DIY guru's / builders advice please - creating a storage 'mezzanine' level in my garage...

H

HalifaxSeagull

Active member

Aug 24, 2010

772

• Jun 29, 2013

• #1

Totally OT...

I've recently moved house and have a 2 car width garage with a 1 and a 1/2 height ceiling. I'm considering creating a mezzanine level to store fairly light items up off the floor - kids toys, boxes of clothes etc.

What's the best way of doing it? The wall either side are breeze block. Do injust get some wall brackets, bolt them in well and get 3 or 4 evenly spaced long pieces of timber and clamp them in? Or will I need to put some sort of support up from the garage floor up the beem as they cross? Is there a maximum length of beam that you can have without an upright support?

Any other ideas / hints etc welcome!

 

Lord Bracknell

On fire

Jul 5, 2003

39,499

104 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair

• Jun 29, 2013

• #2

You could cut out all the building work and just pile up a load of junk from floor level, up to roof level.

It's how I manage my garage space and has worked well for years. The only downside is the problem of finding anything.

 

H

HalifaxSeagull

Active member

Aug 24, 2010

772

• Jun 29, 2013

• Thread starter
• #3

Cheers, that's already starting to happen!!

 

B

Billy the Fish

Technocrat

Oct 18, 2005

17,496

Haywards Heath

• Jun 29, 2013

• #4

Just bang a few nails into some plywood, I'm sure it'll be fine

 

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius

Jul 21, 2003

35,300

• Jun 29, 2013

• #5

Lord Bracknell said:

You could cut out all the building work and just pile up a load of junk from floor level, up to roof level.

Click to expand...

i believe this is the reference model for solving the problem of garage storage. Shelves or old drawers/cupboards can be implemented if an advanced garage user/hoarder.

 

grubbyhands

Well-known member

Dec 8, 2011

2,285

Godalming

• Jun 29, 2013

• #6

OR, have a new 7.5 X 4.0 metre garage built and fill it full of sh*t like I've done. Still, saved me having to find anywhere to store the £12000 it cost me eh?

 

sydney

tinky ****in winky

Jul 11, 2003

17,750

town full of eejits

• Jun 29, 2013

• #7

how wide is yer garage...?

 

Lord Bracknell

On fire

Jul 5, 2003

39,499

104 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair

• Jun 29, 2013

• #8

beorhthelm said:

i believe this is the reference model for solving the problem of garage storage. Shelves or old drawers/cupboards can be implemented if an advanced garage user/hoarder.

Click to expand...

I've even added a shipping container to the storage facilities at Bracknell Towers. Parked next to the garage, it's a real boon. Next step may be a bit of a sort out, but that will require a skip.

 

R

Rowdey

Well-known member

Jul 7, 2003

2,536

Herne Hill

• Jun 29, 2013

• #9

If it was mine, (and bear in mind it might have to take your weight as you move stuff about) then either 4x2 tannelised timber (or 6x2) horizontally bolted around the walls, with matching timber making your joists across. Use Jiffy hangers to join these to the new wall beams. Space at 450mm centers, with noggins to brace out the joists.
I'd be temped to get 4x2 timber to vertically support the end's of the horizontals, mainly 'cos i'm a big lump.

 

H

HalifaxSeagull

Active member

Aug 24, 2010

772

• Jun 30, 2013

• Thread starter
• #10

Hi All, thanks for the tips.

A lad at work has just done something similar and has given me loads of joist hangers for free (I'm his boss so it came with an annual leave request at the same time - which was of course granted!)

The width of the garage is 5.2 metres.

I've been told for light storage (which it will be) I should be fine with some C16 treated 4x2 timber (or 6x2) for heavier stuff fixed in a vertical plain.

Then some 8x4 sheets of cheapish timber and Robert will be my uncle!

Will I need masonry bolts (self tapping) for drilling into breeze blocks or will I be ok with heavy duty screws with raw plugs?

Thanks again, Jim.

 

Moshe Gariani

Well-known member

Mar 10, 2005

12,071

• Jun 30, 2013

• #11

reassuring that 4x2 is involved - you can start on the new tube station next...

 

£1.99

Well-known member

Mar 3, 2008

1,191

• Jun 30, 2013

• #12

You could try something like this! I'm rubbish at DIY but managed to make this storage space which I gotta say I'm really proud of

 

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banjo

GOSBTS

Oct 25, 2011

13,244

Deep south

• Jun 30, 2013

• #13

HalifaxSeagull said:

Totally OT...

I've recently moved house and have a 2 car width garage with a 1 and a 1/2 height ceiling. I'm considering creating a mezzanine level to store fairly light items up off the floor - kids toys, boxes of clothes etc.

What's the best way of doing it? The wall either side are breeze block. Do injust get some wall brackets, bolt them in well and get 3 or 4 evenly spaced long pieces of timber and clamp them in? Or will I need to put some sort of support up from the garage floor up the beem as they cross? Is there a maximum length of beam that you can have without an upright support? View attachment 44309

Any other ideas / hints etc welcome!

Click to expand...

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-build-a-garage-storage-loft

 

R

Rowdey

Well-known member

Jul 7, 2003

2,536

Herne Hill

• Jun 30, 2013

• #14

HalifaxSeagull said:

Hi All, thanks for the tips.

A lad at work has just done something similar and has given me loads of joist hangers for free (I'm his boss so it came with an annual leave request at the same time - which was of course granted!)

The width of the garage is 5.2 metres.

I've been told for light storage (which it will be) I should be fine with some C16 treated 4x2 timber (or 6x2) for heavier stuff fixed in a vertical plain.

Then some 8x4 sheets of cheapish timber and Robert will be my uncle!

Will I need masonry bolts (self tapping) for drilling into breeze blocks or will I be ok with heavy duty screws with raw plugs?

Thanks again, Jim.

Click to expand...

Wow..5.2 meter joist run - you might struggle to find timber that will cover that in one run; mostly it's 4.8m in a timber yard.

Strictly Light storage only, then 6x2 or 8x2 overlapped (not sure how much mind, but say 2m) ideally using coach bolts and washers.

For fixing the horizontal wall runs, not so sure as carrying a fair bit of weight now with just the timber, but expansion bolts would fit the bill. Definatley get a couple of vertical runs in under the horizontal wall runs too.

Timber - i'd use 18mm WBP ply, but the cheaper shuttering ply would do too.


If it was anything other than light storage, i see (well, Googling it..) that for a 17' run, you'd need 12x2 joists for that length unsupported run..

(All advice given is theoretical, and you should seek professional advice on site before proceeding..)