Feedback on layout for inside of new garage

[dh128905]

Hi all - I just had my 24’ wide x 32’ long garage built. Purposes: workshop, work on cars, and car parking/storage.

I got a great deal on 16 piece Husky heavy duty cabinets. Also bought 2 72” matte blue husky storage chests. I am looking for general feedback on things I may be missing or didn’t think about, as we’ll be strategically running all the electric while the walls are open with this layout in mind.

This drawing is scaled with each box being 1’.

Thanks!

 

[CraigStu]

I am concerned about the base cabinets on the right wall. They take up a lot of floor space. I'd rather have a ton of 12" deep wall cabinets on that wall and move the fridge to the back wall. It is a bit of a pain after the fact but I'd put a window below the TV. Ad a room darkening shade so it doesn't mess up TV viewing. Wiring I'd run 120V outlets every 4 ft along three walls at about 48" off the floor. Have each wall on it's own 20A breaker. For lighting I'd install a ton of 4ft LEDs on three switches. 2 centered left and right at about 12ft and 24ft back from the door on their own switch so you can fire up just those 2 when you need to go there for a quick grab a tool or whatever. Then a bunch more split in half on separate switches. I am not sure the best layout but maybe three 240V outlets, each on it's own breaker, at your best guess where you might need them later. Check w/ the lift people where they want the power to come to and if it is 120 or 240 so you can run a dedicated outlet for it possibly in the ceiling.

 

[Chevy-SS]

I built a little bit bigger garage a few years back (30x32). The very first thing I started noticing was how the floor space disappeared, haha. So I started going up, with shelving and more shelving everywhere. The main idea is to get everything off the floor. Undoubtedly, with 100% certainty, you will soon have the same floor space issues.

 

[CombatNinja]

I don't know how many cars you want to fit in there but all those cabinets on the right side pretty much render that a single car garage. If those Husky cabs are 24" deep, you'll never fit two cars given that lift. If that is all you need, go for it but I would've moved the lift over in that case as it is too close to the left wall for my liking.

 

[dh128905]

Thanks for the replies! I agree that the storage on the right side may be too much given the garage is 24’ wide. The good news is EVERYTHING will be on lockable casters. Even the storage lockers I’m going to build a 2x8 base and put leveling casters with rubber feet on. Oh, and the 4 post lift won’t be bolted down. Casters for that too.

I bought the second 8 piece storage set mainly because I needed more of the wall cabinets, and it is not possible to buy them individually. Was going to just sell the other items on Marketplace since I got such a good deal on the set anyway. BUT, then my wheels started turning and thought the second work space might be nice haha.

Current vehicles are sports car (Toyota Supra) ram 1500 quad cab, and a motorcycle. The Ram will actually fit under the lift no problem, and the Supra is ~14.5’ long x 6’ wide, so no space problem now right now with that right garage bay. But when I get more toys, I’ll probably want that floor space.

I welcome any more comments! This is my first garage, so eager to learn before anything permanent. Should also mention garage door is a single large 18’ x 9’

 

[TonyG109]

Here goes way more than you asked for!

Like Chevy-SS said, floor space disappears quick! Definitely go up if you can by utilizing wall space. Since I have a 12' ceiling height, I used a lot of warehouse style shelving and put the first shelf up high on some bays so I could utilize the floor space underneath. Maybe consider some type of modular hanging system in some wall areas such as french cleats or something. Some use pegboard but there's probably a website somewhere dedicated to pegboard haters!

Also, go mobile with everything you can. I have wheels on - two 24" x 48" x 72" metal cabinets, 36" x 120" bench, parts cleaner, sandblaster, tool chest (of course!), welding cart, powder coat oven, small refrigerator, 20 ton press, miter box and anything else I can get a dolly under. Dollies are a life saver! I bought a bunch of them because it's so nice to be able to "tetris" things around out of the way to retrieve stuff from behind or just to clear the floor for a project or a good cleaning.

And a second vote to move the lift away from the wall or angle it a bit. I was thinking it may be hard to pull a vehicle straight onto it without scraping the left side of the garage door/vehicle and getting the rear wheels to line up.

As far as electric outlets, load up on them and maybe use quad outlets. And even though it takes more wire, I would alternate the breakers that feed the outlets. Meaning that no breaker feeds two adjacent outlets. And maybe use 3 circuits. This way there is less chance of tripping breakers. And label the outlets with the breaker number. And go ahead and put a 50 amp circuit in somewhere. There's probably a welder in your future! Don't forget electric for the garage door opener. Just remember, it's easier to do all this now. Once equipment is in place and the walls are covered, it becomes much more difficult and expensive.

