I've made some improvements to my garage

SouthArk370Z

Over the last six months or so, I've been fixing up my garage. I added styrofoam panels to the aluminum garage door, installed a small A/C unit, and more than doubled my workbench space.

The styrofoam was cheap and only needed a small hand saw to cut. Cost about $30 to fill most of a 2-car door. Ran out of panels and need to buy a few more before I can call the job done. Made a BIG difference in heat intrusion.
Bought a new seal for bottom of door, but haven't installed yet. $15.

The A/C ($140) is very small - only 5k BTU - but I'm hoping will help keep the humidity down (rH in S AR runs around 80-100%).

Extended workbench along wall to corner and then elbowed so I have an L-shaped bench now. Legs are 4x4s that I salvaged from an old clothes line post. Frame is 2x6s and top is 2x10s and 2x12s (same basic construction as the old part). If I can pick it up, the bench will hold it. About $135 for lumber, screws, brackets, stain, etc. Waiting for the stain/polyurethane to dry before I install peg board ($20 for about three times what I need) and hooks ($20).

Also added some screw-in hooks to the walls for hanging yard tools, extension cords, etc. $30 or so.

About $400 tied up in parts. Most of the work was done by a buddy for food, conversation, and the left over wood. My main job was to hold the boards while he cut.

Plan on adding some more insulation to the ceiling, but not in a big hurry.

Now I need to get rid of a lot of my junk. I have a Ford 9" rearend (including brake backing plates) out of a 1969 Gran Torino (open diff with, IIRC, 3.9-something gears) that I will sell real cheap or trade. An old IBM mainframe computer that is free-to-good-home. Four-drawer filing cabinet that's got a lot of surface rust and you wouldn't want in the house but the slides still work well and the inside is not rusted, f-t-g-h. All items are pickup in S AR only.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

Chuck33079

Those garage door panels made a big difference. That and a new seal at the bottom will take care of 75% of the problem. I've still got to figure out a good solution to keep cold air from escaping on the sides.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

SouthArk370Z

A BIG difference. Especially when the Sun shines on them late afternoon (luckily, only for a couple of hours and even then it doesn't hit the whole door). Door is dark brown to match rest of house and it soaks up a lot of heat when in the Sun.

Yeah. I've been scratching my head over how to seal the sides, too. I don't see a good way to seal the sides but a baffle of some sort might slow things down - not sure it would do enough good to be worth the trouble/expense of installing. I'm still thinking. Let me know if you come up with something.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

BettyZ

They sell weather seals for garage doors, mine has them

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

__________________
'14 MB Nismo | Boost Lab 6870 1.32 AR 553 HP / 471 ft.-lbs.
Betty Mods

BettyZ

Sounds like a great start! Idk if your garage is already walled or the studs are exposed.. mine were originally exposed so I filled the gaps with batting and then put the pegboard over.

Putting in a drop ceiling with insulation makes a HUGE difference. Mine is unceilinged. My neighbors has the drop w insulation. 24 degree difference in temp on a hot hot day.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

__________________
'14 MB Nismo | Boost Lab 6870 1.32 AR 553 HP / 471 ft.-lbs.
Betty Mods

SouthArk370Z

Garage had been paneled when I moved in. I have no idea if there is any insulation in the walls, but everything on the house appears to be built right. I'm thinking about blowing some cellulose over the ceiling and might try blowing some into walls if I do that. Outside of walls is brick, so that helps modulate temperatures a little. One wall faces East, so it doesn't get much sunlight. South wall has a wide eave, so that helps. One wall is common to house and feels like it is insulated (but not sure). I have a powered fan to vent the attic; that helps quite a bit.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

Jayhovah

Where are the pics SouthArk? And don't you dare f@$%ing refer me to the FSM.

__________________
2013 Gun Metallic Sport - Gamma V3 Twin Turbogized
DIY Gamma V3 TT Install * Jayhovah's Gamma V3 TT Install Pic'Z and Vid'Z * DIY: Washer Reservoir for the Boosted

SouthArk370Z

I figured someone would have to make a "Pix or it didn't happen" post.

Garage is still waaayyyy too messy for pics. But two of my buddies have been helping me clean up so I may be able to post some pics in a couple of weeks.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

JARblue

I tried weather seals for the side of my garage door. More of a pain than anything. They didn't look good or function well. Ended up removing them. Still haven't figured out the best route.

__________________

BettyZ

These seals, insulated garage door and walls, and plenty of snow on the roof (and 3 oil-filled electric radiators) kept my detached garage above freezing during that week in the Chi when temps were in the -20s.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

__________________
'14 MB Nismo | Boost Lab 6870 1.32 AR 553 HP / 471 ft.-lbs.
Betty Mods

SouthArk370Z

I'll have to see if I can find some of that stuff. Thanks for the tip.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

SouthArk370Z

Installed the pegboard today. Still have to cut some holes for the receptacles and install extenders on the boxes.
Thinking about taking the pegboard down, rewiring receptacles so they are under cabinets above bench, and reinstalling pegboard. But the carpenter doesn't like the idea of taking the pegboard down.

Made a LOT of progress on cleaning up. Found some tools that I hadn't seen in a while.

Got up in the attic and there is zero insulation up there. Going to look into renting a cellulose blower.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

sirnixalot

well i'll be dipped in **** and rolled in bread crumbs......is that a zip up screen door for a garage door opening?!

__________________
2010 Sport - LS3 swap loading
2012 Frontier - BTWTuning VK56DE swap

BettyZ

Mmm, bread crumbs. Yes sir it is! I am the biggest of fans.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

__________________
'14 MB Nismo | Boost Lab 6870 1.32 AR 553 HP / 471 ft.-lbs.
Betty Mods

busterbull

nice!!!