What would you want in a garage if you built one from scratch?

"Battery Tender Unnecessary" (carac) 03/13/2014 at 21:00 • Filed to: None

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(Re-upped for the evening crowd) I've got an opportunity and need for a new garage. Nothing ostentatious, just a good steel building with everything I need to work on and store cars. Looking for input on what I'll need and what you would do. To start I'm just going to erect the building, put in utilities, heating/cooling. Eventually I'll be framing up a living/storage area. Maybe some people here have built a garage and have some advice, maybe you just have an idea of what you'd love to have in a garage. Type for flooring, lifts, etc.

Random ideas so far are a car wash stall to clean and detail out of direct sunlight and during the winter.

Throwing in some arcade cabinets.

Just the basics to begin with. I can get crazy with it later. Threw a quick plan together in 10 minutes as an example on where to start.

$kaycog > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:05

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Floor drain, toilet, laundry sink, refrigerator.

therevengeofthesaab (really likes pre-2005 hondas right now) > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:08

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When I win Lotto 649.......

RMudkips > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:12

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A lift, a variety of tools, impact equipment, a mini-fridge, a couch, easy-clean floor, and space.

I don't own a car myself, so see it what you will

Mercedes Streeter > $kaycog 03/13/2014 at 18:13

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Some fireproofing of some sort, a security system (cameras, bulletproof glass, steel doors, the works)...and maybe a sweet surround system so you can have tunes while you tune?

Saracen > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:15

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Durable epoxied flooring

Two scissor lifts

Air compressor + impact wrench, etc

All the hand tools Craftsman makes

Engine crane

TIG welder

Machining tools

Powerful ventilation system and a good fire extinguisher system.

And definitely a floor drain like $kay suggested.

A3R0 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:16

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Okay, I got this. Tall enough ceiling for a lift, and have every spot possible have a lift. This way you should have lots of space. Now take a spot that would be one lift and make it a bedroom with one bed and a TV. Then, sell your house. I win! Hahah. Sorry to be no help at all.

Arben72 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:17

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More tools then you can think you'll ever need, a dyno (go big or go home right?), wash and detail bay, bright lighting, a lift or two. For flooring get different flooring for different areas for the garage. Polished concrete for where your working on the cars, race deck free flow for the wash bay and marble tiles for the show part of your garage.

B_dol > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:20

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Shop Vac, good lighting to help the cleaning & detailing efforts. I applaud all men who still hand wash their own cars even when the stable starts to grow.

Garrett Davis > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:20

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No charge.

desertdog5051 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:21

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I can tell you from personal experience that putting living quarters should be done after final inspection. Most zoning laws prohibit living in a "pole barn".

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:28

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A more-than-big-enough electrical panel so that whatever you decide to do, wiring it will be easy. If I sound like a single issue voter, it's from personal experience—it's a drag if you don't have the big honkin panel to begin with.

Sn210 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:29

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I want to build a three car disguised as two. I want it to be an elongated two door style, so like a 24x36. In the summer, I can park my dd outside and then my toy car and my wife's car can be inside. In the winter, I want to throw my toy car on dollies and pivot it back perpendicular to the bays and then be able to fit my dd. In the back I'm hoping to steal the cabinets and countertops from the kitchen when we upgrade. I'd love to get a lift, wall mounted vacuum, and a floor drain. Also on my wish list is a screen bay door, some sort of fancy ceiling or floor feature, and a smartphone compatible door opener. Hopefully I get started on this in a year or two!

$kaycog > Mercedes Streeter 03/13/2014 at 18:30

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If you can afford it, heck yeah.

GhostZ > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:31

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1. Car Lift

2. Windows

3. Lots of Tools

4. Parts Car

5. Computer

6. Bathroom w/ industrial sink

7. Workbench

8. Good cellphone reception.

toadterror > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:37

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Needs a bed.. garage, home, what's the difference?

Battery Tender Unnecessary > A3R0 03/13/2014 at 18:39

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Looking at 18' ceiling. Would allow the living area to be two stories later on, maximizing usable space.

A3R0 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:43

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I'm sure you already know this, but you want a good divider/wall between the space cars run and where you live/sleep. Carbon Monixide=death.:(
Sounds like a pretty awesome place though, Congrats!

Battery Tender Unnecessary > A3R0 03/13/2014 at 18:46

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Yeah, fully enclosed living area with separate HVAC and active ventilation/open door when any engines are running.

davedave1111 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:47

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Inspection pit!

A3R0 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 18:50

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Man, thats sweet. So jealous and I can't even drive.

It's a "Porch-uh" > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 19:06

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I would build this, plus a two-post lift: http://www.build-threads.com/build-threads/…

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 19:18

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I will get to, of a sort, in the not-too distant future. It won't be a no-cost-too-high thing though.

The main thing is the structure of it. It'll be on a leveled concrete base. Ideally, we'd build a brick garage. It stays cold in the summer, warm in the winter and is moisture-resistant. Unfortunately, it's time-consuming and expensive.

So, the plan is to build one wall at a time as a 4x2 frame, lift it into place and nail it together as a whole. The interior of each frame will be filled with plastic-wool insulation, and the outside will be covered in perforated semi-permeable plastic sheeting spaced away from the 4x2 by about half an inch. That way, any water simply runs down the sheeting onto the ground outside, while still allowing air to pass through for ventilation. On top of that will be ship-lap.

I don't much care what's actually inside, so long as what I keep in there doesn't go rusty :)

bobkustofawitshz > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 19:51

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It would be 2 stories, with a high-ceilinged loft apartment area above the cars. Bedroom, small bath with shower, kitchenette/bar, space for seating and a desk. Small deck, preferably overlooking a lake.
Finish the ceiling with something cool, and plenty of skylights.

I want to live in this.

