<VV> Garage Ideas

[Edelstein and Payne]

John,
     I have a shop that is separate from the house, and also from where the "rolling stock" gets parked (the 4 car carport is soon to be doubled), so maybe some of my ideas won't work in your set up.  When I finished the interior, I put 4 X 8 plywood sheets on the bottom 4' of the wall, then I put 4 x 8 sheets of peg board --- the heavier stuff (1/4" I think).  So from 4' up to 8' feet I can hang tools and supplies on the walls.  It has not only made most of the tools readily accessible, it has saved me from buying lots of counters with drawers.

     For heat, I had radient heat installed in the floor.  There's a small boiler (Seahorse I think is the brand) that hangs outside off the back wall, and a couple of pumps to circulate the hot water through the floor.  I keep the shop at 55 - 60 all winter (which really beats working in the drive way when it's in the 30's outside), and we're plenty comfortable and it costs about $100 - $150 to heat the shop all winter.

     I did not go to the trouble of air conditioning the shop (and here in NC it gets hot).  We open it up on cool nights, close it in the mornings and then it holds the temperature fairly well for several days.  However, I did install 4 large ceiling fans.  When the interior gets up in the 80's, we turn on the fans and it's much more comfrotable working.

     I agree about insulating the shop well and making sure the bay doors seal.  I've got very few windows, 6" of insulation in the walls, and 12" in the ceiling.  The structure is really a pole and beam type construction, with the "poles" on 7'6" centers, so the insulation in the walls really works better than in our "stick built" home, with 2 X 6's on 16 " centers (it's a Morton building).  I also agree about installing some 220/240 volt lines for an air compressor and welder.  I have both a 30 amp and a 50 amp circuit.

     In terms of floor paint, I've had good luck with a 2 part epoxy that I think I got at Home Depot.  It comes in several colors, and I used mostly a dark red that matches the exterior (with the radiant heat, I wanted a fairly dark floor), with some white paint as "warning" areas around things like the doors and steps.  Been on the floor now more than 10 years, and while it's stained in places, it still looks pretty good.

    The main thing to do is put plenty of thought into your plans before construction even begins.  Good luck and enjoy.

                    Travis Payne   65 Monza coupe
                    Raleigh, NC    65 500 coupe