Okay, let's see your garage's/shops.....

[Boyd]

We are about to move into our new home in a few weeks and I've been driving my wife crazy with talks of how I'm going to set the garage up for my '78 Camaro P/T project. I have a good idea of the layout, but I'd like to see some pics of other garage's /shops (and for those of you without pics, feel free to post your ideas. )

[trapin]

Make sure you have a nice long, durable workbench. Also...some space on the walls for hanging fenders and other pieces that would otherwise take up a lot of room if on the floor.

[JonB69FB]

Mine is really only a 1 1/2 car garage that doubles as the laundry room, but I've got an amazing amount of crap stuffed into it.

Pictures here:
http://www.offline.org/~burch/shop/

[Zefhix]

haha...mine's a two car. Far from ideal but I make it work and I'm at a stage where the girlfriend can park her camaro next to it right now :)
http://www.zefhix.com/images/DSC03444.jpg

[parsonsj]

JP's tip for the day:

Make sure your workshop and garage are contiguous. Don't do something dumb like put the shop on the opposite end of the house from the garage. Don't do something dumber like make the trip include stairs.

[Boyd]

Nice guys! Keep 'em comin'!

[Nine Ball]

I built my car in a 1-car apartment garage. You can do amazing things on floor jacks, although its a pain in the ass to do so. lol

[harshman]

I’m moving to a 3 car garage in 7 months and will be laying down VCT tile. Done the floor paint and the snap on tiles / roll out flooring is stupid money. I’ve got VCT tile in my grocery store and it has held up better than any thing else. A little wax and bata-bing it's sparkles.

[Boyd]

What exactly is VCT tile? Do you mean the commercial grade school cafeteria-type stuff? If so, I've thought about that also.

[harshman]

What exactly is VCT tile? Do you mean the commercial grade school cafeteria-type stuff? If so, I've thought about that also.

Yup. The same stuff that's in most grocery stores and Wal-Mart’s etc. Home Depot sells 45 sq. ft for $30 ish. Just make sure to wax it or have a company wax it for you. The commercial wax that is used in my store lasts around 6 months, but keep in mind that it is VERY high traffic. In a garage, I’d bet it would last 1 1/2 - 2 years.

[jonny51]

Yup. The same stuff that's in most grocery stores and Wal-Mart’s etc. Home Depot sells 45 sq. ft for $30 ish. Just make sure to wax it or have a company wax it for you. The commercial wax that is used in my store lasts around 6 months, but keep in mind that it is VERY high traffic. In a garage, I’d bet it would last 1 1/2 - 2 years.

Watch your step,it may get a little slippery!!

[73novaguy]

Organize, Organize, Organize and Organize!!!!!!! I have a 3 car garage that seems to get smaller and smaller everyday. Just make best use of the space you have with stackable shelves, things that rarely get used in the attic, lots of small parts bin drawers for various nuts and bolts and label em all so you have quick reference. Just the use of things like hard line on the walls for air compressor and things make it nicer when it comes to working on the projects! Good insulation, and wall covering (wether you use sheet rock, plywood, etc...) and the floor tile previously mentioned! Do what you can with the budget you have! I will post some pics of my garage later tonight as I am just in the finishing stages of it. I to am buying all of the goodies for organizing and keepin in sano!

[J-Rod]

Yup. The same stuff that's in most grocery stores and Wal-Mart’s etc. Home Depot sells 45 sq. ft for $30 ish. Just make sure to wax it or have a company wax it for you. The commercial wax that is used in my store lasts around 6 months, but keep in mind that it is VERY high traffic. In a garage, I’d bet it would last 1 1/2 - 2 years.

If you have a few extra bucks, you can also use high traffic sheet vinyl. We spec it out in hospitals all the time. They max. out in 10' rolls, so you could effectively have 1, maybe 2 seams in your entire garage. THey have special vinyl strips to weld the seams together, them BAM..no cracks. Sheet vinyl also cames in 357635016506487 patterns and colors, as well as anti/nonslip surfaces.

[Piet]

...but can you have a checkered flag pattern with the sheet vinyl.....

