Decided to build a garage. Now the fun begins.

[Stumpy]

Hmm, never thought of putting a compressor up high. I built a small encloser outside for mine. Easy to get to, and very little noise in the garage.

 

[Keeper]

I'd also keep an eye out for pallet forks (and pallets) for that loader also. Everything going up/down should be on a pallet so you don't have to go up/down also.

 

[89RCLB]

Size matters...just sayin'!

 

[South VA]

Just got the call. Garage doors will be installed next Thursday, the 15th. Definitely looking forward to that!

 

[South VA]

Guess I need to ramp up and get this wiring figured out. Going to need light soon. Not to mention heat.

 

[BuiltToWork]

Just got the call. Garage doors will be installed next Thursday, the 15th. Definitely looking forward to that!

Congrats!

 

[South VA]

Congrats!

Thanks! I'm psyched that it's finally happening. They say it will take the better part of the day to install them.

I'm going with manual operation for now, as I can add one or more openers later if need be. Not sure I'll need them, to be honest. We'll see.

 

[South VA]

In another thread I mentioned that the Subdivision has a new leak, which led to @Supercharged111 to ask if I'd epoxied the garage floor yet. The answer is no; I have not applied any sealer or coating as I am waiting at least until the bay doors are installed.

His question made me realize that I still haven't completely decided which type of floor treatment to use, and exactly when to apply it. There seem to be different schools of thought on both.

I have been looking at a penetrating sealer like Ghostshield Siloxa-Tek 8510.

siloxa-tek-8510

It's expensive stuff but is oil resistant and water repellant. I also like the fact that it doesn't have a slick finish.

My largest concern with epoxy is that it is apparently very slick when wet, which was most recently mentioned in that same thread by @termite.

Paint would be comparatively cheap and easy, but according to some here who have used paint, I'd have to repaint occasionally. I don't have a good sense of how long paint would last in my garage.

Ideally whatever is put down will last for 10 years or so. But I don't know if that's realistic.

As for the timing of application, at least one recommendation, by @thinger2, is to wait months before coating the floor, to allow the concrete to fully cure.

At this point I'm not sure what I'm going to do, or when.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

I'd also keep an eye out for pallet forks (and pallets) for that loader also. Everything going up/down should be on a pallet so you don't have to go up/down also.

I'll second this, and when you buy a loader, find something that has a skid-steer type quicktatch system, it will make your life much easier with the availability of attachments for the loader.



In regards to the floor. Do you want something pretty, or do you want something you can use(abuse)? I used Ghostshield and a densifier(pre GS) on my floor and have zero regrets. Shop has been used (and abused) for 7 years now, and I wouldn't go back and do it any differently. Are there some stains on my cement...yes...do I care? No. There are also burnout marks and some paint overspray scattered around.

Museum quality floors look awesome until you drag a metal wheeled floor jack from one end to the other, pull in a vehicle with hot tires and let it sit, drop a hammer or something pointy, etc.

If you're constantly worried about ruining your floor finish, you'll never be comfortable working in your shop.

 

[South VA]

I'll second this, and when you buy a loader, find something that has a skid-steer type quicktatch system, it will make your life much easier with the availability of attachments for the loader.

The loader I'm looking at would fit onto a 1970 JD 2520 row crop tractor, and would be permanently attached. Unfortunately it won't be as capable as a skid steer, which I'd love to have but can't really justify paying for.

In regards to the floor. Do you want something pretty, or do you want something you can use(abuse)? I used Ghostshield and a densifier(pre GS) on my floor and have zero regrets. Shop has been used (and abused) for 7 years now, and I wouldn't go back and do it any differently. Are there some stains on my cement...yes...do I care? No. There are also burnout marks and some paint overspray scattered around.

Museum quality floors look awesome until you drag a metal wheeled floor jack from one end to the other, pull in a vehicle with hot tires and let it sit, drop a hammer or something pointy, etc.

If you're constantly worried about ruining your floor finish, you'll never be comfortable working in your shop.

I'm actually fine with the floor as it looks now: plain concrete, with a few random embedded dried leaves for accents. It certainly doesn't need to be fancy. I plan to use (and probably abuse) it, and will keep it clean by sweeping. When I spill oil and other fluids, I'll clean it up as I go.

This may be a dumb question: Do I really need to seal the floor at all?