I keep the 3" clearance w/baffle every time I install, yet I have not installed them in a roofed ceiling. Jim
Bill, just a suggestion: more lights rather than not having enough lights. Based on my understanding, you have 4 50W lights per car. This may be too dim (IMO), especially if you're considering a dark floor. Depending on your expectations and the desired effect, you may want to add more (much more) lights. In my garage, I have 12 lights (75W/ea at 3400 Kelvin temp) per car and my flooring is bright (off-white porcelain tiles). This may sound way too much but, believe me, it's not. All lights are on dimmer. If your idea is to simply provide "ambient" lighting, your 4 lights per car will do. But if your idea is to illuminate the garage and showcase the cars sufficiently, you should really consider adding more lights.
That doesn't look like an IC fixture in their illustration. I think they may be showing how to make an IC equivalent. "In these situations, a non-combustible baffle must be used to keep insulation back and maintain a three-inch fire clearance around and above the fixture. Code does not require replacing non-IC rated lights in existing buildings."
You may be right. We're trying to go for an elegant living-area feel that showcases the cars. Each of the upper cars will be lit with 4 50W halogen floods within about 6' of the cars. The ceiling will be almost white so we're thinking that ambient reflection will help fill them in. The loft area will also be lit. The bottom cars will be lit with two 12' LED strings per car beneath the lift runways. We are looking for dimmable LEDs. The walls will be lit with sconces and floods from the ceiling, so those will add to the ambient light on the lower cars. In addition, floods will be used for four floor models. Portable lights will be used when working on the cars at night. The cars may appear too dark. If so, we can increase wattage. The quantity and placement of the lights are such that it's difficult to get direct light into your eyes. All lights are carefully aimed at the cars, walls, art and models.
Drywall hanging was completed today. Now on to tape and plaster. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
They are some of the coolest roof trusses I have ever seen. Was there any reason other than the aesthetics, to go so large? I'm not familiar with building codes in CA, which is, I'm assuming, where you live.
Thanks, we think so too! There are several tons of Spanish clay time on the roof. The trusses are needed to hold up the roof and keep the walls from bowing out, especially during an earthquake. But some of the truss diagonals and short verticals are not needed and are only there to match the truss designs used elsewhere in the house.
Bill, it looks really awesome so far. I imagine that you had it all laid out in your head and on paper before construction began. ...but are you open to one small piece of advice?
Thanks! The original plan didn't have two full-size Enzos (we have many smaller ones). Something would have to go.
Bill Will that pass through to the Attic remain? If so you can mount a pulley in the attic and hoist up things from below. Looking Good!
The floor of the garage has a section the opens and we use it to lower thing into the basement and lift things out like boilers when they need replacing. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Neat. I don't mean to be weird or totally off-topic, but... nice slippers in the foreground! Actually, I have a fuzzy pair myself that are pretty similar. All the best, Andrew.
Nice! Unfortunately in CA we usually go high rather than low because of the rocky soil. By that's a good idea for the loft. Currently we're only using that back storage room for holiday storage and the front area is for people. I suppose we can hoist up a few people.
Please review this thread, more amazing garages. 2 Ideas for the doors, not sure how this would work for you as you are pretty far along with project and not sure if you are going to have open ceilings or not. http://www.luxury4play.com/automotive/36568-worlds-most-beautiful-garages-exotics-insane-garage-picture-thread-50-pics.html This is the best garage thread I have ever seen. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I agree about that thread! We got many ideas from there, the excellent (and huge!) thread right here on FChat, private garages not seen anywhere, and some magnificent garages we saw in northern Italy. Our ground footprint is limited, so we had to go tall. So we blew out the ceiling and attic but left the original roof. We were originally going to hide the doors in the tall ceiling, but that would have lowered the ceiling more than we wanted to. We wanted a very tall open ceiling for a feeling of spaciousness. The large beams help add to that. The terra cotta floor, tiled wainscoat, venetian plaster walls, lighting, artwork and models (did I forget cars?) will give us the comfort feeling in a fully operational garage with custom lifts from Bendpak powder coated with no decals (and embedded in the tile floor) to help match the overall color scheme and look.
