Now that things are starting to settle down here in our new home, we broke ground on the GarageMahal.

Any suggestions/tips from those that know much more than I ever will about electricity and other shop essentials? Keep it simple, essential and wonderland arent the same

Specifically I'm looking for advice on # of circuits and size, as well as floor and wall paint/coating/covering options.

Howdy,

How big will the shop be? How many folks working there? What type of major equipment like compressors, lathes, mills, welders, plasma cutters, etc.?

I can tell you what I'd do on the electric side at least.

Mark

Good point...a few details. Its 40x45 with a good chunk devoted to getting the trailer out of sight. So about a 24x40 work area. Its not commercial, just my car stuff. Stuff I own includes a 220v compressor and 220V Mig, 110v drill press and band saw. I plan on putting our old washer/dryer out there too so I can clean shop rags with impunity. Future equipment wish list includes a lift, a lathe, and a mill in that order...but likely none of those will happen for many many many years. There'll be a small 1/2 bath so I can clean up before getting back into the house.

How large of a power feed will you have? I'd expect a 20 spot 100A breaker box would be fine. I like to have the large equipment on their own 240V circuits, so each will tie up two breaker spots. If you're saving $ on copper wire (it's expensive, and long runs can add up!), you can put equipment not likely to be used at the same time together, like a lathe, mill, and welder. The inrush current on large motors is what will usually pop a breaker, and the largest motor will probably be on the air compressor. I wired all my 120V stuff on 12g Romex, which is good for 20 amps, I believe (it's been a while). The larger equipment got wires large enough to handle the breaker size (I think it was 10g for the 30A real 2hp air compressor motor). I can get details if needed. For receptacles, you'll want a GFCI receptacle as the first one in the circuit, and the following will be protected by that one (much less expensive than GFCI breakers). If shop equipment won't be moved, you can save the $ of receptacles and hard wire them. I'm not sure at when a cutoff switch is necessary, and when you can use the breaker as one. I have the NEC code book used for our town, and did everything per code (and promptly forgot it!). Sounds like MarkA does this more often...

My shop breaker box: 60Amp 2 pole main breaker, 8 ga 3 wire + ground feed (need to double check).
1 - Shop Fluorescents
3 - 120V 20A Receptacles A Circuit - 4 receptacles
5 - 120V 20A Receptacles B Circuit - 4 receptacles
7 - 120V 20A Receptacles C circuit - 4 gang box for drill press, computer, TV, & stereo
7 & 9 - 240V baseboard heater (in the kitchen - I had to steal that circuit on the main house breaker panel which was full, to get power to the garage sub panel)
2 & 4 - Air Compressor
6 & 8 - Welder/Lathe (both have receptacles - I switch plugs when either is needed)

I moved in about 16 months ago, and the 24x22 2 car garage had a whole 2 outlets. My first project was to add better lighting, and a ton of outlets. It's very convenient having receptacles in the middle and corner of every wall (every 10 feet, and every 6 feet at the workbench). Get lots of bright light. I used 3 high output cold weather 8' 2 tube fluorescent hanging fixtures (110W tubes), and would like another one over the hood area of the car's bay. You might want a ceiling fan or four in the garage as well... If you ever plan on powdercoating, leave a circuit for a junked kitchen oven. Write down a list of your current and future equipment, find out the current draw (most instruction manuals say what size breaker is required), and run the wire gauge needed for that current. Are you drywalling right away? If not, don't bother running $500 of copper wiring that may not be used for 5 years... Any plans for heat? Leave a breaker open for the furnace.

I have a bare concrete floor, but wanted to epoxy. I moved in all my equipment in the winter, and now it's too much work to bother. Instead, I have raised rubber tiles in the car work area, and work mats in front of the bench, drill press, and lathe. Use light colored paint - it reflects the light better. I'm a big fan of having everything out of sight (you wouldn't know it, if you saw the garage right now!), and went nuts on cabinets under the workbench, and around the garage. The hanging Ikea cabinets with cheap white doors have been great - the bottom is about 65" off the ground, and it's along the wall in the car bay. I can walk by it, since my shoulders clear, not be forced to bend around them, and still see inside (I'm 6'3).

