested. I think it is too wide to go on the wall with the door between the tracks and side. The over door storage seems like a good idea, but having to pull the car out to get the ladder down is more than I want to deal with right now.

I've got some time off work coming up in a couple of weeks and plan to take everything out of the loft and reorganize into storage totes. I'll be able to put them 2 deep and of course have the less frequently used things toward the back.

I actually took the casters off of the large tool box to make it shorter so that I can add a middle box and still reach the top. I considered putting the bench on casters, but for what I use the bench for, I wanted it secured to the wall.

No garage work got done last night, but I did have the thought of building some "half height" cabinets similar to the ones I already made to continue along the wall. I'll have to make some measurements tonight to make sure that my head would not hit the bottom while trying to exit the car.

RSOllie · Jan 22, 2014

Nice use of the space and the cabnits look top notch!
Bench looks smart too!
Also the Audi is nice!
Thinking of a 2000-2007 S4 estate for the "family car" next year, put some phat rims on it and let the misses curise about init lol

taumac · Jan 22, 2014

I do want to apologize for shooting so many things at you at once. When I had first garage I was just started in the collecting stage. After 12 years of collecting and trial and error of building my garages ( approx 4 there and 8 current garage ) I've learned how to fit and work in small spaces. There are a lot of techniques you can use but there have to match your needs,purpose, and wants for your place. If one idea or thought will help you the most in your garage is think from ceiling down and from corner to corner. Like your loft area, think totes what size totes how tall then give maybe 2 in to move totes in out and move loft to match. Then if you maximize than you might be able to fit cabinets in freed up space. Its takes time to get it done nothing happens over night for sure.

Have a good one, Gerard

The 5 Stitches Garage part 1 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142100

The 5 Stitches Garage part2 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899

Tyberius · Jan 22, 2014

You can get a little more storage above the garage door rails by replacing your springs with a torsion bar spring

jake616 · Jan 22, 2014

Subscribed! Nearly the same size garages

bartz32tt · Jan 22, 2014

Nice B5 A4! Interesting powerplant choice, looks like you're used to working with tight spaces

Were you able to retain Quattro? I was going to ask what the Rotella T6 was for - I knew it was either diesel or a high performance car, it's what I use too.

Suggestions:
1. I would put the stackable tool chest directly beside your workbench (to the right) for ease of access and to save room around the car. It'll also free up that existing corner, maybe for a tall/skinny shelf.
2. The ladder doesn't bother me, I have a similar set-up in my garage. Only thing I did differently was place the hooks up as high as possible so it'll be up out of the way (mine is beneath my upstairs loft ceiling).
3. Definitely consider some hanging storage above the garage door for long-term odds/ends you rarely need or things that are "out of season", which you can swap out seasonally. Consider what you're storing up there - probably wire racking is not good since a car will be underneath, but it'd be convenient to see what's stored up there from below.
4. Dunno if the garage is insulated but a recessed wall shelf here and there wouldn't be a bad idea and wouldn't hurt overall R-value that much.
5. The garbage/recycling cans - I don't know what your HOA code requires nor do I know the layout outside the garage. But I've seen others in similiar situations make a small attractive "shed" to store the trash/recycling - just big enough to make them fit with a small door to easily roll them out on trash day. Maybe if you use matching siding and shingles and put it in a spot that's to their liking, they'll let you get away with it.

bshusted · Jan 23, 2014

Tyberius said:
You can get a little more storage above the garage door rails by replacing your springs with a torsion bar spring

I think this will be on my list of things to do this summer. I really hate the extension springs.

RSOllie said:
Nice use of the space and the cabnits look top notch!
Bench looks smart too!
Also the Audi is nice!

Thanks!

bartz32tt said:
Nice B5 A4! Interesting powerplant choice, looks like you're used to working with tight spaces Were you able to retain Quattro? I was going to ask what the Rotella T6 was for - I knew it was either diesel or a high performance car, it's what I use too.

