Looking to update/renovate the garage, advice needed.

[jimwilly]

my wife and i want to finish the garage before winter, that way once winter starts we can concentrate on inside the home renovations.
I have a 2 car detached garage, with a small side entry door and an automatic door opener. Inside the garage is a shelf (about 3 ft deep) that is built off the back end of the garage. This shelf is so deep that the car can only be pulled in (the rear overhangs of most cars isn't long enough to allow the A6 to be backed in. Small cars (like a 3 series) can be backed in. Other than that, the walls are bare, with nothing but uprights and the clapboards visible. There are small crossboards in place that act as shelves. The walls are structurally sound with no visible rot.
First of all, the shelf will be going. I was then planning on either putting up drywall and painting, but I've seen a few garages with wood paneling inside that looks pretty sharp. The floor will either be covered with a large garage mat, or when money permits, epoxied. I will have several smaller shelves around the perimeter of the garage, mostly for garage accessories (oil, wax, etc.) Is it advisable to insulate a garage (walls and ceiling) if it's detached? Or would it be much more cost effective to put in the drywall and buy a space heater?
Does anyone have any pics of their garage that I can look at for ideas?
Thanks

[Brad B.]

You absolutely want to insulate. If you don't have a ceiling in the garage, think about putting one in. It makes a tremendous difference with heating and cooling.

Mounting kitchen type cabinets is better and safer than lot's of shelving. Stuff keeps cleaner and it is less likely that something will fall on the car.

If the garage is short think about a hinged shelf/workbench that can be folded away when not in use.

Don't forget to put in plenty of electrical outlets and lighting.

My garage is also detached. See pics in the "Sanctuary" link below. Feel free to ask more questions.

Now get going! Winter is around the corner!

[MarylandVW]

I would recommend on taking Brad B.'s advice. If you have not seen pics of his garage (excuse me Brad, "Sanctuary" ), then check out his pics. It makes the rest of our piddily garages, and wanna-be garages look pathetic. Run a search on garages, as there was a thread some time back that had lots of ideas.

Best of luck!

[jermar]

Most of us can't afford Brads setup, but we all wish we could. I have a detached garage, but the expense of drywall, insulation, and the labor to build a ceiling, just isn't practical. Not to mention the cost of heating. I used white UGL drylok on the block-brick walls. I went to Home Depot and bought Mills Pride assemble yourself cabinets. Next I bought a prefinished kitchen countertop and put it across two standing cabinets for a workbench. I added their standing closet to hold waxes,towels, and buckets. [You might want a couple of closets.] I have the closet on the side door wall of the garage,and I cut some pressure treated lumber framed as a base to raise it a couple of inches in case it gets wet.{it does} I also bought the garage floor mats from www.autobarn.com They allow me to hose out the debris,and cover many floor stains.[do a search] I do have some tire marks on the mats that won't come out. A Husky tall mechanics tool chest , and halogen ceiling lights makes it complete. Keep in mind, every time you open your electric door, you will lose most of the heat. Good luck.

[Brad B.]

I have a solution for the problem of the electric garage door opening and letting all the heated (or cooled) air out. I have a little pre-measured marker on the side of the door. Depending what car is leaving the Sanctuary, I only have to lift the door that exact amount.

I am not goofy enough to use this method all the time but when the A/C or heat is on I just crack open the door and slip a car out. It is measured to the inch. My wife can't stand it when I slip out of the "bat cave"! She thinks she is going to get her head cut off.