Well....there you go Al...you ACTUALLY found ONE thing that Texass has over Kalifornia....

AFFORDABLE LAND!

...oh, by the way....don't forget to change that "Concord, CA" location in your location field buddy!

I am just jealous....I can only WISH I had the space to even CONSIDER a garagemahal.....you go man!

While I cant comment on all the hieroglyphics above I guess I can tell you the single greatest thing in my garage-

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?...UseBVCookie=Yes

I LOVE this thing. I've got it right in the middle of my 2 car garage, If I need an outlet I just reach above my head, there it is. If I need to go to the other side of thecar, the wire goes OVER the car, not tangled by the tires or anything else, Im not tripping over it etc. Ive got lots of outlets in my garage, but I probably use this thing >90% of the time. Of course you have to put an outlet in the ceiling... but you'll probably have to do that for the garage door anyway.

I have nothing to add. I would just like to add my name to the "jealous" list.

How many outlets? Decide on paper and double it.
How much light? Decide on paper then double it.
40x45? Double it.

Outside light is a must.

Light switches by EVERY SINGLE EXIT!
Think about cross ventilation.
Figure out a way to get that compressor OUTSIDE!

Your wife is not gonna like walking all the way out to the shop to do your shop towel laundry.

1/2 bath is valuable floor space ... about the size of a decent beer fridge. Besides, pea(sp) gravel works great.

Windows are just another component that will break when you get really pissed having to change yet another opti.
They are also convenient entry ways for those who have no business in your shop.

CAT5, RG59U and phone is a MUST! I installed an intercom to the house. It didn't last long.

I've considered AC, but would be afraid of the electric bill if I tried keeping it cool.
My shop is on a separate meter and the bill typically runs between 40-100/month depending on what's going on inside.

I found a local warehouse salvage business that buys lots of industrial related furniture and fixtures. I bought several 9' x 3' x 18" warehouse shelves for $10 each. Lots of fluids, cleaners, supplies, bins, etc. can be stored in them.

Fire extinguishers BY EVERY EXIT.
Well stocked first aid kit.

Check your home-owner's insurance policy about liability if someone, heaven forbid, is working in your shop, other than you, and gets hurt.
My add-on policy was about $30 a year and give me 1/2 million in accidental death, 200K in hospitalization and some other interesting coverages for broken tools a such.

You should come by and visit WMC some time ...

And PM me ... I need restrictor plates.

Every one of Mitch's and Andris' suggestions is good. don't listen to Mitch about the 1/2 bath, you will be glad you spent the money on it. I wish I had one.

I could add a pile of stuff I learned on mine (36 x 45 Morton Building), but some of it has been covered already by others and you only asked about electrical.

First...You gonna have a lift in there? It will need a seperate circuit. If no lift, rethink your plan. I get more use outta the lift in my garage than ALL the other tools put together X 10.

Second... insulate the garage, and do it well, and do it up front. If you decide to put in heat or AC now or later, the building is ready.

Last... consider a small office area with storage above. The office is a place to get away from the garage area and keep manuals, new parts, phone, clean room, and a desk with comfy chair. Above it (if the gmahal is tall enough) you can store all those parts you refuse to get rid of, but will never use ever again. this keeps them off the garage floor and out of the corners and makes the place look WAY better.

Bock

Bathroom over a beer fridge? I need to see your man card ... stat!

Enlarge bathroom, put beer fridge in bathroom. Make sure fridge is accessible while seated.

Also keeps the beer stock (or lack of) out of sight of the wife since she would never dream of going into the garage bathroom

I think this may be a hijack...

Bock (placing tattered man card back in Marlboro box) Folken

as mentionned, make sure you have lots of lighting... some even put fluorescent lights on the walls.
Best thing i did to my garage was to ePoxy the floor once it was built.
The ideal is once the cement is well cured, clean it well and then epoxy it.
I used the light color so garage stays bright... and much easier to clean, maintain.

