My new workshop project

[Nickshelby]

I recently just bought a new house that did not have an attached garage as it had previously been converted to into the master suite. Later on down the road it seems like they build a detached "Garage" that is roughly 25x22. I have a hard time calling it a garage as it has no overhead door and is more like a workshop.

When we moved in it had this awful brick patterned vinyl down on the ground. Some of the siding on the exterior is deteriorating a bit. And the paint needs to be redone. Also the walls on the inside are like the cheap wood paneling painted white with the closet being bare.

I'll be using the space mostly for working on bikes but will use it for other small DIY projects as well.

My ultimate goal/ wish list for the garage is as follows:
-remove paneling and install drywall, then paint
-install 4 4-bulb t8 fixtures (I already have them, they were free )
-remove vinyl floor and epoxy
-install new breaker box
-install 220 outlet for compressor
-repair siding and paint
-replace AC/ heat unit (only heat works)
-maybe one day have an overhead door installed to make future car projects easier.

Any advice of suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Here are the starting photos. Freshly moved in. Just sort of threw my stuff in there. I'll upload progress pictures as I actually make the progress.

 

[RickP]

Looks like a solid building - should be a good shop for now, at least until you decide whether to add a garage door. Where are you located? You might want to update your profile with a general location so members can get an idea of your A/C and electrical needs.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Lots of opportunity and a solid foundation to develop..

It looks like the floor is that older fashion linoleum style... true? Even though its dirty, those floors typically clean up nicely.. So I'm guessing its not a top priority to strip it out.. Even so, be careful since those could contain asbestos (depending on age)..

Keep us posted on progress.. !!

Dennis

 

[MScott]

X2 on putting your location in your profile. Regardless of what climate you live in though, probably insulation/vapour barrier and extra electrical receptacles in the walls when you have the paneling off. It also might be an idea to frame (including the header) for an overhead door when you have the studs bare. You could put temporary framing in the opening until you can afford to install the door. Certainly at least avoid any wiring in that area so you don't have problems when you eventually do cut the opening for the door.

 

[nolimits76]

If you ripping back to the studs, right now is when you need to be thinking about any electrical, plumbing, heating, data, telephone or air lines you want to add.

Also, you need to frame for that garage door(s) at the very least, as well as any other windows or mandoors that you can think of right now. Personally I'd save a few extra dollars and install the garage door(s) as part of that process. Then it's done and over and no worries. When doing this, think about the type of door opener(s) you want. If you do the popular Liftmaster 8500, the electrical is located differently than a standard door opener. Door openers can easily be added later but making sure you have the electrical and even running the wires for the sensor eyes and push button to lower/raise the door when down to studs makes much more sense, and will be cheaper & easier.

Also, at that point I'd be thinking about your attic space. It looks like you have a very low pitch roof. Is it sufficient for your needs? Now would be the time to make any changes if you think it may not be. At the very least, I'd want a way to store some junk up there and would frame out for ladder access at the minimum.

Because it appears you have a normal 8' height ceiling in that space, I'd also think about your lighting. Plenty of guys add the tube lights like you are planning, but while everything is ripped out I'd really consider doing some sort of a recessed unit.

Also, while down to the studs, you may want to frame out a room to sit your compressor in. Make sure it has plenty of air/vent so you don't burn it up but putting in sound insulation and using a heavier door to deter sound would be advantageous in the long term. Make the room & door big enough (within reason) to support a larger unit in the future should your needs/desires change.

Lastly, I'd really consider a urinal and sink out there at the minimum. Again, all stuff that needs done while down to the studs.

 

[nolimits76]

I forgot to mention, if you haven't ripped out those vinyl tiles they can have asbestos as someone else noted, but they will also likely be glued in place and leave a nasty residue behind. Using one of those scrapers to get them up is the easiest way I know. The cleanup *****.

Which leads me to my next point. For epoxy, you will need to get all that glue residue off the concrete, and maybe even grind so you get good adhesion of the epoxy and it will last. I'm not deterring you on the epoxy but it generally requires quality prep work so it doesn't peel, etc. Just go in with the right mind set so you do it right and only once.

 

[Nickshelby]

Tore up the linoleum floor this morning using a floor scraper and if did leave behind some glue residue. I chose to do this using a respirator just to be safe as I wasn't sure about asbestos concerns. Any tips for removing the residue?

Got some shelves put together in the meantime as I really need some space to put all my ****.

The overhead door is really not a high priority at the moment just due to the astronomical cost I'm sure it would have associated with it. I can fit bikes in and out the man door in the meantime.

Optimally I would like to have the compressor in the closet that I pictured to keep noise isolated. It's a pretty large closet. For now I just hang all my moto gear in there.

