Project: Garage Office/Workshop Thread

[Matt-Page]

So after finishing the Plasterboarding, I was then away for just over a week, but whilst away my brother had been around a few times making a start on the tape and joining. He's done a bit before so had a good idea on the best methods. We then decided to rub back all the filler and give the room a quick coat of paint to make it easier to see where needed extra filling, etc:

Quick coat of paint:

Fingers crossed it looks pretty good in daylight, but should be able to see the bits that need filling easier. Plan is to finish any filling tomorrow, then another quick coat of paint. Will then be:

• Flooring - Considering Laminate/LVT/LFT/Vinyl - Which would work best with an office chair? I don't want to be changing it after a year due to it fading/wearing under the chair
• Skirting/Architrave - White MDF I think.
• Door lining & Door - Solid door (did consider windowed door but don't think it would be a nice view into a garage!
• Second fix Electric for sockets/downlights (4x LED ones on a dimmer switch)
• Second fix for Network
• Paint - final coat
• Plasterboard outside wall
• Finished???

Starting to look like an actual room now.

Please post any questions/feedback!

 

[Matt-Page]

Minor progress - Gave the room another coat of paint. Made a huge difference and looks good in daylight:

I'm now negotiating with my friend that does flooring to get this doen ASAP. He's convinced me to go gluedown LVT and am awaiting some samples so I can choose a colour. He's said despite the flooring being flat/smooth he will want to put down some marine ply first. Adds to the cost but he's stated it will be much better.

Can then continue with the below:

• Skirting/Architrave - White MDF I think.
• Door lining & Door - Solid door (did consider windowed door but don't think it would be a nice view into a garage!
• Second fix Electric for sockets/downlights (4x LED ones on a dimmer switch)
• Second fix for Network
• Paint - final coat
• Plasterboard outside wall
• Purchase Desk (Electric height adjustable desk frame + Worktop/desktop)
• Finished???

 

[Matt-Page]

Looking good, am surprised the joins don't show without fully plastering.

If it were me I'd consider some uPVC skirting since it's forever maintenance free.

Yep, can't see them at all anymore.

I've never done it this way either, but from what I'm told its not very much a done method to save on drying time, etc. Lots of new builds have it. I guess it depends how well you can fill/sand it though.

 

[Matt-Page]

It probably helps that it's white as it reflects the light and doesn't highlight imperfections as much which is probably why new builds are often off white. It's fine for a garage room, I don't really approve of it inside a house as ours isn't done great, harder for it not to show on big expanse like along a staircase where the light catches it side on.

I was also not convinced before this. However I did some research and it seems to be quite a widely used method now. You can turn a room around much quicker and have it ready for decoration quicker without a massive tone of moisture to have to dry out first, etc. Looking at some of the videos on YouTube, people do it in large/premium quality rooms.

Will wait and see once it's finished how well it does.

 

[Matt-Page]

Right bit of an update.... Electrician came and did the second fix this morning:

So all sockets are now live and the 4x LED spot lights are in and working.

Then this evening my friend came round and fitted some Vinyl flooring:

I've been pushing the last couple of weeks to get this finished, so I went with what my friend had in stock. LVT was my preference but the stuff he had was too dark and lighter shades would have taken time to order in. I was tempted by Carpet tiles but again, the ones he had weren't great. Regardless, it looks light and fresh. Pleased with the result.

So next on the list is:

• Plasterboard outside wall
  
• Skirting/Arcitrave/Door Lining & Door
• Second Fix Network sockets/Patch Panel/Switch
• Run external direct bury CAT6 Cable (need to dig a small trench for this about 30m long and go in through the side of the garage wall to patch panel)
• Fit Window sill/board
• Final coat of paint on walls + paint wood work

Will try to get the network stuff done this weekend if I get some time. Never terminated Network cables before/done patch panel punchdowns so am a bit nervous about doing this and it being done well. Fingers crossed I can do it.

I've also ordered my standing desk frame/motors and worktop. Will post details on that.

Any feedback/suggestions welcome.

 

[Matt-Page]

Update...

I have now terminated the CAT6 into the wall sockets:

Probably not the best job in the world, but like most things with this project, it is the first time I have done it.
I stupidly bought Shielded cable which I haven't grounded or used Shielded modules, etc. I didn't realise until after I had done it. Fingers crossed I don't get any issues with it as changing them would be a right pain in the arse.

