My first 2 car working garage 23x21

[viper522]

I've seen lots of types of garages on this forum - automotive, agricultural, hang-outs, hangars, showrooms. Mine will be a mix of automotive (car and motorcycle) and a little hobby fabrication. Most of all I need to work in it - vehicle maintenance, build and assemble wood stuffs, weld/grind/cut metal (not necessarily in that order!) - and store all these tools, work surfaces, gadgets, some bicycles and a motorcycle. I have two large vehicles - a full size pickup and a full size SUV - and don't have intentions of storing either in the garage unless something comes up. I also have a large shed at the back of the property for all the lawn and yard equipment. On with the show...

As you can see, the back wall is a total loss. It contains my air handler, water heater, wash basin, washer/dryer and a door into the house. There are only 4 outlets in the whole garage: left wall, back wall, ceiling (opener) and washer/dryer. I will need at least 2 more. CBS walls left and right, wallboard at the back and ceiling.

Here is a better angle of the back right corner. There is also an exterior door here. The wood cabinet will be coming down. There's a bumpout for the service panel which means I can't mount anything flat the entire length of that wall. Not a huge deal. There's only 6-8" above the garage door so I can't use that area for storage, but I do have good attic access and a lot of unused space up there. Eventually the old stove/micro and the dining table and chairs will be gone which will free up the space I need to really get to work.

The floor is pretty clean with no obvious signs of fluid stains, just some discolored spots that clean up pretty well with degreaser.

My first additions were retractable air hose and extension cord reels. Pegboard and scrap wood storage above door are from previous owner.

That is all for now. I've got a solid wood door that will make a good workbench surface and I'm thinking about some tall cabinets on wheels to store all the stuff from the plastic shelves so it can all be rolled around the shop as needed. Something like this http://www.plansnow.com/dn3077.html

I've also taken a liking to the fold-away benches and lockers I've seen on this forum. Real space savers with a little added storage. I've got 5 gallons of white paint that was meant for the garage walls but I really don't think it's going to be necessary.

 

[Jack Olsen]

That's a nice space. The laundry is a pain in the neck -- you'll get complaints when there's sawdust or metal shavings getting on the machines and the clothes. Could those units go in a basement, possibly?

Other than that, my advice would be to add lots of home-made cabinets. (Making simple shelves would be easier, but you'll be forever catching wood and metal dust on whatever you store there.) If you just repurpose old kitchen cabinets, you'll only use a fraction of the wall space. I'd go floor to ceiling around that exterior door, and all the way up over the sink (and the work surface you put in there if the laundry machines can find a new home). Basically, any wall up above 6' is fair game for shelving -- sliding doors are cheaper (and quicker) than hinges, clasps and handles. All you need is a table saw. And you don't have to go for tough-as-nails construction on the cabinet faces -- especially the high ones which will store the less-frequently-used stuff. The doors can be thin; they're only there to keep dust out. Use better wood on the doors for the below-six-feet cabinets -- the ones you'll be opening and closing a lot -- and look at second-hand metal cabinets that you can build above with cheaper wood stuff.

Of course, save the prime below-six-feet real estate for fold-down (or fold-up) work benches. Try to keep welding and woodworking apart as much as possible -- or get really good about cleaning the place between projects.

I decided with my garage that the maximum number of cars it would ever hold would be one, which allowed me to use the center space for cabinets, a saw and a welding table and the sides of the no-car half for permanent benches.

I'd post pictures, but I think I've done that enough that you've probably seen what I did in my garage.

 

[viper522]

That's a nice space. The laundry is a pain in the neck -- you'll get complaints when there's sawdust or metal shavings getting on the machines and the clothes. Could those units go in a basement, possibly?

No basement here. My lot is raised 4 feet just to clear sea level! What you see is the extent to which the laundry area is utilized. There's rarely if ever clothes exposed. I run a tight ship! (she's not reading this, right?)

