47-55.1 garage pics

[nvrdone]

Well, now that we are moved into the new house and the landscaping is finished, its time to start on the garage.
It's 22' wide and 24' deep with an 8' ceiling so there are some limtations.
What I would like is some pictures of how you have laid out your garage so I can get some ideas .
Thanks.

[mr48chev]

It depends a lot on how much work you intend to do in it and what equipment you you need to have places for. I'd snag a legal file cabinet or two from Habitat when they have some decent ones in. That's the kind that open on the side rather than the end and many have doors that lift up and roll in so they aren't in the way. power hand tools and larger tools that won't fit in the tool box can be neatly stored in them and kept out of sight when the garag door is open. I've got heavy duty file cabinets that I bought from a GSA auction and picked up at the Spokane social security office to store parts for projects. They are just an inexpensive way to store garage stuff, keep it organized and keep it out of sight.

i don't like bench grinders on a bench, I'd far rather have them on a stand that I can move back aganst the wall and pull out if I want to use it. On the bench they get the becnh dirty and get in the way.

[vintovka]

Built 4 in last 20 years, 2 very recently. 24x26 is about the smallest workable floorspace for us. Even little trucks like the 6 foot bed tacoma leave very little room for a bench/storage with this size. Door heights of a min 8 foot should be considered if any of your vehicles are lifted. Biggest issue is construction type. Not much you can do about concrete floors but with complete wood, stick built garages here can now run in excess of 50K-60K. Metal ones about half or less due to prefab and fast assembly. Be sure to consider the feasibility/cost of water and power plus finishing touches such as good lighting. Steer clear of all those cheap amazon leds by BBounder and others as they totally fail in 24 months or less. Only those with replaceable 4' LEDs may be the way to go. Lastly add at least one window, one man door and easy to open main car doors. Power door openers are a must as you may already know. There's some pics of last 2 garages in link below with the 54 in them showing size and space and layout and power door opener options that may help.

[dsraven]

what do you have for stuff to put in there? welder or 2, cutting torch set up, drill press, etc etc.
I have a 26 x 30 with a 10 ft ceiling and 2 big doors and find it crowded but then I am a heavy duty mechanic by trade so used to working in a large area
if you have a bare structure already, just a shell, and are wondering about how to set it up i would start with deciding what you will put in for tools and how that will affect the wiring. an air compressor and welder will need a 220volt connection but placement is gonna be an issue. if you plan to park in there then the compressor "space hog" my be best placed in a rear corner so it isn't in the way of walking around the vehicle with a bag of groceries. it could also live in a small building added onto the garage if that building were to be heated when or if it gets cold and freezing in your area. if the compressor will be a smaller 110volt unit then wire in a couple of 20 amp plugs in the shop for stuff like that and a table saw or other big amp draw tools. I have my wall plugs set above the 48" height so there can be stuff placed on the floor next to the wall and the plugs will still be accessible. a piece of plywood can be leaned up and the plugs can still be used. I have a 20 amp plug on each side wall about 1/3 of the way back from the front. I also split my wall plug circuits, like a kitchen is wired, so I can use a couple of different tools off the same plug and it won't blow that breaker. the plugs are spaced 8 feet apart so no extension cords are needed most times. tgere is a plug between the big doors and also an outside plug on each outside wall, along with an RC plug on one outside wall where I have a parking area. I have LED lighting strips along each side wall, down the middle and across the front. there are motion sensor flood lights on each outside wall as well a an outside light by the man door. my attic is a storage space (my trusses are spec's for added weight) so there is a makeshift floor set up 18" above the drywall to allow space for blown in insulation and there is a 2ft by 4 ft opening in the middle between the bays at the front for easy access with a vehicle in there. the attic has a couple of LED bulbs up there with a switch right near the hatch. have a big 8-0gallon compressor tucked behind the man door and hard piped to a hose reel on each side wall, one in the middle between the bays and 2 at the front. there is also a airline connection between the big doors to run a line outside if needed. my walls and ceiling are drywalled and painted with some pretty tough paint that will withstand some washing and the front wall is then clad with metal sheathing around the workbench area. this helps with cleaning but also keeps grinding and welding sparks from burning into the drywall. I plan to clad my sidewalls up to the 4 ft mark as well. my sidewalls have pegboard to hang tools and there are also a couple of the old fashioned tune up cupboards hung. if doinf it again i would use slat wall. I have a couple of lateral filing cabinets with drawers that have flip front covers and they are great to store tools like grinders etc. they are easily cleaned, hold a lot of weight and the drawers have good quality sliders. you can usually find then used for good prices ot even for free if you aren't in a rush. my workbench is a piece of 1/2" steel plate with pipe for legs and round steel plates welded on the bottom of 3 legs. the fourth leg is adjustable with a large threaded rod shaft that also has a round steel plate for a base. under the bench is a steel shelf where the jack stands live but that is only because there isn't any wall space left to hang them, lol. I have a couple of roller style tool boxes, one is larger and rolls my everyday tools around where I need them. the other is stationary and store the stuff that is occasionally needed and also too heavy to add it to the roller box and push around. there is a 220 plug at each front corner and a welder plug near the man door and work bench. my man door is offset to be 4 ft from one front corner. behind that door when it swings open is my stationary tool box, the breaker panel, the switch that disables my garage door openers, etc. I have a vacuflo system in one corner and a cabinet sandblaster connects to that. all the other shop tools are moveable and placed around the shop as space permits. even with that there is a 10 x 10 shed that is full of other stuff that doen't get used often
hopefully that gave you some ideas. [post up some pics of what you have to work with and you will gets lots of replies. will you be parking in the garage daily or is it going to be a workshop type scenario? I have a 2 cae garage attached to the house so my rear garage is my workshop. I park in it sometimes too, lol. it is where I run a small mechanical repair business so parking in there isn't usually available