I have also fitted my mini comms cabinet to the Garage side of the room, so now need to terminate all the cables to it and setup the switch, etc.

The Door lining is in, Door is hung (still need to fit lock latch & handles), Skirting and Arcitrave is also fitted. These all now need painting but I think its starting to complete the room now:

So next on the list is:

• Fit Door lock/latch & Handle
• Fit Door Stop
• Paint Woodwork (Skirting, Architrave, Door, Door liner, etc)
• Fit a Window Sill/Board (Any recommendations here? Was thinking wood, but could go PVC??)
• Final bit of filling/sanding on walls + Final coat of paint
• Find a Wi-Fi Panel heater (the ones I've looked at online have mixed/poor reviews) & Fit to backwall
• Terminate CAT6 into patch panel + Fit switch, etc
• Terminate CAT6 in ceiling to a plug ready for Wi-Fi AP

On the side I'll also start work on my desk. The Oat worktop has arrived for that (2000x720x27mm) so that needs oiling. Once done it can be fitted to my desk frame Flexispot E6).

Once everything inside the office is done and operational, I'll focus my attention on the Garage side which needs the other side of the wall plaster boarding and a bit of a tidy up.

Any feedback/advice welcome!

 

[Matt-Page]

Might be a bit late now, but assuming the wall sockets are MK logic plus I’d have used the matching euro module faceplates for your CAT6 ports just to keep it all looking nice

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK0182.html

You might be able to just swap the faceplates over if your modules are a good colour match but to do it properly you’d probably need to swap the modules over as well now which may be too much effort!

Yep, the LAN socket/face plates did annoy me once I fitted them. They look a bit naff next to the sockets. I think I'll look to replace them once the room is finished and I'm using it. I may ask the original supplier that supplied the sockets and the modules if they have any.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Matt-Page]

I agree with keeping it matching, certainly the mixed sqaure corners and round corners is a little jarring! Though the mains accessories look to be Click Mode rather than MK, though click do a good range of data plates as well, so isn't a problem

Thanks. Yep as above I'll look to change them in the future once the room is complete. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Matt-Page]

The ethernet cabling would have been better if you could have routed it down the sides of the pattress boxes so the cables could be brought up into each.

The wires should be terminated as short as possible too without excess showing and the jacket cable tied to the fixing point.

Yep, as above, this is the first time I have done this. Some mistakes have been made. I am going to finish terminating the cables and test it to see how it is. If there are any issues I will look to redo the wall terminations again.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Matt-Page]

UPDATE:

This week I have been focusing on finishing lots of jobs off. Finishing hanging the door and fitting the latch/lock and then painting. Lots of sanding and painting! I only really get a chance to do this late at night, and despite the weather I've gone out each evening and cracked on.

Masking the floor around the skirting was a real PITA! The skirting was too tight to the floor to get masking tape under it (lesson learn for if/when I do this sort of thing again) so I had to spend a fair bit of time getting the masking tape nice and tight to the skirting without overlapping it, or leaving a gap. The masking tape I was using was also quite old and didn't adhere very well. Anyway, eventually I did it, and then due to paranoia about the floor decided to make a floor covering with some of my left over vapour barrier:

With everything covered over I decided to prime all of the wood work with its first coat of water based primer. This went on surprisingly well and was easy to work with. I did the Door frame, Door, Architrave and the Skirting.

After that I spent a couple of hours sanding/keying the walls, floor, and all wood work with a sanding pad. With everything sanded I then had a good hoover around the room including the ceiling and walls. I then wiped everything down with a damp cloth before water based priming everything again for its second coat.

I then had another cleanup before putting on the final coat of emulsion onto the ceiling and walls. With that drying I put the first coat of top coat onto all the wood work. I only gave the Skirting and arcitrave one coat of top coat, but the door frame and edge of doors got 2 coats. Despite getting out to the room at about 23:00 I stuck at it and finished it last night.

I was pleased with how it all looked, and managed to hone my cutting in skills to get some nice starlight(ish) lines:

I left this to dry overnight, before this morning removing the floor covering/masking tape/etc. In the daylight the paint work looked good and dried back nicely:

So the room itself is now pretty much done!

