Garage workshop - letting the light in

[Bodgers]

I am now getting to the point with this hobby where I am looking at working a little more with hand tools for finessing/finishing, whereas previously I was concentrating almost all on powertools.

I've done the basics in my garage workshop to make it workable light wise - decent lighting, painted the walls white etc. It is an OK size garage for a newer build as well.

But now I need natural light. I can open the garage door, but, the weather isn't exactly the best in North England; snow in late April

First idea is to do some skylights/velux windows, which I will do eventually when I get around to sorting the stuff out in the eves and plaster boarding the ceiling. I have limited options on the walls. The right wall ajoins next door's garage, the back wall I really need for all the tool hanging space/cabinets. Which leaves the left wall, which faces the garden. I have options there, but we have a Virginia creeper growing on the outside wall which needs sorting + negotiations with the wife.

So, next target is the garage door itself. I was thinking of making (most likely buy given current time constraints and projects) something like this with windows in the top row and a split entry door:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... GB&alt=web

Can anyone give any advice on

- planning permission requirements(house is only 6 years old and homes in the area all have similar doors to my current white steel up and over)

- Coatings/Treatments for weather proofing (It is redwood pine). Final colour will be white.

- Current door frame is steel, so I will have to construct a new one - what would be the best way to approach that?

- Any ways to improve the insulation of a solid pine door...


Opnions welcome...

Thank you








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[DaveyP]

Maybe a lot easier, cheaper and in keeping with the area to add 'windows' to your existing steel up and over door.

 

[Bodgers]

Maybe a lot easier, cheaper and in keeping with the area to add 'windows' to your existing steel up and over door.

Hmm, time/money involved in angle grinding window cuttings, fitting panes and the end result?...hmmm not so sure

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[undergroundhunter]

As far as I'm aware (I'm no expert) planning wont come in to it as its not a new structure. I would however fit frosted glass, that way you can let light in but keep prying eyes out. Insulation wise where the doors are panelled the back side will create somewhere to put insulation,
this kind of shows what I mean http://i0.wp.com/www.woodworkersuk.co.uk/images/blog/garage-doors-external-one-side-only.jpg?w=590.

matt

 

[Jacob]

Velux skylights are brilliant. You get very much more light than you would from a window of the same size - and it's in the right place: above. Easy to fit and have drainage weepholes so will act as a de-humidifier.
Should be definite first choice.

PS skylights (and windows for that matter) are better with splayed reveals, particularly if you are going to have thick walls/ceiling with insulation.

 

[deema]

Roof lights have many advantages, they allow more light in as they are exposed to the track of the sun for longer and by being overhead they produce a flatter light that bounces of the walls producing less shadows. I would not put windows in the walls or doors and focus on inserting as many roof lights as possible. There may be more options that the Velux route depending on the type of roof you have.

 

[rafezetter]

I would agree with jacob on that, however another alternative that requires less installation work is a solatube - (sun tunnel / light tunnel etc) from what I hear, although obviously not as good for larger volume light as a velux, they are much easier to install. (unless you have ceramic / concrete "shaped" tiles like double romans - flat tiles or slate is not too bad)

Even though your roof is probably not very thick, you could have the option of having the tube sit directly over the area you wish to illuminate as point light, and even add a velux or two later down the road.

http://www.solatube.co.uk/

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I had a similar problem with a garage workshop. Not only lack of light, but a steel up and over door acted as a 6 x 6 radiator in summer (south facing) and provided no insulation in winter enhanced by a gentle breeze around the edges of the door.

In our case the door was replaced with a 3 ft wall with frosted opening windows over. Suddenly it was warm and during the day far more pleasant a working space. I appreciate you may need to retain some sort of door but the warmth and working environment will be massively improved with better insulation.

You should not need planning permission or building regs inspection unless it is a conservation area or similar. But if it is a new house you may need to check your deeds as these sometimes restrict changes to ensure a coherent style to the development.

 

[Bodgers]

Thanks for the replies. Yep the velux windows will definitely happen, just got to get the ceiling sorted first. Interesting info about the tubes, will look into that.

I think with it being a newer area I seem to remember some 'local ordinances' of some sort that govern the look of stuff, but I seem to remember it covering only the windows and doors on the house - will check though in the deeds.

I think if I match the colour of the door to the old it should be ok.

Any suggestions on improving the insulation of a wood door? Would it be worth backing it with foam board or something? I suppose seals on the door edges are more important...


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[sunnybob]

A much cheaper idea would be to change all your lighting to led and specify the colour range as "northlight"

If you have flourescents now, you can get northlight tubes for them as well.

You will be amazed at how much easier it is to work under that lighting.

 

[Bodgers]

Already have multiple LED strips from LEDHut and a couple of daylight temp CCFLS.

Much better than CCFLs, but not the same as real daylight. Far from it.



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[ED65]

Already have multiple LED strips from LEDHut and a couple of daylight temp CCFLS.

Much better than CCFLs, but not the same as real daylight. Far from it.

It doesn't have to be identical to be workable.

I was going to suggest going the alternate route, adding more artificial lighting. People working in basements often have to rely on this obviously so it is a workable solution.

Because of the variability of natural light I've long been a fan of a full-on artificial lighting scheme anyway, very useful that it makes no difference whether it's 2 in the afternoon on a July weekend or 4am any day of the year You just have to add enough lights so the lux level is high enough. If the main difficulty is with the colour of the light, or in colour rendering, then lighting with a higher CRI must be sourced, or a mixture of lights used to balance out.

 

[Bodgers]

Already have multiple LED strips from LEDHut and a couple of daylight temp CCFLS.

Much better than CCFLs, but not the same as real daylight. Far from it.

It doesn't have to be identical to be workable.

I was going to suggest going the alternate route, adding more artificial lighting. People working in basements often have to rely on this obviously so it is a workable solution.

Because of the variability of natural light I've long been a fan of a full-on artificial lighting scheme anyway, very useful that it makes no difference whether it's 2 in the afternoon on a July weekend or 4am any day of the year You just have to add enough lights so the lux level is high enough. If the main difficulty is with the colour of the light, or in colour rendering, then lighting with a higher CRI must be sourced, or a mixture of lights used to balance out.

It isn't really a technical issue for me, more of a quality of life, not wanting to be stuck in a cave kind of thing.



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[sunnybob]

Already have multiple LED strips from LEDHut and a couple of daylight temp CCFLS.

Much better than CCFLs, but not the same as real daylight. Far from it.



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Daylight lamps are warm white. You need NORTHLIGHT which is more towards the blue spectrum. This is what artists use in studios that dont have enough natural light. Any aquatic shop can sell you a northlight tube so you can just try one. they are used to make fish feel they are in more natural surroundings. I've been in a room lit by northlight, and truly believed there was no artificial lighting turned on.

 

[stuartpaul]

I changed my metal up and over to wooden with windows. The extra light made a huge difference.

However, as others have said rooflights provide more and better light so if you can I'd go for those.

The cheapest way to insulate the door is to fix extratherm (or similar) as a sort of 'wall' or similar in front of the door. Fit in a way that allows easy removal for getting stuff in and out and of course when you sell.