[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by lowside67

That is a truly absurd length of cabinets - huge fan! Can I ask why you decided to break up the work bench into small chunks? To me that seems like that would be hugely limiting to any opportunity to actually work on large materials, etc. I have the same cabinets in my (much) smaller garage.

Having too.much cabinets absurd? Lol okay break up the work bench into chunks? Lol okay

[tucked_m4]

Here's my budget (craftsman) garage remodel that I just completed. Maybe it'll spark some ideas. I love it!!

(edited to add another pic)

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by tucked_m4

Here's my budget (craftsman) garage remodel that I just completed. Maybe it'll spark some ideas. I love it!!

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by tucked_m4

Here's my budget (craftsman) garage remodel that I just completed. Maybe it'll spark some ideas. I love it!!

I would never get permission for that. Very nice!

[lowside67]

Originally Posted by flipnkraut

I've gone back and forth with shelving for storage. But when I envision my dream garage I don't see totes and totes lining my walls. Already told the wife if we have to use the garage for storage, it'll be one shelf along the perimeter and the only thing that'll go there are a specific type of tote. If it doesn't fit in the tote it doesn't go in the garage. This way at least it will be clean and uniform.

I hear what you are saying - my pictures were pretty quickly after I moved in and I have refined further what's up there to improve its uniformness.

If you do decide to buy totes, I cannot recommend the Home Depot HDX totes (black/yellow like I have) enough - specifically the 17 gal. They are rated to withstand 600lbs on top of the yellow lid - easily enough to stack 3 high if you have the space.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/hdx%2520...2520bin?NCNI-5

Also if I might suggest - for the nominal cost, buy more bins rather than larger ones. I have a few of the larger ones and have to be extremely careful to not overload them before they become a burden to lift up the ladder.

-Mark

[tucked_m4]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

I would never get permission for that. Very nice!

I was surprised... my wife was questioning me the whole time. I kept telling her to trust me and she was really impressed and happy in the end. The worst part was moving all of my garage stuff into the house during the redo.

[Neuner]

2 must haves.. beer fridge & urinal

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by flipnkraut

I've gone back and forth with shelving for storage. But when I envision my dream garage I don't see totes and totes lining my walls.

exactly! this is the reason why my whole wall is filled with cabinets top and bottom! but apparently some think it's absurd

[dinonz]

Just finished this garage and put the babies away.

[wdb]

I have 3 garage doors and only put a jack shaft opener on the one where I needed to preserve headroom for a lift. Traditional openers are cheap and reliable.

Agree on lots of outlets. 220v can be used for many things so don’t skimp on them either.

If you have attic storage consider how you’ll get heavy stuff up there.

Run Cat6 cable! Don’t rely on WiFi. Also consider a POTS line depending on your cell signal. Again don’t depend on wireless transmission. Some folks also run RG for TV.

[M5Rick]

Looking for new home now with a much bigger garage as a prerequisite.

[slickgt1]

So I did this a while ago. There is a forum called garage journal and you can go there to get ideas on how to blow money into garage. As far as flooring. I am a strong adviser for porcelain floor. Yes that’s right. Porcelain PEI 4 or 5 tile. You can put radiant heat under it too. You can power wash floor, you can use jacks and other shit on the floor without putting any protection under it, and it will cost a fraction of the Swisstrax or similar floor. Installation is the killer, but it for life. 9 years now, not one problem with my floor.

Epoxy is hit or miss. Very expensive, and super highly variable quality based on install and prep. Again reference garage journal for more detail. But these floors fail with catastrophic consequences. Prep, timing with weather, and substrate variables can sent your $3k floor into a clusterfuck.

Swisstrax, racedeck, etc are good. But you will get shit living under your floor. Need to put a jack stand on your floor, go get a sheet of plywood 2” thick to not chop through your floor. There are other crap.

What I have found that I’m glad I did.
1.porcelain floor.
2. Outlets everywhere. I have close to 40 in my garage. Around benches, floor, ceiling, above cabinets.
3. Lights. More lights. Do more points than necessary as I ran into a few issues with not having enough.

