Building/equipping a workshop/garage.

[Gooner]

I've been following this thread and must say you have done an outstanding job, you should be well pleased.

[Jedz123]

Steve, If I make it out for the Brown county ride I'll have to use up some of my garage use credits. I just need to thank of a project ...

It's looking awesome! Glad you found a productive project that kept you busy through the winter months!

[Steve]

A couple of thoughts: It looks like your original plan was to have the bathroom in line with the stairs. Based on the PT bottom plate, it looks like you ended up going a couple of feet wider. So, instead of doing a custom pocket door ( looks like you will need to hang it above the first tread), how about continue the bath wall all the way to the end wall? This would allow you to have a good size closet as well as a door to the upstairs? Keep in mind that I don't have a clear shot of that area in it's current state, so disregard if you are beyond that point.

Good observation, Rich. My original drawing was more of an "artist's concept" than an actual building print. There were some changes necessary, due to my lack of knowing how things needed to be. For example: I had no idea how to integrate the stairway with the trusses for access upstairs. What was done was to slide the next-to-last truss over, creating a space that was just about 4 feet wide (minus the thickness of the truss). The stairs are just a bit less than that, of course, rather than the 4 feet that I had in my drawing. No problem.

The size of the bathroom was also open to design considerations. I just drew the concept, they said "here is how much room we need to do it". No problem.

The door will, indeed, slide over the bottom tread, I have no problem with that.

The rest of the offset between the pocket door and the bathroom wall will be occupied by my Snap-On tool chest, which will be just about arm's-length away from the lift. The width of the wall is PERFECT for the width of the box and its swing-up shelf. I will have to measure the actual offset from the pocket door to the bathroom wall and compare that with the depth of the toolbox.

Thanks for the questions and comments, I know that you have insight on this type of work.

.

[Steve]

Steve, If I make it out for the Brown county ride I'll have to use up some of my garage use credits. I just need to thank of a project ...

It's looking awesome! Glad you found a productive project that kept you busy through the winter months!

No "project" necessary, just stop on by.

.

[Steve]

I will have to measure the actual offset from the pocket door to the bathroom wall and compare that with the depth of the toolbox.

OK, I just measured, the offset on the wall right now is 22".

I think the pocket door is about 6", so that will leave an offset of about 16".

My toolbox is 19 1/2" deep, I am very comfortable with that.

.

[Vmass]

OK, I just measured, the offset on the wall right now is 22".

I think the pocket door is about 6", so that will leave an offset of about 16".

My toolbox is 19 1/2" deep, I am very comfortable with that.

.

You shouldn't lose any of the 22" inch depth if you use a 2" x 4" pocket door kit. You can remove the two studs to the left of the first step and reframe it so you can install this:

http://www.johnsonhardware.com/pdindex.htm

They are relatively easy to install.

[Steve]

Well, there are just two things that would complicate that.

1. I would have to knock out three of the four studs to make room for a 36" door.

2. I already have electrical wiring run to a switch in that wall.

I will just double-up the thickness of that wall, it really won't be noticed by many or missed by any.

The difference in the offset to the bathroom wall will be totally irrelevant, because there will be a utility sink and a short bench for the parts washer there.

Thanks for the suggestion, though. I looked at the link, that's a nice-looking piece of hardware. We'll see how it compares with what is available at the "big box" store.

.

[Steve]

Dogma and I had arranged to meet to do some work on the shop yesterday, so last week, I made up a template to cut the holes in the ceiling panels for the lights.


It was sized to be able to place it over a panel and run my router around the inside of the hole. That assured same-size and same-location holes in 11 of the 16 panels that will be getting lights.


We started with the panels that would be the hardest to install, mainly due to some custom cuts around the edges.
That took a bit longer than anticipated, but we still got several done. I continued this morning and now have a total of 10 (out of 16) panels installed.
One hole empty, one filled with a light.


I have had a white panel sitting around, figured it's about time to put it to use.
The project is getting to the point that I need to make notes, the board will later be used for bike project scheduling.



Remember this picture of the upper room?


After some trim around the window, connections for cable and internet and a few pieces of furniture, #2 son pronounces it "liveable".


This week, I need to adjust the template to cut holes for the five lights in the middle row, then get them installed.
When the ceiling is done, the walls are next, then to get some paint flying.