Moving on to walls, all I'll say is it's nice to have a solid surface such as OSB/plywood to attach things to. I did "ugly" 3/4" OSB and put on several coats of Kilz shellac based primer, several coats of high fill primer and then a light color satin paint. Took the ugly right out of it. edit - And I can attach anything anywhere.

And just to open Pandora's box, what about AC/heat, insulation and the floor? (All topics worthy of their own thread.) Sorry, I had to go there! It's so easy and fun to spend other people's money!! Just take your time and get it right the first time. It's cheaper in the long run.

 

[dh128905]

Thanks Tony, some good ideas! I’m with you on casters - Everything will be on casters, and 4 post lift will be mobile with casters too! My concrete has a VERY minimal slope.

I like the idea of alternating circuits with outlets. I’m thinking of doing (2) 220 outlets, and rest 20 amp outlets. Lift will be 120V, but that will be on its own circuit. I’ll have to think about the 50 amp circuit. I know next to nothing about 220v and those circuits

Planning on 1/2” BCX plywood walls, batt insulation in walls, and closed cell foam insulation on bottom of roof deck. The front 10’ and back 10’ rafter ties are all 16” OC, and I’ll have plywood up there for some storage space. I do like wall mounted options - my single car attached is loaded with pegboard.

Flooring will be an epoxy in the fall or spring when the concrete has cured more. Ac/heat will come from a mini split, bottom right of the scaled drawing.

Not worried about up front costs - I know it won’t be cheap, I just want to do it right.

 

[aaustins14]

Just a few ides off the top of my head.

As already mentioned, I would try to move the lift over a touch or possible angle it.

I would run more electrical than you think you’ll need. If in the future you decide to rearrange your will be thankful for that. I would run 120 and 220 to the lift, maybe someday you’ll have a different lift or want to weld under it etc.

For pneumatics, you can go down a huge rabbit hole. I would oversize air runs to wherever you want them, then neck down to 1/4 for your tools.

Along the same thought, run some empty conduit to each wall of the building from the electric panel. More upfront work/cost but gives you flexibility in the future.

Also I might move the grinder closer to my workbench. You’ll want it near your tools. Same advice for other ‘equipment’… ie. sanders, vice, etc.

Otherwise Good Luck.
New shop is exciting and getting to build it your way is sweet.

-A

 

[dh128905]

Thanks A! Was just talking to my bro-in-law and will definitely overdo it on electrical. All 120Vs will be 20 amp, and will run 2 50 amp circuits. I got the biggest sub panel I could, so I have 30+ breaker slots. Will probably run 5 or 6 different 20 amp circuits for outlets, with 2 of them being dedicated (one back left for lift (or maybe overhead?) and one front right if I put a wall mounted pressure washer there.

Outlet behind tv area, outlet next to wall mounted shop vac and grinder, outlets behind cabinets that allow me to feed in through the back. Also outlets a little lower for fridge and air compressor, as these will be on the ground, and I don’t want cord coming up above table.

The grinder will be on a tripod pedastool so I can move it wherever I want! May even play around with leveling casters on that too! I love the idea of those ratchet casters - all the way down and they rest on rubber feet. Ratchet them a few notches and you’re rolling. Best of stability and mobility!

 

[dh128905]

I do think I’m going to just 2 cabinets on each side for the back wall, and put a larger tv there. We will no doubt do some entertaining here on football Sundays. I poured my concrete pad outside the garage pretty level and large, so I have nearly a full size half basketball court.

Other nice thing is my garage pad and outside pad are both a little <1% slope with no lips, so I can move 4 post lift outside on nice days.

 

[Ak Jim]

Thanks Tony, some good ideas! I’m with you on casters - Everything will be on casters, and 4 post lift will be mobile with casters too! My concrete has a VERY minimal slope.

I like the idea of alternating circuits with outlets. I’m thinking of doing (2) 220 outlets, and rest 20 amp outlets. Lift will be 120V, but that will be on its own circuit. I’ll have to think about the 50 amp circuit. I know next to nothing about 220v and those circuits

Planning on 1/2” BCX plywood walls, batt insulation in walls, and closed cell foam insulation on bottom of roof deck. The front 10’ and back 10’ rafter ties are all 16” OC, and I’ll have plywood up there for some storage space. I do like wall mounted options - my single car attached is loaded with pegboard.

Flooring will be an epoxy in the fall or spring when the concrete has cured more. Ac/heat will come from a mini split, bottom right of the scaled drawing.

Not worried about up front costs - I know it won’t be cheap, I just want to do it right.

Just make sure no get no oil on the floor before you do the coating.