Also, look into lift requirements, I think they require 4,000 psi or something like that type of cement.
Make sure the contractor uses appropriate type of cement.

a sink is a must... not sure it was mentioned.

The high-strength cement is required for the 2-post units, but not for the 4-posters, IIRC.

Epoxy flooring is a must! Even if it is the cheap stuff, but you won't want to use the cheap stuff. It not only makes it easier to clean and maintain, it makes it _possible_ to clean and maintain. I used the cheap do-it-yourself water-based stuff on our garage floor. If it was all I had, I'd still do it again. I'll opt for the more expen$ive 2-part (or have it done professionally) in our new shop.

As the others have said, that shop's too small.

Congrats on getting started, though.

Howdy,




Ok...

I'd say you want a dedicated 220vac circuit for the compressor and any other "big" machinery like a mill or lathe. The mill/lathe could potentially share a circuit, but I've not seen anything that lets you easily put two 220vac receptacles on the same circuit. If you could... The mill/lathe would be a good choice for this. Oh, and if the dryer is electric, you'll want a dedicated circuit for that.

You'll also want a couple floater 220vac circuits for stuff like the welder. This could just be one circuit and a big 220vac extention cord that's 20' long or so so that you can move the welder to where you want to work.

For all the 220vac circuits, I'd go with 50A breakers for them all. You don't have too... For instance the compressor circuit probably doesn't need that many amps. Still, if you're doing this stuff yourself the cost difference between the two (and particularly compared to paying someone else to do it) isn't that bad. Having more amperage available gives you more future options.

Speaking of amperage... A 100A box would probably be enough, but if the cost difference for a 200A service wasn't much I'd go that way instead. It may well be a good bit more expensive though.

In terms of 110vac outlets, I'd want one at 3' or so off the floor every 4'. For a couple people working in the shop probably you don't need more than two separate circuits, but think a decent bit if you'll have something on the utility circuits running when you want to use a chopsaw or something else that takes a good bit of amps on that same circuit... Remember also that you can split your outlets so that one receptacle uses one circuit and the other receptacle uses another. The other option is to split the circuits per wall or something like that.

For lighting, you want that on its own circuit so that when you pop a breaker you're not standing in the dark. Use plenty of lighting. No, more than that. :-) In my shop I'm going to use 8' fixtures that use four 4' t-8 bulbs. The T-8 stuff seems to be the way to go these days in terms of cold start/run & efficency, but I'm certainly not an expert.

Other stuff... I dunno where you live but if it gets cold in the winters consider radiant floor heating. Around us, natural gas and fuel oil prices are as bad or worse than electric now, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't do electric radiant floor heat when we poured the new floor.

For the future lift, make sure you've got the headroom you need and remember also that a garage door in the up position or a garage door opener may be your limiter. The floor requirements for a four post lift are much better than a two post, but if you're like me you'll find a two post more versatile.

I'd put in an exhaust fan on one of the walls too.

There's probably other stuff I'm not thinking about.

Mark

Edit: This is a good reference book for wiring. Reading the NEC is a non-starter. http://www.amazon.com/Wiring-House-Pros-Re...l/dp/1561585270

Howdy,



If you're married or if it rains, keep the half bath. You're going to need the plumbing anyway, because you _are_ going to put a laundry tub/sink out there, right?



Totally disagree. Windows that provide natural light take away that 'cave' feeling and make the shop much nicer (at least to me). If you don't need to worry about heating costs, I'd put in a bunch of skylights as well.



Good point. This day and age you really do want a computer in the shop. Consider adding a wireless router so when you're using your laptop tuning software, you still have an internet / network connection.



Yep. Also a great source for blem/discounted countertops, which make nice bench tops.

Of course, what _also_ makes nice bench tops is 1/4" or whatever steel... You should plan on one of these anyway, as you can then tack stuff directly to the bench when you're fabbing something. Then just grind down the tack after you're done.

Mark

If you're worried about security (and you should be) but you want light just use glass block. You can't open them, but you have garage doors if you need some air.

