Chad's NEXT Garage Makeover
- Thread starter 69bigblok
- Start date
Thanks for the info. Something even better happened actually - my wife surprised me with hiring the yard service to everything is mowed, blowed and edged for me. I actually gave the mower to a good friend so now I have NOTHING in the way as far as a mower so I'm very happy about that. I fought back that I really didn't want someone mowing the yard but she wouldn't take no for an answer. It was my fathers day present.
dubber
Well-known member
sean Buick 76
Well-known member
Great job on both Garages, they are both in the top 5% in my opinion... Your hard work certainly has paid off!
Is there any chance you have room to add a shed in the back yard? if so it would free up a lot of room... Not a criticism just an idea to give you a bit more room.
Is there any chance you have room to add a shed in the back yard? if so it would free up a lot of room... Not a criticism just an idea to give you a bit more room.
n2ocamaro
Well-known member
Amazing garage! You have me rethinking my flooring options. I was going to go epoxy but now I may want to go Racedeck.No can't do a shed. I have a storage closet inside that I put some things in. Not much left to put in a shed though. All I have now is a trash can and the kids bikes so I'm pleased with having everything else hidden away.
Thank you! Yes I considered epoxy too. I love my racedeck for the looks you just can't get with epoxy. My only complaint is not being able to easily roll a jack under the car without having to protect the floor so that gets a little silly so it depends on how much hard-core work you are doing. My old "solid" RD tiles took the jacks a lot better than the free flow so you might consider the solid tiles too. Keep me posted on what you go with!
It's only fitting that my first post would be on such an incredible build thread! Great job! I'm building a house right now with a three car garage. ( a single door + a double.) I still get into some fairly frequent wrench turning sessions and am considering doing either all circletrack or maybe circletrack in the single bay and free flow in the double. My long term plans are to put a 2-post in the single bay, so maybe that would make sense. I love the look of the free flow, but I'm in TX and don't really need it for runoff control. Things as simple as kneeling down on it vs the circletrack seem like they would be uncomfortable. That, plus using a jack frequently, etc. just thought I'd get your take on it.
CodeRedZ
Well-known member
wowza great garage.
s2kattracks
Well-known member
That is slick! Love it
So I'm still loving the makeover over a year later. I've rearranged little things a hundred times and keep thinking about little improvements.
Lately I've realized that I wish I had gone with the lighter color "alloy" color as my field to brighten things up. Everything just seems a little too dark.
I started thinking of ways to switch out my flooring colors but figured I might try some lighting upgrades or maybe even painting the top part of my wall a bright white instead of gray.
Today I tried switching out some of my halogen bulbs for some 5000k cfl's. I keep looking at LED's but they are still so expensive. I also put up a four bulb fixture with some 5000k bulbs. So far I really like the cleaner light. Stilll need to add another fixture and change the other halogens out.
I think I will tackle repainting my ceilings and top part of the walls bright white to lighten things up. Should have some time between Christmas and new year to do more.
For the last several weeks I've been converting my Camaro over to power steering. Turned out to be a big job because I had to change out motor mounts but man it has been worth it. The upgrade is amazing with a modern quick ratio steering box.
Lately I've realized that I wish I had gone with the lighter color "alloy" color as my field to brighten things up. Everything just seems a little too dark.
I started thinking of ways to switch out my flooring colors but figured I might try some lighting upgrades or maybe even painting the top part of my wall a bright white instead of gray.
Today I tried switching out some of my halogen bulbs for some 5000k cfl's. I keep looking at LED's but they are still so expensive. I also put up a four bulb fixture with some 5000k bulbs. So far I really like the cleaner light. Stilll need to add another fixture and change the other halogens out.
I think I will tackle repainting my ceilings and top part of the walls bright white to lighten things up. Should have some time between Christmas and new year to do more.
For the last several weeks I've been converting my Camaro over to power steering. Turned out to be a big job because I had to change out motor mounts but man it has been worth it. The upgrade is amazing with a modern quick ratio steering box.
dubber
Well-known member
Hey Chad, I think adding more lighting will help. But i recently went with "Alloy" instead of the red band that I had in my last garage and i'm loving it.
