My first garage - 28x22

[StriderTB]

Just signed up to the forum, looking for ideas to renovate my garage. My wife and I bought our first home in October of 2008, and our first renovation was to have the broken concrete and gravel driveway dug out and paved in asphalt. So far so good.

Before:

That's the old owner's truck and junk along the fence.

After:

The old owner used to park his truck on that bare patch of dirt, I've since tilled and replanted grass in that spot.

The garage is around 60 years old, with pretty old wood doors. Our next step is to replace them with steel doors and to install openers. The garage is full of junk from the move at the time being, but we definitely want to use it for our cars as well as having some wood working space.

Here's a few pics I took before we bought the house. Only difference is that now it's full of my junk instead of his.

This is a shot of the garage from the back yard. It's right up against the deck.

Here's a shed that was built behind the garage. All that stuff was the owner's, and is gone. Awful shed door is still there though.

That about sums it up. I appreciate any comments and feedback, and I look forward to updating this thread as I get some work done.

-Jim

 

[Daniel Dudley]

A shed like that could turn into a nice tool room or bump out for the main garage. How is the main structure ? It looks decent from the pictures.

 

[StriderTB]

Right now it's where the lawn mower and other assorted yard tools live, but I could definitely cut a doorway giving garage access from there, which could be convenient.

The structure itself is rock solid, but seriously needs finishing. I want to replace the windows and middle door, replace the really old electrical panel, add outlets in more convenient places, then insulate and sheetrock the walls and ceiling.

I thought about epoxying the floor, but it's so old and stained that I don't think I want to sink the hours into scrubbing, patching and etching it in preparation. I'm seriously considering RaceDeck tiles, but that'll come last.

Of more immediate concern is the sagging gutter over the center doorway. It needs to be adjusted so it flows and stops dumping water over the front of the gutter onto the driveway.

All in good time.

 

[z28snksknr]

Nice little space you have there. General cleanup and fresh paint always makes the biggest difference to a place.

I don't know where you are located, but some insulation and walls will help make it a more enjoyable and clean looking place. Looking at the pics, you may want to look into lighting upgrades as well. That's where I would start, but you may have some other plans for your purposes.

 

[viper522]

Looks like a nice way to start out. That shed could make a nice compressor room too. Loving the deck.

 

[StriderTB]

New doors and openers!

Amarr Stratford 2000 insulated doors and Genie 1/2hp chain openers. Torsion bar springs on both as well.

Surprisingly quiet to operate as well.

 

[thkfast]

Your garage is really good sized and has a lot of potential. Do you think you'll hire most of it done? Or do it yourself?

 

[StriderTB]

I only hired someone to do the doors and openers, I'll do the insulating and sheetrock myself.

Next step is having a garage sale to empty the **** out, and to throw out anything left over. After that, I can install my cabinets and work bench. Hopefully in a few weeks.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Looks like a nice big garage

nice Subaru too

 

[imprez25]

Garage looks like it has lots of potential. Nice RS. Any mods?

 

[StriderTB]

Garage looks like it has lots of potential. Nice RS. Any mods?

Stromung dual tip exhaust, Cobb intake, a few suspension bits. Nothing drastic, but I'm hoping to change out the engine at some point.

 

[warmpancakes]

That I beam is begging for a chain fall and trolley

 

[StriderTB]

I had the same idea.

 

[CHRIS_GSXR1K]

+1 on the chain

 

[intimadatorsquizz]

looks much better

 

[93GTCANADA]

Looks great. You should paint the door white to match everything or maybe another color.

 

[StriderTB]

Looks great. You should paint the door white to match everything or maybe another color.

Next weekend, weather permitting.

 

[dipper]

That is a nice space you got there. looks to have a lot of potential.

 

[warmpancakes]

is that a real wood door? If so dont paint it

 

[StriderTB]

It is, but it's pretty old and beat up. I'm still going to sand and paint it, since my wife thinks its an eyesore, and I agree.

Probably end up replacing it down the road, but it'll do for now.

 

[StriderTB]

Dismantled and rehung the middle door. It was never shimmed and nailed in place, so the whole frame would jiggle and the knob side of the frame was pulled out 3 inches away from the opening. Never hung an exterior door, but it was simple.

Then I threw the first coat on the door. Tomorrow it'll get another coat and I'll touch up the frame area and replace a broken piece of door jamb. The brass knob is going as well.

 

[bigblue02hd]

Looking good man! Keep up the nice work....

 

[StriderTB]

Finally started on dismantling the inside of the garage to prep for insulation and drywall.

For some reason, there's tar paper on the back wall that was under old pegboard. I also found two old cigar boxes and a craft magazine from 1959 behind one of the panels. No buried treasure though.

The old windows will be getting new glass panels soon.

 

[28HopUp]

Looks good! Don't forget to add new electric while you've got the walls still exposed.

 

[StriderTB]

Looks good! Don't forget to add new electric while you've got the walls still exposed.

Yep, right now there are 4 outlets mounted to the central steel beam support, but I'm going to reroute them, one on each side for a window AC unit and one on the ceiling in each bay for the openers. There are other outlets on the back wall and near the doors, so that should be enough.

 

[StriderTB]

Haven't updated in a while, but I finally ditched the old wood center door and installed a prehung steel unit. This should help keep critters out of the garage since the old wood door didn't have a sill plate on the bottom, and it sat an inch or so off the ground, so anything could crawl under the door. Should provide better insulation as well.

Hopefully I'll finally get the interior finished off this spring.

 

[dykstra]

Looks great!!

 

[KULIWOBBY]

Those new doors really made your garage look a lot newer as well. Can't wait to see how the inside gets finished.

 

[StriderTB]

I really want to get it finished this spring. I'm cutting down some welded up shelves and ripping out a wall of broken pegboard this weekend.

 

[draider]

Looking good so far, keep us updated.

 

[StriderTB]

A year later, and this project is finally coming together. My wife and I took the whole week off so we could get the garage project finished. Insulation and rewiring are all done, and hopefully drywall will be done by Friday. I'm renting a drywall lift tomorrow morning.

I also picked up some 4' 2 bulb T5HO fixtures from Home Depot, which will be a vast improvement.

 

[Jcox68rt]

Latest pics?

 

[StriderTB]

That's the right bay, just about done. Sbould have the left finished taped and spackled by the end of tomorrow. Its been a long week.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

" My wife and I took the whole week off so we could get the garage project finished."

I just hope you realize how fortunate you are...

 

[StriderTB]

Oh, I do. She cut all of the fiberglass batts while I installed them, and she's been handling all of the spackle while I screw the panels in.

 

[StriderTB]

Walls are painted, and the floor is finally in! Next up is the cabinetry.

 

[firecracker]

WoW!!! looks cool a lot brighter now the walls are smooth and painted.

 

[dubber]

Thats awesome, great transformation so far.

 

[StriderTB]

Thanks!

Tonight I installed some new lights! Really highlights my exquisite sanding job.

I replaced the two crappy old yellowing T8 fixtures with 4 Lithonia 4' dual bulb T5HO fixtures from Home Depot. $40 each, and they run 54 watt T5HO bulbs. Pumps out a nice bright white light. No yellow or blue hues at all. I may supplement if I find some dark spots, but for the space, I think it's perfect. I did pick up some snap on diffusers in case the lights were too dazzling, which I might install this weekend.

:banana:

 

[dubber]

Looks like you could use a trick that was shared to me on here, run those garage door wires inside the main support beam as a way of tidying it up. The link was posted in my thread somewhere, i'll take a look for it.