Help me come up with garage ideas

[Brando]

So my wife and I just moved to a new apartment in Aliso Viejo. Overall it took about a week and my garage alone took up a 10' U-Haul van and we had to put the 911 Targa on an Auto Trailer.

Our old garage was 9.5ft x 15ft x 10ft . The new garage is 12ft x 18ft x 10ft. A good amount more space... I can definitely fit the 911 in there with bikes, car, etc. Here's the layout I am thinking:



I still have the following I need to find a place for:
- 2 Cruiser Bikes
- Motorcycle (Kawasaki Vulcan)
- 4-5 Boxes 'o crap

I would also like to have room for a work-bench so I can do reloading. Possibly something I can mount to the wall with heavy-duty hinges and fold-up and down as needed.

Suggestions?

[ckelly78z]

I currently have a 18'x18' garage that we park my Porsche 944, and her BMW 325ci in. I used to have my work bench (8'x2' wide bowling alley lane) and tool box in front of my car, but found working on, or under the cars too tight. With only 1 car in the garage, even though it's 6" narrower than mine, you will have plenty of room to get creative hanging shelves and bulky items from the ceiling and the long wall. I think I would angle park the 3 bikes down towards the garage door so you could have some shop floor space up near your toolbox.

[BRPORSCHE]

I'd ask Jack Olsen. I hear he is pretty good with these kinds of things...

[Vintage914Racer]

If you've never visited, head on over to the garage journal forums and post there. You'll get a lot of ideas.

[herr_oberst]

Hang the bicycles where you are currently showing shelving.. Hang them from the front wheel on J hooks up in the rafters. They take up a lot more space than you think, and you really want them as out of the way as possible, unless you ride every single day, then a rethink....(maybe the front of the garage opposite the 911.



Shelving and tools against the opposite wall where your 911 will reside. The Vulcan will take up the rest of the floor area, when walk around space comes into account.

That's what I'd do.

What is the grey thing and the round red thing?

Is there a man door taking up space on any of the walls?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Keep stuff off of the floor. When I had my tools in my house garage, I bought a closeout formica countertop at the local big box store as my workbench, bought a drawer kit at the same store and installed it under, then put pegboard on the wall for wrenches. I kept the counter height such that the nose of a bigger car could actually fit under if required.

Use all of the wall and ceiling, because your floor space isn't massive. Most big box stores sell prefinished shelving and brackets that make for nice and cheap shelves. If you have the height, go for two tiers. Bikes on the ceiling with brackets or a hoist is a great idea. If you have the room, don't forget above the garage door for a shelf. You could also do a suspended shelf above the cars. Since you're in CA, make sure you secure the hell out of everything. Your shelf and associated stuff falling on the 911 during an earthquake would definitely ruin your day.

[Don Ro]

"You could also do a suspended shelf above the cars."
~~~~~~~~~~
This is what I need to do........to much "stuff"...but I can't let go.
Help!

[mikester]

How did you make that drawing?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

"You could also do a suspended shelf above the cars."
~~~~~~~~~~
This is what I need to do........to much "stuff"...but I can't let go.
Help!

I'll take any Porsche parts off of your hands.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Shelving and tools against the opposite wall where your 911 will reside.

^^^this

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by mikester

How did you make that drawing?

Its amazing what you can do with Excel and a few hours of quiet time at the office.

My present garage (25' x 20'). The updated plan is another 5' deeper:



The next one (detached):

[john70t]

I haven't used the newer excel
That is cool.

Planning is specific to use, but always ensure an unobstructed walking path.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by john70t

...always ensure an unobstructed walking path.

Yes, clear pathway between the couch and the beer fridge...

[Brando]

Wow, great suggestions everyone! I'll post an updated illustration later. To answer some of your questions...

- I used Visio 2014 to create the floor-plan. The 911 Targa pic I had to manually create.
- I will reposition the shelving to leave room for the bikes near the front (?) of the garage (far wall) and hang them off the wall.
- Blue rectangle is my tool chest. Craftsman 3-story setup. I would much rather have a short & long roller that is about 24" to 36" deep, but beggars can't be choosers.
- The red circle is my small air compressor. Following direction, I'll find a way to get it off the ground. Maybe build a support that comes off the wall or find a way to mount/hang it from the wall?
- I will hang as many things as possible. Creeper, drip pan, LARGE tools, etc. I am contemplating this "Gear Track" kit: Gear Tracks Starter Kit

I still need to figure out an electrical plan. There are 2 outlets in the ceiling. One is used for the garage door opener. I'd like to run the lighting from that one and maybe use LEDs to keep the power usage low so I don't blow a fuse when opening/closing the garage door.

For the second I could run an extension cord along the ceiling to the far wall and have multiple outlets. Run the air compressor or any electric power tools off that.

After this... No more renting. I'll buy even a condo if it gets me out of renting. If I stay in CA...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Just a warning on the compressor, some 15A home circuits don't have enough oomph to get one going. At home my small portable dual tank compressor will only run off of my 20A outlets.

[tweezers74]

Aliso? Where? That's where we stay when we go to CA. Send me a PM.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by Brando

Wow, great suggestions everyone! I am contemplating this "Gear Track" kit: Gear Tracks Starter Kit

I bought...
.
Amazon.com - Rubbermaid 5G77 FastTrack Rail, 84-Inch - Wire Garage Storage And Organization Systems
.
and these types of systems are space-savers, indeed.