[Ghurn]

Make sure it is designated and used as a shop for working on stuff and not a garage for storage to any significant others that might be living with you. Kids bikes are one thing, but when you are climbing over boxes of Halloween and Christmas decorations to get to the other cyclinder head you'll soon realize what that means.

[zbugger]

....I'd like to see some pics of other garage's /shops....

Look outside and you have mine. Look down and you can see my floor. Some advice? Don't use my shop. I don't.

[harshman]

Make sure it is designated and used as a shop for working on stuff and not a garage for storage to any significant others that might be living with you. Kids bikes are one thing, but when you are climbing over boxes of Halloween and Christmas decorations to get to the other cyclinder head you'll soon realize what that means.

A simple threat of trash or yard sale seems to motivate them to get it the out of my territory. If you time it with a really pissy mood (for example: you just busted your knuckles and dropped the nut down the intake) the junk will move mush faster. :lmao:

[ZZ430]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Nothing real special, a deep 2 bay garage with 16 ft ceiling.

One 9000# hoist.

I can squeeze in 6 cars if needed.

Not much, but it's made me a living the last 6 years. I pick and choose what I work on (GM products mostly) and have built up a loyal cliental.

We do mostly engine/drivetrain work.

[Fluid Power]

Look outside and you have mine. Look down and you can see my floor. Some advice? Don't use my shop. I don't.


LOL Zbugger! That's a great one!

I have a 30x40 shop and I can safely say 1 car apart is worth 3 cars put together as far as space is concerned.
My recomendation is plan, organize and keep as much stuff off the floor as possible.

A very good friend of mine was an engineer for an Champ/Indy car team. His shop is cleaner than most hospitals. I have learned a ton about organization and cleaning from him. I try to keep my shop to a reasonable level of clean. It makes things a lot more enjoyable to work on and to be motivated to go work on something.

Also, don't let "friends" start their S-10/ v8 project in your shop or it might still be there 10 months later.....The title is in the glove box, I will make someone a sweeet deal on it!

Darren

[wheelspin]

Burned a lot of "midnite oil" thrashing projects here:

[Boyd]

Anymore, guys? Like what I'm seein'.!

[B Cichocki]

70x100 with a 700sq.ft apartment inside if it's too late to walk back to the house after working on the cars. :sleeping:
-Brian

[MrQuick]

Sweet spot Brian....OK donations start now to pimp Allens garage!!!
Heres the new shop,you don't want to see the old one,trust me...im going from 10,000sqft to 1800 sqft...better area = more business. i hope? :fingersx:

[73novaguy]

Still under construction! I have so many more things to do! I have a new Craftsmen compressor coming for the Holidays! And tons of shelves, speakers, and racks, and chord holders! You name it! But thoguth that I would throw out some middle stage pictures!

[Lawrence]

It's also not big enough to get the '55 Bel Air in and close the door. And the Camaro will have to be done outside until I get it finished!

[steve g]

Boyd,

What you do depends on the money you want to spend. As some have mentioned, organization is the key along with buying the right products for how your garage will be used. For flooring you can do anything from sealed and polished concrete, commercial grade epoxy, quartz tiles, etc. I considered vct (the commercial grade vinyl composition tile) for my garage at one time. It's pretty durable and resists most fluids pretty well if it's waxed, but not completely impervious to all automotive chemicals. You can get it in various colors if you want to make a design with it.

For cabinets, buy the best you can afford. Powder coated metal with ball bearing drawers are the best. For a little less money, Sears has some pretty decent metal cabinets. If you go the cheaper route and use laminate cabinets, make sure they're made with at least 3/4" commercial grade particle board and commercial grade laminate. Some of the home center ones are made with 1/2" or 5/8" particle board and melamine. Needless to say with heavy stuff in them (i.e. automotive use) they don't last long. Also make sure you get a very sturdy workbench, as big as space allows with a thick top.

For organization, include some organizer or parts cabinets/drawers for nuts & bolts, small parts, electrical connectors, etc. You might also consider shelves with heavy duty Rubbermaid or plastic containers for large parts. Make sure you have good lighting, adequate electrical outlets (ground fault) where you'll have equipment. Oh and don't forget to add a stereo, small refrigerator, and some "automobilia" to the walls.

