Summer of the garage

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Locke

I can help, but my garage-raising skills are abysmal.

You can come along and spout snide remarks at everyone.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

You can come along and spout snide remarks at everyone.

Thats something that I'm good at.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Interesting idea, but I have read you can't do that in Calgary without tying into the sewage system.

My description was probably a little off. I wasn't speaking about a drainage trench that is buried into the floor but just a subtle 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep channel down the middle to flow water out the garage. Similar to what you would see on parking garage ramps in the city. Kind of like tire sipes. In reality you don't even need a channel if the garage floor is slightly sloped from the left and right sides into the middle and from the back to the garage door. From what I've seen people typically only slope the floor from back to front.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats something that I'm good at.

People with that skill really don't get the respect they deserve. It's by far the hardest of all the tasks to be good at that one can do on a job.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Locke

I can help, but my garage-raising skills are abysmal.

Can you make sandwiches and lemonade?

[Clarkey]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

No, I have not seen the shed of doom. Sounds ominous.

SO much ROOM for ACTIVITIES!!!

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Have you considered using OSB instead of drywall? I used that so I can just screw stuff into the walls without worry of drywall plugs and effing up the walls. Plus it's easier to install and doesn't get dented/damaged like drywall.

Instead of painting, I put up 18oz fire-######ant vinyl, which is the fabric used to divide wash bays in a car wash. My friend from work helped me put it up and it only took us a couple of hours. Trim on the top and bottom finished it off and hid the staples. It's one continuous piece, too, so that alone looks pretty neat in there.

Man...this is ingenious.

I too did my walls with OSB because I didn't want the fragility of drywall. I opted to paint them - I just rolled on a few layers of Kilz primer, thick and white.

Your vinyl sheeting above looks amazing.

I wish this thread existed before I did my garage!

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Simon96Taco

Man...this is ingenious.


Your vinyl sheeting above looks amazing.

the blood spatter just wipes off

[Fuzz]

OK, so came up with a few options. Thoughts?


Option A 21x34 front and rear entry.
Probably the toughest at this point given the alley entry, unless I can get the city to substantially raise the grade. Drawback is the front would have to get the level far enough down for the back to be flat.

Option B 22x32 rear only
Probably my least favourite option because the front drive is unusable to access the garage. The alley isn't great in the winter and my wife probably wouldn't like having to use it.

Option C 22x32 Front only
Requires a bit on manoeuvring for the right side parking spot, but not to bad. Lots of extra driveway needed between house and garage.


Option D 21x34
Came up with this brilliant one last night. Would require a bit of a retaining wall, but becuase the drive is coming form the uphill part of the alley, the grade shouldn't be unmanageable. I still need to do some checking to see if this would work. Not sure if the city would let me have a small wall past my property line, but could probably make it work ending at the line.

Drawback is loss of a bit of that corner of the yard. Also, interior configuration isn't as optimal, but I could use the space between vehicles for bike storage and still have a large are for a shop.

[CroFlames]

All I can say is I am jelly. I have a double attached garage but it's tiny. No room for activities.

I don't have a back lane which sucks. If I did, I would build the mother of all shops back there. A 26 x 36 or something. I'd probably build it with a toilet too so I don't have to go to the house while working.

[bossy22]

I think Option C, but I could see the one car that goes straight in and out, will have to pull further back to allow easier access for the 2nd car.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

My description was probably a little off. I wasn't speaking about a drainage trench that is buried into the floor but just a subtle 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep channel down the middle to flow water out the garage. Similar to what you would see on parking garage ramps in the city. Kind of like tire sipes. In reality you don't even need a channel if the garage floor is slightly sloped from the left and right sides into the middle and from the back to the garage door. From what I've seen people typically only slope the floor from back to front.

The problem with that is the center channel won't get sealed off by the weathestripping on the garage door. If you have a heated garage in -20 temps cold air will rocket through the gap and your bills will be maxed out.

That leads me a problem I'd love to hear a solution to if anyone has one. My garage is sloped correctly and water runs to the garage door. But the weatherstripping prevents the water from running out and it pools at the sides of the door, ruining whatever is stored there.

I've tried drainage socks which can't keep up. Any other ideas to either contain or drain this water?

[speede5]

I did a option D without the front door and it was ok but I felt like the side driveway ate up a bit too much yard space. I don't know that it would have been any net gain moving the garage forward in the yard, but the remaining space would have been more useable. I ended up with a small chuck of yard that was too narrow for anything.

Speaking from SK, where we have moved away from rear alley garbage and the city is doing less alley maintenance, and with seemingly incresed incidents of pilfering throuhg cars in alleys, I would close off the alley and go with option C. I like A but 2 doors adds costs and doors are not as thermally efficient as walls if you're heating.

I am really getting more paranoid these days and would go for the most secure option. You can't stop all the thieving but you can make yours the least attractive on the block.

[Fuzz]

My biggest concern with C would be building it and finding out that its too awkward to manoeuvre into.

I'm not as concerned with theft as the house is a bit higher up and the window looks into the yard. I would have a chain link fence along the curve so it wouldn't be totally out of site form the house.

[bossy22]

Something to also consider is if you are going to heat the garage and what type of heater. If you require venting, where is that going to go?

[Fuzz]

I'll heat it. Doesn't the vent go up out the roof, or out the side? What is the issue I should be concerned with?

[stang]

Oh man this is awesome. I am planning our garage, and I am still here stealing ideas.

[Fuzz]

Go big! No one ever said "jeez, I wish my garage was smaller."

[stang]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Go big! No one ever said "jeez, I wish my garage was smaller."

I have 5 acres of land. I am going big!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by stang

I have 5 acres of land. I am going big!

In one thread you've got people lamenting the current generation's inability to make ends meet and in the other you've got people building garages and owning 5 acres of land!

Whats going on?