Nick's UK Garage (5.1 x 2.6m)

[N22CK_C]

Hi Guys,

I've been wanting to post up here for a while now but until I had something decent to post I've been holding off. I'm Nick from the UK and I've been after my own garage for years. This year me and my fiancée bought our first home.

The day we got the keys... Guys only just laying the turf out front. A wee bit of an upgrade from the one bedroom flat we had previously rented. Three bed semi-detached and more importantly it had a garage!

First thing I did was to give the place a good hose out, the concrete dust was unreal! Think I might have to seal it before a paint it. But it was nice having the CBR inside rather than parked outside on the street!

As you can see it was just a basic shell, completely bare but a perfect blank canvas to start.

Next after a quick measure the roof beam closest to the right wall was perfect spaced to hang my collection one wheeled machines. Almost got one of every size...

With me planning on boarding the loft space out for storage I removed all he rough cross timber keeping the roof trusses in place while the roof went on. There was quite a bit.

Lovely and clear ready for a loft space to be boarded out up there. I left a couple in place just to keep things square until I got my ceiling in place.

With the garage not being the biggest garage in the world, and dry-lining the walls would take space I decided to just paint the brick work.

Just a bit to go...

First tub of paint done, with me not having any other storage anywhere else everything has to be moved back in when I'm finished.

Whey, everything has it's first coat...

Aaaaaand we're done. Painting brick work is a slow task, but I think the end result is nice...

Or should I say cool?

And move everything back inside. Again.

Next I toke some measurements to start constructing my ceiling I transferred this information into SketchUp and created a 3D model of the whole garage. This came in well handy for getting sizes of bits and pieces.

I'll post up some screenshots when I'm next in work as it's on my work machine.

Unfortunately with living on a building site (rest of the housing estate) the street lights haven't been installed yet, making the street a thieves paradise on a night. Some git had a go at getting in my garage and failed (retard) but made a nice mess of the garage door.

It's hard to show but they made a mess of the garage door and it will more than likely have to be replaced soon. Sweet. That being said they didn't get in and I got a nice garage door defender to keep them out.. Plus it spurred the building company to get the street lights in.

Back to some nice stuff...

I toke some more measurements to complete the SketchUp model, with this I knew what materials I was going to need and got an order in.

Here is the first board going up. In the end I went for 12mm MDF board which will be little tuffer than Plaster Board and easier for me to make look nice.

Little bit more ceiling going up and moved my Unicycle hooks...

There we go a complete ceiling complete with loft hatch.

With the ceiling up I toke some more measurements for the lights, hopefully over the next few weeks I'll get some power hooked up-to the place.

This morning I finally got chance to give the ceiling its first coat. I've got a few areas smooth back and fill. But for its first coat is looking good.

Looking lovely and flat... Hopefully... When I'm finished.. Maybe.

Suppose I should move everything back inside... urgh.

Definitely going to need a light up there, and some flooring....

And that's about where I'm upto. I'll try and keep it updated as I progress along. Let me know what you think... And any advice on the floor would be greatly appreciated. Should I seal it before painting it? I'm planning on Epoxing it...

 

[Lippyp]

I'd be careful about how much you stick up there, those roof trusses aren't really designed to take much more weight than the roof unless they're specced as attic trusses. You've already added a good amount of weight with the MDF which is ****** heavy for its size, add a floor and if you're not careful your box of christmas lights will be joing you in the garage. Really you should ask the builders what the trusses are specced to carry whilst they're still on site.

 

[N22CK_C]

You hit on a good point something I was wondering about a while ago.

Every truss has a label stapled to it of a local company just down the road, suppose a phone call wouldn't go a miss. Should be able to tell me whats what.

That being said the carpenter that help me put the ceiling up thinks we should be fine, as long as I don't store engines up there.

The space is only really big enough for boxes, with the pitch of the roof I would be hard pushed to get up there.

 

[MG David]

Nick, when I moved into a new house the first thing I did was paint the garage walls like you have done. I didn't do the ceiling but sometimes wish I had.
It is worth doing the floor with high quality epoxy paint. I did mine with cheap floor paint that has worn away and would stick to car tyres!

 

[GBsnoopy]

Looking good really brightened it up alot.
When I noticed the use of mdf rather than plasterboard ceiling / floor boards on the inside, it got me a bit concerned about the extra weight.I may have have also floored the attic first before fitting the ceiling to allow the floor boards to be threaded through easier.
It is a vast improvement on what you started with. Shame about the damaged to the door but at least they did not get in. Maybe also worth fitting an alarm if it isn't alarmed with the house.

 

[N22CK_C]

Thanks guys,

MG David
Yeah I've found a company here in the UK that can do me epoxy paint in wide range of colours:

www.epoxyfloorpaint.co.uk

GBsnoopy
A stroke of luck my next door neighbour has just installed a CCTV camera pointed at his and my garage door. And it was a toss-up which to board first, but the area up there which will be boarded is a quarter of the overall ceiling so...

Here are a couple of screenshots from the SketchUp model I was talking about.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Nice work.

 

[CodeRedZ]

good start so far.

 

[N22CK_C]

Not much to update hopefully I can get in there and finish the celing soon. In other news I've been designing my work bench...

 

[N22CK_C]

Bit of an update..

I've got my ceiling finished bar a tiny bit of edging above the door.

I'm quite happy with the way it turn out. Next I emptied the garage and stored the contents at work.

I gave to whole garage a good hoover to get rind of the dust. I got some funny looks from people walking past...

Then I gave the floor a good coat of concrete sealer.

