Looking for input on my garage

[Fat Matt]

I've been reading a lot of the topics here lately and finally decided to register. My wife and I had been thinking of moving, but decided to stay put where we are. This means that I've got the green light for some projects. Currently, our garage is insulated/drywalled (some gaps between the wall and ceiling of about a half inch). It's 21x21 and 8'2" ceilings with a 16ft door facing south. Doors to the house and backyard are located in the NW corner. Other than that it's pretty basic with just some shelves on the wall, and bikes and kayaks hanging from the ceiling. It's a small space for us, since we have a Taurus and F150. We don't have a shed either so all yard stuff gets stored in there as well.

My hope is to improve it a lot and do it on a budget. I'm thinking:
Tape/mud the sheetrock
Paint walls (no texture) and ceiling in a light gray semi-gloss (hoping to find cheap paint at Lowe's)
With the gaps between the wall and ceiling, I was thinking of putting up some cheap white trim...thoughts?
Replace shelves with some cabinets that I'd make. These would go on the East wall closest to the big door
On the West wall, I'd build some racks for the kayaks and leave space underneath for the lawnmower and shopvac
I plan on adding some more lighting as well
And some small stuff like a shoe rack, handled tool storage
For the floor, it's currently got some cheap garage floor paint that *****.

Garage would be used for woodworking, parking, vehicle detailing, basic stuff like that. With the sawdust I want to go with no texture. My biggest question is regarding the trim/moulding. Would it look too "pretty"? I'll be taking some before, during, and after photos.

 

[Kevkx125]

If you really want to save space get a shed for the yard stuff.

 

[bczygan]

Welcome to GJ!

We need lots of photos to visualize your situation.

What are your goals and uses for the garage?

Shop space? Woodworking? Metalworking? Automotive maintenance and repair?

Simply parking cars?

Storage of yard tools and dead storage for the house?

Form follows function.

What are your functions?

What vehicles go in it?

Will it be heated in the winter?

Etc...

Bill

As mentioned above, a shed will improve the garage situation dramatically, if you need space in it for any work.

 

[Cyberbear]

With your limited standard two car garage floor space you will always be short on available work area, often needing to move stuff out on the driveway to do much large work. I suggest that you mount all that you can on casters for easy portability, because you will be playing musical machines lots of the time. Have you considered a carport in front of the garage?

 

[stevep500]

One way to maximize space is to put almost everything on casters--saws, planer, workbench, storage cabinets, etc. Then you can rearrange your shop as needed for the project at hand. Fine Woodworking (http://www.finewoodworking.com/) and Wood magazine have excellent articles on building a flexible shop.

The Wood Net forum has great discussions on all things related to wood working (http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=&C=1)

 

[Fat Matt]

No room in front or on the side for additional storage. We live on a culdesac and with the lot being shaped like a slice of pie theres no room to add a third stall. The wife has no interest in a shed so I'm left to make the most out of what I have.

To answer Bill's questions:
No it will not be heated in winter
Basic vehicle stuff and some woodworking
Yard tool storage. There is an attic above the garage so I store shovels in the summer, yard tools in the winter.
Bike/kayak storage
I don't plan on adding a workbench in the garage, as I have two in the unfinished basement.
Items that will stay in the garage all the time: pushmower, powerwasher, kayaks, stroller, shopvac, lawn/garden supplies, bins of rags. Car and boat detailing supplies stay in the house, so do my hand and power tools.

So I don't have a lot of big objects that I plan on keeping out there and on the floor constantly. Currently I have some plastic Plano shelves on the floor, but I would prefer to get the items off the ground and into the cabinets. That would allow me more floor space.

 

[Kevkx125]

Why does your wife have no interest in a shed?

 

[Fat Matt]

She'd rather put some money towards inside projects, and I am inclined to agree. A shed would be nice, but I don't think it's a necessity

 

[bczygan]

No room in front or on the side for additional storage. We live on a culdesac and with the lot being shaped like a slice of pie theres no room to add a third stall. The wife has no interest in a shed so I'm left to make the most out of what I have.

