Small Garage Layout. Thoughts on my plan?

[HellaFab]

Hey again,


Just drafted some plans up for my small 16'x24' garage to figure out my electrical and thought I would post up my rough floor plan and electrical to see what you guys think and if you would change/suggest anything.

I plan to do a lot of metal work in this garage, but my wife says I need to leave space in it to park a car (even though our driveway will hold 6 cars.)





The lighting will be 96" T8 bars along each side with a 48" at the end for under hood work. 2 6" recessed lights over the welding table and 3 over the workbench. recessed is to prevent shadows (low ceiling, about 8 feet)

If anything I am thinking I may add another 240v over the electrical panel in case I want to add a small heater to use on the extra cold days since there isnt currently any gas service to the property.

Let me know your thoughts.

Matt

 

[woodrail]

You need more stuff and more hair!

Is your door really openinng out?

Seems like you have plenty of room.

 

[bczygan]

At a certain point, a garage becomes a shop. Then you need to build a garage or a shop.

 

[HellaFab]

Right now the door opens out. It is an old door that the previous owner of the house tried to keep alive for some kind of feel good reason. I am replacing it though, so that may change.

Is it odd to open out? because there is access to the hindge pins or something?





I dont see us parking in the garage very often. Maybe once in a while if there is a large winter storm coming through.

 

[woodrail]

It is only odd if the dorr was not intended too! Most commercial exterior doors open out, but theyy are designed to do so with the weather protection built accordingly.

 

[Steevo]

How come the old guy in your picture has *****?

 

[drooartz]

If you're mostly going to be working in there with the car pulled out, then this seems to be a pretty good layout. Can't speak to the lighting, but the electrical seems reasonable. Some sort of portable/foldable table/workspace for the center of the room could be handy sometimes, otherwise that is somewhat underutilized space -- and small shops need to be very space-efficient as you're well aware.

 

[HellaFab]

How come the old guy in your picture has *****?

or toes

 

[HellaFab]

If you're mostly going to be working in there with the car pulled out, then this seems to be a pretty good layout. Can't speak to the lighting, but the electrical seems reasonable. Some sort of portable/foldable table/workspace for the center of the room could be handy sometimes, otherwise that is somewhat underutilized space -- and small shops need to be very space-efficient as you're well aware.

I don't think that will be using the garage for car storage while a car is in there. I have a nice concerete pad in front of the garage that i will be able to have the car on or have the nose pulled in should i need to work on something ON the car and its raining.

Cheers!

 

[ShiftedSolutions]

I like the layout, should work well. What did you use to draft that up?

 

[crewchief888]

since this is in the planning stages

2 light fixtures instead of one, at the closed end of the garage

definitely add a 2nd 220v outlet near the electrical panel

maybe even a 3rd near the overhead door.

more "shelf type" storage, open shelves, cabinets, lockers, anything to get everything off the floor.

i dont see an air compressor


i have a couple HF tool stands that i added 3/4" plywood tops to for things like benders, notchers, chop saw.
adjustable roller stands also come in handy for suporting longer pieces of material.

my garage is just a little larger (19dX22w) than yours.
i keep my harley and my trail truck in it, and can pack the wifes saturn vue in it during the winter if needed.

i attempted to keep everything as mobile as possible, if i need to store stuff in the basement for the winter, i can.

 

[Jdbuilder]

since your width (only 16') is at a premium I would put the 36" Work table and 36" welding table at the very front, leaving you still with 21' depth. I would try to leave the wall with the windows with nothing of significant depth. Meaning hanging maybe air hoses and shelving up high. Maybe, since you cant put anything high that would block your electric panel, place your grinder and drill press in that niche. Then on the other side put all your shelving together and utilizing as much wall space as possible.

Just some ideas, I like trying to lay out these smaller plans. I myself got a smaller work space and still working on organizing it.

 

[Tamper84]

Could you tell me a little more about your light fixtures? I have a little bigger place then you (21x27) but only have 7 foot ceilings.

Thank you,
Chris

 

[brihvac]

Heres my 16X26 addition

 

[stonewellmark]

I would put the welder and welding table near the work table. Reason being, I prefer to have sparks near the garage door whenever possible, most of the time its open when welding/grinding, and I can try to keep the sparks pointed out the door. Just my silly thought process.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

I recommend putting the workbench at the front of the garage with the tool chest. If the workbench is where it is at now you won't have much rooim to get out of a car when parked inside the garage. Otherwise it looks logical.

 

[tylernt]

I recommend putting the workbench at the front of the garage with the tool chest. If the workbench is where it is at now you won't have much rooim to get out of a car when parked inside the garage.

Agreed. When I had my 1-car garage + workshop, the only thing I could put on the drivers side wall was storage whose bottom lip was higher than the top of my car door, so they could not hit each other. Everything else went on the back wall of the garage or on the passenger side.

If you need more work surfaces than what the back and passenger walls will accommodate, consider a fold-up or fold-down surface on the driver's side wall. I believe Jack Olsen has some examples.

 

[Sunnfjordingen]

I recommend putting the workbench at the front of the garage with the tool chest. If the workbench is where it is at now you won't have much rooim to get out of a car when parked inside the garage. Otherwise it looks logical.

This kind of remind me of my 24'x13', and I actually build cars inside it. I have the workbench, tool chest and most of my equipment right inside my garage door and the car I'm working on in the end because then it's possible to work on other stuff in the garage door opening without going around the car for tools and stuff.
With this small space its a good idea to get most of your stuff up on your walls and off the floor. My biggest problem is parts pile-up..

 

[supra90turbo]

I would add a shed just outside the door for things like the compressor, and items not frequently used. I like the idea of a smaller garage, though. I just bought a house with a 10x20 or 24, can't remember. It's tiny and I have no idea what to do with it!

 

[tylernt]

I would add a shed just outside the door for things like the compressor, and items not frequently used. I like the idea of a smaller garage, though. I just bought a house with a 10x20 or 24, can't remember. It's tiny and I have no idea what to do with it!

That's a good point. Once I started using my 1-car as a workshop, the garden tools and lawn mower, weed whacker etc ate up a lot of room and brought in dirt. A shed is VERY useful in a 1-car situation.

 

[drooartz]

I just bought a house with a 10x20 or 24, can't remember. It's tiny and I have no idea what to do with it!

Do some searches here for the single-car garage threads; there are quite a few of them. I've been getting lots of good ideas for my 12'x20' space. Quite a bit you can do even in a small space.

 

[supra90turbo]

I was just doing that, drooartz. Found the one with the mustang and 4 post lift, but I lack the ceiling height.

I think I'll turn mine into a summer motorcycle hideout. I want to add a carport on the front of it to make the outside parking space covered as well.
The house garage isn't much of a big deal to me... since i rent an 80'x60' shop with an adjacent 40'x40' area with 3 other guys...

Here's mine after the recent Blizzard of '13. Small spaces unite!