I've got a 90s built garage (here in the UK) that I'd like to smarten up a bit, I've got an Imgur link here to the garage with a description of what I'd like:

But in short, I'd like to have a smooth painted wall on the wall adjoining the neighbour's garage at the least, with the possibility of doing something with the red brick walls as well. (In the hope that it'll look a bit smarter with a new floor and nice ceiling and lighting)

I was about to go and render all the walls in the garage as a giant DI-WTF when I was warned about damp issues, et al.

Which begs a question in itself; if the garage door isn't one of these state of the art hermetic seal jobs (as in, I get leaves blow in underneath in autumn), is rendering the walls really going to be a problem?

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agua_moose t1_jdsiw3o wrote on March 26, 2023 at 9:12 PM

Appreciate this doesn't answer what you've asked, but I painted my block work with a really fluffy roller and watered down white paint. It's not amazing but it brightened it up (my main goal) and looked much better. A cheap stop gap solution if nothing else.

rpcook t1_jdsn306 wrote on March 26, 2023 at 9:43 PM

Did the same. Stops dust from falling off the block / brick work.

mmmmlikedat t1_jdt5hba wrote on March 27, 2023 at 12:03 AM

Idk what the equivalent is but here in the US drylok is a popular paint for cement walls. Painting the walls and floor (I actually recommend gray since it wont mark up as easily) and new led lights to really brighten the entire space will go very far.

Muckle674 t1_jdskw8g wrote on March 26, 2023 at 9:27 PM

Painting the floor will also do wonders for the feel of the space, it'll stop dust being lifted into the air every time you walk/drive on it.

rpcook t1_jdsn5v7 wrote on March 26, 2023 at 9:43 PM

I used two part epoxy paint. Super hard wearing.

Muckle674 t1_jdssatw wrote on March 26, 2023 at 10:22 PM

Perfect, you've already got it sorted then. (It isn't obvious from the photo)

StopNowThink t1_jdtok78 wrote on March 27, 2023 at 2:41 AM

That's not OP

Adrian_Shoey t1_jdv08g4 wrote on March 27, 2023 at 12:14 PM

You have a nice little garage there. Mine was similarly dingy looking, but had the advantage of already having a boarded out ceiling - this makes a hell of a difference, especially for reflecting light down. I painted my bare brick and block walls with standard "trade" paint - think it was the trade emulsion from Wickes. Did one coat 50% water using a spray gun, then one coat over that with a big fluffy roller and a masonry brush. On it's own, this made the whole room much, much brighter and more pleasant looking. Combined with two new 6ft LED batons, it's so much nicer in there.

I also painted the floor using a two part epoxy paint - did two coats of this, after sweeping and hoovering the floor clean, and chipping and scraping off any old residue and mortar from the previous owner's use.

If the garage keeps getting leaves and other guff blown in, you can get weather seal for the threshold which fixes to the floor. Also useful if you find rain gets blown in as well.

I'm not sure how this sub is for links to Amazon, so the floor paint I used was called "Epoxy Floor Paint by floorsaver". The garage threshold seal thing I'm planning on fitting is called "Stormguard" and can be got from Screwfix or Toolstation.

Weetony54 t1_jdt3ydz wrote on March 26, 2023 at 11:51 PM

Budget?

Im planning similar and i think shelving that wall is gonna be a. Cheaper and b. Usefuller.

Then put in a fake ceiling with downlights, a sonos sound system, get yourself a big toolbox and some mazda flags.

Sorted

Mathblasta t1_jdt787x wrote on March 27, 2023 at 12:16 AM

Step one: send me that Miata.

andrewse t1_jdtnme5 wrote on March 27, 2023 at 2:33 AM

I think the brickwork looks fine. Why not start with a lighting upgrade instead?

I changed out the 2 standard LED bulbs in my garage for some fancy but cheap multi angled adjustable and very bright LED units. My garage went from a dingy hole to a glowing spacecraft docking port.

flapadar_ t1_jdtry8k wrote on March 27, 2023 at 3:10 AM

If it's an attached garage too, another thing that can add to the glowing spacecraft docking port look is foil insulation on the garage door.

Warlord68 t1_jdt210u wrote on March 26, 2023 at 11:36 PM

If the one wall is your neighbours’s, are you allowed to do anything to it?

wal9000 t1_jduawuj wrote on March 27, 2023 at 6:40 AM

That car goes zoom zoom thank you very much

Glorious_Gregorious t1_jduhcqz wrote on March 27, 2023 at 8:14 AM

Uhm... Mazdas go o zoom zoom not Vroom Vroom

PainSandwich t1_jdummqb wrote on March 27, 2023 at 9:32 AM

You should post this in r/DIYUK. They may be able to give you some more specific product recommendations.

RedJohn04 t1_jdyyhq7 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 5:26 AM

Paint the wall. Then put the logo of your favorite club team on the wall. Or your favorite beer. It’ll make you smile when you see it and obviously brighten it up.

If you can find a second hand light fixture to add in there, go for it. Or a light up Guinness sign. That could be fun.