If you want sources for stuff or want help with layout, etc. send me an email ([email protected]) and I'd be glad to help you more. I do custom kitchens and have just started doing garages, and the garages are more fun.

[Steve Chryssos]

Here's mine. Just a regular old two-car with a nook in back that's big enough to squeeze in my motorsickle. There's no way I can start another build because I AIN'T selling the Camaro and the wifey won't sell her Rivi. I'm always shuffling stuff around to get at my V-Rod or to work on a car.

[derekf]

Drawers. Drawers and hanging cabinets. The hanging cabinets can be builder surplus or used since they're pretty beefy, but your typical kitchen drawer is flimsier than I'd prefer. I built my drawers with 3/4" plywood bottoms so I can throw pretty much whatever in them without worrying about them breaking.

My new 2 car garage is smaller than my old 2-car garage, but with the added storage from the drawers and cabinets it feels like I've got a lot more room for 'stuff'.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/12/04112802-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/12/04112803-1.jpg

I've cut an access hatch in the attic with a pulley and rope to hoist heavy parts to the attic - some things just wouldn't fit through the stairs, and some parts (like the spare El Camino door) are waaaay too heavy to carry up stairs.

The other thing that I've done that really helped was an 8 foot tall power slide gate across my driveway - that way I can leave cars in the driveway without having to worry about them getting molested.

[shmoov69]

No pics of mine yet. Now have a 24 x 32, fully finished. Advice- LOTS of plug outlets, LOTS of lights (on seperate switches), 2 220 outlets, slope the floor to the door or to drains, seperate walk thru door, wide overhead door (for trailers and such), tall overhead door (for mud trucks and such!), high ceiling (for future lift), Stereo, TV (with cable or dish), counter tops that are HEAVY for heavy (engines and such)things (mine are from an old science classroom lab), lots of shelf's (for the junk that you don't use often), wood stove (for cheap heat), and the last one......a heat/air unit in the wall that is similar to a hotel unit, you can get them for fairly cheap and it is an awesome investment!
Like said before, orginize, and KEEP the yard stuff out of the shop if possible

[gEtyOpAPiOn]

hehe my garage cant even fit my car =I maybe i should put a sunroof on my car and then i can bring it inside....why would someone build a garage like that ? only in oakland lol

[homerneedspeed]

i live with my grandparents and have the whole garage to myself so i can't complain https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/12/DSCN1530JPG-1.jpg

[B Schein]

Here are a few shots on my garage nothing special just a large attached two car. It is stuffed to full not much room to work. We plan on building a new large 3 car in the back yard come springtime. And I have a 24-foot inclosed that is mostly used for storage

Brian

[Boyd]

thank you to everyone that replied. I'll keep ya'll (that's Texan for "all of you) updated on my garage project.

[kman67rsss]

wow now i know my garage is small. i have a 12X24 cover-it garage. i love it though and have done all my work in it. i built a wooden fram out of PT 2X12's and plywood. my next garage will be bigger.

[Camaro Zach]

There is not much room to work but it gets me by, has changed since this picture too
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[OHCbird]

I used expoxy paint to do my checkerboard- measure / measure / divide / layout /decide. I wound up painting 24" squares- not the easiest way (taping it out, then redoing the edges for the black), but very easy to fix- which has been only once so far.

The bench now has a nice stainless top, and a parts cleaner 'flush' mounted where the short cabinet / welder are.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[trapin]

Here's my garage.... (http://www.infamouscamaro.com/Camaro%20Pictures%20029.jpg)

Not anything to brag about, but I do have plenty of rooom to work on my car. I hope to get it insulated and drywalled this Summer.

[Nine Ball]

I built my car in this 1-car apartment garage. Luckily it was a little wider due to the unit having a staircase above, so I had an area to put the toolboxes and shelves.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

But, I've recently moved into a brand new house, with a 3-car garage and a 10' ceiling. I keep both red Camaros inside, and the 3rd side is my shop area.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

plenty of parking at the new place, as I purchased half of a circle and have no next door neighbors.

http://users.ev1.net/~ynot_dv8/homes/construction/build10.jpg