G20-Budo
Well-known member
Chad,
As dubber mentioned, I too was wondering if lighting is why your garage seems too dark? The pics of dubbers single and Rick's double (with I believe the same floor tiles colors) do not seem too dark to me at all. But both of them had a good deal of lighting. I too have a triple (though not as tall as yours), so I'm actually curious about this exact topic (I even bugged poor dubber about it via email last night). Is it because your triple is so big that it seems darker? Or is it the extra patch of black you put in the middle to split up the 2 car and 1 car bays? I too would like to get the race deck flooring, but am not in a position to get it financially at this point. In the mean time I'd like to learn as much as I can from you guys.
Oh, and for the record, I think your garage looks GREAT Chad!
As dubber mentioned, I too was wondering if lighting is why your garage seems too dark? The pics of dubbers single and Rick's double (with I believe the same floor tiles colors) do not seem too dark to me at all. But both of them had a good deal of lighting. I too have a triple (though not as tall as yours), so I'm actually curious about this exact topic (I even bugged poor dubber about it via email last night). Is it because your triple is so big that it seems darker? Or is it the extra patch of black you put in the middle to split up the 2 car and 1 car bays? I too would like to get the race deck flooring, but am not in a position to get it financially at this point. In the mean time I'd like to learn as much as I can from you guys.
Oh, and for the record, I think your garage looks GREAT Chad!
taumac
Well-known member
I do believe lighting is alittle dark also. The red walls look great but don't reflect as much light as a lighter color. The fixtures ( I caught a glimpse of them ) are great as accent lights but lack in general lighting like a floursent would. I have accent lights is mine also and they good job but when working I mainly use my fluorescents. You could wire up some fluorescents on a different circuit and use them when needed and use the accent lights when showing off.
Have a good one, Gerard
Have a good one, Gerard
Madhatter10-6
Well-known member
Damn...what a garage. Looks great. Love the viper as well.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
Whoa whoa whoa! Everyone just calm down here. There will be no changes to the floor colour. Dubber decided to join the Alloy side, but that was his own choice and he'll have to live with the repercussions. LOL
I think your garage would benefit with more light, as would mine. I'm in the process of sourcing out some 4-bulb fixtures to replace the 4 2-lamp ones I currently have. I'm also thinking of narrowing my graphite section in the middle, which would mean more black tiles. Just kicking that one around.
Chad, your garage looks amazing. Don't change a thing.
dubber
Well-known member
Rick, don't be scared, i would gladly welcome you and Chad to team Alloy!
Now dubber you know I can't live without my red ha ha!
Thanks! Yes you are right - it must be the lighting because the other garages with the graphite look just right. More lighting it is!Chad,
As dubber mentioned, I too was wondering if lighting is why your garage seems too dark? The pics of dubbers single and Rick's double (with I believe the same floor tiles colors) do not seem too dark to me at all. But both of them had a good deal of lighting. I too have a triple (though not as tall as yours), so I'm actually curious about this exact topic (I even bugged poor dubber about it via email last night). Is it because your triple is so big that it seems darker? Or is it the extra patch of black you put in the middle to split up the 2 car and 1 car bays? I too would like to get the race deck flooring, but am not in a position to get it financially at this point. In the mean time I'd like to learn as much as I can from you guys.
Oh, and for the record, I think your garage looks GREAT Chad!
Thanks! I agree - my track lights look nice but I need some better general lighting. I'm going to leave the front row near my cabinets and replace the main area lights with some flourescents.
Thanks man!
That had me cracking up! You are right Rick - glad you talked me off the ledge! I just need some more light in the place. Funny thing is I started just switching out my halogen bulbs with 5000k flourescents and it already looks better. The light is much cleaner looking and really brings out the gray in the walls and center of the floor so you guys are on to something here. I'm anxious to see what you come up with too on lighting. I have a couple of extra 4 bulb fixtures I'm going to put up this weekend. I want to see what you play around with on your racedeck. Just KNOWING that it can be pulled apart and rearranged makes me want to mess with it!
Ok but only if I can keep some red in there though. I need a 12 step program for redaholics.
dubber
Well-known member
Sounds like you have it all figured out now. Remember, just take it one step at a time..... LOL
Let there be light! I picked up 2 of the 6 bulb T8 high bay fixtures. I'm planning to do 4 of those fixtures total and just leave the front set of track lights with matching 5000k bulbs. This should make a big difference.
