Hi All,
In the process of planning a build of a new garage. Looking for ideas/photos/tips from your workshops...
What would your ideal workshop/garage be like?
Any lessons learnt?
Regards,
Dan
[Edited on 28/3/17 by Bluemoon]
Storage space - a pitched roof so you can store items in the roof space.
Lots of power sockets - you can't have too many IMHO.
Lighting - good lighting makes a real difference to your work space.
Security - doors that can be closed and locked securely.
When I re-do my electrics, I'm definitely going to put an E-stop button in as well! But as already said, plenty of power sockets at various heights. And if you've got a compressor, consider rigind pipework along one/both walls with various outlets as well.
I was on a beach on Sunday and there were some beach huts there. Some with padlocks on the doors, but in reality you could lift the doors off the
hinges without disturbing the padlocks! Short of that you could unscrew the padlock hasp
I hope there's lots of contributions to this thread as I will be in the same position soon.
For lighting I am considering instead of flourescent tubes, led panels like these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WT2BCZO/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1
Has anyone any views on these?
Also I intend to paint the floor as I have done in the past, it makes tidying up and lying on it more pleasant.
Make sure you feed your new workshop with a decent supply cable, Especially if you are going to be welding or any heavy duty tools!, Led lights are the way to go. They are coming down in price and are very reliable if you buy a decent make.
LED bulbs throughout my house and they work just fine - I don't even get so uppity when the kids leave the lights on either.
High enough that you can fit a two post lift and the car won't hit the eves when you walk under it.
If you are even considering a lift make sure you have adequate pads for the legs.
Industrial quality floor sealant, I have tried different paints and they all peel off if a car is in contact with it for an extended period of
time.
Strip lights are great, would also recommend sky lights.
Paint the walls white - it really helps with the illumination and looks clean.
Plenty of shelves, make use of all walls, I have spare wheels mounted on wall studs, bike rack with bike hooks above (8 bikes stored in the space of
4), roofbox shelf etc.. basically a place for everything so the floor is clear and not used for storage.
Minimum of two vices, both with lights angled down towards them (one with soft jaws).
Fume extractor fan.
A grinding bench, metal faced with a dust extractor.
A very good alarm system.
for starters:
*Insulate as much as you can
*Paint the floor, walls and ceiling in light colours to keep dust to a minimum and reflect the light - light grey floor paint and white everything
else is my preference
*Fit plenty of lights and possibly some skylights too (depending on your roof design of course) natural light is always best if you can get it
*Fit plenty of power sockets - saves trailing extension leads allover the place
*Build in storage where ever you can
Then depending on what you want / need:
*Old kitchen units as the base for a bench down one side / at the end - gives you loads of storage in the cupboards and you can always reinforce
them if you want a more heavy duty bench.
*old dishwashers make excellent parts washers and if you can't get one of them an old sink will do
(we have one draining into a bucket as solvents aren't the best thing to put down the drain 
)
*Old wheels can be good for hanging / coiling up cables and airlines - I've got one on a old caravan hub mounted to the wall so it can spin
(mines an old ford works WRC focus wheel for added bling )
*A whiteboard / blackboard - if your like me and need a big 'to do' / 'to buy' list
blackboard paint is cheap and so is self adhesive whiteboard film - I'm planning to mount the bonnet off my donor car on the wall and cover it
in whiteboard film 
*Build-in a wheel rack somewhere - if you've got loads of spare wheels and tyres you might as well keep them out of the way
*A decent size toolbox thats at least a half decent quality - something like the halfords professional ones are plenty good enough for home use (wait
till there is a good offer on though)
Its the only thing I really spent any money on - but it does encourage you to use it properly (especially if your lazy like me) making it so much
easier to find the tool you want later and keeps the whole place tidy too.
I managed to combine a bundle and a sale with an extra 10% online flash sale and collecting in-store (no delivery charge) to get all 3 of these as a
bundle for £225
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/storage/tool-chests-cabinets/halfords-professional-5-drawer-ball-bearing-cabinet
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/storage/tool-chests-cabinets/halfords-professional-4-drawer-intermediate-ball-bearing-chest
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/storage/tool-chests-cabinets/halfords-professional-9-drawer-ball-bearing-chest
I got given a load of modular workbenches for nowt from the wifes old work (square alloy tubes with push in plastic nodes to join it) I took these
apart and built a set of oversized shelves (ideal for kit car panels) / bench combo and screwed it to the wall to make it nice and solid - the bars
between the legs just happened to be the right width to be my tyre rack too - so its always worth asking around to see what you can get for nowt
I'm sure there is more...
[Edited on 29/3/2017 by mcerd1]
Depending on the layout/position etc I'd suggest an up n' over garage door. Not overly expensive and when it's up it gives you another 2-3 ft of covered space below it.