With cold weather coming in again next week, I'm now going to focus on getting the desk top oiled and the desk setup and ready for use. The Oak desk to has arrived, but needs at least 2 coats of Oil (got some Osmo Top oil) and needs sanding first and around 8 hours between coats! Do people recommend doing the oiling with a paint brush or some lint free rag? I've got both but seen conflicting opinions on it!

Once the desk is setup and ready to use, I'll focus on the garage side which still needs the CAT6 terminating in the patch panel in the cabinet which I've put up on the wall ready. The Garage side of the wall also needs plaster boarding, painting, skirting, architrave, etc.

 

[Matt-Page]

UPDATE:

With the room itself now complete, it was time to focus on the Desk and stuff for inside the room. I started off by oiling the 2000 x 720 x 27 Oak Worktop. It needed 3x coats of my chosen oil (Osmo Top Oil). Although the process is simple, waiting 8x hours for it to dry between flipping it/re-coating is painfully slow. I could basically do 1x coat in the morning, and then another in the evening.

After doing 1x coat on the top side, I flipped it and did 3x coats on the underside and edges. I was then itching to assemble the desk and get it mounted to see what it would be like, and also oiling at an adjustable height is MUCH easier than crouching on the floor and doing it! So here is the desk assembled and the motors wired up, but with the top side needing a further 2x coats:

It looked great, so I did the remaining 2x coats yesterday, and then this morning I quickly set the desk up so that I could use it for the day:

So today has been rather good to be sat in a nice warm room, and not a damp cold garage!

Although I can now thankfully use the room, lots more still to do:

• Mount Wifi Heater on the wall (I got a second hand 1000W ADAX Wi-Fi off of the auction site) - Can anyone recommend some decent plasterboard fixings? I've used some terrible ones in the past!
• Finish terminating the CAT6 in the cabinet (currently using a Powerline Adapter which is fine for work)
• Run direct burial CAT6 cable from house to Garage network cabinet
• Install and setup POE Switch
• Terminal CAT6 and plug into ceiling mounted AP
• Potentially mount a TV above desk...

Then I need to focus on the garage side to get rid of the excess materials and get back some space for storage/workshop:

• Plasterboard garage side wall
• Fit Architrave to garage side wall
• Maybe tape and join or just paint... Not sure yet
• Re-instate some workbenches
• Tidy and put up some shelves/racking for storage

Feel free to offer some feedback/suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Matt-Page]

You might find it more comfortable if you face the window to avoid reflections on the monitors.

Thanks, I did consider facing that way, but like it this way. No glare yet, but am planning to fit a blind. Sun doesn't directly shine through that window until the end of the day.

Fixings:
If the heater is wider than the vertical stud uprights you could fix a piece of wood horizontally with it mounted to the vertical stud supports. Use a piece of wood large enough to accommodate the heater bracket height. If the bracket doesn't span the width of the vertical studs then you could fix the bracket on one side through the horizontal piece of wood and vertical stud.

Alternatively you could buy some cuttable raw plug type fixing lengths and attach to an outside wall as long as it's not over tightened to crush the plasterboard. Ideally at least one side of the bracket should be screwed through a vertical upright to avoid crushing the plasterboard.

If the heater isn't too heavy you could also use metal anchor fixings that grip the back of the plasterboard.

Only just fitted this today. I had some of the screw in plasterboard fixings already, and with the heater not being too heavy I gave them a go. Seems to have held well, but I used different screws in the metal screw in plugs as the ones provided are too long, and once they get to the end of the plug, they start to turn it and widen the hole... Can't understand why they provide screws too long unless what you are fixing is quite thick. The metal plate for the heater is only a couple of mm thick. Anyway its on the wall now and seems solid so will see how it goes. Thanks for the advice.

TV:
You'd be better off fixing that to the end wall so you can swivel to one side to watch it and not have to fit it so high up since it wouldn't be that far away from you.

I've not done anymore about the TV yet, but as I put a socket for it up above where my desk is, I'll probably still go for there. I will get a mount that allows it to tilt downwards so I can see it . To be honest it will only be used rarely, perhaps to glance at F1 Practice Sessions, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Matt-Page]

Other than use the room for work, I've not really done much else. It's been really nice to use these past few weeks and much nicer than sitting in a bare/cold garage. It's been a real luxury and a good place to be.

I have however wall mounted the Wi-Fi heater:

Only wall mounted it and wired it up today. It seems to heat the room up quickly, but I've not done the CAT6 termination/Cable from the house/Wi-Fi AP yet, so ned to turn it on at the switch, which I can just about cope with!


