New guy - my garage

[Throttlejockey]

New Guy- Throttlejockey's garage

Here's my garage. It's 30x30 with 11' ceiling down and 10' ceiling up. It also has a heated floor.
I have to take some recent inside photos and I'll post them too.

 

[Throttlejockey]

More pics.

 

[Throttlejockey]

More.

 

[Wile1Coyote]

Nice space, shoot some pics of the upstairs if you would.
IS that a really weird looking boiler or is it really a hot water tank hooked to your floor heat?

 

[Throttlejockey]

It's a gas fired hot water heater for the radiant floor heat.
I could shoot some pics of the upstairs but it's not finished yet and it's sealed off for the winter.

 

[Kevin54]

I'd like to see a pick of the upstairs also before finishing off. I'd like to see the rafter detail on it. BTW what you did show looks super.

Kevin

 

[christopher keene]

nice garage you have there.

keene

 

[Throttlejockey]

nice garage you have there.

keene

Thanks.

 

[Throttlejockey]

I'd like to see a pick of the upstairs also before finishing off. I'd like to see the rafter detail on it. BTW what you did show looks super.

Kevin

I did dig up a few pics but they're kind of crappy. I don't have the stairs in yet so I have the opening covered with plastic all stapled or I'd take some new pics.
It's wide open up there just like the downstairs.
Here's the 2 crappy pics I do have.

 

[OHEKK]

Your garage looks soooo kool!

It looks like you've really thought it out!

You are gonna love the heated floors!

Congratulations!

 

[tajon]

Do you have enough clearance for a lift?

 

[Throttlejockey]

Do you have enough clearance for a lift?

I don't know if I do or not. I don't do work on cars so it wasn't a concern for me, just motorcycles and small stuff.
I'll post some pics shortly.

 

[Throttlejockey]

 

[byrdman]

heck of a nice place! Looks like a gob of room for bike-workin'. Looks like you've got plenty of power outlets, I like that. You'll be lovin' that upstairs storage too. A question - looks like your foundation wall is poured. Was that cheaper than laying block? Just wondering. What kind of cabinets are those? Do you plan on coating the floor?

 

[Wile1Coyote]

What was the thought behind using the Water Heater instead of a Boiler? Did you do that specifically or is that what the manufacturer reccomended. The reason I ask is that Water Heaters are generally less efficient than a boiler.

 

[Throttlejockey]

heck of a nice place! Looks like a gob of room for bike-workin'. Looks like you've got plenty of power outlets, I like that. You'll be lovin' that upstairs storage too. A question - looks like your foundation wall is poured. Was that cheaper than laying block? Just wondering. What kind of cabinets are those? Do you plan on coating the floor?

I went with poured foundation wall because that's pretty much the norm up here.
The cabinets are actually blue print cabinets they were getting rid of at work, they work great.
The floor is coated with Rustoleum epoxy paint. So far it's holding up great after almost 2 years.

 

[Throttlejockey]

What was the thought behind using the Water Heater instead of a Boiler? Did you do that specifically or is that what the manufacturer reccomended. The reason I ask is that Water Heaters are generally less efficient than a boiler.

I went with the water heater because it was cheap and it already had a direct vent on it. All I had to do was cut a 3" hole in the wall and put a PVC elbow on it.
I'm sure a bolier would be more efficient but it would take up more room and be initially more expensive. So far it's working out great but next year I'm going to refill with an anti-freeze mix so I don't have to worry about destroying my floor if something should happen like a power outage or heater malfunction.

 

[Elky]

that is a great setup.
very well thought out.

 

[C_F]

So far it's working out great but next year I'm going to refill with an anti-freeze mix so I don't have to worry about destroying my floor if something should happen like a power outage or heater malfunction.

Glad you said that, that's something I hadn't considered...DUH on my part!


Great looking garage, too!

 

[cleoent]

Very nice! Wowsa..

What you gunna do with that upstairs place?

 

[Throttlejockey]

Very nice! Wowsa..

What you gunna do with that upstairs place?

I think it's going to be a rec room. Big screen, surround sound, maybe some older, actual arcade games. All I need now is more money.