Architect > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 19:56

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I'll go ahead and give you my, ahem, professional opinion.

I'll second all the good responses that list floor drains, epoxy floor coatings, etc. You might also want to consider some insulation and interior wall covering like FRP panels or exterior grade plywood. Something that can handle being scrubbed. Another major consideration would be ventilation, so you can run an engine with the doors closed in the winter. That would just be tied into the HVAC, but make sure you size it for the air volume and number of changes/hour.

On a more touchy-feely level, you should consider how you are getting natural lighting and cross-ventilation, for shady summer wrenching. If it were me, I'd install some big-ass sliding barn doors that you could leave wide open in the summer. Also, if you want to integrate some type of lounge space, why not include a second floor "balcony" (technically a mezzanine) for indoor garage-parties? Hell, why not install a vented/ducted wood burning stove or something and make a pseudo-winter garden in your shop? Depensing on how far from the prefab steel building you want to get, you could carve into the roof and make an open-air patio with glass doors/windows separating it from the rest of the interior.

I don't know. I think about this shit all day every day. Let me know if you want to crack into it more seriously, but for now I've dropped a link to my favorite "steel building-turned-something-else" type project, by some Kansas City architects I know.

http://www.eldo.us/civic-institut…

Sn210 > davedave1111 03/13/2014 at 20:36

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My grandfather's garage had one!

willkinton247 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 21:09

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Lift. Concrete flooring that's got one of those awesome finishes

Mathias Rios > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 21:21

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Every tool in existence. A lift. Diet Coke. Shop computer to look up repairs. Many project cars.

SteyrTMP > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 21:35

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I once drew a loft. It had 14' high garage space. I was planning 4 bays, but you look like you're looking larger than that.

- Personally, I'd drop the TV area. I don't really do TV, and wouldn't do it in the garage, but if I did, on the other hand, and had maybe a glass partition, I could get the wife and kids out there so I could get something done, as that never happens as it is.

- I'd partition off at least one, preferably 2-3 bays for cars under work. There'd need to be at least one lift, and enough space between so as not to get cluttered or in the way of one another.

-I'd keep part of the garage for DD's and driveable cars, free from dust, paint, and flying particles, pieces, and parts. Figure three clean slots for functioning vehicles.

- I'd put either tracks, or a lot of hooks in the ceiling in one corner, along with shop lights installed from floor to ceiling in the walls, flush, maybe 12" apart, for a convertible paint booth, complete with vent fans in the ceiling.

- The most obvious missing area is the machine shop. I'd need room for my lathe and mill, at least a 8x16' section, which is around what I have right now in my basement, maybe more like 10x16, I forget. If I had money to do this, I'd do it right, and I'd go more like a minimum of 16x16, so there would be room for smaller CNC lathe and mill, as well as a larger scale 3D printer.

- I agree with $kaycog, I'd want a small kitchen somewhere, maybe 4x8 or so. Just room partitioned off for a fridge/freezer, microwave, a few utensils, and a small counter and sink. To save space, it could possibly replace having a sink in the bathroom, if you're not OCD about it and tight for area.

- Last but not least, I am interested in making car bodys. I'd want an area where I could fit a 6'x6'x12' CNC gantry router for car bodies.

That's about it. I could probably easily put most of that in your sketch here. It'd be creative in some areas, but it'd be feasable.

Agrajag > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/13/2014 at 23:27

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-What $kay said
- Discs of Tron
-Fireman's pole when second floor is installed
-Underneath where second floor will be make a flat smooth wall and have a projector instead of TV. Will be plenty dark enough under second level and because projector.

bhardoin > Saracen 03/14/2014 at 00:32

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I'd say this, + a kickin' stereo system. Then you're good to go.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/14/2014 at 11:51

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For power make the service twice as big as you think you need. Same with square footage. That way it will be half as big as you want it with half the power that you want. As for doors, make sure they are big too. You don't want to be trying to sneak the SLS through an 8' wide door, especially if you need to make a turn to get it into a spot. I've got 8' doors on my garage and crunched the fender on my STi backing it in once.

Put in more outlets than you think you need. 20A outlets are nice too depending on what you think you'll need to run. If you are going to put in a welder make sure it goes in a spot that gives you good access to a lot of floor space, don't bury it in a corner.

As for lighting, we put in T8 high bay fixtures at work a few years ago. They light instantly and give good color for industrial lighting. Plus they are relatively low power and are quiet, especially compared to the old metal halide lights we replaced. If you've got a work bench along a wall you might think about putting a low bay fluorescent there to make sure you've got good lighting. Having the interior walls white will also help with lighting.

Put in more floor drains than you think you need. Make sure the drains have a real trap and aren't the concentric trap kind. Those suck and clog up with all sorts of nastiness way too easy. If possible it would be nice to have a spot that you can wash cars indoors too.

Epoxy floor paint is nice. Helps for cleanup and keeps the dust down. Plus it looks much nicer than bare concrete.

I hoon, therefore I am > Battery Tender Unnecessary 03/14/2014 at 13:05

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This is a good start. And it's only a 2-car! Garagejournal.com is a great resource, btw.

My prereqs are 220v, lift, closet for air compressor (to muffle it), a welding station, a blast cabinet, epoxy floor, electric gantry crane spanning the entire garage, air plumbing and electrical with overhead drops, sink/washer/dryer/bathroom, a dedicated computer for referencing forums/manuals, cabinets lining every wall, and a GIANT OUTSIDE SHED FOR ALL THE LAWN TOOLS AND OTHER USELESS JUNK THE MISSUS WOULD TRY TO PUT IN THE GARAGE. I'd also like a TV for the random hang-outs and chairs/table/etc. made of car parts.

Oh, and AC for the ridiculous summers here in PHX. Probably heat, too, though not quite as necessary.