All great advice and I don't want to repeat it, but I went for what was thought of by SWMBO as a ludicrous amount of strip lights: 4x2 in the
ceiling, two on each wall vertically, and if I can, then floor mounted as well. You can't have enough.
Run airlines to either side of the garage - I fitted retractable ones and they've paid for their convenience hundreds of times over.
I have a roller garage door - it gave me lots of room back over an up-and-over.
I also had an electrician fit a 45A supply for my welder on a separate breaker.
Im in the same situation trying to debate do i batton and plasterboard the walls or save the space etc
Thread on PH gives some good ideas for all budgets.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=573190
What are peoples views of standard led Tubes vs the LED Panels?.
How do the propery epoxy floors compare to a painted finish ?
[Edited on 28/3/17 by Nathsx]
i have led tubes excellent light and instant light no starters worth every penny
[Edited on 28/3/17 by rash12]
while I agree on the lighting, ensure it does not 'strobe' at mains frequency, (some led lighting unfortunately does)
reason: it can make moving things like bench grinders and drill press look as though they are moving really slowly or even appear stationary.
Build it at least twice as big as you think you need.
Built mine last year. I have a thread on here somewhere.
Light and heat. Get these right and your laughing. If your on a tight budget get decent flourescent tubes. I have 4 5ft daylight tubes and coupled
with white walls and ceiling it's very bright. The equivalent led output would have been 3 x the cost.
Insulate everywhere. I was lucky as it was easy to run the pipes for a central heating radiator. It's such a nice place to work however cold
outside and keeps everything damp free.
Storage wise I used cheapo Ikea units and an ex display b and q kitchen. Keeps the dust off everything and the place always looks tidy.
6 x double sockets has always been more than plenty.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=202928
Same as above re insulation and light. I have 600 x 600 LED light panels (with surface mount kit) give great, even, illumination against white walls
and ceilings.
Decent quality floor tiles like this
https://www.ecotileflooring.com/application/garage-workshop-flooring/
make working at ground level almost a pleasure compared to cold concrete
I had started to draw what i wanted to do up in sketchup..
just to get an idea of how everything would fit together and what space id have to work with.
Its part of the house so enlarging it is difficult.
My dad however has given me a electric hoist which can lift 250kg only problem being i need something that has the capacity to
hold 500kg to support it.. somehow i dont think the timber floor joists from the room above will cope 
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7
have a look and dream
Built-in washroom or Portapotti - always p*sses me off having to go indoors...
If more than one front access door make it two up & overs not one single humungous one - quickest way of draining heat in winter.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10 
nowadays internet access seems a good idea too. wired or wireless ;-)
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
while I agree on the lighting, ensure it does not 'strobe' at mains frequency, (some led lighting unfortunately does)
reason: it can make moving things like bench grinders and drill press look as though they are moving really slowly or even appear stationary.
A couple of heavy duty retractable power reels as well as retractable airline situated near door
I have a load of 6' tubes but sparky at work is putting LED tubes into old fittings after removing starter and transformer they are really
good.
My garage is under the house so vibration and noise is an issue I'm toying with idea of putting compressor outside in a lean to . Decent hoover
and something warm to lie on when working underneath car.
Hth
Mike
quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Built-in washroom or Portapotti - always p*sses me off having to go indoors...
My main storage is a couple of those half height metal office wardrobe cupboard jobbies, great height for a workbench & the top is a 2 metre bit
of kitchen worktop from Freecycle.
I've also built a raised sturdy shelf with an offcut of kitchen worktop for my compressor to sit on. It allows me to store the welder, axle
stands & trolley jacks underneath it, Just picked up a retractable airline aswell.
My garage is a single with a flat roof, attached to the house so it doesn't really allow me to extend sideways or pitch the roof so clever
storage ideas help keep the floor clear, I was just really chuffed to finally have my own garage after many years of renting council ones without
power or light.
I also managed to pick up quite a lot of 'Linbins' for parts storage on one section of wall, they were throwing them out at work.
Walls painted with cheap magnolia paint & grey floor paint also thrown out from work, it makes a massive difference to how bright it is now.
Only moved in at the end of 2016 but it has a new garage door, just had the flat roof done in fibreglass so it should last years, next job is a rewire
with a decent feed out to it.
Good luck & keep us all updated with your progress.
Electrical friend of mine pointed me in the direction of these for lighting, he swears by them and installs them in show rooms and workshops all the
time.
I have a double garage and put three up, huge difference in light quality from standard tubes.
https://www.enviro-lights.co.uk/product/deltech-dl5bt5k50-series-5000-led-batten-60-watt-5ft-5000k-cool-white/
quote:
Originally posted by hkp57
Electrical friend of mine pointed me in the direction of these for lighting, he swears by them and installs them in show rooms and workshops all the time.
