Upgrading to 3 car garage

Cheezhead · Jan 3, 2015

Upgrading to a 3 car garage (Pic heavy!!!)

After living in our first house for 7 years and doing some light renovations my wife and I decided it was time to think about moving to a bigger place before we had our second kid. It was kind of bittersweet in that our first house was my grandmother's and now had been in the family for about 50 years. It was unfortunate that she came down with Alzheimer's and was no longer able to live alone anymore. It worked out that I was almost done with college and we were able to live in it for a year and pay the taxes/utilities until after I graduated before we actually purchased it. Over the years of ownership we did a lot of updating. Including blowing out a window to add a sliding door and deck. It was just a basic 1 1/2 story with 4br, but the worst part was just 1 bath and a 1 stall garage. Below are a few pics.

I put in the garage door, but hired out the driveway. They did a great job.

It was the hottest day of the year when we put in the door of course!

My first deck build

Now to the garage...

When I started it had drywall on the sidewalls and pretty rough T&G on the ceilings and back wall. I rented a lift to rock the ceiling and hired a guy to do the taping, mudding and ceiling texturing. He only charged $200 but I had to rosin paper the floor and tape off the walls before he sprayed the ceiling.

Along the way I also added 6 cans, a couple outlets on the house wall side, built the shelf above the garage door and for the TV. The cabinets I got for free from my Dad's work.

Lastly the epoxy. I'm glad I did it here and learned that I don't want it on my current house. Unfortunately, the floor slopped right to the house door. So every time it snowed we had to walk through a puddle. Another drawback was that is was VERY slippery. I put the abrasive material in the clear, but nonetheless it was very dangerous.

Now on to the new place...

Cheezhead · Jan 3, 2015

While we took a big hit selling out first house, we made it back on the purchase of our next (and hopefully last) house. It is a modified two story with 3br & 3.5ba. We could add a 4th br in the basement very easily, but like the open space. It also has master suite and laundry on the main level so it will be a nice house to grow old in. Most importantly is the 3 car garage and 2 acres that it sits on that I'll eventually be able to build a 1200sq ft detached garage or pole shed. (money permitting)

Cheezhead · Jan 3, 2015

This is how the garage started.

Drywall on the ceiling, and any wall adjacent to the house, 3 light fixtures and whole lot of OSB. At least there was a ton of outlets, level around the perimeter and a attic ladder.

55cadillacking · Jan 3, 2015

Your previous home looks like a dollhouse! Your new place is equally impressive. I'm very interested to see where you go with it. Congrats!

kingstrider · Jan 3, 2015

Looks very promising, looking forward to seeing where you go with it. What is under the car cover in the garage? Also why wouldn't you do the epoxy floor again?

PhoenixSS · Jan 4, 2015

Looks good! What are the dimensions of the new garage?

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

55cadillacking said:
Your previous home looks like a dollhouse! Your new place is equally impressive. I'm very interested to see where you go with it. Congrats!

Thanks! It was a hard decision to leave but it is nice to have the extra room with two kids now. The people that live there now had three kids and had twins last year. I can't imagine the toys, having just one bath and just a small eat in area in the kitchen. There were no kids within blocks in the old neighborhood now we have 10 or so in our 12 house cul de sac.

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

kingstrider said:
Looks very promising, looking forward to seeing where you go with it. What is under the car cover in the garage? Also why wouldn't you do the epoxy floor again?

This is what is under the cover. 1966 It was an AZ car until 1988 I bought it in 1997 when I was 17. It is a "C" code 289 3spd, those are in storage with a 347 and 4spd toploader in place and a 3.55 trac lok now out back.

The epoxy was really slick when wet and not being able to put jack stands directly down on it without marring it was a pain. I don't want to have to be careful with the floor in this place. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet though.

Martin XJ · Jan 4, 2015

Hi Cheezhead, nice house, nice garage, nice Harley and I guess an early Mustang under the cover, so come on, unveil it.

My thread http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=271477

Martin XJ · Jan 4, 2015

Oh I see you already have.

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

PhoenixSS said:
Looks good! What are the dimensions of the new garage?

Formally it was a model home, but the builder apparently didn't see the value in making it any bigger than builder spec for around here. 22' deep for sure by 32" wide iirc. Just being 24 or 26 deep would have made all the world of difference but what do you do.

The ceiling ranges from about 9.75 to a little over 10'. That is a bummer since the neighbors is a solid 11'. That would be a game changer with a 4 post lift going in, mostly for mustang storage and to park a car under it.