I have come to the conclusion that this place is going to be ridiculously easy to heat enough to work in. My little kerosene heater kept the temperature inside no lower than 62 when the outside temperature got down to about 37 overnight. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been testing the heaters. When the overnight temps got down to single digits, inside never got below 49. Fired up the torpedo heater, less than ten minutes later, it was almost 65 inside. And that was before all the insulation that I added this weekend.
Hopefully it might be cool enough in the summer, but we'll find out soon enough.


It's getting close.

.

[Allie]

Dogma and I had arranged to meet to do some work on the shop yesterday, so last week, I made up a template to cut the holes in the ceiling panels for the lights.


It was sized to be able to place it over a panel and run my router around the inside of the hole. That assured same-size and same-location holes in 11 of the 16 panels that will be getting lights.


We started with the panels that would be the hardest to install, mainly due to some custom cuts around the edges.
That took a bit longer than anticipated, but we still got several done. I continued this morning and now have a total of 10 (out of 16) panels installed.
One hole empty, one filled with a light.


I have had a white panel sitting around, figured it's about time to put it to use.
The project is getting to the point that I need to make notes, the board will later be used for bike project scheduling.



Remember this picture of the upper room?


After some trim around the window, connections for cable and internet and a few pieces of furniture, #2 son pronounces it "liveable".


This week, I need to adjust the template to cut holes for the five lights in the middle row, then get them installed.
When the ceiling is done, the walls are next, then to get some paint flying.

I have come to the conclusion that this place is going to be ridiculously easy to heat enough to work in. My little kerosene heater kept the temperature inside no lower than 62 when the outside temperature got down to about 37 overnight. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been testing the heaters. When the overnight temps got down to single digits, inside never got below 49. Fired up the torpedo heater, less than ten minutes later, it was almost 65 inside. And that was before all the insulation that I added this weekend.
Hopefully it might be cool enough in the summer, but we'll find out soon enough.


It's getting close.

.

I've come to the conclusion that you're lounging around there altogether too much. That futon torpedo looks armed and ready for sleeping.

[Steve]

I've come to the conclusion that you're lounging around there altogether too much. That futon torpedo looks armed and ready for sleeping.

It has been slept on, but not by me.

Yet.

.

[Steve]

Just realized that I have not updated here for a bit.

About a week and a half ago, the paint stopped flying, so I moved "Junior" out there to get him ready.


He looked a bit lonely.


Better, now that there is at least a "bench" filled with "stuff".



Brought in his big brother.



And his sister.



Don't look Ethel, it's turning into a GS garage.




.

[FLHGSRay]

If I remember correctly, you're garage is 24x30? Now that you're moving in, do you think it'll be big enough? I ask because I'm in the planning stages of mine, and while I was planning on 30'x40', to keep the budget down, I may go smaller. Mine will be more of a workspace than a garage. I won't be parking cars in it. Just bikes, tools, etc.

[Steve]

Ray, I don't know if it's the "right size" yet or not. Still have some construction left-overs and don't have the shelves, cabinets, workbences and lift in there yet.

The "garage" is the space attached to the house. Eventually, it will be used for the active bikes, and Mrs. Steve wants to put a car in there. (Hers, of course.) The "shop" (the new building) will be the work space and storage during the off-season, when it makes more sense to actually put a car in the garage.

When considering the size, remember that I have a bathroom and a stairway at one end, basically leaving me with a 24 x 24 space to work in.

I was limited by city code as to the size I could build (750 sq. ft.), but I was free to choose the proportions. Depending on how you lay out your work space, shorter front-to-back, but wider might work. Say, 24 x 40? Or maybe 30 x 30? A lot will depend on what storage you plan and how many bikes you plan on putting in there at one time. I chose to go 24 deep (which gives 23' on the inside) on the off chance that we might need to put my son's truck in there to work on it.

I could have sworn I posted a picture of it, but can not find it, so here goes:






It's "cozy", but it fits.

.

[FLHGSRay]

I think you just convinced me to stick with 30x40. There is a full-size 4 dr truck in my future. I'd like to be able to work on it comfortably in there. They say the cheapest thing to put in a space is square footage. I'm hopefully breaking ground in about 8 weeks. Thanks! Your garage looks good.

[Vmass]

Steve, How is the garage project coming along.......everything up and running?