Planning to get the first two up over this weekend and add the other two later.
I also plan to paint the inside of my garage doors gloss white to reflect more light too. Right now they are just a tan flat color and pretty dirty.
Planning to get the first two up over this weekend and add the other two later.
I also plan to paint the inside of my garage doors gloss white to reflect more light too. Right now they are just a tan flat color and pretty dirty.
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Hey great Garage,I went through all of the pictures but didn't read all the text.So I don't know if someone has already mentioned that those garage doors are begging for the LM jack shaft openers with high lift tracks.Sorry in advance if this has been discussed before.
Nice job.
Nice job.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
6 bulb high bay T8's??? You do not mess around. I can't wait to see some before and after pics. Hopefully they will convey the true difference, because I anticipate it being night and day.
Thanks so much! Yes for sure that is on my master plan list that I mentioned along the way. I really want to do new doors, raise the tracks and do the jackshaft openers. It would really clean up the ceiling and having new doors with windows would let more light in. As I add more cars over the years this will allow me to put a lift in so it will be fun when that stage comes.
Ha ha I do have issues with being extreme sometimes. If it's worth doing, it's worth OVERdoing you know...
Better?
Got two of the 6 bulb high bay fixtures up today. I'm liking it better already. I think adding two more will really do the trick! That will be like 6 of the typical 4 bulb fixtures. I also changed out all my track lighting bulbs to CFL 5000k so everything matches. I really wanted to surface mount the lights so it was a pain having to take them apart to get them screwed to the ceiling but worth it. I think tomorrow I'll add a couple more boxes and get all the wiring done so that I only have to mount the other two fixtures. It really makes the room seem bigger having more light.
Got two of the 6 bulb high bay fixtures up today. I'm liking it better already. I think adding two more will really do the trick! That will be like 6 of the typical 4 bulb fixtures. I also changed out all my track lighting bulbs to CFL 5000k so everything matches. I really wanted to surface mount the lights so it was a pain having to take them apart to get them screwed to the ceiling but worth it. I think tomorrow I'll add a couple more boxes and get all the wiring done so that I only have to mount the other two fixtures. It really makes the room seem bigger having more light.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
Alloy tiles in your field....pfft.
Two more of those bad boys and you'll be able to do X-Rays on that Camaro.
Two more of those bad boys and you'll be able to do X-Rays on that Camaro.
millwight.mike
Well-known member
Sweet job. The lighting difference is amazing. What vintage of viper are you planning on??
G20-Budo
Well-known member
Yup, lighting is what was needed! Night and day difference so far! I'm with Rick, if you get two more of those fixtures, you should be SET! No alloy tiles needed! 
It looks GREAT! This has convinced me to go with the Black/Red/Granite. When finances come around, this is the color combo I'm going with. Damn it looks good.
It looks GREAT! This has convinced me to go with the Black/Red/Granite. When finances come around, this is the color combo I'm going with. Damn it looks good.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
Chad, a lot of what I'm hearing from people in the lighting biz, is that high bay lights are too much for a residential garage. I think our ceiling heights are quite similar, do you think that is a bunch of malarky? I'm leaning towards some low-bay fixtures right now, but maybe I make the jump to the big leagues like you? Love some input.
Yep you're right! Getting there now. Much better that I spent money on new lights instead of changing out to the alloy. Good light sure is nice.
Thanks! I'm pretty dead set on a 2008 to 2010 Viper coupe. I had a 2006 but the '08 to '10's have a more aggressive hood, better tires, and most importantly a bump to 600hp. The brand new vipers are beautiful but expensive and a little to European for me. I really like the raw version of all the older vipers but I wouldn't turn down a new one though.
Yup, lighting is what was needed! Night and day difference so far! I'm with Rick, if you get two more of those fixtures, you should be SET! No alloy tiles needed!
It looks GREAT! This has convinced me to go with the Black/Red/Granite. When finances come around, this is the color combo I'm going with. Damn it looks good.
Thanks so much! Yep no alloy tiles in my future. You will certainly like this color combo. The only other one I really like would be mixing in black and alloy tiles to do a checker in the field instead of graphite but that might get too busy. This one turned out a little classier than my last garage but I still like the checkered look too.