I think 9.75 is too low to park another car under the mustang. You guys with 4 posts, what does it take for ceiling height?

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

What gave it away? The Ford flag, mustang sign or shape. I was going to play guessing game but it was too easy.

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

So first step was ripping out the osb. My dad and uncle tried to talk me out of this but I don't care for it. I wanted a more finished look and wanted to run more things in the wall. I'm going for a bit more of a finished look since I will be building a detached shop......someday. Wife's family is big so it is nice to use the garage for bday parties and gatherings, especially when it rains. I also want anything possible in a cabinet of tucked away.

Say hello to my little friend

I used this to remove the osb. They used a nail gun and plenty of nails. No pics of this, but not too exciting. Why is it when you drop a tool it always hits on the bad side. Tip broke off, back to menards I went for another one.

Cheezhead · Jan 4, 2015

After the osb was removed I gave about half of it to a neighbor and cut the remainder so I could get it up the attic latter and use it for flooring.

The general plan is:

Add a rapid air kit in the wall (60 gallon compressor between the garage doors in the future).

Run coax and cat5 for tv and blu ray/streaming/pandora

Run speaker wires in walls for surround sound/stereo

Hide all the garage door wires and low voltage for irrigation.

Add ceiling mount heater

Add lights and ceiling insulation. None up there to start with.

Put in cabinets across deeper part of the back wall.

I forget to mention this in the back yard.

12x20 with roll up door. Frees up a ton of space. Basically it is a 4th garage stall.

Cheezhead · Jan 6, 2015

Wish I had taken a few more pics early on but below was the general plan from the outset, I had to make a few changes. This is the crude layout plan, excuse my drawing and it is not to scale! There is more cabinet space than there appears.

I will be buying a new, bigger, better quality toolbox that will go next to the door to maximize continuous counter space. I'm thinking a blue Masterforce from Menards. They seem to be pretty high quality for the price with thinker gauge steel, roller bearings and soft liners.

The mini-fridge will go under the panel and allow for easier access to add to the panel if need be.

Cabinets will go in between with a small slot on the far right for sawhorses and and jack.

I originally planned for the heater to go up in the right corner, but after reading the directions and the 18" minimum from the back and 8-10' for adjacent walls from exhaust that was poor planning by me. I had planned on exhausting through the back, but it also recommended 5' minimum for exhaust length. All those things were all against me.

Martin XJ · Jan 6, 2015

Cheezhead said:
What gave it away? The Ford flag, mustang sign or shape. I was going to play guessing game but it was too easy.

The shape. I had a '66 a few years back did a full resto on it, here is a pic.

My threadhttp://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=271477

Martin XJ · Jan 6, 2015

Subscribed

My threadhttp://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=271477

venturesomerite · Jan 6, 2015

Looks like a nice upgrade! I too am not a fan of osb, well...anywhere, espicially walls.

Cheezhead · Jan 7, 2015

With the OSB off, the additional wiring commenced. The box on top the PO put in but left a live wire hanging out with no outlet in it or wire nuts on it. :shocking:

The inspector did point that out. That along with making the natural gas run the shortest possible gave me the idea to put the the heater in that location.

The other three double gang boxes from bottom to top are for the light switch/outlet combo, cat5/coax and the top one is for the speaker wire run.

I wish the panel wasn't in the garage, it eats a lot of cabinet space.

Homebody · Jan 7, 2015

Nice looking house (as was the previous one). 3 attached plus a future detached = Winning!! :thumbup:

Cheezhead · Jan 11, 2015

Homebody said:
Nice looking house (as was the previous one). 3 attached plus a future detached = Winning!!

Thanks! But future detached is a long ways away.

Just one of the great ideas I got lurking on GJ was the Rapid Air kit.

I decided to run the inlet between the garage doors where a 60 gallon upright compressor will eventually go. I ran the lines in the walls and in attic with two outlets, one in each corner of the front of the garage from the ceiling. I will be adding hose reels at that those locations.

Cheezhead · Jan 11, 2015

With air lines in, low voltage run, can lights in it was time to hang drywall.

I used 12' sheets and that was the first time I had used them. My buddy was storing a 10' trailer at my house so I made it longer with some 2x4s and was able to get them home.

I got all of the drywall up, but fall came too fast so I was stuck there. My tape guy recommended not doing it in the fall to reduce potential for cracks.