Other than that, my advice would be to add lots of home-made cabinets. (Making simple shelves would be easier, but you'll be forever catching wood and metal dust on whatever you store there.) If you just repurpose old kitchen cabinets, you'll only use a fraction of the wall space. I'd go floor to ceiling around that exterior door, and all the way up over the sink (and the work surface you put in there if the laundry machines can find a new home). Basically, any wall up above 6' is fair game for shelving -- sliding doors are cheaper (and quicker) than hinges, clasps and handles. All you need is a table saw. And you don't have to go for tough-as-nails construction on the cabinet faces -- especially the high ones which will store the less-frequently-used stuff. The doors can be thin; they're only there to keep dust out. Use better wood on the doors for the below-six-feet cabinets -- the ones you'll be opening and closing a lot -- and look at second-hand metal cabinets that you can build above with cheaper wood stuff.

Of course, save the prime below-six-feet real estate for fold-down (or fold-up) work benches. Try to keep welding and woodworking apart as much as possible -- or get really good about cleaning the place between projects.

I decided with my garage that the maximum number of cars it would ever hold would be one, which allowed me to use the center space for cabinets, a saw and a welding table and the sides of the no-car half for permanent benches.

I'd post pictures, but I think I've done that enough that you've probably seen what I did in my garage.

Your advice holds a lot of weight with me. Your folding bench pictures have caught my eye over on WeldingWeb.com where I post under the same name.

I feel very fortunate to have this much space. Just recently I was renting a house with a 3/4 car garage and slippery tile floors. Somehow I made that work. When I see the 6 car compounds posted here I nearly fall out of my chair!

 

[DaRkILLa]

looking forward to updates on this. My family just bought a new home accross the street, so i get the two car garage all for myself. Its ganna be a 1k budget for me. for the first few months.

im in florida also, so the laundry room is in the garage. i plan on covering the machines when not in use.

 

[viper522]

looking forward to updates on this. My family just bought a new home accross the street, so i get the two car garage all for myself. Its ganna be a 1k budget for me. for the first few months.

im in florida also, so the laundry room is in the garage. i plan on covering the machines when not in use.

Covering them isn't a half bad idea. I expect to do most of the dirty work more toward the opening of the garage, but when the dust settles - and it's on the laundry machines - things might get thick

I didn't get much done this weekend. Hung a broom holder and moved some things around. Trying to decide on where to put the bench, first. After that I think things will start to fall into place.

 

[Dan_inthewind]

A tall set of vertical blinds hung right from the roof will keep the wife happy with the dust problem. If you get them of heavy enough material they hang tight together. You can even make your own with heavy enough plastic sheets. In your case "viper" you can go right past the water heater and clean up the whole end of your shop. And sweet looking bike!

 

[DaRkILLa]

i personally plan on putting those retractable doors. the really loose ones all across the wall that the water heater and washing machines are up against. also will put some cabinets on top of that to put away all the soap and laundry stuff.

when i say retractable doors i mean like the retractable storm shutters people have out here in florida. that type of style. That way it covers it up and opens up in a small place.

 

[viper522]

I'm liking this curtain idea. I had planned for a t-track on the ceiling for hanging a punching bag (saw it on TV once). It stores against the wall and slides out on the track for use. I could run the track the width of the garage back by the laundry and hang a collapsible plastic curtain. Pull it out away from the side wall and it would provide a protected lane from the house entry door to the laundry machines. Then she'll have NO excuse! (you guys didn't tell her about this site, right?)

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I would probably put the washer dryer in a closet or a mudroom. Make a separate space for the water heater and maybe some cabinets over the machines. I like a radio in my shop, and a door between you and a washer will help you hear a radio, and keep your sanity.

The garage is your space. Keep it clearly defined or it will become your wife's closet. Get rid of everything in the garage that is not yours, or at least get it out of the garage.

 

[z28snksknr]

I suggest a long, deep shelf about 30" from the ceiling to store all the non-essential stuff. I bought about 10 30 gal. plastic storage containers that will house all the seasonal decorations, camping equipment, pool chemicals and equipment, etc. Once you move all that sutff up high and out of the way, then you can organize what you actually USE alot better. Having everything in the same container type (or even color) cleans up the garage alot also.

