I figured I would start a build thread for the detached garage/workshop/train room we are having built. I spent about 10 years planning until I came up with a design that met all my criteria.
My basic requirements for the garage/workshop/train room:
• Air conditioned Train Layout Room (Basically no basements in Central Florida). Train room was designed to fit the 28x32 HO gauge layout I have been designing over the last 3-4 years.
• Store 21 ft bay boat (28’ overall on trailer). 12 ft wide garage door for boat. Currently takes up 2 bays in existing (attached) garage.
• Full size SUV
• Tool/Woodworking shop area with room to handle 4x8 sheets of plywood without moving vehicles.
• Organized storage space for all the current boating/fishing/diving equipment
• Air conditioned Workshop (for model building, ammunition reloading, and other hobbies)
• Bathroom (toilet/utility sink/shower)
• Storage Trusses (for storing light objects (
I didn’t understand the mouse ears on the track plan until I saw you were in east central Florida. [:)]
sorry, couldn’t resist.
I do like your use of the mushroom concept. I also wish you had asked earlier as one of the best ideas I’ve seen for a purpose built train roon was using plywood on the walls instead of drywall so you can attach virtually anything anywhere.
Onewolf, Congrats on having a beautiful purpose built space for your layout. Looks like you’ll have a beautiful layout as well. Invite me over for an operating session when you are done. Keep posting pics of your progress. Good luck Derek
. I also wish you had asked earlier as one of the best ideas I’ve seen for a purpose built train roon was using plywood on the walls instead of drywall so you can attach virtually anything anywhere.
It really looks like a great space.
With the existing building codes as well as the HOA, I doubt plywood in lieu of drywall wood be permitted due to flame spread. Perhaps with drywall over the plywood. In the 50s US Steel packaged small ranch houses, approx 1000 sq ft, with plywood walls. I saw several burn. Occupants could barely get out fast enough.
Wow! Looking over your photos and bang there is a video to watch, so you drew me in. You guys who are so tech. savvy blow me away with what you know how to do! The volume on my sound system was a tad high! So, when the music started it scared the B-jeebers out of me!
Good luck! You have wonderful place to play with your trains!
Getting closer. Electricians have installed on the outlets, fixtures, etc. They used an extension cord from the house to test all the 120V circuits. Electrical inspection scheduled for tomorrow. When inspection passes FPL will hookup 200AMP service from the street. Here are some pictures taken while they were testing the light circuits.
All the fluoresecent light bulbs in the detached garage are Maxlite T8 6500K Daylight 3200 (initial) Lumen bulbs. The garage area has two independent light zones so not all 1.21GW of lighting has to be on/off at the same time.
Train Layout Room - The train room has 13 ceiling light fixtures. The lights in the train room may seem to have an ‘interesting’ pattern, but it will all make sense once the layout benchwork is constructed.
“Set the Wayback Machine for the late Transition Era, Sherman!”
I view my layout as a time machine, actually, because it takes me back to my youth like nothing else can do.
I laughed at the line about the gigawatts of lighting. Nice bright flourescents and lots of them in a white room with white ceilings and floors? Yeah, bring your sunglasses.
I didnt notice any electrical floor outlets in the train room, or are you planning on getting 110V power to the middle of the layout some other way. Ill bet you had some fun getting the plans by the HOA. What is Seminole county assessing the building at? Nice job!
I don’t foresee needing 110V in the center platform once the benchwork, trackwork and electrical are complete and I’ll just run an extension cord during construction if required. if required I can run 110v from the ‘right’ wall into the center platform.
My wife and I spent over three years preparing the HOA board for our proposed detached garage so it was pretty much a done deal when we submitted the official request.
I am also interested to see how the county is going to feel $$$ about this addition to ‘their’ property tax base. One thing I have already noticed and need to deal with is that it shows up on the property appraiser’s office website as a $187,000 addition in 2014 but it’s only costing us about 2/3 of that.
It’s been a while since provided an update so here goes. The GC is done with his tasks and now it’s time to get started with my DIY tasks. These tasks include:
Installing an epoxy floor in the garage/woodshop
Sealing the concrete floors in the train room and model workshop
Laying carpet tile in the train room and model workshop
Installing blinds in the 4 windows
Running low voltage cables from the house to the model workshop (CAT6, RG6 (Cable TV), telephone)
Building workstation tables for the model workshop
Refinishing/repurposing bookcases for the model workshop
Installing tile floor in bathroom
The train room and model workshop floors were completely covered in paint overspray and drywall schmutz so first I used a rental Home Depot floor maintainer to grind as much of the paint off as I could.
After grinding I swept twice, vacuumed twice, and mopped twice to clean the residual dust. And then I applied Truelock B4 concrete sealer/densifier. This is the first quadrant I applied sealer to. This sealer does not look dark/wet when it dries like some sealers do. It soaks in to the concrete and helps prevent staining and dust creation as well as “densifies” the surfac e of the concrete.
After all four quadrants of the train room had the first of two coats of sealer applied. You can see the first quadrant has already almost completely dried.
One thing I have already noticed and need to deal with is that it shows up on the property appraiser’s office website as a $187,000 addition in 2014 but it’s only costing us about 2/3 of that.
so first I used a rental Home Depot floor maintainer to grind as much of the paint off as I could.
