Yes, I have a problem...

[Pig In A Poke]

Not that I have accomplished much in this space, I must thank this community for the plethora of information and inspiration that it has provided me!

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This is my first garage, we purchased the house almost a year ago.

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Fortunately besides some oil stains and old kitchen cabinets it was a blank brown canvas. Being a full-time graduate student with a elementary educator for a wife and three kids has left little to no money to do any major work to the garage. I was however able to convince the wife that epoxy coating the floor prior to moving in was our only option. It has taken me 10 months just to unpack and get the cabinets up on the walls and 1/2 of the tools sorted out.

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I have debated what to do with the walls to no end. I wanted to sheet rock them but decided that financially it was not in the budget. The paneling allowed easier access to cavities to add outlets as the garage currently only has two. Perhaps after grad school is over I may drywall it in.



I have had a plan ever since the beginning, however as always things change. I am attempting to replace our old federal pacific main panel with a larger safer panel, while adding more circuits and 23 led lights. I also am looking for a way to reconfigure the bracing for the garage doors.

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I am considering shortening up the rails as they are way too long for the door. Is there any disadvantage to doing this? Is there a reason they are so long? Ideally I would move the rails up to the ceiling and install jackshaft openers and then a flush mount lift. But unless NC starts paying teachers what they're really worth I don't see that happening anytime soon.

However it I was able to score the floor model of this essential garage item at a 50% discount.

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My current aspirations are to have it looking like this by the time school starts.
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[Pig In A Poke]

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Not the biggest of all spaces but allows me some room to work, when I have a few minutes.

 

[rubberrodder]

That looks like a cool space to work with. I don"t see any problems shortening the garage door channels. They may be that long only so the could be bolted to a rafter or other structural member. If so, make sure the new mounts are strong enough to hold them up. The braces between the doors might actually converted from two triangle braces into one "X" brace configuration. The space above them might also be converted to overhead storage. Good score on the shop beverage cooler. {Me? I like the paneling. But I grew up in the '70's}

 

[GaryB1]

Love what you are doing and envy you your garage! I am currently a grad student after many years and work security at the state capital here in Texas as well. My wife just got her doctorate a couple of years ago and started teaching again, so we are treading water in the student loan ocean. Good luck on your endeavors, both garage-wise and scholastic. P.S. I love your cars. I am looking at a 10 year old Volvo wagon to replace my 250k mile Ford Focus.

 

[Pig In A Poke]

That looks like a cool space to work with. I don"t see any problems shortening the garage door channels. They may be that long only so the could be bolted to a rafter or other structural member. If so, make sure the new mounts are strong enough to hold them up. The braces between the doors might actually converted from two triangle braces into one "X" brace configuration. The space above them might also be converted to overhead storage. Good score on the shop beverage cooler. {Me? I like the paneling. But I grew up in the '70's}

Thanks, my finish office is above there, I believe there is 2x12's 12"oc parallel to the doors or in the same direction as the mounts. Would the "X" your talking about be vertical or horizontal?

 

[Pig In A Poke]

Love what you are doing and envy you your garage! I am currently a grad student after many years and work security at the state capital here in Texas as well. My wife just got her doctorate a couple of years ago and started teaching again, so we are treading water in the student loan ocean. Good luck on your endeavors, both garage-wise and scholastic. P.S. I love your cars. I am looking at a 10 year old Volvo wagon to replace my 250k mile Ford Focus.

I decided after 15 years in construction it was time to go back and finish my architecture degree. One year remains and then it is back to work!

The title is in reference to my Audi wagon addiction, we recently sold a black allroad that quickly got replaced by the red S6. Unfortunately the S6 has to go soon

 

[Pig In A Poke]

I god tired of the thirty year old garage doors and decided they needed some attention.

Before:
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During:
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