The lights I have are actually pretty large in size as I got them from a customer who was remodeling his warehouse and gave me 4 for free. So they are the type that are supposed to be recessed. Just not sure how I'll be able to do that with my space. The only reason I really want to use them is the cost savings could goto something else.

I'll probably just stick with a window unit heater and ac unit. It currently has one installed but it's old and broken.

I can honestly say I haven't even been up into the attic yet to see what I have to work with.



This is the style fixture I have but 4 bulb instead of 3.

 

[nolimits76]

You know your budget best. A quick web search shows HD to have a non-insulated 16x7 garage door for $569. For a $100 or so you can get a DIY kit and insulate it later when you get more funds. I haven't used this kit, but the reviews seem to indicate it comes w/ everything needed (tracks, springs, etc).

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Clopay-V...oor-HDBL-SW-SOL/204598379#product_description

Personally I'd rather see some exposed studs for a few months while I scratched together enough $$ to put in an actual garage door. If you can't wait, make sure you at least do the framing for the (future) door. That won't cost much and it will make life easier once you are ready.

And you never know, you may get lucky and find the garage door opening properly framed when you pull off that painted paneling.

In regards to the lights, what are the widths? And what centers (16", 24", etc) are your ceiling joists spaced? You may get lucky and find out the recessed units will work with your ceiling joist centering. In which case, this might come in handy.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112720

 

[Nickshelby]

My only thought with the garage door is that I'm not 100% sure I really need one. Everything I do right now is bike stuff. But that's not to say I would end up with another car project on down the road. So I see your point about framing it out before installing new drywall. The downside is I would lose those those two windows on the front and would probably only install a 7ft wide door and keep the man door.

My other concern is costs. Yea the door itself is cheap and add in the cost of an opening and we still haven't broke the bank. But then the install... I was always under the impression that over head doors should be left to the professionals.

I'll have to check the width of the light and take a journey to the attic to get the joist spacing width.

Still hoping to find a trick on getting the glue off the concrete. If it comes down to sweat and elbow grease then so be it.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I've never had to deal with tile residue / removal.. I've been pretty fortunate apparently.. but from some training I had a few years ago (when I was chair of my church's buildings and ground committee), the EPA or maybe Osha or both recommend wetting down the area (and perpetually keeping it wet until the area is completely cleaned up to "clear water" status), to prevent airborne and residual dust from occurring while working / after the work.

I know that Rural King removes floor tile on a commercial basis, and I'm suspecting they use a contractor for that.. Maybe they would be willing to share who / how..? Just a thought..

Great progress so far!

Dennis

 

[Nickshelby]

So my lights are 47x23inch. The space between my joists are 23 3/4inch. So they will fit in between them. My question is how to secure them in place? Since previously I would have drilled up and secured into the bottom of the rafter. Not the side. What's the easiest way to take up that extra 3/4 inch?

 

[Olliboll]

Nice

 

[Nickshelby]

Didn't quite come out like I had hoped. I was a bit amateur in my install. My cutouts were a bit too large. And one of the lights two ballasts are shagged.

On top of that I didn't quite realize that the light projection wouldn't spread out much and is more of a straight down projection. Either way, free plus the cost of bulbs.

 

[Nickshelby]

 

[59chief]

Free is good, the only cost of knowledge is experience....cheap tuition at worst.

 

[Nickshelby]

Next up is replacing this antique sub panel so I can wire in a new 240v outlet over in closet so that can act as my compressor closet. When I bought the house I knew the electrical would need a little loving. The main panel is an old federal pacific unit and the sub panel is a bulldog electric pushmatic that the existing 240 breaker no longer works on...

So basically just going to bite the bullet and replace the main panel and redo the garage set up so the power from the main to the garage is underground to keep it tidy looking.

 

[Bigbandguy]

Instead of a garage door if you are going to just do bikes you might be able to build a double door like frequently found on sheds. Most of the time it would remain closed and even could be insulated like part of the wall. Naturally a secure bolting system could be incorporated as well. You could shop build a door like this without a whole lot of trouble. Use a regular man door for most access. Just a thought but I have seen setups like this work well if you don't need the big door all the time.

 

[jwh]

Good idea on new electric panels. Glad you're getting rid of that Federal Pacific, IIRC the breakers on them sometimes don't trip when they should. Also, some of them have a "main" breaker that DOES NOT shut down the whole panel. Ask me how I know on that one.

Good luck on your project!

 

[Nickshelby]

Instead of a garage door if you are going to just do bikes you might be able to build a double door like frequently found on sheds. Most of the time it would remain closed and even could be insulated like part of the wall. Naturally a secure bolting system could be incorporated as well. You could shop build a door like this without a whole lot of trouble. Use a regular man door for most access. Just a thought but I have seen setups like this work well if you don't need the big door all the time.

