Ideas for turning garage into a sewing room?
02-03-2014, 08:38 PM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,118
I'm using a bay of one of our garages now, and have been for 3 years. I have just now started to organize it so that the space is used more efficiently. Also, I now know that the concrete floor is impossible to keep clean. Even after I sweep or vacuum, there is dust on it, and, of course, my quilts find it or it finds them.
DH and I went to Lowes and bought a 12 x 14 piece of vinyl flooring and rolled it onto the floor. We put double sticky tape on the ends to hold it down. It's lighter in color than the cement floor, and looks so much better!
Best of all, I can use a dust mop to clean up the lint! I even bought a 'special' dust mop that will only be used in there. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I told him that he doesn't have to understand why I bought it, he just has to NEVER use it anywhere but on that vinyl floor. When he 'borrows' things, I usually have to hunt for them because he forgets to put them back where he found them. We all know that I've never done that with his stuff - yeah, sure, LOL!
I'm lucky that the garage is both heated and air conditioned, has a full sized window and the walls are finished. There's even a full bath in the garage. If I put a bed, a dorm fridge and a microwave in it, I could lalmost live in it.
DH and I went to Lowes and bought a 12 x 14 piece of vinyl flooring and rolled it onto the floor. We put double sticky tape on the ends to hold it down. It's lighter in color than the cement floor, and looks so much better!
Best of all, I can use a dust mop to clean up the lint! I even bought a 'special' dust mop that will only be used in there. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I told him that he doesn't have to understand why I bought it, he just has to NEVER use it anywhere but on that vinyl floor. When he 'borrows' things, I usually have to hunt for them because he forgets to put them back where he found them. We all know that I've never done that with his stuff - yeah, sure, LOL!
I'm lucky that the garage is both heated and air conditioned, has a full sized window and the walls are finished. There's even a full bath in the garage. If I put a bed, a dorm fridge and a microwave in it, I could lalmost live in it.
02-03-2014, 08:42 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North-Central Indiana
Posts: 4,909
I'm using a bay of one of our garages now, and have been for 3 years. I have just now started to organize it so that the space is used more efficiently. Also, I now know that the concrete floor is impossible to keep clean. Even after I sweep or vacuum, there is dust on it, and, of course, my quilts find it or it finds them.
DH and I went to Lowes and bought a 12 x 14 piece of vinyl flooring and rolled it onto the floor. We put double sticky tape on the ends to hold it down. It's lighter in color than the cement floor, and looks so much better!
Best of all, I can use a dust mop to clean up the lint! I even bought a 'special' dust mop that will only be used in there. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I told him that he doesn't have to understand why I bought it, he just has to NEVER use it anywhere but on that vinyl floor. When he 'borrows' things, I usually have to hunt for them because he forgets to put them back where he found them. We all know that I've never done that with his stuff - yeah, sure, LOL!
I'm lucky that the garage is both heated and air conditioned, has a full sized window and the walls are finished. There's even a full bath in the garage. If I put a bed, a dorm fridge and a microwave in it, I could lalmost live in it.
DH and I went to Lowes and bought a 12 x 14 piece of vinyl flooring and rolled it onto the floor. We put double sticky tape on the ends to hold it down. It's lighter in color than the cement floor, and looks so much better!
Best of all, I can use a dust mop to clean up the lint! I even bought a 'special' dust mop that will only be used in there. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I told him that he doesn't have to understand why I bought it, he just has to NEVER use it anywhere but on that vinyl floor. When he 'borrows' things, I usually have to hunt for them because he forgets to put them back where he found them. We all know that I've never done that with his stuff - yeah, sure, LOL!
I'm lucky that the garage is both heated and air conditioned, has a full sized window and the walls are finished. There's even a full bath in the garage. If I put a bed, a dorm fridge and a microwave in it, I could lalmost live in it.
02-03-2014, 08:49 PM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,118
Chasing Hawks Ideas are good for the walls. Insulation will be a key factor in your comfort. Instead of heavy drywall, though, I would get some inexpensive paneling and put that up. That's much lighter in weight and therefore more manageable as a do-it-yourself project. Around the windows, get some insulbright or foam insulation and wrap it with fabric, then fasten it around the windows as a frame. Make sure you like the fabric as it will be there as long as you use the garage for your sewing room! You could even get a fabric that looks like wood grain, which would make it less noticeable.
02-03-2014, 08:53 PM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,118
Good idea! You're right. And it would make it easier to spot when he uses it in spite of the hot pink duct tape!
I've had to put a permanent marker 'reminder' on my dustpan in hopes that it makes him return it. We've got three of them, but I can't find the other two. So far, the reminder has worked, but it's only been 6 months...
I've had to put a permanent marker 'reminder' on my dustpan in hopes that it makes him return it. We've got three of them, but I can't find the other two. So far, the reminder has worked, but it's only been 6 months...
02-04-2014, 03:30 AM
#47
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,536
Well, Im back - the original poster of this sewing room/garage makeover. When I bought the house, the seller told me that the temp was consistent year 'round and they never needed a heater or air conditioner.......uhhhhh......NOT the case. With this winter, I could hang a deer in there - it is soooooooooooooooo cold! It has been painted - took about 4 to 5 coats to cover. Had to move in all my sewing treasures and just wonder how I am going to finish the floors!! This move has cost me MUCH more that I had anticipated (DANG).......................I need a man...............You have so many great ideas - I hope I can do some of them - my floor to ceiling shelf ideas to hold the totes and get them off the floor might have to fall by the wayside - - - - is Spring going to come this year or will we get summer in May like last year??..................this is depressing - I think I will have a cupcake for now and take a nap......................
02-04-2014, 10:22 AM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,118
Sad to say, moving always costs more than expected.
The winter we have been enduring this year is particularly COLD, certainly not typical. Since it is so cold in the garage, I suggest that you install some kind of radiant heat in the floor. It'll cost more initially, but the garage will be usable in the winter. I'd say hot water radiant heat, but then you have to install some kind of water heater. If you can afford to put a tile floor in, you can put electric radiant heat in. If that's too expensive for the entire room, then put some kind of radiant heat where you sew and/or in the most used path around the room. That's what I plan to do when we remove the ugly carpet from our bedroom and replace it with a beautiful hardwood.
I've read that some people have used insulbright as backing on curtains to block the cold and the heat and that it works well. You could also make a little foot warmer bag (with insulbright batting) to use when sewing.
The winter we have been enduring this year is particularly COLD, certainly not typical. Since it is so cold in the garage, I suggest that you install some kind of radiant heat in the floor. It'll cost more initially, but the garage will be usable in the winter. I'd say hot water radiant heat, but then you have to install some kind of water heater. If you can afford to put a tile floor in, you can put electric radiant heat in. If that's too expensive for the entire room, then put some kind of radiant heat where you sew and/or in the most used path around the room. That's what I plan to do when we remove the ugly carpet from our bedroom and replace it with a beautiful hardwood.
I've read that some people have used insulbright as backing on curtains to block the cold and the heat and that it works well. You could also make a little foot warmer bag (with insulbright batting) to use when sewing.
02-09-2014, 07:46 AM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Jeffersonville, In
Posts: 2,621
If you have a Habitat Restore in your area, check them out for cabinets, flooring etc. Also, in our area, we have several flea markets that carry building materials cheaper. Painting the floor seems like a good option. My friends had their garage floor epoxied but it was pretty pricey.
Good luck with all your renovations.
Good luck with all your renovations.
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