Garage essentials & layout

[LeeThr]

Mods: feel free to move if this isn't quite the right section.

I've finally made a start on the mess my garage is, gibing it a good clear out. What i want to do is turn it into a useable workshop for working on the cars.

Any advice on what essentials I need to make it useful, and i mean down to the small items such as blue roll on a holder etc. Also on layouts as well when in home from work ill try and make some diagrams with measurements of the floor plan as well.

And of course without saying i will be on ebay looking for various auto memrobeilia to line the walls with.

Thanks for any input (:

[CrutyRammers]

Light. Lots of light.
Plenty of accessible storage for tools. I've used magnetic knife strips from ikea mounted on the wall for the stuff I use a lot, otherwise your normal tool racks are good. Lots of shelves for boxes of nuts and bolts etc. Power sockets above or around the work area.
Somewhere to put a radio / ipod doc or whatever for tunes while you work.
Blueroll/kitchen roll - definately but I've never felt the need for a holder as you normally just end up carrying it to wherever the spillage is.

[OllieC]

call me a girl but heat ?

and air ?

[ARH]

As said light 3 times as much as you think you will need. Plumbed in compressed air an outlet in each corner. 3 times as many power sockets as you think you will need. As much bench space as you can fit in. Organised tools, whatever suits you a tool cabinet or a tool board but make sure you know where each tool is. And a good fire extinguisher (maybe thats just me though as I do set fire to things a bit too easily).

[LeeThr]

Just a couple of before pictures of how it looks at present, slowly filling bin bags etc. Going to be a few skip runs this week.
Untitled by LeeThr, on Flickr
by LeeThr, on Flickr
by LeeThr, on Flickr

Will try and get a basic floor plan up as well.

[RichB]

People talk about tools in racks but I've got loads of what I'd more call DIY tools, hammers screwdrivers, pliers, pinchers, chisels, planes, drills saws - loads of saws... what to do with all that stuff? It's not like they're mechanics sockets and spanners so un attractive on a wall board and far too much for a tool trolley.

[DocJock]

Don't know your house layout, nut the best thing I did in my revamp was to with a big utility sink.

[LeeThr]

DocJock said:

Don't know your house layout, nut the best thing I did in my revamp was to with a big utility sink.

There is a fairly deep wash basin in there just hidden in the pictures.

[CrutyRammers]

RichB said:

People talk about tools in racks but I've got loads of what I'd more call DIY tools, hammers screwdrivers, pliers, pinchers, chisels, planes, drills saws - loads of saws... what to do with all that stuff? It's not like they're mechanics sockets and spanners so un attractive on a wall board and far too much for a tool trolley.

I've got all of that stuff mounted on the wall, and my sockets and engineering tools in drawers

[Craikeybaby]

Mine is still a work in progress, but here are the ideas/plans I've got:

Walls painted white - done!
Floor tiled
Decent workbench
Shelving - being delivered tomorrow!
Plenty of light and plug sockets - being installed as I type!
White board
Blue paper towel holder
Automobilia on the walls
Fire extinguisher

[league67]

Craikeybaby said:

Mine is still a work in progress, but here are the ideas/plans I've got:

Walls painted white - done!
Floor tiled
Decent workbench
Shelving - being delivered tomorrow!
Plenty of light and plug sockets - being installed as I type!
White board
Blue paper towel holder
Automobilia on the walls
Fire extinguisher

Are you painting bricks or did you put plaster on top of them?

[Craikeybaby]

I just painted the the bricks.

[Steve_W]

If you want to lose yourself in "ooh - that's a neat idea" for a while, and be extremely envious of the size/space of some garages, have a shufti here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.ph...

Yes, there are a lot of large US garages, but quite a few British/European ones that show what can be done in a smaller space.

[basherX]

Craikeybaby said:

Mine is still a work in progress, but here are the ideas/plans I've got:

White board

This. Often overlooked but very useful. Also I've got two sets of these storage bins: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00DY0EZ1I as well as all my tools mounted on boards on clips and screws. Not much beats a well organised garage...

[LeeThr]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys. The plan is to get it properly organized. So things like those little holders will be bought & mounted on the wall.

What I dont know what to do with is the floor. It needs a good clean for a start after it getting flooded and left with sandy mud ever since. But Do I just paint it or what. Has to be a cheap solution though. I would like something thats a bit warmer and slightly more comfy to lie on whilst under the cars though.

Also does anybody have any suggestions on what I can use in terms of draft exclusion around the up & over door? In the winter months when the wind comes the wrong way it's impossible to get the place warm. But it needs to be something that can be added & removed easily as obviously that is the vehicle access door.

Some pictures of where im up to so far with the clear out....
Untitled by LeeThr, on Flickr
by LeeThr, on Flickr
by LeeThr, on Flickr

Will be an interesting day on wednesday doing all the skip runs.

[Craikeybaby]

Floor wise there have been plenty of threads, the options seem to be paint, epoxy, plastic/rubber interlocking tiles or porcelain tiles.

[felixgogo]

Seriously consider closed storage - the space looks cleaner, and items don't get a layer of dust on them.

Can the dustbins live outside? that'll get a fair bit of space back.

Also, can any garden related items go in the shed? In an ideal world, the garage will only have car related things in it.

The washer - can that go in the kitchen?

[Craikeybaby]

felixgogo said:

Seriously consider closed storage - the space looks cleaner, and items don't get a layer of dust on them.

Can the dustbins live outside? that'll get a fair bit of space back.

Also, can any garden related items go in the shed? In an ideal world, the garage will only have car related things in it.

The washer - can that go in the kitchen?

I'd love closed storage, but after going way over budget on the build I've had to settle for shelves with closed boxes, should still look pretty neat, but less than half the cost of closed storage.

I agree with garden stuff in the shed - I've taken it a bit further and made sure that the missus doesn't put anything in the garage, I've built her a shed for all her gardening stuff.

[RichB]

felixgogo said:

...Also, can any garden related items go in the shed? In an ideal world, the garage will only have car related things in it...

My issue is DIY things. My wife is an avid gardener, which is nice because I get a lovely garden to sit in and have a glass of wine so all the gardening stuff is "her" shed but "my" garage seems to have all the pots of paint, brushes & rollers, wallpaper table, etc. etc. I guess I just need to get organised...

[CarbonV12V]

Something like this