I need to sort out my garage once and for all, what to people use for cupboards / benches / draws? I am thinking about using Ikea kitchen units w/ cheapest white fronts, what do other people use?

I got some steel racks from Costo, good price and very sturdy.

i personaly prefer shelves and boxes, stuff tends to get stuffed in theback of cuppoards, wehreas boxes you can pull out and root through.

Shelves and boxes here too, for the same reasons. I white washed the walls and ceiling and the shelves too and fitted new fluorescent lighting.

I made my 5ft work bench from some timber offcuts I had lying about, and a couple of kitchen worktops that my neighbour was getting rid of. I was lucky enough to have a hand-me-down engineering vice from the inlaws.

One thing that makes a big difference if you’re pushed for space is to go right up to the ceiling with storage. To maintain floor space, on one wall I’ve got Shelf down from the ceiling to about 4ft. This way I get the storage, and the floor space for bikes/workshop too.

would recommend painting your garage floor too, make finding stuff easy (especially if you use a lighter colour)and produces minimal dust.
Though don’t ‘just’ paint it, mix in some fine sand in the top layer to give you some purchase or you’ll be on your arse when it gets wet.

I thought about painting the floor, but that would necessitate the complete disgorging of the garage contents, so I passed.
😕

prefer carpet on the floor. Old offcuts are free and comfier if you need to kneel down, and warmer if you’re in there in bare feet (for whatever reason…)

As for bench/shelves I made mine out of wood. Go for a nice high bench top, higher and deeper than a kitchen worktop. I use plastic storage boxes on shelves, rather than cupboards.

Painting walls and floor is essential…

I’ve managed to paint 2 garage floors without moving everything out – just needs careful stacking so that you can paint in sections. Normally I jetwash the surface (and leave it to dry!) before painting to get rid of all the loose material.

Even if you’re using carpet in some areas it’s still worth painting the floor first to keep the dust down and make it easier to sweep / clean up spills in the future.

Painting the walls white always makes a massive difference to how light it is in a garage.

International Garage Floor paint is what’s needed for the floor. It includes bits to provide a grippy surface.

I managed to paint mine without emptying the whole garage by moving things round.

Any cheap white emulsion works for the walls.

What brackets for the bikes are you using matthewjb?

What brackets for the bikes are you using matthewjb?

I got them from eBay. They were about £15 for 5. I can’t remember the brand.

bigdug.co.uk was recommended to me by Peterpoddy. Good range of prices – I’ll be shopping there when i eventually get round to sorting my garage out.

Another vote for bigdug. good for shelving and parts boxes

Mmm. Shelving. Must put some up over the bank holiday weekend….

i’ve just finished kitting out my workshop with ikea kitchen units, with cheap black doors. looks good and was fairly cheap, but I think a wooden worktop, rather than laminate (which I got) is worth the extra outlay for long life. I got rubber dalsouple-esque flooring, so its impossible to loose bits and comfy to kneel on

If you do paint the floor PVA it first.

Also start in the corner away from the door and work towards the exit other wise you will paint your self into a corner.

Slight Hijack – how long for PVA to dry? I appear to have painted myself into a corner.

Got the CostCo stuff…really pleased, thanks for the tip Surfer.

ps…matthewjb your garage looks amazing!

I used a cheap sale kitchen worktop as a work bench (well I did fit trestles at either end)

I use old carpet tiles as pads for surboards, turning bikes upside down, and use old sorbo cushions as kneeling pads

Old furniture (ie solid) bookcases etc for storage.

For me…

2 cheap B&Q kitchen base units and doors, worktop off cut from my Mum’s new kitchen sat on top for a workbench.

Sheet of plywood fixed to the wall with nails strategically placed as a tool board.

Light grey garage floor paint (PVAd first).

A family friend works for a company that hire paint sprayer so the walls and ceiling was done with cheap emulsion in no time. Bike hung from the wall similar to the above with hooks from B&Q.

ps…matthewjb your garage looks amazing!

Thanks. It’s less tidy now. It could do with a clean out.

I built the workbench from these plans. Quite easy to do. The local DIY shop cut the wood to size and I just screwed it together.

Two big filing cabinets from work have consumed all my tat.

Ikea bargain corner is worth scouting out.

I’ve fitted out two garages with workbenches/drawers/shelves using the white base units, long kitchen worktop and whatever combo of shelves/drawers works best.

Always managed to pick up a bargain. Around £30 for the worktop and 2 base units usually. The worktop is a good thickness too, plenty thick enough to secure a vice and wheel truing stand.