Garage questions

[charger440]

I am finally building the dream garage for my car collection, about 9,500 sq ft in size. I need some guidance and would appreciate any input to one or more of my questions below.

I am wondering about the best floor finish to use on top of the concrete floor. I have considered coatings, roll our rubber type floor, tiles etc. Any ideas or recommendations from experience?

What type of lighting is recommended for the cars to show off the best?

Does anyone now where I can get old advertising prints blown up to very large poster size (like in Jay Leno's garage)?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Empty Pockets]

This thread will cover most of that if you'll read thru it:

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11275&highlight=garage+floor

 

[fjpikul]

Charger, there are some great old posts abut garages and flooring. Look for the flooring by FlorIdaho Chris.

 

[Specracer]

Here is a specific link to the manufacturer we are using in the one we have under construction, now, The trick is the reflector. If you find the local rep, they have software tools to analyze the lumens through the space to be sure you have enough.

http://www.columbialighting.com/products/lhv/

 

[FB GT40]

Garage

I recently went through this and found The Garage Journal Forum very useful.
Careful now - it will consume lots of your time! :wink http://www.garagejournal.com/ There is a sub section for every conceivable need.

I went vinyl tile - but would not recommend it. There are many epoxy coatings out there - which is the route I'd go next time.

 

[Kayvan]

Floor:
-----
I used U-Coat-it, its commercial grade; they have a $400 DIY kit, and it came out perfect. After 4 yrs no problem. Hint: Do the Polyu top coat; it has a hyrgroscopic/psi rating that prevents moisture, vapors, seepage. Lenos uses it.

http://ucoatit.com/pgs/main.htm



Leno Ads/ Petroliana / Signs / Neon

I researched this and found that there is a whole collecting world associated with this area alone. One can spend $25,000 easy.

The majority of Leno's stuff is vintage Grand Prix / F-1 posters; with some euro-marque showrrom advertising. Some appear original; while others are blow-ups.

The best bet is to get a good quality on-line frame shop that has these photos digitally and can produce giclee prints in 44x60 wooden/matted frames. You can also do massive vintage movie posters like: Le Mans, Grand Prix, Winning and some euro ones that are 7 feet tall. Or, black/white racing shots.

I have used below, with good results

http://www.allposters.com/-st/Auto-Racing-Posters_c7485_.htm


I have also done the Pit-Banner/ Flag route. These are silk/poly flags that are form 3x5 to 6x12 that look amazing in a garage. You can get them for race-tracks: IRL, Indy, Sebring, Daytona; or you see these in F-1/LeMans pits and are a range of sponsors from Martini, GULF, to Rolex, Michelin Man, AGIP Romulus Wolf, Dunlop, Camel, etc. They go for $25-100 and in my opinion add the most punch/$.

Lastly, you can go with neon, back lighted signs, etc.; some sell on ebay, others are custom.


Bar/trophy case
----------------

I would add an area/in off the garage where you can put up some shelves/case for GT models, plaques/trophies, helmets; or have a cabinet with a steel mini-fridge, dead-sink, and counter.

It helps to store car cover, rags/buckets, tools, GT parts deep-storage or better yet a mini-bar.

I did a small cabinet with a $150 GE SS under-counter fridge, black granite remnant slab $300 and wine-box panelling $150, 2 directors chairs. Its nice to have cold beers, ice/mixers, chips after a drive or when visitors linger as you give them the GT story.

MISC:

Unless, you have a/c look into dehumidfiers, heat register, an alarm or even better a dog!

 

[JOEA2]

I did Epoxy by Premier floors and it is great. My only complaint is when I drop a small screw or nut, I can't find it.
I ran a 6 inch strip of Wonderboard all around the garage and they ran the flooring up it. I now have a cove.

 

[charger440]

Thanks to all for excellent advice and comments.

 

[Fast Freddy]

i just epoxied mine like those killer airplane hangars that you see. i wouldn't have it any other way.

use a mixture of different types of lighting to get the best effect

 

[JCSB]

I had the epoxy coating done with silica mixed in the top coat. I had a firm do it that did my machine shop. They put multiple coats on to really build it. I think the epoxy floor is the way to go. :thumbsup

John

 

[AJB]

U -Coat IT...is what I installed. Even F-150 panic stops on it in the winter with grit does not damage it. Used gray color with Pacific Flecks...Blues and white and black flecks and the clear coat with no silica...like glass. \

Matches my Blue/White FGT, the Platinum/black Ultra Classic and Margarets Black T-Bird.
I had 2 bays of old (25 year-concrete ) and one new bay (one year old concrete) and with proper prep, it is great on all 3 bays..
AJB

 

[JCSB]

the clear coat with no silica...like glass. \

AJB

You didn't find it slippery. I step on someone elses floor with no silica that had a little water on it and it was like stepping on a banana peel. Even my floor with the silica can get slippery, but not as bad as without.