Random thoughts:
My experience from building my shop echoes alot of what has been said. You cannot have too many lights and outlets. Include 220 outlets. I put 1 heavy 220 line into my shop but should have placed several in different locations instead. Now I have a super heavy 220 extension cord I need to drag around for the welders. It works but could have been better. Living in Texas I did AC and heat the garage. To me this is a hobby and it needs to be fun. Working all day at the real job then trying to go home and get stuff done in a shop that is 90+ degrees is not fun. The AC / heat is worth every penny to me. Good insulation, including the garage door is important. Lots of heavy duty shelving is a great thing. Look at oversize garage doors, especially if you are going to put a trailer and or tow vehicles inside. I oversized the doors on my garage in both height and width and it cost less than I thought it would. Epoxy the floor after you build the shop and before you move anything into it. I used the easy Rustoelum kits from Lowes. It has held up well for the last 2 years and I have no complaints but next time I will probably try a more professional grade covering. If you have plumbing to the shop, include a hose bib for things like washing down the race car outside. Outlets in the ceilings are a good thing for drop lights and extension cords. I admit I was a pimp and included a TV hook up. I put the outlet and a 110 outlet in the ceiling in one corner to hook the TV and stearo up to. Back to the keep if fun thing.... Stainless steel workbenches are worth every penny to me, it is great to be able to do a messy job, then just wipe it down with a rag when done. Layout areas for clean and dirty work. Grinders, drill press, parts washer, that kind of stuff in one area with a bench, and then a clean working bench in another area. Personally, I got talked out of putting windows in the shop but now I wish I had. I guess it does come down to the security and who can see what inside your shop. But my thought now is if a thief really wants into your shop bad enough, it will happen if you have windows or not. I just try to be smart about not advertising what I have inside.

Jeff

Wow, a ton of excellent advice! I figured there might be a bit of energy around this I think I have enough info to go on regarding electrical requirements, awesome and thanks. Ditto on insulation concerns. I plan on fully insulating the bldg.

Follow ups:
1) flooring...epoxy coating sounds like a ginormous PITA to do, plus waiting for two months for curing/drying after the thing is done so I can then spend four days acid dipping/painting waiting for it to dry before I move in sounds unlikely. Am I being too negative? Do those rubber floor tiles/roll out sheets work with jack stands etc? That sounds easy...though probably fall under the category of "nice to have/too expensive".

2) The bathroom stays. I was planning on a garage style sink and a toilet in there. I might install some pea gravel outside in case Mitch comes over though. I'd want him to feel comfortable.

3) The whole building is behind a fence with the German Shepherd in the picture so I'm not really worried about intruders...but I think I'll let price drive the decision on windows. All other things being equal I think I'd rather have a lift than a bunch of windows, no?

4) Awesome comment on the CAT5 and phone...hadnt even considered that!! wow...that would've sucked!

5) The upstairs will be partially finished as a guest house (big influence on convincing the wife here!). I was considering setting up ac/heat with a split to do either the bottom or the top. This way I could cool it, but not spend as much on equipment. It would mean one or the other though. Thoughts?

6) Anyone have thoughts for the walls other than normal drywall?

7) I've heard normal copper plumbing with soldered fittings is ok for air use...is this true? Any better ideas?

Depending on the lift, you will need to address ceiling height. 11 foot is like the bare minimum but you really need 12. If you have a big tow vehicle, you will need a stouter lift. Sounds like your building is goint to be two stories so it might be big concern.

And yes, if you are over 30 years of age and under 70, you NEED that lift if this a shop. Didnt get mine till I was 45. 20 somethings can lay under a car all day and night with little ill effects. Once you get over 30 it starts to suck more and more until you hit about 50. From 50 to 70 you start paying other people to do the work if you don't have a lift just because of the time and PITA factor. Of course you will also NEED all kinds of cool lift tools, but that is for another day.

If the bathroom is in the apartment upstairs, just remember those stairs are gonna suck after the 5th beer...... and Mitch will be out back killing your grass.



Just my thoughts.

Bock

Howdy,



I've not done my floor yet, but... I lived with an uncoated floor in my old shop and got pretty sick of the constant concrete dust that came up.

I'd at least use a sealer on it.