It is amazing how much different it looks and feels with drywall up.

Cheezhead · Jan 14, 2015

Getting ready for taping and mud!

My tape guy asked that I do the prep so he can get right to work. Being he was hundreds of dollars less that was fine by me. I put down rosin paper and taped off the garage door mounts. Getting excited at this point, but not looking forward to painting.

Wife's new (to us) rig

Cheezhead · Jan 14, 2015

Getting messy

First coat down! :rocker:

Cheezhead · Jan 14, 2015

Painting!!!

Paint is a lot more expensive than it was 10 years ago. :headshake

When we painted the walls in our first house Walmart ColorPlace was well under $10, I didn't use that for garage but it is at least $15 now.

I can't remember the primer brand but I used Pittsburgh from Menards for the color. It was around $25. I have to give credit to GJ member mtmd11 for the color scheme. I stole it from him! I didn't take pics of the process but here is finished product. It was more work than I thought it would be. And I wish they made paint tape in even sizes, I went with 1.44", I wanted 1.25.

dubber · Jan 15, 2015

Sweet new garage (and home)

You must be in heaven!

QwikKotaTx · Jan 15, 2015

Very neat house and garage. That's great you have some land as well. You have gotten a lot done having young ones. My wife keeps me chained inside the house. At least there is a bar.

Hpozzuoli · Jan 15, 2015

Good luck and beautiful new home. I just sold my first house and boughtwhat is hopefully my last house. I couldn't touch a 3 car in my area (550k and up) but I got the house I wanted with a big 2 car. Be thankful your move is over. Mine starts Jan 22nd and ends Jan 23. 2 days to go 6 miles!

Pretty slick how the bottom of the deck is enclosed.

Cheezhead · Jan 15, 2015

QwikKotaTx said:
Very neat house and garage. That's great you have some land as well. You have gotten a lot done having young ones. My wife keeps me chained inside the house. At least there is a bar.

Thanks!

LOL. Well, it has been about 2 years in the making and the first summer, the second girl hadn't been born yet. It is difficult to get things done with two little ones. Sometimes you just have to make yourself get out there any free time you have, even if you want to sit and relax.

I grew up on 3 wooded acres and some of the best memories I have growing up was playing on it. I wanted room for our girls too.

Cheezhead · Jan 15, 2015

Hpozzuoli said:
Good luck and beautiful new home. I just sold my first house and bought what is hopefully my last house. I couldn't touch a 3 car in my area (550k and up) but I got the house I wanted with a big 2 car. Be thankful your move is over. Mine starts Jan 22nd and ends Jan 23. 2 days to go 6 miles!

Pretty slick how the bottom of the deck is enclosed.

Ugh, our sale was miserable. Buyer was very, very difficult and demanding. I almost told him to shove off. :evil:

We moved out New Year's day 2012 and closed the sale a few days later. Luckily it was the winter we had no winter. There was only two days with snow that year (one being the day when had all the family over for the last big push :sad:

) We then lived in a friends basement for a few months, waiting for new listings to pop up.

I hope your move goes well and the weather in okay. How is it in RI in January?

As far as the deck goes, that is one of the downsides of the house. I too thought the enclosed bottom was good. ( it was froze shut at showings) With the walls closed in and water dripping down from above it doesn't dry out well, it is muddy and the green treat decking is rotting already. Whoever built it was a hack too. The posts go into the dirt and the railing have floppy 2x6 posts. We thought it was frost heaved in one corner, but it is just not level. I have to dig up a post and see what they did for footings. I may doing a lot of digging this summer and put in new sano tubes. Once that is squared away, maintenance free decking is going in and lattice around the bottom.

Cheezhead · Jan 18, 2015

Corner shelf

I had a little free time and some spare plywood so I thought I'd make a little corner shelf. I delusionaly was hoping that maybe, just maybe the the 19" tv on the bench may fit on it. Boy that thing is deep. Oh well, ultimately it is for surround sound receiver and dvd player, and it didn't cost anything. The pipe running up the wall is for NG.

Cheezhead · Jan 18, 2015

Bench

The reason I had some spare plywood was this bench. One of the other things we didn't care for was the mudroom in our "new to us" house.

Before:

There is a closet around the corner to the left (across from the washer and dryer) but no place for the kids to sit to put on jackets and mittens (well about a foot to the right of the washer). We debated on moving the w/d downstairs when we first looked at it, but it is convenient to have them on the main level with the master on the main level as well. We lost the cabinet in the mudroom, but I gained a cabinet in the basement workshop. :beer:

So I was watching my favorite show(s) TOH and saw this bench build.

