- Joined
- Jan 1, 2002
- Messages
- 7,246
- Location
- Washington, Michigan
- Corvette
- '67 Marina Blue Convertible
After 37 years of working (and ten homes, all with 2-1/2-car garages), we built our retirement home two years ago; made a deal with my wife - she designed the house, I designed the attached garage, which would become my "home" when I retired (which I did last year).
It's 46'x 60'x 12', clear span (no columns), 2x6 framed and super-insulated, with forced-air gas heat; also insulated under the concrete floor before pouring it, with 1-1/2"-thick high-density closed-cell foam sheets with heavy foil on both sides. After it cured, I hired Home Pro Floor Coatings ( www.homeprofloors.com ) to come in and steel shot-blast the concrete and pour two coats of light gray-tinted 2-part industrial epoxy resin for an indestructible and easy-to-clean floor.
I had the "step" in the front formed-up 60" deep instead of the usual 36" for plenty of stool and walking space in front of my main workbench area without having to step up and down constantly while working. The garage has its own independent metered 150-amp power feed and breaker panel, with 110 outlets EVERYWHERE, including plenty in the ceiling for drop reels, and 220 for the compressor and welder, and has hot and cold water with an industrial bucket spigot; lighting is 8' 2-tube fluorescent fixtures, bank-switched so I can have only the ones I need on at any one time. Both the compressor and the water spigot feed 50' retracting hose reels.
It also has a fully-enclosed 16'x 16' office/shop in one corner (where the daily drivers park), with another 16' workbench, 26' of counterspace with lower storage cabinets, sink, fridge, cable, TV/VCR, phones, computer hookup, and windows both to the outside and overlooking the garage - my "retirement office" where I hang out. Also have the phone/cable/TV/VCR setup out in the main work area, above the workbench.
The restored Sunoco 260 pump was a surprise birthday present from my wife - only thing she forgot was the 10,000-gallon underground tank full of 260 to go with it
Main Work Area:
Bench Work Area:
Office Entrance:
Where I Hang Out:
Where The Heat Comes From:
Great concept, retirement - do what you like best and get paid for it!
It's 46'x 60'x 12', clear span (no columns), 2x6 framed and super-insulated, with forced-air gas heat; also insulated under the concrete floor before pouring it, with 1-1/2"-thick high-density closed-cell foam sheets with heavy foil on both sides. After it cured, I hired Home Pro Floor Coatings ( www.homeprofloors.com ) to come in and steel shot-blast the concrete and pour two coats of light gray-tinted 2-part industrial epoxy resin for an indestructible and easy-to-clean floor.
I had the "step" in the front formed-up 60" deep instead of the usual 36" for plenty of stool and walking space in front of my main workbench area without having to step up and down constantly while working. The garage has its own independent metered 150-amp power feed and breaker panel, with 110 outlets EVERYWHERE, including plenty in the ceiling for drop reels, and 220 for the compressor and welder, and has hot and cold water with an industrial bucket spigot; lighting is 8' 2-tube fluorescent fixtures, bank-switched so I can have only the ones I need on at any one time. Both the compressor and the water spigot feed 50' retracting hose reels.
It also has a fully-enclosed 16'x 16' office/shop in one corner (where the daily drivers park), with another 16' workbench, 26' of counterspace with lower storage cabinets, sink, fridge, cable, TV/VCR, phones, computer hookup, and windows both to the outside and overlooking the garage - my "retirement office" where I hang out. Also have the phone/cable/TV/VCR setup out in the main work area, above the workbench.
The restored Sunoco 260 pump was a surprise birthday present from my wife - only thing she forgot was the 10,000-gallon underground tank full of 260 to go with it
Main Work Area:
Bench Work Area:
Office Entrance:
Where I Hang Out:
Where The Heat Comes From:
Great concept, retirement - do what you like best and get paid for it!