Subdividing a garage with a single 18' door?

[StephenM]

We have an oversized 2 car garage but it only has one 18' door. My shop lives in 1/2 and my wife's van, yard equipment, etc. lives on the other side. I have the ceiling over the shop drywalled but not the part over the other side. My wife would like a wall put up to keep projects from spilling over to her side of the garage (when making bookcases, mantles, etc. assembly suddenly moves to where there's more space.

I figured I could put up a full height wall up to the opener and then step it down to ~7' tall wall so it's just a couple of inches shorter than the door and then put some sort of short vinyl curtains (like you see in ware houses) between the ceiling and the top of the wall to keep the heat in but would be pushed out of the way by the garage door as it opens and closes. The shorter section would only be about 7' long so it shouldn't be too wobbly.

Right now switching over to 2 doors isn't an option nor is her not being able to use the garage.

Anyone have any other ideas on how to accomplish this?

 

[OOPS]

Do you need to have your entire section of the garage heated all the time? If not, I have seen set-ups using heavy vinyl curtains or even several shower curtains put together to section off a portion of the garage where the work is being done. When needed, the heat can be moved to the other section of the garage, if its portable, or the vinyl can just be moved out of the way. This system, while not heating your whole shop at once, avoids problems with the garage door opener.

I hope this helps, or stimulates ideas of your own.

 

[GoodTurns]

https://www.zipwall.com/

not affiliated in any way, but this is a useful product and might offer a little more flexibility than sheetrock. Will hold in the dust (very well) and heat (somewhat).

 

[beck3906]

What type of garage door do you have? Is it the kind that uses a track attached to the ceeiling?

 

[StephenM]

Yes, track is attached to the ceiling.

SHE wants something more or less permanent because she knows me too well and knows that if I have the opportunity to "suddenly need the extra space", I'll utilize it.

 

[hazmat74]

Why not build a full wall as you described, then step down to a half sized wall. Do you need it to be a full 7'? I would think at something like 5' or even 4' you'd eliminate the potential of being seduced to spill over into her side. The extra space between the top of the wall and the point at which you need to stop for the clearance of the door track and motor could be built into some extra storage for the shop side.

 

[mredburn]

I take it building a separate shop from the house is not in the picture.

 

[plantman]

Steve; What if you put up a wall down the center of the garage up to the opener, than run another wall across the middle of your area and add 2 swinging doors in this section. This should give you a 12 X 10 inclosed area to heat and work in. If you need extra space, or the weather is nice, just open the doors. You could also store some of your yard equipment in that side if need be. This would avoid the garage door opener all together. A happy wife is a happy shop !!! Make sure whatever you do that you have good air circulation in your area. Jim S

 

[MarkD]

Think vertical.
A garage Batman would envy | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews

 

[Haynie]

Man Up!!! Explain to your wife that you are the man, you are the boss. If you need space to finish/sand/assemble then she will have to move her van with a smile on her face.......:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


Okay okay, back to reality. My experience says you will always need more room for those big projects. but the boss has spoken. Build the wall, but explain to her that the big projects will continue to spill into the garage on occasion. Then explain that you will be a good boy and not leave them there.

 

[alphageek]

How about putting a track in parallel with the opener track and doing a sliding wall for that part? I'm picturing a "barn door" like this, but bigger:

EPBOT: Make Your Own Sliding Barn Door - For Cheap!

You could build a real wall for the back half the garage. Track near the ceiling and/or the floor for the movable part of the wall?

Then if you ever do switch out the door for 2 doors you can complete the wall then.

(just brainstorming)

 

[StephenM]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. Here are some pictures to make it a bit clearer. The first 3 are the garage today. The last one was what it looked like yesterday (and for most of the summer - what prompted the wall discussion...)

Her van goes right up to the drywall t-square in the middle of the picture and the wall would extend out from that towards the bandsaw and then turn 90 degrees just about where the pile of curvy 2x4s are located and come down towards the opener. It would be about a foot behind the opener in the third picture.

If I keep getting commissions for building new pieces and restoring old pieces, then we'll go ahead and put in 2 doors and divide it right down the middle. I'll also build a shed in the back attached to the garage for lawn mower, generator, yard tools, etc. and the bikes and remodeling tools can go to the dark cave on the right side of the pictures) But, she wants a solid year of work to justify the expense (what happens when you marry an MBA who negotiates contracts for a living).

 

[Swagopenturner]

How about a low (6 or 7') wall on wheels? That way if you do need the room before the year is up, you can get it. It is not permanent as your wife might want it, but it might keep your garage from looking like the fourth picture.