I think that's the wrong question... I think the right question is "Will I hate myself in two years because I didn't spend $500 on some windows?"

Doing windows now is no big deal. Adding them later will be a PITA.



For the occasional guest areas, I'd do a window A/C unit and electric space heater. They're pretty cheap and the inefficency won't matter if its an occasional use thing. You're in Texas, right? So it doesn't get particularly cold but you'd definitely want A/C, right?



I used OSB (wafer board) in my old shop on the premise that I'd be able to drive a screw/nail anywhere I wanted. In practice, I mounted stuff to the studs anyway. With the new shop I used drywall instead, but a part of that decision was because it was attached to the house and I wanted fire protection. Without needing fire protection, I'd do whatever was cheaper.



Sure, it'll work. But if copper is as expensive there as it is here, I'd just use good old fashioned iron pipe. You can get cutting / threading equipment pretty cheap at Harbor Freight and its really not all that hard to do. The copper / sweated joints will be easier to install, but I wouldn't pay money for it.

Folks also use plastic... PVC maybe? I dunno. I've heard concerns about that stuff getting brittle with age, but don't have any real experience / data with it.

Another electrical thing... If you're going to have your trailer inside, put in a dedicated trailer outlet... For future-proofness get one of the ones designed for rv hookups that provide receptacles for 220 and 110 (in 30A and regular 20A connectors). Something like what they show at: http://www.rvpoweroutlet.com/ Of course, at $130, I'd be tempted to put together my own since you don't care about having breakers, a lid, etc. Either way though, having power for the trailer will let you power up the lights & use the trailer outlets.

Mark

You should visit Mitch's Warren Motorsports Complex.... it is very nicely done.
You can never have too big of a shop.....never.

My shop is 30x40 with a 25foot overhang on the back for trailer and camper parking.

Make dang sure it is insulated... mine was not when it was built and now I can't afford to do so.

I need many more outlets like Mitch said... I would like my air plumbed, but just haven't done it.

I do have good lighting and plenty of windows though.

I would also check into to STAINED concrete instead of trying to coat it.

James

Yeah stained concrete is VERY cool....a buddy of mine did it in his professional shop....dunno how much it cost, but it is VERY SWEET!

Put skylights! They sell nice circular ones at Lowes that look like large recessed spotlichts, really bright.
My guess is that the guest room unit (nice sell to the wife by the way) will turn into additional storage space about a year past compleation. Keep the bathroom downstairs.

I think you are off in the weeds
Again, I just used the kits from Lowes, but it was pretty easy. I applied it when my house was first built. Swept it out, then borrowed a buddies power washer. Power washed a couple of times to get all the loose grit off it it. In the kit was a citric acid that you mix with water and apply with a watering bucket. Let it soak, then washed it off. Again I used the power washer but I don't think that was needed. Then needed to give it a day or so to dry. There is a test in the epoxy kit, something like cover a 1x1 section with plastic wrap and check it the next day, if you find moisture under the plastic, it need longer to dry. Easy. The epoxy was a 2 part, you mix it and it has the consistency of normal paint. I applied it using a broom handle attached to a nap roller. The epoxy apply quick and easy. My suggestion is to put it on "thick" to allow it to flow into the little micro grooves in the cement. I forget the total cure time, it was something like 1 or 2 days till you walk on it, then 7 days before putting a car on it.

The first time you drop a full oil filter into the floor and watch it roll across the shop glugging oil the whole way you will be very happy you put down epoxy. I have spilled just about everything on my floor and it all wipes up with a rag.

Jeff

Remember guys ... this is Texas. Front and rear doors are open 95% of the time. So natural light isn't an issue.
My shop has no windows and I haven't missed them at all. Plus, they use up valuable wall space for peg board.

Skylights? No way. The average roof in Texas lasts 7 or 8 years because of hail.
That is why I went with a metal building and not wood. Zero maintenance.

The reason I said CAT5 is because my wireless router just doesn't cut it in my shop. Hard wire, baby!
And having SPEEDChannel in the shop is WAY cool.