John

 

[PeakCompletions]

I am undergoing a similar project.. trying to find a good architect who understands our end goals to draw up the plans... any suggestions?

 

[Fast Freddy]

go with solvent based epoxy or a solid based epoxy. don't use water based epoxy. personally i don't like the flakes so i didn't use them. you can do your top coat in urethane if you want a more shiny and wet look than just the straight epoxy. i did 4 coats of a solvent based epoxy with no flake or urethane top coat in a grayish color with just a very small amout of that smoked blue color mixed in it. even though i don't have a urethane top coat i think the gloss is just perfect. urethane is just too much gloss for me. when i get a new camera (digital this time) i will be sure to post pix. it looks so awesome :bow the more coats you do the longer it will last. mine should last 30 years. they are actually applying my 4th coat right now as i type this :thumbsup

by far the most important thing is the surface prep prior to the first coat. the concrete has to be super clean to get a good bond.

 

[AJB]

slippery - yes

JCSB - YES - it is very slippery- especially with a coating of snow on your shoes or on floor in winter. You go down instantly...We have to be very careful..!
AJB

 

[UFO74]

Garage Floors

Charger 440:

We added on to our house about 10 years ago and increased the garage space from 1000 to 2000 sq. ft. Did much shopping around and testing of surfaces offered at that time Two different companies had a tough time making their surfaces stick to the old floor even after treating. Since our garage is attached to house, we decided on Italian tile which was not that much more expensive than the high cost finishes. Uniformly folks are impressed with the tile in the garage. In fact the wife liked it so well, we replaced much of the carpet in the house with similiar tile. It is really sturdy. Dropping heavy objects has not cracked or chipped the tile. I generally put pads under any jack stands but on occassion have not with no adverse effects. The worst stains come up with laquer thinner. Generally use brake cleaner. Once every year or will rent a commerical electric brush and scrub it down. It then looks brand new. Another option on new concrete is to have it polished to a glass finish. A friend with an automotive shop, built an addition where he stores high dollar cars. The floor have a glass finish, look great, but might be slippery when wet. Below are two pictures of the tile.

 

[t32b]

The floor is great, but that Ultima is particularly wonderful. Would really like to hear more about it. I've pined for one of those for a number of years.
Separately, and germane to the flooring topic, I recently went 'low end' on flooring, getting a tile kit from Costco about a year ago. Much lower price than other brands, and no obvious difference in quality. As much as I wanted the white hangar look, we have lived in this house a long time, and the thought of completely emptying it's contents for days was simply too daunting. Instead, my son and I did some 'traveling saleman problem' optimization, moving contents from side to side (even jacking up - rather than removing- our home gym), able to always keep the GT housed overnight, and put it all together rather quickly. A fun project.
I will say that it looks a lot better, but they are a bit hard to keep clean. I have a Roomba floor washing robot (I am a silicon valley geek after all) take care of it once a week.
All things considered, as much as it is a huge upgrade from the concrete, the coated floor likely would have been preferred.

Charger 440:

We added on to our house about 10 years ago and increased the garage space from 1000 to 2000 sq. ft. Did much shopping around and testing of surfaces offered at that time Two different companies had a tough time making their surfaces stick to the old floor even after treating. Since our garage is attached to house, we decided on Italian tile which was not that much more expensive than the high cost finishes. Uniformly folks are impressed with the tile in the garage. In fact the wife liked it so well, we replaced much of the carpet in the house with similiar tile. It is really sturdy. Dropping heavy objects has not cracked or chipped the tile. I generally put pads under any jack stands but on occassion have not with no adverse effects. The worst stains come up with laquer thinner. Generally use brake cleaner. Once every year or will rent a commerical electric brush and scrub it down. It then looks brand new. Another option on new concrete is to have it polished to a glass finish. A friend with an automotive shop, built an addition where he stores high dollar cars. The floor have a glass finish, look great, but might be slippery when wet. Below are two pictures of the tile.

 

[SYCO GT]

I use the Roomba vacuum cleaner in my car storage unit - which is awesome, I was curious about the Roomba floor washing robot, how well does that work? I imagine it would be wonderful - I wasn't even aware they made it.

UFO74 - your Italian tile looks fantastic!!!

 

[SYCO GT]

I used this rubber coin top flooring throughout the storage facility. Also installed it in one of my exterior drive up units, seems to hold up great so far.

 

[KJRGT]

I have that same rubber flooring installed in my Haulmark trailer. Love the stuff! Randy, that looks like an A+ set up you have there. :thumbsup