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Last post we wrapped up with a truck full of plywood ready to finish out my side of the garage. This time, I started by cutting down the “legs” for the countertops to sit on using my new track saw, I’m a little bit obsessed with this new toy! Niko is my sidekick here.
Since the concrete at the bottom of the wall sticks out like a little baseboard (about 1/2 inch), I had to notch out the bottom back corner of each leg so they would sit flush against the wall. I measured the offset carefully, using a scrap piece of wood to draw a straight line and used my jigsaw to cut out the section so everything would fit tight and clean.
Once I made the cut, I held it up against the wall to make sure the notch fit just right. After confirming it sat flush, I sanded the edges smooth and then repeated the same process for the rest of the countertop legs.
I wanted these legs to be nice and sturdy, so I doubled up the 3/4-inch plywood to make them thicker. After cutting the notches, I glued two pieces together and used brad nails to hold them tight while the glue dried.
Then, with Tyler helping hold everything in place, I attached the legs to the back of the cabinet using wood glue and pocket hole screws, and repeated the process for the second one. The back is just a single layer of 3/4in plywood.
Then we lifted them down from my new worktop and set them in place along the wall where they’ll live.
Speaking of the worktop, I added 1×2 oak along the edges to cover up the exposed plywood. I mitered the corners at 45 degrees and attached the trim with wood glue and brad nails for a clean, finished look.
Doesn’t that look so much better? It’s such a small detail, but covering the plywood edge makes it feel way more finished and intentional.
Of course, with my luck the outlet we just installed ended up sitting right behind the cabinet. So we had to cut a hole in the back of the plywood so we could still access it if needed. Thankfully we also added an outlet up higher on the wall, because this lower one hasn’t been used once since finishing the garage.
If you’re wondering why my outlets are red like the ones you see in hospitals, it’s because Tyler 3D printed Milwaukee-style outlet covers for them.
Tyler mounted the new cabinets to the wall studs to make sure everything was solid and secure.
Then I cut down another sheet of plywood and attached it to the tops of the new boxes using wood glue and brad nails. This first layer is just regular plywood since it won’t be visible. The next layer will be oak plywood because that will be the finished surface you actually see.
I added the top layer of oak plywood using wood glue and brad nails (not pictured). I did this so the countertop would be stronger and I wanted it the thickness of a normal countertop, which is usually about 1.5in thick. After that, we moved on to the middle countertop where the miter saw will sit. This section, also double layered, needed to be built a little lower so the miter saw table will sit flush with the surrounding countertop.
Tyler handled this part because I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around how to get everything perfectly level. He cut some scrap plywood pieces to use as spacers, set another piece of plywood on top horizontally, and then positioned the countertop on top of that.
You can see in the photos above that he’s using these lifting jacks under the scrap plywood. By squeezing the handles, you can slowly raise it up to the exact height you need. These things are awesome and come in really handy for projects like this. We used a long level across the top to make sure it was perfect! Then he screwed the horizontal pieces in place to hold up the plywood countertop.
And it was perfect!
Funny side note: we were expecting an ice storm over the next couple of days, so Tyler parked Mia’s truck sideways across the driveway in front of the garage, this way if anyone lost control and slid down our street they wouldn’t side swipe our vehicles.
Anyway, I’m super proud of how this is turning out so far! Now it’s time to make it look pretty!
I added 1×2 primed pine to the front of the plywood legs to cover up the exposed plywood edges. When I calculated the size of the countertop, I made sure to account for this trim piece, but I also accounted for another oak 1×2 that will go along the front edge of the countertop for the same reason. With the trim on the legs and the 1×2 on the front of the countertop, the final overhang will be about 1 inch.
I got the fronts of the legs attached, and then it was time to deal with the countertops. Since this is going in the garage, I wasn’t too picky about the exact color, so I just used what I already had on hand, a water-based Dark Walnut stain. At first I tried applying it the same way I normally do oil-based stain, using a paper towel and a gloves to rub it on. But water-based stain doesn’t spread nearly as smoothly as oil-based, and it can get pretty splotchy if you’re not careful.