I have read some of that too Rick. My ceilings are around 12' so on the short side of being feasible for those fixtures but I have no regrets so far. I really like the fact that each fixture has 2 extra bulbs and the chrome reflectors really bounce the light off and it even looks cool when the lights are off in my car themed garage. I hope chrome never goes completely out of style. I also like that these fixtures don't have a cover that would just collect a bunch of bugs and irritate me. I am definitely planning to buy two more.
Today I got most of the rough in done for the other two as a matter of fact. Should be pretty quick to mount up a couple more in the coming weeks. It really is fine like it is but a couple more will put it over top and light up the side toward the garage doors when they are closed. I already much happier with how it looks out there. Just going to a nice clean white light looks so much better than the very yellow halogens.
Is there actually a 6 light low bay fixture? I've looked online only a little but pretty much just picked up the most powerful thing I could find at home depot.
I know I'm blasting light down more directly with the high bay but I think that works for what I do in the garage and also I have a track light set up full of flood lights to shine on the cabinets and walls so I think it will all work together. Compared to what I had I'm really liking it.
I know I'm blasting light down more directly with the high bay but I think that works for what I do in the garage and also I have a track light set up full of flood lights to shine on the cabinets and walls so I think it will all work together. Compared to what I had I'm really liking it.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
I'm currently eyeing up a 4-lamp low bay unit. I don't think there are any 6-lamp ones. Not from what I've seen. I'll be going with four of these, I think:
http://www.cooperindustries.com/con...onsumer_products/spec_sheets/091173_wn432.pdf
http://www.cooperindustries.com/con...onsumer_products/spec_sheets/091173_wn432.pdf
G20-Budo
Well-known member
Trying not to thread jack here, but that 4-lamp T8 setup by cooper industries looks like a good one Rick! Thank you for posting it.
I'm very curious to know the difference in the open/chrome reflector setup you have Chad and the clear acrylic prismatic lens setup on that cooper that Rick linked us too? I wonder if the clear acrylic prismatic lens would help to disperse the light better than the open chrome reflector setup?
I'm very curious to know the difference in the open/chrome reflector setup you have Chad and the clear acrylic prismatic lens setup on that cooper that Rick linked us too? I wonder if the clear acrylic prismatic lens would help to disperse the light better than the open chrome reflector setup?
ODIS
Well-known member
Used the 4' 4 bulb T-8's. Used a lot of them and they work well with the acrylic diffusers. Also, since the building is well insulated and sealed, get some thermal gain when the lights are on:
Your garage is beautiful! Love RED!
All the best.
Ody.
Your garage is beautiful! Love RED!
All the best.
Ody.
dubber
Well-known member
/\ That is the way to go as well. Its my dream route.
As for the lights, well done..... As they say, night and day difference.
Yes I think the lens helps to disperse light to a more general area. For me I really just wanted to mount 4 total fixtures so I figure 4 EA of the 6 bulb high bays would still put out more light than 4EA of the 4 bulb low bays. I figure the bulbs are the same so it really is just a reflector versus lens. I'm really happy with these.
Used the 4' 4 bulb T-8's. Used a lot of them and they work well with the acrylic diffusers. Also, since the building is well insulated and sealed, get some thermal gain when the lights are on:
Your garage is beautiful! Love RED!
All the best.
Ody.
Thanks Ody! Wow your place is amazing - I love your red and white and of course all those lights look really, really good. I'm digging that lift.
55cadillacking
Well-known member
No kidding! My fear is Odis posts a pic like that in my thread and my jealousy causes my world to come crashing down all around me!
Picked up light #3 out of 4 today! Can't wait to put it up this weekend.
I think my winter break project will be the garage door insulation since I will have time to do the DIY version that Dubber and others did. Should help lighten up the look of those doors if I go with a bright white.
I think my winter break project will be the garage door insulation since I will have time to do the DIY version that Dubber and others did. Should help lighten up the look of those doors if I go with a bright white.
dubber
Well-known member
Atta boy! Cant wait to see how yours turns out. Just putting the finishing touch on mine right now. Yours should go pretty quick as you won't need to worry about windows.