Setting up a two car garage

I'm curious to see how you guys have your workspaces/garages setup preferrably those with the two car garages.

I'm trying to set up my two car garage in a way that provides a comfortable working area, room to park two cars occasionally and room for all the major tools I have (compressor, welder, bandsaw, drill press, mitre saw, two roll-around tool boxes etc). I've seen some very neat garages on garagejournal.com but they don't quite have the optimal layout for major car surgeries. Most people tend to setup their tools along the front wall and since the garages are already limited lenght wise I'm planning to put my tools, workbench etc along the side-wall, most likely the passenger side wall since the car doors will open towards the other wall.

Do you guys have any pics of your garages, tips, ideas etc?

Are you setting up an existing garage or designing a new one?

It's an existing 2 car attached garage, I'm kind of renovating it :) drywalling, ceiling, lights, outlets etc.

RussellH wrote: two car garage... comfortable working area... room to park two cars...room for all the major tools I have... optimal layout for major car surgeries.

Sounds like you are trying to do an awful lot. Talk about your priorities, and make some decisions.

For example: I find a "comfortable" working area to be an empty space about the size of a car. That means to have a "comfortable" working area for major car surgeries, I need a 2 car garage. That DOES NOT include the equipment, or the storage of the pieces of the car undergoing surgery. So, I store some of the stuff outside, and actually have a bit more than a 2 car garage for storage of the equipment.

I have 4 things that greatly increase the effectiveness of my space: 1- A pad outside large enough to park a car on. This allows me to block up the garage with a project, but still do something minor on a running car, like an oil change. 2- I have outside storage space behind my garage. I keep future projects and parts here. No one can see them, including my neighbors and my wife. 3- I have high ceilings, and very effectively use the third dimension. Shelves, platforms, etc. allow me to store things that are bulky (take up too much floor space) or that I don't need right away (like next season's tires) off the floor so I can use it for a shop. The high ceilings also allow me to have a lift, which allows me to stack 2 cars high when I need to. 4- Everything is on wheels. Equipment, benches, even shelving units. I can switch my setup from a full blown cabinet shop to an all out race car shop to a parking space for the family appliances in a matter of minutes.

My shop is larger than 2 car, but the same principles apply.

The best investments I did for my garage were 15' of industrial shelving, 7' tall, and 2' deep. One section (3' wide) has a couple shelves removed to make a workbench area.

Also, I have an industrial steel workbench with a big vice.

Total cost =$0. I got lucky.

From: http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/077355/077355012224md.jpg

Above is a sample photo but here is something that worked for my in my tiny 20x20 garage. Top mounted shelves. These shelf brackets mount the the wall header, no need to be exact with getting them in the stud because the header runs the entire way.

My top shelves are 15" wide and good for using a ladder to place items up there (big igloo cooler)

The next two shelves are 12" (jack stands stored here)

Then two rows of 6" at shoulder height. (great for cans and bottles)

I can walk very close to the wall (6" away) but then have wide storage overhead.

The best part of the whole deal is that it also leaves the floor completely free to hold other items.

I have three 6 foot sections done this way. Two of the sections meet in the back corner to create a nice L-shape. I have about $300 into the system but it is ultra sturdy. The shelves are 3/4" particle board (not OSB) and each 6 foot shelf has 3 brackets which are spaced about 27" from each other.

www.garagejournal.com/forum

these people will have tons of ideas. it's another great forum i frequent.

I like that shelving system, but you can't roll them out of the way when needed.

I just moved into a house with a small 2 car garage. I too can only put stuff along the sides, but I wanted to be able to park two cars in there overnight. In an effort to keep the floor uncluttered, I built some hanging shelves that attach to the ceiling joists and the wall studs that run the length of the wall hanging about 18 inches down and sticking about 18 inches out. Just used 2x4's and cheap OSB instead of plywood. I didn't want to have the shelves in the way going all the way to the floor. I can fit about 7 large Rubbermaid containers up there (designed to fit) and it keeps things much neater. Built a workbench to go below it and still have room for a push mower, welder, 2 bikes, etc. underneath. I also park in the right stall and using a tennis ball as a guide, I leave only inches on the passenger side when my car is in there. It opens up lots of space in the middle, but nobody is getting in that side of the car until I back out. I'll see if I can find pics of the shelves somewhere.

IMHO, garage layouts are rather personal. What works for one, may not work for another and we all have different collections of tools. That said, I can recommend two things that can have the greatest impact on the usefulness of a garage for wrenching and parking:

1. Wheels. Put EVERYTHING on wheels. And I mean EVERYTHING. The only acceptable fixed piece of equipment might be the workbench... and even then, I'd rather have it on wheels with a system that allows it to be fixed to a wall but still movable if necessary. Having things on wheels allows the greatest flexibility for working and storage. Occasionally used tools can be stuffed into a corner and then wheeled out when needed. My tablesaw and bandsaw are best examples of this. I've slowly been replacing book-type shelves with wire rack shelves that are on wheels. Two down, one to go.

