Help with my garage setup

[jferrante]

Hey everyone...I am buying a newly built home that has a 2 car attached garage and another 2 car in the back.

I need some help deciding on how to best utilize the space.

The house garage is relatively small at ~19x19 but with 12 ft ceilings and low rise garage door tracks going in.

The second garage is a bit larger at 20x22 but lower ceilings and a loft up top.

I am a home mechanic, like to mod my cars change oil and maybe bring a project home to work on.

I also enjoy wood working and dabbling in welding.

So my first reaction when I got this place was lift in the main garage, two post since the ceiling clearance was perfect. The back yard garage would be more of a wood shop and miscellaneous table saws etc so I could keep the front relatively clean.

Now that I'm looking at the space a two post up front may be tight since we only have 19 feet across....the only way I can see it working is to sacrifice a parking spot put some cabinets on the one side and put the two post in one of the bays, this im ok with. The back would then be additional parking if needed and woodshop tools etc.

The other option is put the two post in the back, blow out a portion of the loft to make headroom and sacrafice a bay in the rear. Then I would consider maybe a 4 post for storage reasons up front and also take up less space across so I could fit cars in each bay.

It's currently only me in the house a fun car and a truck but I will add another fun car since I have the space.

Appreciate input i will take some more pics but this gives you an idea.



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[gunguy]

Since your interior dimensions are set, start laying your ideas out on some graph paper and draw your equipment to scale. Or use a computer program if you're more comfortable with that.

Looks like new construction. Yes? Most builders add only enough power outlets to handle a garage opener and a light. Add circuits and more outlets now before you fill your garages up with stuff. Depending on what you get, table saws, compressors, welders, etc. may require 240v circuits. Plan ahead,

Floor space is precious. Put as much as you can on the walls. Also, build in flexibility with your equipment, meaning put as much as you can on casters so you can easily clean and reconfigure the shop as your needs change.

Can you add a lean-to on to the detached garage? That would allow you to store yard equipment outside of the garage while offering some protection from the elements.

Good luck and have fun with the process.

Jim

 

[jferrante]

Since your interior dimensions are set, start laying your ideas out on some graph paper and draw your equipment to scale. Or use a computer program if you're more comfortable with that.

Looks like new construction. Yes? Most builders add only enough power outlets to handle a garage opener and a light. Add circuits and more outlets now before you fill your garages up with stuff. Depending on what you get, table saws, compressors, welders, etc. may require 240v circuits. Plan ahead,

Floor space is precious. Put as much as you can on the walls. Also, build in flexibility with your equipment, meaning put as much as you can on casters so you can easily clean and reconfigure the shop as your needs change.

Can you add a lean-to on to the detached garage? That would allow you to store yard equipment outside of the garage while offering some protection from the elements.

Good luck and have fun with the process.

Jim

Good tips ill start the grid drawing and begin mapping it all out

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[CraigStu]

I know the height is better in the attached garage but I'd try to work something to put the lift in the detached. Your lift will be quite wide for a 19 wide garage and your wife isn't going to like parking next to it.

 

[jferrante]

I know the height is better in the attached garage but I'd try to work something to put the lift in the detached. Your lift will be quite wide for a 19 wide garage and your wife isn't going to like parking next to it.

Good thing I don't have a wife, but I'm thinking the same thing anyway

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[slim39]

I have a 9000 Rotary Lift and it is 11 foot 6 inches wide from one side to the other so that's how much space it takes

 

[jferrante]

I have a 9000 Rotary Lift and it is 11 foot 6 inches wide from one side to the other so that's how much space it takes

Thanks I was looking at specs im going to go measure and mark it out and see how it looks

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[ScaldedDog]

It's a little late for this suggestion, as it looks like you already have a floor in the detached space, but an in-ground lift would solve both the post-height and post-width problem. They are expensive to add after the floor is in place, though.

Mark

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[jferrante]

It's a little late for this suggestion, as it looks like you already have a floor in the detached space, but an in-ground lift would solve both the post-height and post-width problem. They are expensive to add after the floor is in place, though.

Mark

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Yea agree would be a good option, unfortunately I wasn't involved before initial plans were set but im still happy with what I have to work with

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[ScaldedDog]

Yea agree would be a good option, unfortunately I wasn't involved before initial plans were set but im still happy with what I have to work with

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I would be, too, as you have a great setup, and a cool looking place!

Mark

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[nadogail]

IMHO, Put as much stuff on wheels as you can. That way you can roll things into corners and possibly out of the way until you need it.

 

[jferrante]

IMHO, Put as much stuff on wheels as you can. That way you can roll things into corners and possibly out of the way until you need it.

Yea original plan was to do some new age cabinets but now im leaning toward a HF 72" box or the husky from HD.

I just did some Google work, there are a few two posts with about 10.5-11 feet widths which would save a second bay without much intrusion.

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[gunguy]

Yea original plan was to do some new age cabinets but now im leaning toward a HF 72" box or the husky from HD.

I just did some Google work, there are a few two posts with about 10.5-11 feet widths which would save a second bay without much intrusion.

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Just a couple of thoughts/ideas...

Most if not all Harbor Freight boxes have two swivel and two fixed casters. I have replaced the all the fixed casters on my boxes with swivelers and it makes the box much more maneuverable when pushing it up against a wall or in a corner. HF usually has direct replacement swivel casters in stock at the store. Swivel casters for the 72" box may have to be ordered.

The 72" box is huge and may limit where you can place it. Consider multiple smaller boxes. This may give you greater flexibility as to where to place them, they will be much easier to move around, and you can organize them by type of tool. What I mean by that is a box for mechanic's tools, a box for woodworking tools, etc. Cost a little more? Yep, but you gain a lot of flexibility. However, if a large box fills your requirements, go for it!

Jim

 

[jferrante]

Just a couple of thoughts/ideas...



Most if not all Harbor Freight boxes have two swivel and two fixed casters. I have replaced the all the fixed casters on my boxes with swivelers and it makes the box much more maneuverable when pushing it up against a wall or in a corner. HF usually has direct replacement swivel casters in stock at the store. Swivel casters for the 72" box may have to be ordered.



The 72" box is huge and may limit where you can place it. Consider multiple smaller boxes. This may give you greater flexibility as to where to place them, they will be much easier to move around, and you can organize them by type of tool. What I mean by that is a box for mechanic's tools, a box for woodworking tools, etc. Cost a little more? Yep, but you gain a lot of flexibility. However, if a large box fills your requirements, go for it!



Jim

Thanks Jim, yes all things to consider and I have a few more weeks before I make a choice. These 3.0 cabinets are really hard to ignore as well. The middle under the bench all are mobile and for the price 1349 it may be worth losing some maneuverability

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[jferrante]

I have been a 2 post believer my whole life and in a perfect world I would go that route. Since I didn't do the design for this house the 2 post is going to have to wait unless I do something transformative to the back garage.

My neighbor has this 4 post and I got to look at it tonight. Almost 2 feet skinnier than the narrow two posts I was looking at and getting the bottle jacks on the trays is not ideal but really wasn't bad at all....it will definitely do for my level of work needed..
This allows for doors to open easier and also gives me some storage.

https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Garage-Pro-8-000


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