Then I tried a different technique. I poured the stain directly onto the next countertop and spread it around with a stain applicator, and it worked perfectly! After that, I wiped over it with a dry paper towel to remove the excess. It was much faster and way less splotchy.
Then it was time to paint the bottom. I used the same Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams in semi-gloss that I’ve used on the rest of the cabinets in the garage, but first I primed everything with BIN primer. The problem is that stuff is very strong smelling, and since I was working underneath the cabinet it was even worse. I couldn’t find my respirator, so I ended up holding my breath while I worked quickly… which I definitely do not recommend!
I also added a clear coat to the countertops to protect the finish.
However, after clear coating the countertops, I went to close up the primer can and when I hammered the lid back on, it splattered primer all over my still-wet clear coat.
I left it alone at the time because I didn’t want to risk smearing it and making it worse. Luckily, when I came back the next day after everything had dried, I was able to scrape the primer right off.
Once everything was stained and painted, I installed the hardware on the drawers.
Side note: if you’re painting your garage and the drywall hasn’t been primed yet, make sure you use a proper drywall primer first. Don’t rely on a paint-and-primer-in-one product, it will peel right off, even with painter’s tape!
But I still needed a spot for my Kreg Foreman so I wouldn’t have to keep using it on the floor. So I got to work building another rolling cabinet for it.
Once it was all put together, I had to test it out!
I got it painted, and then Tyler worked on fixing the underside for me. We’re not totally sure if we were missing a part or if it got thrown away by accident, but he rigged it to work with the shop vac so we could mount it to the rolling cabinet.
Then I got the drawers built for it using 1/2in plywood.
Then the drawer fronts went on, those I cut down from 3/4in plywood.
I got the drawers painted and added the hardware.
Then it was finally time for the part I was most excited about…adding a T-track system from Powertec!
The T-track system is installed by routing a groove into your countertop or workbench so the track can sit flush inside it. I’m using a 3/4in router bit. I used my router along a straight edge clamped to the worktop to keep the groove nice and straight. You can see in the first photo I used two straight edges so the router could run perfectly between them, but for the rest I just used one straight edge as a guide and that worked just fine.
If I had thought it through a little more, I would’ve placed the grooves closer to the edge. That way the cross pieces you see below would’ve run all the way to the edge instead of me having to cut tiny pieces of track to fill in the ends.
The grooves should be a tight fit, so we set the tracks in place and used a scrap piece of wood on top to tap them in with a hammer, that way the hammer doesn’t damage the track. Once they’re seated, you screw them down to secure them. If you want to make them extra strong, you can add a little glue in each screw hole before fastening them.
To cut the tracks down to size, you can use a miter saw. Just make sure you’re wearing safety glasses so aluminum shavings don’t fly into your eyes, they go everywhere! I had Tyler cut down the small pieces because it made me nervous cutting metal.
Once everything is installed, the clamps just slide in from the ends and can hold your project in place while you work. There are also a ton of different accessories you can use with it, like small and large clamps and even a flat edge that’s really handy.
You can see the silver thing on the far end of the countertop in the below picture, that’s the flat edge, I’m using that and the clamps to put together a face frame.
This countertop is already looking sooo good!
You can see that Tyler likes the new set up!
But I wasn’t done yet… I also added another T-track system to the other workbench on both sides of the miter saw.
On the ends where the track didn’t run all the way to the edge of the countertop, I used a chisel to square off the corners since the router bit leaves them rounded.
And now for the reveal of this garage workshop, at least on my side… what a crazy difference, right?!
Here’s what it looked like from way before we cleared it out to begin with. I honestly didn’t know my garage could look this nice!! There are still a few more things I want to do, like add colorful lighting around the parameter of the ceiling and add an oak backsplash to the back of my workbench area.
Next up, Tyler’s side of the garage and an entertainment center with a special surprise that will be perfect for winter woodworking sessions out here!
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