Over sized doors ... good call. My 8x18 was pricey, but worth it. Also, I had them install it as a "ceiling hugger" that is it doesn't turn horizontal as it opens. It opens up at about a 45* angle. Had to get a heftier garage door opener, but again, the overhead space is worth it. And I considered 2 single doors, but decided I wanted the flexibility of pulling in a car, trailer motorcycle, lawn mower, whatever right in the middle if needed. I didn't want to jockey around a 2 foot wide post in the middle and 2 cars in the garage stalls.

I would also do the awning/overhang outside for the trailer, maybe even the truck to.

Yes you can use PVC pipe and yes it does get brittle with age. However if it's kept out of direct sunlight it will last a long, long time. PVC is a lot easier to install, but make sure you use Schedule 40 or schedule 80 pipe and not drainage pipe, which is not rated for pressure. I would still use one iron U tube to help condense and catch any water that got through the separator.

I used black iron natural gas line.

I'm a license electrician in California so hope this helps:

I'd run 100amp 220v underground service out the garage which will give you more than enough power for pretty much anything. For that small of a garage a single 20amp circuit for your lighting circuit will be more than enough, wire it so ONLY the lights are on the breaker and not outlets. That way if the a breaker were to pop you wont be in the dark. . I recommended the 8ft flourscent fixtures, use as many as you see fit. I tend to go overkill of lighting and will pretty much install lights end to end all the way across the garage as you can never have enough task lighting. I'd wire each bank of lights on their own switch so you can turn on and off only the lights you want. Be sure to install 3/4 way switches if you have multiple entry points. You will need two-three 20amp circuits for general use outlets, be sure to GFCI the first outlet and wire the downstream ones into the load side of the GFCI or use a GFCI breaker. Outdoor lights are required outside of any entry point.

The amperage on your 220v circuits will be determined by the machine being used. They all have a plate on them indicating the maximum allowed breaker size. Be sure to use the properly sized wire for the breaker to be used.

Any wires that are not behind sheet rock or exposed to physical damage will need to be installed in EMT or flexible metallic conduit. Basically if you can touch a piece of wire without standing on a ladder it needs to be physically protected by EMT/Flex. Be sure not to drill into any overhead joists as well.

Schedule 80 PVC works great for under ground service, some states require rigid metallic conduit so be sure to check first. If you have a long run from the panel to the garage use 2" PVC as it will make pulling #2 wire a hell of a lot easier and don't forget the ground

So who has info about a 220V GFCI? Out of necessity I have my welder outlet outside with an all weather cover.

Easiest way is to use a GFCI breaker such as one that is used for a hot tub.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cutler-Hammer-50A-GFCS...1QQcmdZViewItem

The price of copper has gone through the roof, whether you use it for wiring, and build in extra current capacity, or for air compressor lines. My 60A 12 circuit sub panel is protected by a 60A breaker at the main, and also at the sub (i.e. works as the master disconnect switch, needed for more than 8 circuits, I believe). It's fed by 6-3 cable (three six gauge conductors and a ground). My 240V compressor and welder circuits have a 30A breaker, and I think it's 10 gauge Romex. Is it gage, or gauge, for wires (same for sheet metal?)? Having a 50A instead of a 30A breaker forces you to run 6g instead of 10g wire, which can quite a bit more expensive (Mark or Andy can probably give a ballpark cost per foot), especially if the run goes to the other side of the shop. The 30A breaker & magnetic starter for the 5hp compressor motor (real 5 hp, not "peak", about 80 lbs alone, BelAire 318V compressor) is marginal (2hp motors in lathes, bridgeports, and saws no sweat), and dims the whole house for a split second when it kicks in (100A main service), but I've never had a problem with tripping the breakers. I checked the Rotary Lift specs, and most of their lifts only need a 20A 208-230V circuit (http://www.rotarylift.com/Service_and_Support/Frequently_Asked_Questions/FAQPages/Electrical%20Requirements.pdf). A 200 Amp TIG needs a 30A breaker, but if you're planning on getting something larger, maybe a 50A circuit makes sense. A 50A for the future powdercoating oven (gotten free from Craigslist of course!) is a smart idea. Consider where your big equipment will be, and place the circuit breaker panel nearby to cut down on how much wire needs to be run. I'd keep it near a door as well.