Depending on how much stuff you have that falls into that category, you can have the shelf as long as you want. Start off with one wall and go from there. I'm a big fan of the colapseable workbenches as well. If I had the budget, mine would look like Jack Olsens's. Since I don't, it looks like unfinished lumber.

 

[viper522]

I would probably put the washer dryer in a closet or a mudroom. Make a separate space for the water heater and maybe some cabinets over the machines. I like a radio in my shop, and a door between you and a washer will help you hear a radio, and keep your sanity.

The garage is your space. Keep it clearly defined or it will become your wife's closet. Get rid of everything in the garage that is not yours, or at least get it out of the garage.

You're brave. We aren't married, so there's still hope. Small house, though - nowhere else to put washer/dryer. The other side of that back wall is half kitchen, half master bath.

 

[Bob Heine]

Congratulations! My first home in SE Florida had a very similar setup. It's going to cool off a little in a month or so and I'd suggest you get the attic over the garage upgraded - you don't want to be working up there in June. Unless yours is the exception, put some insulation up there (R-19 fiberglass is about right). Put some plywood up there as well so you can store the Christmas stuff up there in January. To keep from compressing the insulation, shim the plywood with 2x2s on the trusses.

I agree completely with Jack Olsen's suggestion to put cabinets everywhere you can. I may have gone a little overboard but it doesn't have to be expensive. I built 30" square boxes and then bought the cheap pairs of 30" x 15" door packs from Home Depot. Found a cabinet hardware outlet for some cheap european hinges and here's the result:

The cabinets closest to the garage door are shallow - made with 1"x8" shelving (cheapest grade). They're great for oil and cleaning supplies:

The cabinets at the other end of the wall are taller and deeper. I wanted space below for the creeper and compressor and I wanted a place to store all the catalogs, shop manuals and magazines:

It's the same basic design but is 42 inches tall and ten inches deep. The cheap door packs are available in 42" x 15" as well.

Beyond the cabinets, the main tool chest is under the window A/C unit. With insulated walls, doors and ceiling, that 11,000 btu unit cools my 700 square foot garage just fine, with a cheap ceiling fan to help the circulation. You should really consider some kind of A/C in the garage. The heat and humidity in SE Florida is pretty high six months of the year.

 

[viper522]

Wow, thanks Bob those are some mighty fine examples. Great tip on the door packs, I hadn't thought of that. I can't tell in the pics - how do you have the shelving boards fastened?

I do have an A/C vent coming straight off the air handler. I'm told this is highly against code as it provides CO a way into the ventilation system... It does work and I'll have to be conscience not to leave it open while welding and such. Won't be any vehicles running in there and the side door creates a great flow-through to evac gasses if necessary.

 

[Bob Heine]

Wow, thanks Bob those are some mighty fine examples. Great tip on the door packs, I hadn't thought of that. I can't tell in the pics - how do you have the shelving boards fastened?

I do have an A/C vent coming straight off the air handler. I'm told this is highly against code as it provides CO a way into the ventilation system... It does work and I'll have to be conscience not to leave it open while welding and such. Won't be any vehicles running in there and the side door creates a great flow-through to evac gasses if necessary.

The shelving in the two big cabinets are screwed in through the sides but the small ones are just 1/4 inch holes with shelf pegs like the typical kitchen cabinet. That way I can adjust the height or add more shelves.

If you don't know someone who is renovating their kitchen, you may find decent used kitchen cabinets at the nearest Habitat for Humanity ReStore

http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

I thought about doing the same thing with the air handler. Hurricane Andrew in '92 changed my plan. The window unit in the garage wall could run on a small generator and cool part of the house to a bearable temperature when the power goes out.

 

[viper522]

Today I stood in the center and took pics for a 360 view to help give me a better idea of what I can do. I haven't made any changes yet as I'm trying to decide on a number of things. Namely, I have a $50 credit toward Gladiator garage storage and 50% off retail prices. I could spend $1000 and seriously outfit the garage or save that for tools and build my own storage solutions.

decisions, decisions...

you'll have to scroll the page sideways, sorry!

 

[DaRkILLa]

where in florida are you?

