Reviving an Old Garage

Kane · Feb 1, 2021

Hi folks,
I am getting ready to revive an old garage to be put back to use as an actual garage / workshop. I would love to hear about and see pics of similar projects and garages. Any thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated.
The garage is 18’x11’, detached from our 1928 Spanish style house in Southern California. When we moved in 10 years ago the garage was put to horticultural use, mostly for mushroom production. It’s no longer needed for that, and I am really looking forward to having a dedicated workspace for wrenching and whatever else. It should be enough space to have a decent workbench and my motorbike inside with room to get around. My tools have been spread out between two sheds and a spare bedroom; not an ideal situation, so this is an exciting project for me. This morning I got the last of the old ag junk out, and I am about to vacuum the walls and scrub the floor. I am leaning toward the idea of painting the walls to cleanup and brighten the space, but am not sure if I would leave it as exposed studs or install some sort of paneling.

Bushman · Feb 1, 2021

I personally wouldn't touch it except to may swap out some of the bad wood for good wood. It has that vintage charm to it. Maybe I'm just a sucker for chipped paint barns.

Bugguy · Feb 2, 2021

As much as I agree with keeping it in the rough, it will be hard to keep clean, Sawdust will be all over the wood and cobwebs and other nasties. Personally, drywall and light paint. It's easier to hang your tools and good ceiling lights will reflect. Depending on what you'll be doing, a pair of ceiling fans - no lights - would be nice and a through-the-wall exhaust fan in the back to suck out exhaust, paint, and smoke fumes. Also, figure out how to secure the doors and windows so your stuff doesn't escape.

Critical... a separate set of circuit breakers and GFI breaker. Run it directly from the main house panel. Good wiring and many duplex or dbl. duplex outlets around the perimeter.

Just Jim · Feb 5, 2021

And have the outlets about 50" or more off the ground. This puts them high enough to avoid being covered by sheet goods (or most other things) leaned against the wall.

Studebaker Driver · Feb 16, 2021

1930artdeco · Mar 5, 2021

Just from my experience-get rid of the ivy around the garage!!!!!!! The original garage to my house was being held up the stuff. And I can already see it happening to yours. Cut it away, use a small nuke if you have to but keep it away. It will get in behind the walls and cause problems.

that being said, looks like you have a great little shop being built up. Since you live In So. Cal, insulation shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Just make sure you have plenty of lighting, air flow, and power outlets.

mike

Bugguy · Nov 11, 2022

Kane said:
Hi folks,
I am getting ready to revive an old garage to be put back to use as an actual garage / workshop. I would love to hear about and see pics of similar projects and garages. Any thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated.
The garage is 18’x11’, detached from our 1928 Spanish style house in Southern California. When we moved in 10 years ago the garage was put to horticultural use, mostly for mushroom production. It’s no longer needed for that, and I am really looking forward to having a dedicated workspace for wrenching and whatever else. It should be enough space to have a decent workbench and my motorbike inside with room to get around. My tools have been spread out between two sheds and a spare bedroom; not an ideal situation, so this is an exciting project for me. This morning I got the last of the old ag junk out, and I am about to vacuum the walls and scrub the floor. I am leaning toward the idea of painting the walls to cleanup and brighten the space, but am not sure if I would leave it as exposed studs or install some sort of paneling.

View attachment 306337 View attachment 306338 View attachment 306339 View attachment 306340 View attachment 306341 View attachment 306342

I'm curious... did you ever finish this rehab project? Any pictures?

I just finished enclosing under my back deck for a shop. Inside is still a mess, but coming along.

BEFORE:

AFTER: work still in progress

tonyb · Nov 17, 2022

^^^^
My construction skills are pretty much nonexistent. I confess to being a little envious of people who are able to do these sorts of things themselves, rather than hiring it out, as I do.

Creating usable space from “dead” space is all to the good, in my book. I did that here, by having the fence contractor (I hired out that part, of course) put the gate at the front of the attached garage rather than at the rear of it, where it had been, and in so doing extended the fence another 20 feet or so, to meet that gate. I took out a roughly six foot wide strip of red lava rock, between the existing concrete walkway alongside the garage and the new fence, and replaced it with faux cobblestone concrete pavers. A friend and I did that part. It’s now a little patio.

Reviving an Old Garage

Kane

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Bushman

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Bugguy

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Just Jim

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Studebaker Driver

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1930artdeco

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Bugguy

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