I ran two RG6 coax for the TV (one of which is connected to the DVR's coax output in the living room, to watch old races), and two Cat5 cables for phone and networking. If it's going to be the garage majal, you'll want in-wall speakers, so run the wiring for that too. Two less things that will be sitting on a shelf or cabinets...

Before they pour concrete, have a drain so you can wash the vehicles inside, especially in the winter.

I like the skylight idea, but your in-law apartment on the 2nd floor kills that.

Consider building the walls with staggered 2x4's to make it more soundproof. Make sure the drywall is sealed well, so workshop smells don't permeate the apartment above. If you're getting a heater, think about having a ducted outdoor air inlet for the burner, so you don't have to restrict yourself when dealing with flammable vapors.

Have two I beams that run parallel along the shop over the car bay, with another cross beam on rollers, and a trolley chain hoist. Very convenient lift for anything, and doesn't require the storage space of an engine crane.

Try to have a clear span without support poles if you can (engineered wood laminate beams, I beams, etc...).

A garage door on the backside so you can drive through (thank you, come again) if necessary.

The office/clean room idea is good. Perfect for engine/transmission rebuilding where you don't want any dust. Have a dirty room too, for grinding, sandblast, & chopsaw. This will keep the shop much less dusty, and keep the nice chopsaw smell out of everything else.

Exhaust hose so you can run the car inside w/ doors closed if necessary.

Several large fire extinguishers.

Hose reel for air lines and cord reel for electrical, near the workbench and car area.

I'm sure I can think of more ways to spend your money. I love planning garages!

Some more ideas:

Do a 240V central vac rather than a shop vac. Then you can mount it high on the wall and save some floor space. A 240V has about 4 times the power of any portable vac.

If you do a plasma cutter, put a 240V plug near the door. My plasma cutter makes an incredible amount of metal dust, so I like to use it outside.

I took a HEPA filter from a thrift store, and used flexible heater hose to duct it outside via a dryer vent. Then I can bring the hose close to what I'm welding, or drying, to suck the fumes outside.

If I were doing the garage from scratch, I would put in a heated floor. Working on cars you wind up laying on the floor alot.

I got this idea from seeing some rich folks driveways: Inset rows of lights into the floor.

The huge plastic sink gets alot of use.

I put a slot in my workbench. I can put a trash can under the slot, and it makes sawing really easy.

A metal topped table is nice for working on oily stuff. Oil will destroy particle board.

Some day I would like to wire into a garage door safety beam, and put an LED where I can see it, so I can see when the car has pulled in just far enough to clear the door. This would leave the maximum amount of room at the front of the car for working.

What Jeff said. It was like a week's worth of work, most of that time was spent letting stuff dry. The longer you can wait before putting a tire on it, the better. It makes cleanup _possible_ and almost a joy to do. Sweeping the floor is a completely different operation with a coated floor vs. bare concrete. Absolutely, completely worth the time and expense. Once you do it, you will never have an un-coated garage floor again. I'm sure sealing is the same, but probably has quite similar preparation procedures.

Al - Some random thoughts:

Bench space - I've got 14' of stainless benchtop - the stuff is about indestructable and cleans up easy. Look for a restaraunt or food service salvage. New is crazy expensive.

15" deep shelving about 18" above the benches - just below eye level. They are filled with stuff that gets used often, helps to relieve clutter on the benchtop. I've extended the shelving past the benches and around the corner where my welding table sits. The table is "in the round" and power tools just a step away.

Power - 4plex on the ceiling above the welding table, a 8outlet power strip on the shelf support near the welding table, and a duplex every 4' on the bench wall. NOT ENOUGH OUTLETS! duplex should be 4plex, and every 3' along the benches. Outlet height is just under the shelf, so about shoulder level - this is the ideal height - above the bench clutter, no stooping to reach.