[Getter-Done]

Pinterest is full of ideas.

I have to (Not) look sometimes

Because I have enough projects now.

Link: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pin...as&etslf=17451

[vintovka]

The most critical issue may be bench space in a small garage. a 24"x 48" top is about the bare minimum. At least 24" between bench and vehicle is minimum al well. Hanging/suspending shelves from ceiling (18") next to walls may help as well. I use a big rolling table in my other workshop to make room as needed.

[dsraven]

I was going to suggest that too vintovka. A workbenches with lockable casters under at least one end.
I have an old hospital bed which is hydraulically adjustable for height. An old steel door is screwed to the top as a bench top. It's great for unloading stuff from a truck bed or storing parts on. It does take up a bunch of space though.

[_Ogre]

is this a garage or a shop?

garage for parking vehicles when the snow flies or dedicated shop for your projects?
22x24 is barely room for my wood shop, much less my auto shop and storage
i've decide that if I had an acre under roof, i'd still run out of space...

my barn is 50x50 and this is what i end up with
luckily the center bay is 50 ft deep

[vintovka]

At 22' may only fit one vehicle which leaves more side room. I always draw every thing out to scale on paper with cutouts of benches, tools and the vehicle itself. By arranging stuff around you can get a feel for comfort and workability. Leaving enough space to easily get around at least 3 sides of the vehicle is important. May be computer programs to do this more efficiently than paper cut outs but old way still works for me.

[dsraven]

post up some pics and a want list. is it attached tro the house, free standing by itself out back, for parking and showing stuff like a man cave, working on mechanical stuff periodically or maybe a wood shop? does it have power, is it already wired? whaddya got to put inside etc etc.

[dsraven]

yup, graph paper a scale model.
do you have a single big door or 2 smaller doors?

[fauXGT]

24 x 24 shop, but still have a 2 car garage at the house. I still wish for 300sqft more to eliminate the cramming of stuff, but this kinda works.

[nvrdone]

Boy, you guys have given me alot to think about. The garage is attached to the house. It's22' wide x 24' deep with an 8' celing so there are some limitations. I did have 4 dedicated circuts added before the garage was insulated and sheet rocked. I didnt note that there is also an 18' x 32' carport next to the garage that will eventually be enclosed and used for "dirty" work.
So far the plans I've laid out on graph paper are as follows: along the left outside wall I will start with an 18" open shelf for all the spray / paint cans. Next will be a 9' work table with 1" top covered with stainless steel sheet. Then 3- 36" wide, 84" tall cabinets with doors. That should give me storage on top for misc tubs of parts. Also, my wife thinks I should cover the doors with diamond plate. Then we have my table saw on wheels, followed up by the water heater in the corner. Turning the corner, will be another cabinet, this one 30" wide, a 36" tool chest and a 40" tool chest, a 24" sink, the door into the house and a 24" broom closet.
Down the other side will be a garbage bin, a 36" upright freezer, 6'of storage racks, 8' of pegboard and my upright compressor. As a side note I still need to figure out where to put my welder. I already have 4 - 4' led fixtures on the celing plus track lights for over the work table and the tool chests.
This seems like it should be big enough to work on my pickup.
My Jeep and my wife's Acura should fit in the car port.
Of course, these plans are subject to change.
Im still open to sugestions as nothing has been ordered.

[vintovka]

One alternative is to store excess in sheds. If you have high humidity though you have to be careful. I use a couple Lifetime and Keter sheds. Both are plastic composite but the Keters are barely acceptable and cannot recommend them at all. I keep my fold up tools like the table and chop saws in them saving garage floor space.

[nvrdone]

good thoughts. thanks. long term plans are to finish out the car port into a complete shop for me, so some plastic sheds now would help.