That where in left it. I've ordered some two pack epoxy floor paint as well. In my favourite colour... RAL 2008

 

[dubber]

Great progress in there. When applying epoxy floor paint doesn't it have to be completely bare? You mentioned putting a sealer first.

 

[N22CK_C]

Yeah, normally well what I've read you can put epoxy straight down. The concrete was so dusty (really poor concrete) I was advised to seal it first... Fingers crossed it should be okay.

 

[lmb]

Great work so far Nick. Loving how tidily the ceiling has come out. Also having a chuckle imagining the people passing by looking in and seeing you vacuuming it

Shame the scum damaged the door trying to break in but at least they didn't get in I suppose - I had an up and over door at my old place and it was surprisingly easy to force entry without even damaging it. At least now you have improved security after the attempt. With no side/back door to worry about hopefully they will be put off by the visible measures on the front.

 

[Hesketh]

You have done well with the new place. Just done the same sort of move my self

Before you do any flooring in the loft, get down to B&Q and get some insulation and lay this down up there while you can. I did this in my new garage made a huge improvement.

 

[N22CK_C]

Cheers Guys,

lmb
I had thought about putting a side door in but I now think I'm going to leave it... Bit more secure.

Hesketh
That's not a bad idea, think after I've got all the electrics in place cables ran etc. I'll get a couple of rolls.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Ral 2008 is bright orange. You're not gonna want to go in there with a hangover.

 

[HSpencer]

Very interesting thread and a great project. I don't know if I have ever seen a "Garage Defender" before. How do those work? Very nice work you have done in the garage.

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

 

[Grizz1963]

Cool start and despite it being small but more than most for a UK home, I suspect we are going to see great projects come out of there.

Your painting the inside will pay off in the long and short run.

I should have put a ceiling in my garage when I had the chance.

Will be watching this progress.

PS. Very jealous of your apparent skillzzzz on the uni/mono cycles.

 

[N22CK_C]

Zebedeewesty Oh yes, on the plus side if I drop anything I should be able to see it.

HSpencer It's a fairly simple thing, basically just a metal 'T' shape that you padlock to the floor. Stops an up and over door being opening.

Grizz1963 Yeah most garages in the UK are only dinky, but it will make a good workshop. Next update will be a big one.

Cheers guys...
Nick

 

[jwhcars]

Nice job on the ceiling and paint. Waiting to see the Orange painted floor - I like Orange.

 

[MG David]

There is nothing wrong with hoovering the garage floor. I do it sometimes. My garage is part carpeted though. Keeps my feet a bit warmer in winter.

 

[N22CK_C]

MG David
Love the carpet idea... Hmmm

No sign of my floor paint yet.... But when my floor is painted I'm going to put some skirting board to cover the paint join where the floor meets the walls.

At the moment I can decided between these three...

Orange

Black

White

Think I'm heading towards white but that might get grubby very quickly, I just don't now...

What do you guys think?

Nick

 

[Sunbimmer]

I would go with the orange skirting board makes the place look bigger. Absolutely love the idea of the orange floor I think it will look great.
You're doing a nice job there keep the pics coming please

 

[N22CK_C]

Well I finally has sometime to paint my floor...

Looking very bare and little dusty even after the sealer. :-/

I started with the edges, even had a colour coded mixing bucket.

Whole floor just finished... Looking a bit patchy.

Got distracted playing with my friends new puppy.

Remember guys wear gloves... Epoxy paint really doesn't want to come off things. Especially finger nails.

The next day... Fairly dry and unfortunately patchy.

Yeah it's going to need another coat, that being said the colour is looking good!

I'll get some paint ordered next week, I've got bit left but not enough for a decent coat. Plus if I'm wanting to paint the skirting boards the same colour.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Thats made a difference.

Have you got any sockets or lights in there?

 

[N22CK_C]

Not yet... Hoping to get some socket locations sorted over he next few weeks.

 

[MG David]

Did the paint manufacturers information lead you to think you would get 2 coats out of it?

 

[N22CK_C]

To be honest I was hoping it would only need one coat. Their square meter per litre was spot on.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

How much paint have you used then? Was it a 2.5l tin?

 

[1/2 Cup]

I love the orange floor colour, in selecting the orange you have done something that I would not be brave enough to try, well done, the results speak for them selves.

 

[firecracker]

Good work Nick I love looking at garage projects coming along.Its all looking great.

 

[N22CK_C]

So far I've used 2.5L and look what has just arrived.

 

[dubber]

cool floor, very original!

 

[N22CK_C]

Finally managed to get another coat on the floor this morning. It's starting to look the colour I want.

 

[bazzateer]

If you're not already doing so make sure you use a roller to apply the paint. Makes the coats more even and less patchy.

Great colour though!

 

[Scottishross]

Nice and bright mate looks good

 

[Sunbimmer]

Great color

 

[N22CK_C]

Well there is not a lot to update with but with it getting dark very early here, and not having any lights yet... Progress is slow.

The floor is finished so I've moved all my gear back in. There is a few small patches that need a touch up but that can be done when I do the skirting boards.

I've also secured a new garage door to replace the now very dented old one. After the attempted break in the door has never closed right... Which means it has to be "persuaded" to close. So it's now looking like this...

Whoops... Well hopefully get the new one fitted soon.

Cheers guys.
Nick

 

[Lippyp]

Getting power/lights in is a big moment. I can't begin to tell you the difference it made to mine.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Its not cheap though seeing as you need a professional to do the job.
I could do it myself but can't legally.