Waste of money.
1. Copper line around perimeter of garage for air hose connect. I have a self retracting hose real. And honestly, you need an air hose anyway. Having one on a reel makes cleanup easy. This makes it no point to have air connections everywhere at all.

Hope this helps.

[flipnkraut]

Originally Posted by slickgt1

So I did this a while ago. There is a forum called garage journal and you can go there to get ideas on how to blow money into garage. As far as flooring. I am a strong adviser for porcelain floor. Yes that's right. Porcelain PEI 4 or 5 tile. You can put radiant heat under it too. You can power wash floor, you can use jacks and other shit on the floor without putting any protection under it, and it will cost a fraction of the Swisstrax or similar floor. Installation is the killer, but it for life. 9 years now, not one problem with my floor.

Epoxy is hit or miss. Very expensive, and super highly variable quality based on install and prep. Again reference garage journal for more detail. But these floors fail with catastrophic consequences. Prep, timing with weather, and substrate variables can sent your $3k floor into a clusterfuck.

Swisstrax, racedeck, etc are good. But you will get shit living under your floor. Need to put a jack stand on your floor, go get a sheet of plywood 2" thick to not chop through your floor. There are other crap.

What I have found that I'm glad I did.
1.porcelain floor.
2. Outlets everywhere. I have close to 40 in my garage. Around benches, floor, ceiling, above cabinets.
3. Lights. More lights. Do more points than necessary as I ran into a few issues with not having enough.

Waste of money.
1. Copper line around perimeter of garage for air hose connect. I have a self retracting hose real. And honestly, you need an air hose anyway. Having one on a reel makes cleanup easy. This makes it no point to have air connections everywhere at all.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for tip about Garage Journal. Been looking for something like that.

If I weren't in Texas, porcelain tile probably would be my option because you could do radiant heat floors. But I would never use that here so my next priority was a clean look. My garage floor now would stay clean until I opened the door then instantly the wind would bring in a ton of dirt and it always looked like crap. So I personally prefer the swisstrax because the dirt would fall through the holes. Plus the other great thing about swisstrax is you can take it with you when you move.

From what I've read on rennlist and even the Garage Journal forum you mentioned, is that you can use a floor jack on swisstrax without issue. And as long as you have jack stands that don't have a sharp edge legs you're fine without using plywood with those too.

I'm going to have a total of 9 light fixtures with 4 florescent bulbs each (3 car garage so 3 fixtures per bay). If I need to add more the attic is pretty accessible.

[3798j]

A lot of good suggestions have been put forth...let me add:
I put pull chain switches on each fluorescent ceiling light...there are times when there can be too much light.
Make the vise a big one.
Consider two bench grinders. One with coarse & fine wheels, the other with a wire & a buff wheel.
As previously suggested, a retractable air reel. Mine's underneath the work bench which is in the center of the garage.
I use Dazor articulated "Floating Arm" lights over the work bench. Much less glare and fewer shadows than light from the ceiling.
I too would vote against the swiss trax...the amount of accumulated, caked in dirt will amaze.

[wdb]

^^^^ I've seen this garage. It's to die for.

[andrewmr]

Originally Posted by flipnkraut

Currently getting started building my new house (great timing right?) and with this quarantine had some time to plan out my garage.

Here's what I'm planning on doing:

Swisstrax flooring
Twin Busch scissor lift
Hose bib inside the garage for wall mounted pressure washer
High lift garage door conversion
Jackshaft garage door openers
Sonic (or equivalent) cabinets
7 4-bulb led fixtures


What "essentials" would you want in your dream garage.

So many things, but they are gonna be based on size, money, needs.......

Let me start by saying I'm envious of you being able to plan this from the beginning. I hope my next house will be a scratch build house and I can do the planning.

You can never have too much space. Currently I'm working with a one and a half car garage building, and a barn converted to be home to 6 cars.


So let's start.

I see you live in Austin so having a garage setup to be able to wash cars indoors (in the winter) may not be as big a deal for you as us guys up north but that's my number one thing. Hoses and drain indoors. Of course, hot water.