I'll probably end up with a track car in the not too distant future so I was thinking a two car garage width overhead door on the back wall with access from the back alley. And I can keep the windows because I think it's a nice touch. But not really a huge priority until I get closer to buying a car and given my money is more ******* in renovating this house, I'd say it's a couple years off.

 

[Nickshelby]

Good idea on new electric panels. Glad you're getting rid of that Federal Pacific, IIRC the breakers on them sometimes don't trip when they should. Also, some of them have a "main" breaker that DOES NOT shut down the whole panel. Ask me how I know on that one.

Good luck on your project!

Yea that's pretty much what I had been told. We had gotten a couple grand knocked off the price of the house originally because of the outdated electrical. So now I have an electrician coming out to do the panels and wiring in the garage for the 240 outlet where I want it. Just gotta wait for this winter storm to pass so he can come back to do the actual work. He already came out to do measuring for panels and length of pipe to run so we can do underground wire.

Not excited about digging the trench though. But it saves me a ton of money so I guess it will be worth it.

 

[Nickshelby]

New main panel and sub panel are in. Got the 240v outlet run to the closet. It will be much nicer once all the paneling is ripped off, then I will tape, bed and texture the existing drywall. Then give it a nice cost of paint. But the more I think about it, I'm not sure if it will be better to do the drywall and painting first or do the floor coating.

 

[DC73]

But the more I think about it, I'm not sure if it will be better to do the drywall and painting first or do the floor coating.

You might consider doing any messy floor prep first. Then cover and protect the floor while drywalling and painting. Then finish the floor.

DC

 

[Nickshelby]

Finally getting around to doing the prep on the floor. Moved all the larger things outside of the garage and then did the middle of the floor. Now that the middle is done, I've moved some of the stuff to the middle and will do the edges. Having a second hand would make this whole process a million times easier. However, gotta work with what I got.

 

[Nickshelby]

Can anyone tell me the best way to ensure the floor is perfectly clean before actually doing the coating process? I've finally finished grinding but it seems like no matter how many times I blow air, sweep or vacuum it's still super dusty.

 

[Nickshelby]

Finally pulled the trigger and ordered my epoxy materials from epoxy-coat. Medium gray with a clear top coat. Hopefully it will be here for me to do it all this weekend. Hoping that the rain holds off for the weekend as well.

 

[Nickshelby]

Me and my brother did the floor over the weekend. Cleared everything out of the garage, power washed, degreased, power washed, shop vac wash, rinse, repeat until water in the shop vac is clear.




Let dry out overnight. Did a final vacuuming of the surface and applied the base coat. Applied flakes, then let cure.



Came back 24 hours later, laid down the clear coat.



The floor laid really well but once it started drying it developed bubbles. I used the leaf blower to level them out but sat overnight and developed bubbles but this time the floor had already cured and left little craters in the clear coat. Not the end of the world though. Still light years better than what was in there before. Next I just need to rip the paneling off, do a bit of drywall work, and paint everything. I'm going to use a rubber baseboard for the perimeter, replace the door to the compressor/ closet, use some sort of moulding for around the lights I cut the frames for.

 

[DFAuto]

It looks great with the new floor. I second what one of the other guys said about adding double doors while the paneling is off. I'm not sure if you have place near you but there are a couple places out here in Phoenix where you can pick up used construction supplies like the good will sponsored place or the habitat for humanity sponsored place. They have everything from doors to cabinets and appliances that were donated but if you look hard enough you can find some really nice stuff. That way you could do the double doors for easy access and do it on the cheap. I'm going to add french doors to an existing 18x14 shed that I have to turn it into an enclosed hang out spot in my back yard with a tv and couches that opens onto my patio.

 

[Nickshelby]

The double doors would be awesome but I think long run I would really like to have someone come in and reframe that back wall where the shelves are so that say a 16ft overhead door can be installed with an opener. The alley is on the other side of that wall and It would be great if I could just click an opener as I'm riding in. Right now I have to get off, walk through the house to the back, open the gate, and then push the bike through the door to the garage. While it might not seem like much, when in full gear in the summer, it gets a little warm quickly.

Plus I would also like the idea of getting another car but that's way later on down the road. I have too much house stuff that needs done first.

 

[Nickshelby]

So I came home from work on Saturday and went to put my bike back in the garage and being the awesome person she is, my girlfriend had surprised me with cleaning and putting all my stuff away in the garage. She also thought it would be funny to spray paint a giant smiley face on the wall since I'm going to be ripping it down anyway. It's starting to look like a garage!