Air - I'm leasing, so just use 1/2" rubber air hose for the main line with a couple of T's with disconnects to make the drops. For permanent I'd use 3/4" black pipe. I have 3 drops in the shop - a 50' at one end, a 25' at the welding table (short so it isn't underfoot all the time), and another 50' at the other end of the shop, hung on a lift post. Reels on all of them would be nice, but I just hang them in long loops off a hook.

Lighting - in a roughly 30'x30' space with 8' ceiling I have 3 rows of T8 fixtures - 34 4' bulbs, and it is pretty good. I have a small halogen under the shelf at the bench nearest the drill press, and the drill press has a light that is on most of the time.
Walls/ceilings are white. The low ceiling helps the lighting, and there is a loft overhead for storage.
In the 18x35' lift bay there are about 16 4' T8 bulbs about 12' up under a 16' ceiling, and it is enough to find the cars but not
enough to work on them without spot lighting. No natural light gets in the shop and that is kind of oppressive - I'd like at least a small window or skylight to give a clue if it is day or night outside.

Sink - I've got a utility sink in the shop, next to the parts washer. I use it a dozen times a day. Bathroom is around the corner thru a door - I like having the sink separate fom the bathroom so I don't get doors filthy on the way to the sink.

Ditto on the epoxy floor coating - use the good industrial stuff, and do it before you get too settled. I did the coating in my last shop - big job but worthwhile. I did not take the time to do it in this shop and now regret it.

A quick note on the flooring in case you are not convinced. Do it, and do it before you move in.

I did not do it, and now I very much regret it. My concrete looks like hell and it is ALWAYS dirty. To do it now would be WAY more difficult.

Every lint ball and grain of sand within a mile of your shop comes looking for you once you start working in there. Even bird poop appears if you leave the doors open much.

Bock

This was posted awhile back on here http://www.ultimategarage.com/

I've also found this site useful
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/index.php


edited cause I suck at the internet

<<--- Jealous.

Just move Brad!

Man you guys have my head spinning!! Learning a lot, got a meeting with the framer this afternoon to discuss a few options.

Agreed on placement, but I'd go 60A or more for the big circuit. My 180 TIG will pop a 50A range breaker in AC mode after a few seconds full tilt. The machine specs a 60A breaker. It will run all day long on DC with a 30A breaker.

Big Al,

Real Estate and acreage is a bit more manageable in Tx than NCal, isn't it?

Best of luck in Texas! Remember a garage can never be to large or have to high a ceiling. The neatest thing I got (besides a 16 foot finished ceiling and a lift) is the epoxy coating on the concrete floor.

Enjoy and whoop some Tx CMC while you are there

Perry

Perry! Good to hear from you! You guys are making me think too much about floors. I'm considering a concrete stain followed by an acrilyc sealer. The benefits include much easier job, penetrates the concrete (not just sits on top of it), easy touch up/recoats in the future, much cheaper. Check out radonseal.com for the colored stain/sealer which I'd follow up with an acrylic sealer. Thoughts?

Here's a shot of the work in progress

why wood?

Howdy,



Looking good!

Flat roof on the apartment part?

Mark

Glenn...I struck a deal with the guy that built our house to build the garage on the cheap. I probably could've done it cheaper in metal but it would have dramatically increased my workload. Also, I wanted it to look like the house, and doing it this way ensured it would.

Mark...from this angle it looks flat huh? Its actually not. You can just make out the row of roof joists on the top edge of the bldg. They slant up towards a peak in the middle. You can also look through and see the ceiling joists for the main room. (probably what looked like roof joists) The ceiling slopes up with the roof for the first two feet and then turns flat. We did this to raise the level of the ceiling inside without raising the level of the roof overall.

Wow... rough crowd! To follow suit I'll ask why one side is longer than the other, it looks like a few feet difference.

I like it, and I'm jealous.

Since 1998, I've never picked up a paint brush or hired a roofing contractor on my metal shop.

Did your insurance agent explain to you that a conventional shingle roof has an 8 year life span in Texas?

Well, the front of the house has several sort of steps in and out so we continued the theme in the garage. By offsetting half the building it'll look a lot less like a warehouse and a lot more like a house. Aesthetic value only.