The second is electricity. Run way more than you think you'll need. It's really cheap and convenient to do now. As someone else mentioned, plan for the future and run wire for EV's. I'd also consider an outside hookup for visitors or when one of your cars is parked outside.

I'd run cat 6 wires to the garage. And I'd like a real stereo in the garage. I like to listen to music when I'm washing, cleaning cars.

The type/style of lift is all personal..... your call.

So is the floor but epoxy is really nice.

I'd design a room off the garage to house the compressor and perhaps store chemicals and tires and other stuff you don't want in the garage.

How about welders, tire changer, tire balancer????

Do you need space in the garage for your mower? How about bicycles? Boats or kayaks? EDIT: I left out motorcycles.....

Storage..... figure out what you need and double it. You'll thank me later. As someone else already commented, keep stuff off the floor if possible.

My most important comment. Do you have kids or will you have them in the near future (while in this house)? If so, will they have their bicycles in the garage? If so, will they be able to get to them without having to walk next to the cars? I've found it really nice to have a door to the outside that allows for moving bikes and stuff without having to go near the cars. It also helps when you come home and the power is off and the garage doors won't open.


Good luck and enjoy the build.

[spazzyfry123]

Any recommendations for wall mounted fans? I’m in the middle of building out my small 400ish sq ft garage and have come to realize that a nice industrial oscillating fan in the center towards the back wall will be paramount here in Florida.

[andrewmr]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Any recommendations for wall mounted fans? I’m in the middle of building out my small 400ish sq ft garage and have come to realize that a nice industrial oscillating fan in the center towards the back wall will be paramount here in Florida.

Moving air is a good thing. Especially in Florida.

When I lived in Mississippi we had a whole house fan (vent) in the center of the house. It moved a ridiculous amount of air, but it was still hot outside and humid.

At 400 square foot I would be tempted to put a small window unit in a back window (assuming one is available) or perhaps a small split/multi split unit if a window is not available.

[flipnkraut]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Any recommendations for wall mounted fans? I'm in the middle of building out my small 400ish sq ft garage and have come to realize that a nice industrial oscillating fan in the center towards the back wall will be paramount here in Florida.

IMO you can't go wrong with an Air King

https://www.amazon.com/Air-King-9020.../dp/B000QE7DZ0

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by andrewmr

Moving air is a good thing. Especially in Florida.

When I lived in Mississippi we had a whole house fan (vent) in the center of the house. It moved a ridiculous amount of air, but it was still hot outside and humid.

At 400 square foot I would be tempted to put a small window unit in a back window (assuming one is available) or perhaps a small split/multi split unit if a window is not available.

Garage has two windows facing the front of the house (side entry garage), but HOA has a big thumbs down on window units. Not sure that I’d want to go all out with a mini split - hoping that air circulation will help things out. I’ll be using the right back to restore my old Honda twin and am hoping for a little relief.

Originally Posted by flipnkraut

IMO you can't go wrong with an Air King

https://www.amazon.com/Air-King-9020.../dp/B000QE7DZ0

Funny, that’s the exact one that I was looking at. I really like that it has a pull cord so that I can mount this thing up high. Good looking out.

[slickgt1]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Garage has two windows facing the front of the house (side entry garage), but HOA has a big thumbs down on window units. Not sure that I’d want to go all out with a mini split - hoping that air circulation will help things out. I’ll be using the right back to restore my old Honda twin and am hoping for a little relief.



Funny, that’s the exact one that I was looking at. I really like that it has a pull cord so that I can mount this thing up high. Good looking out.

Seriously, Mini split are really not that expensive now. Can even be a DIY project no problem. You are in Florida, how can you survive without AC?

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by slickgt1

Seriously, Mini split are really not that expensive now. Can even be a DIY project no problem. You are in Florida, how can you survive without AC?

Not to derail this thread, but I'm curious if by installing a minisplit in the garage if that would then be considered "living space" and add to the square footage of the home? If it does, I may do a dual zone. One for the garage and another for the back patio we are planning to enclose.