I have also fitted a third monitor which I got from work, but its a slightly newer model and marginally smaller than the current ones, so I'm gonna need to change it and then finalise the cabling so it is tidier.

The room itself is pretty much finished, but is looking a bit bare.... I'm planning to install a few floating shelves and maybe a Kallax unit and/or some under desk drawers to store stuff in.

So, still some more to do, but I'm gonna try and focus on getting the garage side finished now:

• Plasterboard garage side wall (hopefully next weekend)
• Fit Architrave/Skirting to garage side wall (have some left over)
• Maybe tape and join or just paint the walls... Not sure yet
• Re-instate some workbenches
• Tidy and put up some shelves/racking for storage

Misc jobs:

• Finish terminating the CAT6 in the cabinet (currently using a Powerline Adapter which is fine for work)
• Run direct burial CAT6 cable from house to Garage network cabinet
• Install and setup POE Switch
• Terminal CAT6 and plug into ceiling mounted AP
• Potentially mount a TV above desk...

 

[Matt-Page]

Looks great but as you say needs some personality adding, get some pictures on the walls or add a splash of colour.

Yep, once the garage side is done I'll look to putting up some pictures and some floating shelves for my Lego cars, etc. May also get a peg board to hang some stuff off of and also a plant or 2. I have 0 skills in deciding on things like that, so will get the Mrs to decide on that. I'm very minimalist!

 

[Matt-Page]

It is loking like a very good use of space! Did you end up finding a way to affix your DPM?

In the end I put some CT1 Hybrid sealant on the back of the DPM, then pushed it on to wall and re-gorilla taped it. It's still up as far as I know so have tried to forget about it.

In hindsight I probably should have pinned it to the wall with some batten, but I was concerned if the wall got wet it would rust the nail/track along it and through the DPM. Probably better/proper ways to achieve it, but I'm an amateur with little experience!

 

[Matt-Page]

Having worked at home for the past 7 years, I would find that office way too sterile. You need a lot more stimulus in there, plants, pictures, books, TV, music. I also face the wall and have no problem with it (my window is on my left). I do enjoy having a hifi in my office and play music / listen to streaming radio between meetings. I have a TV which often streams BBC news (with subtitles). Overall you have done a really nice job, but remember the 20/20/20 rule - every 20 minutes you should try and look at something at least 20m away for at least 20 seconds. Every 2 hours you should get up from your desk and walk around for 5-10 minutes. YMMV

Thanks for the tips, all sound advice. I do use my Bluetooth headphones for music most of the day, but plan to address the other points to make it a nicer place to be once I finish the garage side.

 

[Matt-Page]

Looking very nice, how are you finding that heater and may I ask what model it is?

I've got a small electric fan heater in my office which I've been meaning to replace for ages but never got around to it.

Hi, the heater is an Adax WiFi heater (https://adax-solaire.co.uk/product/adax-neo-wifi-electric-convection-radiator-panel-heater/).

Works well, gets the room up to temp quickly and the insulation keeps it in there. Very pleased with it. It's the 1000w model. I used to use a 2000w Oil filled heater in wheels that was also pretty good, but this one consumes less electric and doesn't take up floor space.

I got mine second hand off of eBay, as they are quite expensive new. I paid about £70 for mine and is in perfect condition. Also offers WiFi connectivity so you can turn it on remotely and set schedules, etc.

 

[Matt-Page]

Love this thread.

I'll be converting my entire garage into a room. You have given me much to think about.

how much did this all cost you if you don't mind me asking?

I still need to total it up, but as I did it all myself and my brother, all the costs were in materials.

If you have any questions, give me a shout. I did lots of research before starting and during.

 

[Matt-Page]

I have a house brick exterior and breeze block inside my garage. So I presume I can get away with minimal insulation.
I was hoping to put up insulated plasterboard on the inside and have it skimmed.
Sockets on wall mounted unsung boxes.

Any reason why I can't do the above?

Hi, so are you saying it's double skinned with a cavity? Any sides of the garage on the house side? If so they will probably already be insulated... Some pics would help.

 

[Matt-Page]

Yes, double skinned.

I'll get some photos

Sorry, just seen your reply. Wheres the photos or have you done your own thread? Made any progress?