[mr48chev]

This sounds crazy but get a tablet of graph paper mark out lines on a sheet that match the size of the garage and cut pieces from another sheet that match the size of the Freezer, the tool box the bench and what not and do the lets see what works as far as placing them in the garage. These DIY thingies are always showing work benches that are hinged to foldup against the wall. that might work for one that you only need occasionally.

[Rickysnickers]

A work bench that hinges of the wall is always a good idea. Here's a video of one. It's the first one that popped up on a search, but will give you some ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRD-gmHHz7U

[Tempest67]

I try to put as much as I can on the ceiling and walls to save floor space. (extension cord reels and air line reel, a friend of mine has his compressor, 30 Gal 120V on a shelf at the back.

also, I try to put as much as I can on wheels so I can move things around when I need more space (and for cleaning up) I use 4 car dollies with storage containers on top to keep them mobile.

Good luck with the planning, and don't forget to use the space above

[vintovka]

I have seen compressors stored in out side boxes made for water heaters. Nice as its controls sound and puckering when it starts up. Since the advent of battery operated tools the compressor is not a such critical item anymore.

[dsraven]

if the garage is sharing walls with the house beware that the stuff you do in the garage is going to affect the house. if you plan on a some higher draw electrical stuff going on out there you may consider a sub panel in the house to supply power to the shop. nobody is gonna fault you for some conduit on the garage walls to supply power to a compressor or welder plug.that way you don't blow a breaker in the house and have to run back in there in your dirty shop gear or bug the wife to switch it back on.
I have had the attached garage in a house we lived in for awhile. I remember that part as well as the odors in the house from whatever I was doing out there. the next house the wife said I get a detached garage. so that worked. lol.
if you have a gas fired water heater be careful with combustibles. I have been to a few catastophic events caused by paint fumes igniting from a pilot light on a hot water tank or furnace. (retired firefighter)
I like the idea of a non attached workbench compared to a dedicated bolted top the wall style in a small work area. I am also a heavy duty mechanic by trade and have found that when the workbench is larger than needed it just collects stuff, you tend to work in a small area actually. yes, nice to have a big bench, but too big collects clutter
if you could find a cabinet with doors for the flammables that would be a great idea, since the garage is attached to the house.
I have a 10 x 10 shed to store frequently used shop tools, steel, hazardous liquids like coolant etc. it keeps the clutter down. next time I will build a quonset for storage. haha.

[dsraven]

what I meant with the shared wall comment is be careful what you do on the garage walls because it can cause nail pops in the drywall screws or nails on the inside of the house. if you attach a workbench to the wall try to use an outside wall possibly. also, hammering on the attached workbench will bring the occupants of the house out to help you........well, maybe not help, maybe just checking if your hearing is ok....if you can hear when they yell at you. haha

[dsraven]

possibly use rubber pads under the vibrating stuff, like the air compressor. I have an 80 gallon upright unit and bolted it down to a laminated piece of plywood to achieve 1 1/2" thick. there is rubber between the compressor legs and the plywood so that helps. the air intake also goes into the attic space so it is way less loud when it runs. it kinda sounds like a truck running somewhere when you are outside the shop. the neighjbours have never said anything about it so I think it may be just me who pays attention to the compressor noise. if your attic is shared you maybe don't wanna do that trick.

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by dsraven

possibly use rubber pads under the vibrating stuff, like the air compressor. I have an 80 gallon upright unit and bolted it down to a laminated piece of plywood to achieve 1 1/2" thick. there is rubber between the compressor legs and the plywood so that helps. the air intake also goes into the attic space so it is way less loud when it runs. it kinda sounds like a truck running somewhere when you are outside the shop. the neighbors have never said anything about it so I think it may be just me who pays attention to the compressor noise. if your attic is shared you maybe don't wanna do that trick.

I used some soft thick hockey puck looking things on mine and they really help as stated above. Thing is though air power is really slipping away due to more efficient battery powered stuff unless you paint or blast . Even small compressors both battery and plug in can now handle bigger tire and moderate air tool needs so theres that. My 80 gallon now just sits there taking up space most of the time.

[dsraven]

I use my compressor big air compressor all the time. blowing stuff off or out, air tools, sandblaster cabinet, etc etc. I do have a few battery drills and drivers and they are handy but for sanding bodywork my go to is the air sanders. that said, a lot of mechanics are using cordless impacts etc because the air line is a royal pain, always snagging or taking room where there isn't enough to start with. cordless has come a long way

[mr48chev]

Personally I would build a closet in the carport for the air compressor if I had a large air compressor. Even then you have noise but not the deafening racket in the garage.

I've got a huge old horizontal compressor that is going out in the shed that was my grandfather's milk house next to the barn back in the 30's through the 50's.