2. A shed. One of the most useful garage additions we made was a 10x10 shed to house all yard related tools (riding mower, rakes, leaf blower, etc), seasonal equipment (snow blower) and large but rarely used tools (engine hoist & transmission jack). We bought a pre-cut kit and painted and assembled it ourselves in a little over a weekend. I would have gotten a larger shed, but 100 sq ft is the largest allowed by the twp w/o a permit. Shed tip: paint the interior walls white prior to assembly - makes a big difference in interior brightness, even w/o any artificial light.

So looks like the best way to maximize the floor space is to:

1. Put cabinets/shelving high up on the walls
2. Put stuff on wheels
3. Build a garden/storage shed

So now let's see some GRM garages?

OK since no one wants to show off their garages I'm begining to wonder if you guys just take your cars to the dealer to get the fluids topped off don't you?

No pics, but here's how my standard sized 2-car is configured...

The door to the house is on the back left wall. The rest of the left wall has a workbench (2' depth, I think) at sternum height and some shelving above that. Under the bench is my air compressor, some other stuff.

The back wall has an exterior door on the back left, then the circuit breaker for the house. Next is my rolling tool cabinet (medium sized Craftsman). Then two generic free-standing shelving kits (2x4x6?) from Home Depot. The shelves have sporting goods, camping gear, etc. Then some stacked large rubber bins full of crap.

The right wall has bicycles laying on the wall. The Miata hardtop is hung upright on the wall as well. Golf clubs and some other stuff too.

More bicycles (7 total) are hung from the back right ceiling.

As it stands, I can fit my Volvo in the left side and either the Miata or Harley on the right.

We just remodeled our kitchen, so the old cabinets are going to be installed in the garage. Same with the old fridge. I haven't quite figured out how to arrange it yet.

I'd be happy to show my shop (and yes, you would drool), but I still can't figure out how to post pics on the new site.

+1 on the shed. Holy crap I love that I built one. Totally cleaned up my basement and made it a workshop again instead of a place to trip over E36 M3.

Build thread on the shed:

http://archive.grassrootsmotorsports.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=32359

SVreX, just setup a free account on photobucket.com, upload the pics then cut-n-past the link here - it's really easy. While I've seen many drool worthy garages on the 'net I love seeing the garages in action with engines, parts and tools scattered rather than neatly stacked storage bins like a garage products showroom

IMO, bright, evenly distributed lighting is one of the most important factors in a garage/shop. I have a 2-car garage with 3 rows of fluorescent strips, 2 8-foot fixtures in each row. Rarely do I ever need to use a drop light. I've set up a number of friends' workspaces in a similar manner and all have been quite happy with the arrangement.

My current garage (and no, I won't post any pics... just too embarrassing right now...) is a 20'w x 25'd.

I didn't build a shed, but I did build a little out-house outside my garage for my compressor and generator.

I have six 4' dual bulb fluorescent light fixtures evenly distributed around the garage as well as 4' single bulb fluorescent fixtures over each work bench. I have a high ceiling with an extra tall garage door so I can have a car on the lift and another car underneath and still roll the door up without any clearance issues. All I need to do now is get the lift installed!

I started to describe the layout and then I decided it was just easier to draw it... ;)

Speaking of putting things on wheels and Grassroots garages. I have a 1 maybe you could call it a 1.5 car garage. Which is now technically a two car because the Falcon is on dollies and pushed against the back wall and the BMW has maybe two inches in front and back to park it, and theres still room to work on things at the bench. Not so much the cars tho, this system pretty much just keeps them out of the winter, and obviously the Falcon is under construction/destruction so its not moved much. Plus any car longer the BMW wouldnt work.

But Im looking at a house with a ginormous old farm barn, which has more room than I could ever need. Youll definately get some pics of that if it goes thru.

WW, that's a nice setup, thanks. Funny while your garager is about 3ft deeper it's very similar to mine with the washer,dryer, heater and water heater in the garage. Your have similar tools as mine too except I have a mid-rise lift and no TIG...yet :)

What shelves and cabinets do you have? I can't decide if I should install the closet stype wire shelving, build some or buy them at sears, ikea, home depot etc.

Lennyseleven wrote: But Im looking at a house with a ginormous old farm barn, which has more room than I could ever need. Youll definately get some pics of that if it goes thru.

Har de har har.

Rule #11 of storage: Available merde expands to fill availble space.

How many of use have looked at shiny new tool boxes, or empty trailers and thought "There is no way I'll ever fill all that space!"

RussellH wrote: What shelves and cabinets do you have? I can't decide if I should install the closet stype wire shelving, build some or buy them at sears, ikea, home depot etc.

My shelves are standard Gorilla Racks from OSH. Two 4'w, one 5'w and one 6.5' wide. Everywhere there isn't a Gorilla rack has 12" to 14" deep shelves mounted to the walls all the way to the roof. I also have hangers off the rafters for the ladder, the bikes, and the original exhaust manifold off my motorcycle.