Dream Garage on a budget?

I know this may not be the news group for this, but I figured that there are probably a lot of back yard mechanics in here. I am looking at finishing my detached garage, and am looking for some input. The garage I have is unfinished inside, with no insulation. It is 30' x

25'. I have a 60AMP service to the garage, and am looking at using 3 x 8' electric baseboard heaters (wanted a woodstove, but insurance company stomped that idea out).

Question one: Where on the walls should I mount the heaters? I would like to keep them off the ground, so I can move stuff along the walls when working on a car, and am worried a little about water. I am also concerned with gas fumes. I do not have any torches at the present time, but may have in the future.

Question two: How many plugs? I know that a good rule for housing is ever 5'. Also with this, should I stick with 15AMP breakers for the plugs, or should I consider making some higher? The only items I have currently that may draw high current, is the compressor and my table saw.

Last Question: What to use for the finished walls? Drywall? Plywood? Other material?

Any suggestions would be great.

Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com

Reply to
mike
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mike: NEC codes state an outlet every 12 feet which means that the longest reach an cord should have to make is 6 feet. However the more plugs you have the merrier since you would have more accessibility. I would probably insulate and add plywood on some walls and add peg board to others so that I could hang my tools on. I would have increased my amperage to at least 100 Amps if not 200 Amps with separate service. The heaters should be mount low because heat rises but how low I could not tell you. I would ground fault all my outlets since it is a possibility that they may come in contact with water. I would also add a few outlets on the exterior of the building and install flood lights under the eaves so outside work a\can be performed.

Sarge

Reply to
Licker

Mike

Outlets every 5 feet. Each one a 4 plex or a 220 outlet and a 120 outlet. Put a 125 amp panel in. Lots of spaces for breakers and additional circuits. It will be legal because you will be feeding it with a 60 Amp as you mentioned. A second circuit from the entrance panel for just an outlet and a light for when you want to change things and need to cut the 60 amp power. All outlets 20 amp. Lighting circuits 15 amp.

Bob AZ

Reply to
Ace

I have a detached garage myself. There's a picture here:

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I think you would be better off with the traditional forced air heater that hangs from the ceiling and blows down. You can see mine in the pic. Get one that plugs into

220v power and assume when it's running that it's going to pull 30 amps. If you can find a natural gas powered one, and you can run a gas line to the garage, that is much better.

A lot of guys run with oil fired heaters and use the used oil from the oil changes done on the vehicle. Terrible pollution of course and probably illegal. Another possibility is a portable kerosene or propane heater.

Baseboard heaters take forever to heat a garage up and you can't store anything in front of them. They also are going to be more expensive. Baseboards are fine in a house where they are on all the time but are worthless for heating up a big space quickly.

garage ventilation is usually terrible so if your going to do anything that generates fumes, your going to want the garage door open, and heating is pointless then,

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

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