I have a double garage and put three up, huge difference in light quality from standard tubes.
https://www.enviro-lights.co.uk/product/deltech-dl5bt5k50-series-5000-led-batten-60-watt-5ft-5000k-cool-white/
And another one - if you have enough space, go for a dirty and clean side. I have a bench on one side for assembly work, and it's relatively clean. I have another bench with grinder, pillar drill, etc. on. It soon accumulates filth.
I would go with two lights, if you have one in the middle you will end up working in your own shadow and the sides of your car will be shaded. I put three up, 1 each side about in line with the edge of your car and one above my work bench so i was not working in my shadow.
I found strip lights mounted vertically on each corner of the wall just above floor level worked really well, they have to have visors on in case of knocks but they lit up the underside of the car really well plus created no shadows. Only needed two lights on the roof to flood the garage. These days LED strip lamps may be even more effective.
quote:
Originally posted by Nathsx
These look good can they direct fix onto the ceiling,do you think one or two would be best for a single garage ?
Any pics would be handy to get an idea
[Edited on 29/3/17 by Nathsx]
The problem with an up & over door (which I have - but I'd prefer a roller shutter) is that it restricts shelf length as you have to allow
for the 'sweep' of the door. You also have to bear in mind that the door in the open position may mask and/or interfere with light fittings
etc. If you're stuck with an up & over, I'd strongly recommend putting a brush strip or similar along the bottom as a draught excluder.
I made my own from a strip of webbing secured in place by a batten. It dramatically reduced the amount of dust and detritus that got blown in on our
windy hill!
Michael
quote:
Originally posted by FuryRebuild
And another one - if you have enough space, go for a dirty and clean side. I have a bench on one side for assembly work, and it's relatively clean. I have another bench with grinder, pillar drill, etc. on. It soon accumulates filth.
Another one I forgot to mention - I bought a lot of rubber tiles from Machine-Mart, and laid them down for a rubber floor. It has a lot of
advantages:
quote:
Originally posted by FuryRebuild
Another one I forgot to mention - I bought a lot of rubber tiles from Machine-Mart, and laid them down for a rubber floor. It has a lot of advantages:
It's a lot warmer
If you drop stuff, odds are high it won't break. I've proven this with tea-cups
It's much nicer to kneel on
Things that may scratch or dent won't if they hit the deck
Disadvantages are:
When you drop small stuff like bolts, they can ping off into the distance. Not every thing every time, but it happens.
If you have heavy things on castors, they take a bit more pushing around
I just laid them the first time and they expanded in the summer. Pink grip fixed it
People find it weird when you brag about your rubber floor in the pub.
On balance, I'm really glad I did this.
They're a plastic rubber foam sort of thing. I've got a pair of scissor lifts on them, with my car up on the lifts, and they've
deformed a bit. They spring back from some light jacking. Even if I end up with a dent or 7 I don't care because the benefits are great. I'm
drinking gin now.
quote:
Originally posted by Nathsx
quote:
Originally posted by FuryRebuild
Another one I forgot to mention - I bought a lot of rubber tiles from Machine-Mart, and laid them down for a rubber floor. It has a lot of advantages:
It's a lot warmer
If you drop stuff, odds are high it won't break. I've proven this with tea-cups
It's much nicer to kneel on
Things that may scratch or dent won't if they hit the deck
Disadvantages are:
When you drop small stuff like bolts, they can ping off into the distance. Not every thing every time, but it happens.
If you have heavy things on castors, they take a bit more pushing around
I just laid them the first time and they expanded in the summer. Pink grip fixed it
People find it weird when you brag about your rubber floor in the pub.
On balance, I'm really glad I did this.
can you jack/axle stands on the machine mart ones? ive seen a few that are more foam like than plastic polymer
quote:
Originally posted by FuryRebuild
Another one I forgot to mention - I bought a lot of rubber tiles from Machine-Mart, and laid them down for a rubber floor. It has a lot of advantages:
It's a lot warmer
If you drop stuff, odds are high it won't break. I've proven this with tea-cups
It's much nicer to kneel on
Things that may scratch or dent won't if they hit the deck
Disadvantages are:
When you drop small stuff like bolts, they can ping off into the distance. Not every thing every time, but it happens.
If you have heavy things on castors, they take a bit more pushing around
I just laid them the first time and they expanded in the summer. Pink grip fixed it
People find it weird when you brag about your rubber floor in the pub.
On balance, I'm really glad I did this.
quote:
Originally posted by FuryRebuild
.....I bought a lot of rubber tiles....
Lighting was a good shout, some difference!!
May need to invest in more!
Should be nice and bright once painting is complete
