Finally Got My Garage Mahal!!!

[26th-Z]

Yes - H clips!

I bought these LED fixtures that surface mount on the ceiling.  They are 48"x12", four strip behind a diffuser, 4000K that put out 8000 lumens.  I originally thought about a similar fixture that was 3000K / 5000 lumens, but I needed more fixtures ( 10 instead of 8 ) to cover the lighting.  These might be a little bright.  We'll see.

I'm supposed to have overhead doors in two weeks and I'm still waiting on windows.

[Jeff G 78]

Can't have too much light in a shop.

[Marty Rogan]

50 minutes ago, 26th-Z said:

Yes - H clips!

I bought these LED fixtures that surface mount on the ceiling.  They are 48"x12", four strip behind a diffuser, 4000K that put out 8000 lumens.  I originally thought about a similar fixture that was 3000K / 5000 lumens, but I needed more fixtures ( 10 instead of 8 ) to cover the lighting.  These might be a little bright.  We'll see.

I'm supposed to have overhead doors in two weeks and I'm still waiting on windows.

Those fixtures should light it up pretty well, and you have natural light from the windows too.

I have 24 fixtures at 3810 lumens each.   My wife said' "what, do you want it bright enough for surgery in there?"  I said "Exactly!!!"  I don't think you can go too bright.  I have my lights on 3 zones, so I can turn some of them off if I want to.  Mine is about perfect.

[Marty Rogan]

Hey Chris,

Did you finish that garage yet??

[26th-Z]

The inside is finished.  Exterior stucco work starts today.  We moved 27th in last Friday and 26th's engine, which has been at a friend's shop, moved in Saturday.  I'm slowly moving parts from the rental shop.  I had the floor epoxied which turned out better than I ever expected.  The overhead doors are really nice.

 

[26th-Z]

I wanted overhead doors with glass panels like the old filling stations used to have but they were 7 grand apiece so I opted for insulated doors which were only $300 more than non-insulated.  These doors are double skinned and are rated for 200 mph wind loading.  Stout things!  Then the epoxy guys took three days to put down the floor in three coats.  Sand / prep, primer coat, sand smooth, base coat, sand smooth, and top coat.  Cottonwood beige.  The walls and ceiling were primed and painted Willow Springs white.  The lights are LED units 3000k delivering 5000 lumens.  The windows are aluminum projecting but much to my dismay, they only project out 3" which doesn't do much for cross ventilation.  I screwed up and located the ceiling fan outlets where they conflict with the overhead door hangers.  In this photo, I have my oak drafting table placed up against the back wall.  The holes in the wall near the floor are flood vents which go in after the stucco.  I have to get everything off my shelving and work bench before I can move it all in and get organised.  Look at that reflection off the floor!

[Marty Rogan]

4 hours ago, 26th-Z said:

The inside is finished.  Exterior stucco work starts today.  We moved 27th in last Friday and 26th's engine, which has been at a friend's shop, moved in Saturday.  I'm slowly moving parts from the rental shop.  I had the floor epoxied which turned out better than I ever expected.  The overhead doors are really nice.

 

Wow, that epoxy floor is so shiny, you can see 27th's reflect in it. Do you mind me asking how much the floor costed?  I need to do something with my shop floor.

[26th-Z]

It was $2,250 for 600 square feet.  https://www.garageexperts.com/garage-epoxy-flooring

Their material spec and installation was in line with what I would spec for a commercial quality installation.  Normally, in my work, I would spec something like a Sherwin Williams product (institutional and manufacturing type of applications) but this material spec had a higher percentage of solids.  I didn't do any flakes, just a solid color.  I have noticed that it does scratch from sand that I track in, but I clean it with Swiffer and it shines right up.  A lot like a polished terrazzo finish.  I let it cure for 72 hours before I started moving stuff in.

 

 

[Richard McDonel]

Marty, 26thZ, et al,

Perhaps a couple (maybe three?) of years ago Road & Track began running a monthly series on remarkable garages.  As I recall the first one was a NASCAR garage which did not appear to be a garage at all given the visible lack of mechanics, drain pans, tire changers or disassembled race cars, while the second was a two-man repair shop specializing in older Porsches, with parts hanging from every available square inch of wall and ceiling.  

Somehow, R & T now seems to have run out of garages worthy of celebration.  May I suggest that the two shops we're seeing on this thread be submitted to that worthy magazine?

Cheers All

[Marty Rogan]

On 7/16/2020 at 8:45 AM, 26th-Z said:

It was $2,250 for 600 square feet.  https://www.garageexperts.com/garage-epoxy-flooring

Their material spec and installation was in line with what I would spec for a commercial quality installation.  Normally, in my work, I would spec something like a Sherwin Williams product (institutional and manufacturing type of applications) but this material spec had a higher percentage of solids.  I didn't do any flakes, just a solid color.  I have noticed that it does scratch from sand that I track in, but I clean it with Swiffer and it shines right up.  A lot like a polished terrazzo finish.  I let it cure for 72 hours before I started moving stuff in.

 

 

I figured it would be expensive. I have about 2,300 square feet, so that would be pretty prohibitive for me.  I will have to figure out something.

With all of that shine, does it get slippery when wet?

Looks fantastic!!

[26th-Z]

Yes, it is slippery - in bare feet.  Just like the terrazzo floors I have in the house.  But the floor doesn't really get wet and with shoes on, it isn't a problem.

[Patcon]

I bought my epoxy from "color chips"

https://www.originalcolorchips.com/

Its a high solids product. Buy some spike shoes. I have chips in mine to make it less slippery. Water, oil and especially glass beads make it slick!