To answer Bill's questions:
No it will not be heated in winter
Basic vehicle stuff and some woodworking
Yard tool storage. There is an attic above the garage so I store shovels in the summer, yard tools in the winter.
Bike/kayak storage
I don't plan on adding a workbench in the garage, as I have two in the unfinished basement.
Items that will stay in the garage all the time: pushmower, powerwasher, kayaks, stroller, shopvac, lawn/garden supplies, bins of rags. Car and boat detailing supplies stay in the house, so do my hand and power tools.

So I don't have a lot of big objects that I plan on keeping out there and on the floor constantly. Currently I have some plastic Plano shelves on the floor, but I would prefer to get the items off the ground and into the cabinets. That would allow me more floor space.

When did she put your balls in her purse (Kind of kidding)?

Do a lean to shed on the side of the garage, or simply add as much area to the garage as zoning will allow. Do this on the side, back or whatever.

Or tell the wife she can keep the yard tools in the bedroom or kitchen.

My wife says to design the shed to appeal to a woman with a little porch and trellis or pergola and window boxes and the usual frou frou.

Short of adding space, is there enough space in the unfinished basement for the woodworking?

And this forum has tons of good ideas for using the space overhead and on the walls of a garage, for storage.

Bill

 

[JOHN 86GT]

Find a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams dealer and look through their "miss tints " paint. Cheapest way to buy good paint cheap .

I'd paint the ceiling the brightest white you can find . Paint the rest a light grey or ...

Build the biggest shed you can budget for you . You will wonder how you did without !

 

[Fat Matt]

When did she put your balls in her purse (Kind of kidding)?

Thanks for being insulting right out of the gate. If you had read my post, I said that we have some inside projects to do too. Maybe I should be more selfish and not get stuff done for the kids(our second is coming in less than 3 months) or the wife (she puts up with the other hobbies that I spend more money on) and put all of the funds into an addition on the garage?

No, I came here to get some help as I want to do this on the cheap and see some improvements, and still be able to do some other stuff that isn't only benefitting me.

John86GT, Lowes had Valspar paint on clearance when I was in there today so I picked up some.

Ducksface, noted. That was the type of info I was after.

 

[MagicMarker]

She'd rather put some money towards inside projects, and I am inclined to agree. A shed would be nice, but I don't think it's a necessity

You'd be shocked how much you'd love a yard shed. I keep all the lawn tools/ equipment in mine. Garage is for cars and tools.

Although I totally agree with priorities, try to work a shed into it. I have a decent sized two car garage and feel like I couldn't live without my shed.

Here's an idea.... Tell the wife that you don't want store gasoline in the garage

 

[kerr]

I dont keep gas in my shop . You need a shed brother ! Than you can fit a more bigger tool box ! LOL .

 

[sundevil64]

I used adjustable shelving from HD. it holds quite a bit and allows me more floor space.

I my space is 22x20 with same height ceiling. I have two cars, three vidmar cabinets, two good sized welders, tanks for the welders, a mid rise lift, a couple of work benches and so on. It is doable, but it does get tight. I am replacing floors on one of my cars and had the motor out so I am doing what I consider major work. It is tight, but until I get my shop built it is what I work with. Which btw should be in the next couple of months. Going to a 42x35...ahhh more room finally. Good luck. I also stored stuff in the attic if that is an option.

 

[dwysywd]

Matt, don't be too offended, usual ball buster crowd, every forum has them; it's sorta the secret handshake into the club. So without further ado (or handshakes...) welcome!

I moved a lot for work and found myself, at times, without adequate storage. I purchased one of those rubber made shed on CL for about $200 (better than half the cost new). It will change your world. You'd be surprised what you can squeeze into a 4x6 shed!

As for current garage, hang your tools on the walls, put your bikes and kayaks on the ceilings, build a bench like this (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/96828) for occasional garage projects, and make the overall best use of your space. It will be a tight fit, but I can speak from experience, it can be done.

 

[cdestuck]

Sure I'd do some trim around the top of the walls. Just get some #2 pine, like 1x3 or 4. That's pretty cheap trim.