2 car attached in the bluegrass

[lonestarky]

I guess I'll start this the same way everyone usually does. I've been a long time lurker on this forum, constantly looking for ways to maximize the little space that I have. I also know that making this thread will provide me with some accountability, at least to a thousand strangers on the internet.

I need to transform my current 1 car, 1 motorcycle, and junk garage into a 2 car, motorcycle and shop garage. Obviously this will be a challenge, but I think it can happen.

I have some carpentry skills, some metalworking ability, and very little patience. My hope is that working on the garage will help me develop the steady work habit and patience that I need to work on the rest of my house. Like everyone says, working on a garage is a great way to practice before you have to do it in a room your wife sees.

My garage wasn't in terrible shape, but it definitely needs work. I started by moving storage from the ground, to overhead. Floor space is too valuable to have silly things stacked on it.

The previous owner had some rubbermaid shelves/cabinets hung that I took down, and I've slapped together some basic stuff just to get things up in the air like summer tires, food storage (NO PANTRY IN OUR KITCHEN!) fluids, etc.

I need to run to Lowes and get 1 more angle bracket of each size. Thats infuriating. Thats my other goal, to be more diligent about planning and budgeting. I'm an engineer/manager at work, so doing the same thing at home is awful.

I also started painting the brackets because I decided I wanted to after I had them all up. *******.

The area to the left of the car used to just have a motorcycle and just junk in it. I've already cleaned out a space for the bike at the back of the garage. As I develop storage, the area to the left will get emptied out, and hopefully have room for 2 cars!

Thats what I have so far. I'll continue painting, hanging, and organizing. I'm going to need to figure out what to do with the lawn equipment. I know, it's not supposed to be in there!

 

[lonestarky]

I should also say that these were taken while I was working. Cords/etc. are usually coiled up and put away.

Next steps are as follows

1)buy additional brackets, paint and install.
2)sand/rout edges of shelves and paint.
3)move unnecessary shelving units elsewhere.

Then I'll start deciding if I need to move the air compressor, get rid of the craftsman workbench and build one in, and how to get creative with the lawnmower and other landscaping equipment.

I'm also trying to use sketch-up to do this stuff. For some reason I've always picked up drawing packages incredibly quickly (pro-e, catia, ideas, solidworks, inventor) but I can't figure this silly-*** free program out.

 

[49stude2r6]

Looks like you have an idea of where you are going with it so best of luck hope to see you keep making progress.

 

[lonestarky]

Not much work since the last post. I've been doing a lot of moving and re-organizing, which is a necessary evil. I also picked up the last 2 angle brackets I needed and hung those. Rattle canning them black before they were up was a huge time saver. Additional painting before I start hanging/moving too much more stuff is still on the docket.

I've been reading up on T8 fixture installs, as I only have 2 incandescent lights in my garage currently. I have one circuit for my garage, on a 15 amp breaker. Only 200A service to the house. I'm thinking I want to hang them on an angle underneath the shelving, so they're useful with the garage door opened, or closed, as I normally have to have the door open to work. I was hoping to find some nice fixtures with reflectors.

I have clear attic above, so snaking wire shouldn't be a big issue. Anyone else ever hung lights on an angle at the side walls of their garage?

 

[lonestarky]

I finally moved all the other **** out of the way, and finished shelving. This is the first time in the 3 years we've lived here that I have 2 cars and a motorcycle in a two car garage. What a relief. Still trying to spec out lights...anyone hung lights on an angle on the side walls? Thats how our fluorescents are hung at work, but I'm not sure if its necessary in a garage.

 

[Hud]

I would hang the fixtures where the incandescents are

 

[lonestarky]

Hud, thanks for the opinion, it would be much easier that way.

Here's some pics of it all reorganized and moved.

The wife can slide her car in right next to mine, and we can both park inside!


Been very busy with work and family visiting for the holidays. Got a lot of interior work done, (shoe molding for a flooring project I finished almost a year and a half ago...I'm lazy)

Hope to start the repainting and electrical soon.

Thanks for looking.