20x20 garage build - looking for input

[gnerdalot]

I finally am getting a house and will have a 20x20 garage. The back right has a 2x8 notch with a sealed window.

Ceiling is 9'5", and has a beam going across that is about 20" high.

The wife wants a clean garage - no mess in sight. Oh and we are parking sedan +suv inside.

I plan to build with metal and wood in the garage, so make quite the mess at times.

Current plans:
* finish/expoxy the floor professionally
* bench in the notch
* parking sedan + suv
* make full use of space all cubic feet

I expect to trade off access time for compactness. E.g. bring out a metal cutting bandsaw, make cuts, roll back under the bench.
I've also thought about vertical storage, via cable or screws.

 

[gnerdalot]

Other important thing: quietness. I often don't get to "go shopping" until after 10pm, so I am dictated by quietness. Our home is a townhome, but I don't want to be the neighborhood jerk making noise at 11pm.

I got a quiet compressor (Rolair JC10), drill press is very quiet, micro-mill is quiet (aluminum is quiet enough to cut at night), use a deadblow + floor, and have a 20ton press for squishing things, and a HF $35 3" variable-speed grinder. Seems that belts + variable speed make tools quiet.

However, for some cuts, the proper cut will be noisy, so those are saved until <9pm or so.

This is all hobby work, I code all day, but take care of my own cars, fix stuff around the house, or find an excuse to go shopping for an hour when a thing is busted. I grew up fixing things, and enjoy it too.

So have been reading up on workbenches - a concrete workbench. Or I just a 2x2x3 pedestal to hammer on at night. I looked around on the interwebs but not found yet..

design for a quiet workbench. lots of wood, or concrete, or a combination?
My though so far is a slab with slab ends for legs, 4-5" with rebar. Put in lots of anchors, and then edge with steel to prevent chips, etc.

 

[dacan23]

Your planning on parking a sedan and SUV in the garage? Wont be any room for much 20x20 is kinda small for a 2 car garage.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Your planning on parking a sedan and SUV in the garage? Wont be any room for much 20x20 is kinda small for a 2 car garage.

+1

My 20x22' garage will fit two cars with a work bench in front of them... working at the bench isn't a problem. However there's only about two feet around each car. Its tight... and you can't fully open any door. If you need to do any work that requires space, one or both cars need to be pulled out. Anyway, my plan is to build a ~30x30' garage out back for real work and keep the attached garage just to park cars...

If you want a wood working shop, you're going to need a bunch of room and the DUST... your wife will kill you. Better build it in the basement or build a shed.

 

[gnerdalot]

Thanks for the replies!

I do wish the garage was larger - even 24x20 would make a huge difference. as the drywall was just put on, I saw how small it was. We don't have a driveway to back the cars into, and outside parking is limited.

Being a townhome with a paltry yard, no space to build new structures. Its certainly an upgrade from my first workshop, a 2x4foot closet. Yeah - 8sf + the deck to work on things. For sure not gonna put a Bridgeport in there.

We also could dump the cars and get flat cars + a lift, e.g. Ferarri F430's. The F430 is 48" high, so 2 would technically fit. I'll have to ask wife about this.

Regarding mess, I looked a lot at the 12-gauge garage - the fold down tables seem a great solution. Then tarp the cars during the ensuing dust storm.

I'll post pics when we get started (~2mos). Thanks again!