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I have a Ferrari parked in mine - that's neat isn't it??!!!!

 

Floor, about $500 with the cement, for about 650 feet of vinyl composition tile. Were $0.59 a tile at Home Depot.

Wall paint was exterior gloss oil base, about $24 gallon

Ceiling was sprayed texture via son-in-law, who also did a knock down finish on the walls. Cost was I gave him a vehicle. But he figured it would have been a couple hundred otherwise. So this could probably be done for less than $1500 total including the florescent lights. But I also installed a 100 amp sub panel and ran 5 50 amp circuits for future use.
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A garage for me is one that can be used to actually perform work on a car beyond oil and tire changes. That said, there's no need for fancy flooring...smooth concrete works just dandy and cleans up easily (but I don't let fluids sit, I clean up!).

Simple things can make a big difference in mechanic comforts.

• Insulate the garage, even if it's just one wall! BTDT (but now all the walls are insulated).
• A creeper with adjustable head rest keeps the cement from sucking the heat out of your body and the oil out of your clothes.
• 20amp circuits minimum throughout the garage and no less than 2 outlets per wall.
• LOTS OF LIGHTS! I used twin, 4-foot flourescents, 40-watt high effecient units. Don't use "Lights of America" brand; they die in the cold, lasting only a few months. A couple of portable halogen lights are nice to get light under the vehicle. I also have a 2-foot flourescent drop light that I swear by -- I've owned it for over 7 years, it's seen LOTS of use, and still works flawlessly and brightly. The light bulb style drop lights are worthless...one drop and they're toast. If you have some you can replace the blub with a flourescent replacement. Not as much light but it won't pop on you
• Floor jack. What a difference over the car jack! And get at least two jack stands and two ramps. The ramps come in handy when you need to work on something yet keep the car's suspension/body at ride height. An example would be installing an exhaust pipe over a rear axle (like when I installed a stainless steel MagnaFlow on my Jetta).
• Rags. Not only for cleaning your hands but the floor and tools as well.
• I like using Nitrile gloves. Keeps my finger nails and skin much cleaner than without gloves. I know some people can't work with them but I have no problems with them. Keeps the nasty crap out of your body and my brain is damaged enough Have ya read the warning labels...?
• A solid work bench with a solidly mounted, quality vice.
• A floor mat/carpet in front of the door that leads into the house you to don't track in tranny fluid or grease into the house. Makes the females of the household happy
• I changed out the standard round door handle of the house-to-garage door to a lever-style one so I can easily open the door with an elbow or one finger.

That's all I can think of off the top o' me knoggin' that I have discovered while working in and improving my garage. I agree, Home Depot is a great place to start!

 

Nice garage.

 

That's the most important thing!

 

Thank you, those two words make it more than worth the effort. Our daughter is going to a art college for a degree in interior decorating, and she is still shaking her head, still saying its "just a garage". My point is, and has been, thats its the biggest, or one of the biggest rooms in a persons house, and for the most part stores toys. Why not make it fun?

I hemmed and hawed a lot over the wall color, my wife and everyone thought I was crazy, which made it difficult to make a final decision, but once I started putting it on, everyone went wow. Later I found that Yellow in the shield background, was chosen by Enzo to honor the color of his town of Modena. Win win there, lol.

As far as a floor to work on, the fancy tile vs cement, I figure at $.59 per tile, if I wreck some its not a big deal. I even let the the lawn tractor drip oil on it.

All of the other ideas are absolutely excellent. But insulation should be at the top. I even stuffed a small window air unit in to stay cool this summer. It doesnt take a lot to cool a small three stall garage. Makes it so much nicer to work when its not 95 degrees.

 

hi Krowvar!!!!
can you `post more pictures od the mercedes sl r 107? i love this car, i saw a r 107 300 sl last sumer in Marbella (spain), nice color for this cabriolet.
Thanks!!!!

 

Krowbar- very nice job on that garage !- mine is still a work in progress- but I have the car !
Insulation and drywall done. I'm trying to get it painted before winter, tile and other treats next Spring.
Thanks for the inspiration! (and details)
Steve
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I'm going for the art. Roman columns all round w/ a marble floor. It’s almost done.

 

I am in the process of building mine. All exterior paint, and a drain in the corner with the concrete graded toward it. A shower curtain that pulls across the cove where the workbench and tools are. Then I will be able to wash the car in the garage in the winter. Of course there is a hose bib and central vac outlet near the car. Also, I will probably have to do the epoxy floor. The tiles won't work due to the grading for the drain.

 

Well one of our garages stores alot of things including the two family cars a riding mower and tons of other junk. its a huge garage seperate from the house. The exterior is tin which is great for winter it has about 4 windows on the sides and back and two electric doors on the front. Then at the other house we have one garage with a custom garage door and this one is attached to the house and a carport next to that.

 

Once you figure out how many lights you need, double it. You cannot have enough light. Same with outlets. Also get the outlets about 4 feet off the floor. That way they're above any work bench you want to set up, and they are above any thing you have stored on the floor next to the wall. They're also easy to reach when thery're that high. Make sure you have at least one 240V circuit in there too.

Here on the Oregon Coast, the weather ltemp is not a problem. So I don't worry about that.

Having a lift is a real plus. I like the two post style because the car starts out on the ground. I also like having a level floor in at least one stall. That is important if you want to set up a race car, or adjust corner weights or heights.

Bob Wassam

 

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done

 

Darron,
You need to come by my house sometime and check out my garages(9), the 3 sets of 3 are each different and lighting is different in each. Two sets have RaceDeck Floors, one cement. It is amazing how much light 300watt incandescent bulbs put out. The lower garages have flourescent, no match.
Windows also help. Can't have too many 220 outlets. Size also matters....24 foot deep helps, at least 10 foot per car wide is a must. Haven't finished heating/A/C, but garages are a work in progress. Only one set (with the cement floor) has high ceilings, looking into lifts.....needs to be REAL low to lift a Ferrari.
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This is similar to what I want to do in my next house's back yard. I guess I spend too much time looking at adds in Classic and Sportscars...
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It may not happen but the way I figure my life to be, ill have a plain old garage at home, and then have a huge warehouse thing full of cars and my toys. Some very nice garages on this site.

 

I didn't mean don't get it, but if it's in your budge, shoot, why not! It does dress up the garage and show visitors you mean business!

And krowbar's picture reminded me, one big door is much better than two doors with that *&%^#$! pillar between them (like my garage )

Having a garage that you could wash the car in...well, if ya got the space then heck yeah! For those of us with a less than ideal garage layout for such convenience you could tap into the washing machine's hot/cold lines to an outdoor faucet:
http://www.icbm.org/erkson/personal/first_house/garage-water-2.jpg
I installed a whole-house water filter so when I wash my cars they get clean water. Home Depot Motorsports had the black hose I use that can handle HOT water (and it's safe to drink from as a bonus). Summer or winter, the water temp is always perfect for me!

 

I decided to keep it simple.
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It's pretty. Is it a show room? Because it looks small to do any real work in it.

 

Andy,

What brand is the lift? It looks like what I need, very low, ideal for a Ferrari.

 

Barry, gonna send you a F flag for Xmas

 

Its big enough to get the engine out and wheels off what more do i need.

Andy.