I looked into it and luckily our w/d are stack-able.

Here are some pics of it:

Not done with the side, just mocking it up for the top. Right side has a full piece on the side. The left has an opening for the water lines, which you can't see.

Excuse the picture quality.

Still have to finish one little piece between the baskets, I should get on that.

jd_77 · Jan 18, 2015

Garage is looking great. Might steal some ideas from you.

How did you keep the garage heated to paint? I was thinking of painting mine this winter but I think I will wait till spring now so I can have the windows open. Also did you spray it or roll on the paint? Also I am going with the same paint, did you use exterior or interior paint and how was the coverage?

Cheezhead · Jan 18, 2015

jd_77 said:
Garage is looking great. Might steal some ideas from you.

How did you keep the garage heated to paint? I was thinking of painting mine this winter but I think I will wait till spring now so I can have the windows open. Also did you spray it or roll on the paint? Also I am going with the same paint, did you use exterior or interior paint and how was the coverage?

I painted the summer of 2013. No way I'd do it in the winter, I'd wait. I used interior, but exterior would probably be better. Coverage was good. About two coats for each color.

One issue I had was winter of 2013/14 was REALLY cold. We had a week where it was about -20F most days. You could see frost where each stud was on all the exterior walls. The SS outlet plates were totally frosted up too. With that, the paint peeled around some areas along the top plate (from ceiling down about 3-4 inches in some spots, only on exterior walls). I had to go around and scrap it off. I then used exterior max bond paint and went back over it with the same interior Pittsburgh. No issues yet this winter, but it only has been as cold as -17F for one day. I also insulted the garage attic with r-13 this fall, which probably helped.

Cheezhead · Feb 1, 2015

Above garage door shelf

After the painting was done I could finish the shelves above the garage doors. Pretty simple and pics are self explanatory.

I got a little greedy on the big garage door trying to get the most room between the shelf and the ceiling. I didn't realize a two car door sagged that much when it was up. I had to clearance the 2x4s going from the wall out on each end of the 2 car door shelf because the garage door hit them went it tried to go up, oops. Notched them and got it to work, lesson learned.

Cheezhead · Feb 1, 2015

Re: Upgrading to a 3 car garage (Pic heavy!!!)

I forgot to ask in last post opinion on shelf color. I can't decide. White, gray, black or leave it natural. Your thoughts?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gingrbredman · Feb 2, 2015

Re: Above garage door shelf

Cheezhead said:

Sorry if I missed your explanation earlier, but are those wires coming out of the ceiling with that self mount?

tricountytrail · Feb 2, 2015

Cheezhead said:
Thanks! But future detached is a long ways away.

Just one of the great ideas I got lurking on GJ was the Rapid Air kit.

I decided to run the inlet between the garage doors where a 60 gallon upright compressor will eventually go. I ran the lines in the walls and in attic with two outlets, one in each corner of the front of the garage from the ceiling. I will be adding hose reels at that those locations.

Quick question when you layed out your electrical boxes and air outletss what it the preferred method? Have them end up on the edge of the drywall both sheets or at least 2" above or below? You could save some headaches when your cutting out way boxes from drywall?

Cheezhead · Feb 2, 2015

Re: Above garage door shelf

Gingrbredman said:
Sorry if I missed your explanation earlier, but are those wires coming out of the ceiling with that self mount?

I didn't cover it, nice eye. Just some speaker wire. I plan on getting a cheap surround system/receiver for tunes and the TV.

Cheezhead · Feb 2, 2015

tricountytrail said:
Quick question when you layed out your electrical boxes and air outletss what it the preferred method? Have them end up on the edge of the drywall both sheets or at least 2" above or below? You could save some headaches when your cutting out way boxes from drywall?

Good question, others can weigh in since my answer isn't going to be too helpful. Previous owner had the garage wired up with plenty of outlets. Luckily they were all level around the space. I put the drywall on the bottom first and just cut around them so I could set the next sheet on top of that one. Air lines are in the middle of the sheet and I still have to finish that off better on the supply side. My guess would be to give yourself 2" or little better, but what do I know. A good taper will make it work either way.

Others with more experience can probably answer that better, and I'd be interested to hear the answer as well.

Upgrading to 3 car garage

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