Suggestions:
1. I would put the stackable tool chest directly beside your workbench (to the right) for ease of access and to save room around the car. It'll also free up that existing corner, maybe for a tall/skinny shelf.
2. The ladder doesn't bother me, I have a similar set-up in my garage. Only thing I did differently was place the hooks up as high as possible so it'll be up out of the way (mine is beneath my upstairs loft ceiling).
3. Definitely consider some hanging storage above the garage door for long-term odds/ends you rarely need or things that are "out of season", which you can swap out seasonally. Consider what you're storing up there - probably wire racking is not good since a car will be underneath, but it'd be convenient to see what's stored up there from below.
4. Dunno if the garage is insulated but a recessed wall shelf here and there wouldn't be a bad idea and wouldn't hurt overall R-value that much.
5. The garbage/recycling cans - I don't know what your HOA code requires nor do I know the layout outside the garage. But I've seen others in similiar situations make a small attractive "shed" to store the trash/recycling - just big enough to make them fit with a small door to easily roll them out on trash day. Maybe if you use matching siding and shingles and put it in a spot that's to their liking, they'll let you get away with it.

Nothing in the drivetrain was changed during the swap aside from the larger brakes front and rear. I know that the 2.7T would have been easier to fit, but the cost and reliability did not seem good. At that point I might as well have bought an S4. With the 4.2, the added torque is amazing. It seems to have a real desire to surge ahead.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've avoided putting the toolbox at the end of the bench as it would make the space at the passenger front wheel very tight. I may try it out at some point, but that is my concern.

I've already got a couple of "seasonal" things in mind that could go up above the door and get them out of my way in the loft area. I'll have to work on a way to keep them up there.

I don't believe that any of the walls are insulated. I'm not sure where my territory ends and the "community" property begins. This is a condo/townhouse. The recessed shelf would be nice, but I'm already pushing the boundaries a bit by doing as much as I am out there.

There is really no other option for the garbage and recycling. I really wish that I could get them out of there, but as this is a condo/townhouse there is no outdoor space that I could appropriate for my own trash/recycling cans.

k1rodeoboater · Jan 23, 2014

Do you have access to your backyard from the front? If you do you could wheel them back there and store them in the back yard. Out of sight, out of mind so to speak. So long as your trash doesn't pile up I doubt your neighbors will car/notice. Especially if your yard is fenced in, you can easily hid it behind a tarp or strategically placed so they're only visible from certain angles.

<eta>I also wonder if it may not be better for you to tweak/rebuild your workbench so you can roll the bottom cabinet under it and put the top box on the bench. Might be a more efficient use of space that way and if you put a wood top on your bottom cabinet you'll have a 2nd mobile work surface which may come in handy (though IME in a small garage that's usually not the case since the bench/box is close to whatever you're working on already, only use I can think of would be as a stand for your miter saw). You can make a narrow tool cabinet to go where you currently have the toolbox to store the miter saw, drills, ect to keep it neat and tidy.

bshusted · Jan 25, 2014

k1rodeoboater said:
Do you have access to your backyard from the front? If you do you could wheel them back there and store them in the back yard. Out of sight, out of mind so to speak. So long as your trash doesn't pile up I doubt your neighbors will car/notice. Especially if your yard is fenced in, you can easily hid it behind a tarp or strategically placed so they're only visible from certain angles.

There is no back yard. Come to think of it, there is no front yard either. I'm stuck with the cans in the garage. I've made peace with it.

I made some more progress tonight. First order of business was more light. I picked up a couple more cheap fluorescent fixtures a little while ago and hung them in between the joists on the loft. For now, I've cut the end off of an old extension cord and wired them up to be plugged into my retractable extension cord. I plan to run conduit down from the switched outlet on the ceiling to have them all on same circuit. It makes a huge difference in the space under the loft.

I also had some more material left from the initial 3 cabinets that I built. I decided to make another a little more than half size. Right now, my head just barely clears the bottom. I'm going to raise the whole row of them 2" to reduce the risk of banging my noodle on them. The new one is just a mockup. No glue and I ran out of material for the back.

k1rodeoboater · Jan 25, 2014

And on the 6th day bshusted said, "Let there be light," and there was light. bshusted saw that the light was good....

Ok blasphemy aside...that's a hell of a lot of light under there. Gonna be really nice for working under there.

taumac · Jan 25, 2014

Did you raise the loft up? Looks differentnow from first pics.

Have a good one, Gerard

The 5 Stitches Garage part 1 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142100

The 5 Stitches Garage part2 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899

My first gargage. 19x12 Single

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