garage/workshop divider?
Question:
I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
hi.. if you have the space to swing it.. i built one that was hinged at the top, it swung up from the floor and was secured with hooks in the up position. It was framed with 2 x 4 and had polyethylene stapled to it. Some openings were boxed in to hold furnace filters for air/heat circulation. Stubs can come out from the end walls for meeting the temporary, swinging wall. It was light enough to put up or down by myself.. but hey, you can put a GDO on it if ya want to, heheh. cheers WB
Response:
Bruce, I tried going the temporary barrier router and decided that it wasn’t worth the effort to perfect. Think about it…why do you have to remove the barrier at all? What activities actually occur _between_ the two halves of the garage? I couldn’t think of a single thing that necessitated removing the barrier. My solution was to build a permanent stud wall with insulation, plasterboard, and a 36" door to allow passage between the two sides. Now I know that the dust will stay on the shop side. It also allows me to more easily air condition and heat the shop side for my comfort. The actual effort and expense in putting up the wall was trivial. John McGaw Knoxville, TN – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
A friend of mine painted his cars in one half of the garage – and his wife parked in the other. He had (basically) a shower curtain sort of setup. A track up in the ceiling that he hung a light canvas sheet from. When needed, he closed it, & visa-versa. When not in use, pull it back & tie it off. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house.
Can’t help you on the divider, but the furnace/hot water tank in the garage is a building code violation in alot of areas. Gasoline fumes (not to mention solvents/finishes used in ww’ing are easily ignited by pilot lights, igniters or shorting heating elements. I do understand warmer climates such as FL and CA have carports with 2 or 3 walls that have much better ventilation than we have up here in the North IMHO. Bill Faster and faster until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!
Response:
I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. Can’t help you on the divider, but the furnace/hot water tank in the garage is a building code violation in alot of areas. Gasoline fumes (not to mention solvents/finishes used in ww’ing are easily ignited by pilot lights, igniters or shorting heating elements.
Chalk another one up to regional differences. Garage placement of furnaces and water heaters is the norm out here in the great Northwet. Current local code requires putting the appliance on a pedestal to raise the pilot or ignitor above potentially explosive fumes. Originaly from the Midwest, I find the practice obnoxious as it robs the homeowner of otherwise useful storage/workshop space. But it isn’t inherently unsafe. If it were, garage explosions and fires would be common in these parts–and they aren’t. Of course, the climate out here is relatively benign, so many more garages accumulate junk than shelter motor vehicles… A practice that is encouraged by the almost universal absence of basements. Req. on-topic comment: I, too, am leaning toward dividing the garage with a canvas curtain. My wife does not appreciate the fine layer of sawdust that often collects on her car. My car? It lives in the driveway. — Dave Hayes The above opinions are well-reasoned and insightful. Needless to say, they are not those of Tektronix, Inc.
Response:
I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions?
Being a "boat person" part of the year,,, here is an idea.. Most recreational boats have plastic/cloth curtains for spray/weather protection… If you can find a source for this material, you could very easily make up a giant curtain with snap, grommets or even a snazzy slide that the curtain fits into… BEWARE of the cost of this material…(anything that has the word "marine" in it is considered fair game for price gouging… I have a similar problem with 12′8" ceiling to deal with and quite frankly, have not come up with a reasonable way to do this… I don’t want to build a seperate wall…. If your ceiling height is normal(under 9 ft), then the curtains are a real option….
Response:
You might want to consider 4×8 rigid poly-isocyanurate insulation panels if your climate requires heating or A/C in the shop half of your garage. Tack some 1×2 or 1×3 together to form a groove which you attach to the ceilling. Use building adhesive to attach 1×4’s to left side of sheet (front & back). Let 1×4’s hang over the edge by 1-3/4". The overhang will form a groove that will hug the right edge of adjacent panel. Scribe & cut the bottom edges if necessary to meet floor snugly while remaining plumb. Stack them against a wall or suspend them from a low slung cradle on the ceiling when not in use. They are very light and require almost no significant effort to move Best regards, Mike
Response:
I use the garage door as a divider. Cars on one side, workshop on the other. mahalo, jo4hn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
This is the best solution that I have heard yet, but SWMBO has certain veto power over this solution. Joe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I use the garage door as a divider. Cars on one side, workshop on the other. mahalo, jo4hn I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
Being a "boat person" part of the year,,, here is an idea.. Most recreational boats have plastic/cloth curtains for spray/weather protection… If you can find a source for this material, you could very easily make up a giant curtain with snap, grommets or even a snazzy slide that the curtain fits into… BEWARE of the cost of this material…(anything that has the word "marine" in it is considered fair game for price gouging… I have a similar problem with 12′8" ceiling to deal with and quite frankly, have not come up with a reasonable way to do this… I don’t want to build a seperate wall….
An additonal source of this clear material is a fabric store, it is used as table cloth and furniture covers. Best part of this source is that it does not contain the word Boat or Marine which both should contain $$$$ signs somewhere in their spelling. Bill Faster and faster until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!
Response:
I suppose your status with the better half decides what is on which side? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I use the garage door as a divider. Cars on one side, workshop on the other. mahalo, jo4hn I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
– Chet Beres
Response:
Use those vinyl floor runners that you can buy cheap at your local discount store. they are about three foot wide. Just hang them from the ceiling with an overlap. Then you could just leave them up. You just push in-between them to go from one side to the other. Donald – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
To seperate my workshop from my garage I built four 4′ x 8′ pannels out of 2×4’s and waferboard with insulation inbetween. Then hinged them so they could open and fold. It works, but they always remain closed, so I suppose I’d have been better off just building a wall. Well, if that big project ever does come along, I’m prepared. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 2 car garage that is divided up into a woodworking area, and car/storage area. I’m looking for suggestions on what-to-use/ how-to-make a barrier between the two that I can put up when doing woodworking and remove the rest of the time. I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. I was thinking of using some heavy gauge clear plastic connected to the garage ceiling that I could unroll to create a barrier and roll up and stow when not in use. Any comments or other suggestions? THanks much for the advice.
Response:
Here is an idea for you, Keep an eye around the area that you live in, watch for construction sites where they are refurbing a building. Old 2 by’s and paneling are a dime a dozen and usually get the dumpster. If you hit up the foreman on the site, (give him say $10-20 bucks) instead of the dumpster the wood will go into a pile next to it. Pick out what you want and pitch the rest. Also, look at general material supply houses, they will carry polyethylene <sp, some cheap shower curtain rings (from walmart), and a stick of pipe (steel, PVC, whatever) will keep the main part of the dust out – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m mainly trying to keep dust out of the car/storage side of the garage since this side contains, among other things, the hot water heater and furnace for the house. Can’t help you on the divider, but the furnace/hot water tank in the garage is a building code violation in alot of areas. Gasoline fumes (not to mention solvents/finishes used in ww’ing are easily ignited by pilot lights, igniters or shorting heating elements. I do understand warmer climates such as FL and CA have carports with 2 or 3 walls that have much better ventilation than we have up here in the North IMHO. Bill Faster and faster until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!
Response:
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