Padilla's Garage Gut/Remodel

[nic obie]

Chris,

If you don't mind junking a new water heater you might consider one of the new instant on tank-less ones. They are supposed to be much more efficient and are only about the size of a milk case and I'm sure would fit into that wasted space under the stairs.

Would your compressor fit too? That would help quiet things down.

You would need to run a 4 or 5" vent for the water heater but I think venting the door would suffice for a compressor.

[Michael Ballent]

From the pic I saw, they look like the washer and dryer are the same height as your chop saw... why not use them for supports it is your garage right

[Bob_Hammond]

It would free up a lot of space if you put the washer and dryer in the living room.


Bob

[Chris Padilla]

Fantastic ideas coming along, Folks! Please keep them coming. For the record, I've already decided to hire out the drywall job whenever it comes time for that. Jay had the right idea there. I don't mind tearing it down (well, I *do* but it is just sweat equity) but putting it up will take me forever and a day or two.

I've also come to realize that I have a WHOLE LOTTA (LOVE) work to do rerunning/routing various electrical and plumbing (water/gas) lines to make things much nicer and neater in the garage. The dreaded "while yer at its" are popping up everywhere and so it will be a while before the drywall is back up.

Pic 1 is a shot of the massive tree spanning the garage and holding up one side of the second floor. It measures 14 5/8" wide, by 5 1/4" thick, by about 19 feet long! It literally is a chunk of a tree...no glue, no laminates.

Pic 2 is a nice up-close shot for you picking on my curtain. You can see it isn't too exciting. It has a bunch of past presidents on it with patches of caligraphy writing on parchment, etc.

Pic 3 is the "HVAC" niche. Pic 4 is a shot of the under-the-stairs space that I'd like to take advantage of somehow.

Now to address some of the posts here:

I chatted with my wife and think I will explore partitioning off the washer/dryer/HVAC section from the rest of the garage. I need some ideas for a decently sealing door that can open nice and wide. Perhaps an accordian door of some kind? Any thoughts here? You started this, Frank/Byron...now keep going!

Bruce, that is a bag of fertilizer I need to put on the yard that is leaning against the MM20! I left it there to remind me to do this.

Jay, thanks for the offer but I'll pass and only take you up on soundproofing ideas!

Tim, many thanks for the offer of help! Would you be interested in getting together in Milpitas for a DC put-together on Sat? I'll be helping Ed M. put his kit together. It'll be a nice break from the house!

Jamie, I think the material for the curtain is all that is left. I think they burned the rest!

Dale, uh,

Frank/Jim, I'm not sure about the skylights but I might take a look at the solar tubes. I have a cedar shake roof and it can be a PITA putting stuff like that on it but I'll take a look. That is something I can put in later, too. My garage faces West.

Nic, I will chat with my HVAC guy (maybe he'll know something?) but you bring up an interesting idea. That would make a bit more space in the laundry area...I may even be able to move the washer or dryer over and make the potential partition even smaller!

Michael, I think the wifey wouldn't like me using her 'spensive Maytag "toys" for support!

Should have some more pics tonight!!

[Scott Coffelt]

Is the space under the steps very long? What about building a nice lumber rack where you slide in your boards of somthing of that nature.

[Bruce Page]

Now I'm sure of it!

That curtin is a keeper!!

[Dan Mages]

Chris. How wide is the HVAC area? You might want to consider a basic 36" exterior door for access. I you need a really large opening, what about a french door? I was at the Orange Borg the other day and they had a 6ft wide steel french door for $300.

Don't you just love thise while your at its?

Dan

[Bruce Page]

Hey Chris, I just noticed that the push broom hasn't mover since yesterday! If you turn it around and use the end with the little bristle thingy’s, it will work a lot better.

[Chris Padilla]

Scott, it is about 6.5 feet deep. That is an interesting idea, however--Thanks!

Dan, the width is about 8' 4". I am hoping to avoid the extra space required by a swinging door.

Thanks for the idea, Guys...keep 'em coming!

[Chris Padilla]

Bruce, I'm going to have Ken lock you out of participation in this thread...you better come up with an idea or something positive FAST, Fella!

[Dan Stuewe]

Nic, I will chat with my HVAC guy (maybe he'll know something?) but you bring up an interesting idea. That would make a bit more space in the laundry area...I may even be able to move the washer or dryer over and make the potential partition even smaller!

Just to pass on what little I know...The water heater for my house is on "my" side of the garage too and it would be great to get that floorspace (actually it is raised, but it would be great for an air compressor). Anyway, for what I've looked into tankless water heaters are the cat's meow except for a couple things...

If you're using natural gas they get pretty expensive if you want the automatic pilot. Going with the 'always on' model is cheaper, but costs a bit more utility bill-wise.

It also seems that you have to go pretty much top-of-the line to be able to handle two major hot water tasks at the same time. It has been awhile, but I seem to recall that only the top model sold at Home Depot (a Bosch) could handle a shower and anything else.

Finally, when a friend looked into installing one he found that to validate the warranty it needed to be installed by a professional and that was going to practically double the cost of getting the unit (this is in Southern California).

Anyway, I'm sure your HVAC guy will give you good info to make your decision.

[JayStPeter]

Second had knowledge alert ... I've heard that the tankless water heaters will not remain the same temperature while you're showering as well as ones with a tank. I've heard of a variance over time. They also vary when someone else hits a faucet to do something. Apparently, the electronics eventually catch up to the new load, but there are more serious fluxuations when flow rate changes. The person who told me this said it wasn't that bad, but it really bothered his wife.

Jay

[Bruce Page]

Sorry!

I would use the niche for general shop storage. Is there enough height in the doorway to store sheet stock on edge? You could install a pocket door for easy access, it would be relatively easy to do right now.

[Cecil Arnold]

If you are going to isolate the W/D with a soft door, you might consider a fan in the outside wall. This would enable you to put positive pressure in the W/D area without having to seal it up. In my experience getting an adiquit seal with interior doors is almost impossible. It really doesn't take much pressure to keep dust out, something on the order of .25" water column pressure is used in pressurized starwells.

[Jerry Olexa]

Martha Stewart's agent just called and expressed interest in your curtain. With your permission, she'd like to include in her new line for this fall for both Big Lots and KMart!! Excuse the humor, You truly are an excellent woodworker and its not too often we have an opportunity to chide you. G Luck w your project!! Jerry