 

[viper522]

Southeast coast

 

[DaRkILLa]

is that the name of the city? lol

 

[viper522]

no, it's not

 

[viper522]

Having an electrician come out the 25th to wire new outlets, switches and lighting. I figured I would wait to get that handled before installing semi-permanent shelving and cabinets. I honestly think I'll get a lot more done once the weather turns cooler. I know some of you are digging cars out of snow, but it's still in the upper 80s here!

 

[viper522]

Got the electrical done and covered the windows on the garage door (see this thread http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46266). Reorganized the 'stuff' piled around so it all fits neatly on one wall awaiting shelving of some sort. Moved the compressor to the new dedicated circuit closer to the roll up door. Installed new switches for half-and-half lighting I'm currently working on and new wall sconces for the outside of the garage. Installed pair of 8" 2-way speakers in the ceiling - waiting for the in-wall rated speaker wire to show up so I can finish that.

I'm still stuck without a floorplan, however. This is proving difficult because I've never done it before and I only want to do it once. As time passes I realize I'm going to have to make some compromises, or start living in it.

This is where I'm at so far. This design incorporates the existing pegboard without moving it. There would also be a workbench spanning the base cabinets.

 

[DIYnotBUY]

looks like you will have a great space soon!!! What program did you use to mock up this rendering it looks great!!!

 

[viper522]

Believe it or not I used the ClosetMaid Virtual Storage Planner on their website. I like Sketchup and all those programs but this was quite versatile.

http://www.closetmaid.com/Design/Visual_Storage_Planner/index.cfm

 

[DIYnotBUY]

awesome ill have to mock up my shop area and garage on there thanks

 

[ZRX61]

I think I would be adding a stud wall next to the outside door so it would in effect, free up the back wall of the garage..

a "mud room" kinda deal the goes across to just before the house door...

 

[viper522]

I think I would be adding a stud wall next to the outside door so it would in effect, free up the back wall of the garage..

a "mud room" kinda deal the goes across to just before the house door...

That's a very interesting thought. Although I really like having that side door open for the breeze sometimes. Something to consider anyway..

 

[Smokey]

Believe it or not I used the ClosetMaid Virtual Storage Planner on their website. I like Sketchup and all those programs but this was quite versatile.

http://www.closetmaid.com/Design/Visual_Storage_Planner/index.cfm

Shame they force you to use IE

 

[viper522]

It is a shame... but it does work well in IE. Only a few crashes which is par for the course in IE...

 

[Smokey]

It is a shame... but it does work well in IE. Only a few crashes which is par for the course in IE...

Since its only a few, what the heck I'll give it a try!

 

[viper522]

Just a small update. I've had lots of projects to work on over the last 4 months and haven't been able to focus on the garage much. I did build a workbench, install new lighting, add electrical in key locations with a dedicated circuit for the compressor and welder, install new fascia lanterns outside, install a stereo and in-ceiling speakers, and started pressure-washing the driveway.

Now I'm in the beginning stages of organizing. I found some great composite shelving at Lowes that fits my config really well. I bought both 72"x24"x48" and 72"x18"x36" sizes for different purposes.

Lowes composite shelving

Garage pics coming soon, need to do a little more picking up first.

 

[warrenlord]

good size could look real good.

 

[viper522]

Finished the lighting a little while back. Cheap Walmart LOA 4ft T8 in pairs and leftover 4ft T12 up front (since I already had them and bulbs, didn't want to toss em out). They all (LOAs) had pullchains but I removed the switch from two and left two on the ones that get covered by the garage door when it goes up.

So far I'm satisfied with how the 'work' side of the space is shaping up. I still need to move a few things around but most of the things I want are present and usable. To the right of the green ladder is about 6ft of wall space I haven't done anything with yet. I'll figure out something for that eventually.

And finally the 'storage' side. Bought these great composite shelving units at Lowes. I ended up with two 72x24x48 and one 72x18x36 (next to compressor) and they fit perfectly. Nowhere near finished organizing and storing items yet. Finishing up sanding/staining a dresser at the moment.

You can also see some of the new electrical that's been completed if you look for unpainted EMT.