 

[LK1]

Dude. Your garage is giving me a *****!

 

[C_F]

Dude. Your garage is giving me a *****!

Dude, have I got the chick for you!

 

[LK1]

Dude, have I got the chick for you!

Not even with YOUR trailer hitch!

 

[C_F]

Not even with YOUR trailer hitch!

 

[tajon]

Love it. Wish I could have one, well soon

 

[I-Dom-In-8]

Thats awesome man..

 

[OI812]

I went with the water heater because it was cheap and it already had a direct vent on it. All I had to do was cut a 3" hole in the wall and put a PVC elbow on it.
I'm sure a bolier would be more efficient but it would take up more room and be initially more expensive. So far it's working out great but next year I'm going to refill with an anti-freeze mix so I don't have to worry about destroying my floor if something should happen like a power outage or heater malfunction.

I could not agree more with the water heater. There is no reason to put in a boiler for a garage. You don't need that acurate of a heat, and the efficiency difference won't pay for itself. How high do you have it set at in approx. degrees? Does the heater really run that much. The only thing you might want to check on is if a glycol mix will affect the water heater in any way. Talk to your local contractor who should be able to ask the manufacture. Nice looking setup

 

[oneslackr]

Great garage. That upstairs area is also going to be nice when it's completed. Your garage makes me want to forget about trying to spruce up my little attached 2 car garage. Makes me want to build a complete new garage behind the house.

 

[Satatic]

Does it just recycle the water?

 

[Wolverine]

Very, very nice!

I especially like the long workbench. Where did you find the drawers under your bench?

 

[Throttlejockey]

I could not agree more with the water heater. There is no reason to put in a boiler for a garage. You don't need that acurate of a heat, and the efficiency difference won't pay for itself. How high do you have it set at in approx. degrees? Does the heater really run that much. The only thing you might want to check on is if a glycol mix will affect the water heater in any way. Talk to your local contractor who should be able to ask the manufacture. Nice looking setup

Sorry, been off a while.
I have the heater set at the lowest point- around 90 degrees.
I'm not sure how often it runs but when it does it runs for about 6-7 minutes. Supposedly it's common to run the anti-freeze mix with it so i don't think it will be an issue. The plumbing store even suggested it.

 

[Throttlejockey]

Does it just recycle the water?

Yes, it's a closed system. Once you fill it up you don't need a water supply, it just keeps circulating the same water.

 

[Throttlejockey]

Very, very nice!

I especially like the long workbench. Where did you find the drawers under your bench?

Which drawers? The ones on the floor I made myself. The ones in the center under the bench I got from work, they were throwing them away. They were used for blueprints, now I put a lot of my tools in them.

 

[Baketech]

Yes, it's a closed system. Once you fill it up you don't need a water supply, it just keeps circulating the same water.

Dumb question....how does the system handle expansion, is there an expansion tank or is it vented somehow? thanks

 

[Throttlejockey]

Dumb question....how does the system handle expansion, is there an expansion tank or is it vented somehow? thanks

No expansion tank. The pressure fluctuates some- maybe run between 10-30lbs of pressure but usually stays right at 15lbs +/- 5lbs.

 

[Baketech]

Thanks....

 

[DLR]

Great looking garage! I love that style of building. It is obvious that you spent alot of time in the planning stages. Have fun!

Wish I would have went with floor heat now. When I did my research, the heating guys I talked to only wanted to put in a small boiler which was overkill for my small shop and would break the budget. They were only familiar with large pole barn and residential jobs though.

Were the garage plans custom or adapted from something "off the shelf"?

 

[1ownerT]

Very, very nice! When is the party.?

 

[Throttlejockey]

Great looking garage! I love that style of building. It is obvious that you spent alot of time in the planning stages. Have fun!

Were the garage plans custom or adapted from something "off the shelf"?

Thanks guys! I got the plans from this site http://www.cadsmith.com/garage_plans/cape_style/g2-28c-b.htm and modified it to what I wanted.
(changing it to a 30x30 and moving the door to the side, full dormer, 10' dormer for the front and TJI floor joists so I didn't have any columns)