Workshop Walls

[cweber]

Hi Folks,

In the attached photo of my garage wall where I want to put a Mill and Lathe, they are brick. Is it a good idea to cover these with plaster and paint them whit to assist lighting or won't it matter if I add correct lighting above and on the machines?

Colin

Please refer to: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/17645-Workshop-Walls

 

[cweber]

Hi Folks,

In the attached photo of my garage wall where I want to put a Mill and Lathe, they are brick. Is it a good idea to cover these with plaster and paint them whit to assist lighting or won't it matter if I add correct lighting above and on the machines?



Colin

 

[Old Iron]

I think it would be fine with the right lighting, I have 4' Fluorescents over every machine and my shop is all white.

Paul

 

[GK1918]

I dont ? Bricks and wood make me feel warm and cozy. White is bright but has no face. Like a glass boat V/S the beautiful bright work of a wood boat.
I think light floor and white ceiling should do it, suppose you could keep half the brick and a lighter color toward the ceiling whatever floats ya boat.

 

[DAN_IN_MN]

Hi Folks,

In the attached photo of my garage wall where I want to put a Mill and Lathe, they are brick. Is it a good idea to cover these with plaster and paint them whit to assist lighting or won't it matter if I add correct lighting above and on the machines?

View attachment 60212

Colin

I wonder how well the brick will clean? Cutting oil and other oils may be hard to remove.

 

[stevecmo]

Colin,

As Dan pointed out, brick is porous and the oil that inevitable gets flung (particularly from the lathe) will stain it. The other bad thing about a brick wall is it's tough to hang stuff on it - shelves, tools, etc.

My advice would be to get a couple pieces of the thicker white pegboard. Build a frame, mount the pegboard to the frame and then mount the frame to the brick wall. That will brighten it up AND give you a place to hang some stuff.

Steve

 

[richl]

Another option is to use an oil based semi gloss, or satin finish, that way you have the ability to clean the wall, the brighter color and you still maintain the brick look. The bad will be the brick will bounce the noice around .
I have been contemplatingredoing my garage, taking out the 2x4 construction and replacing it will block, my main concern for this iskeeping the noise down inside the garage and for my neighbors. For that the only solution is insulation and a sleeper wall infront of the block... there are tadeoffs you will need to consider and make.

hth

rich

 

[ML_Woy]

Lovely walls, shame to paint them. Why not considering just sealing them so that oil and gunk can be easily cleaned when they get dirty, use florescent fixtures and then use LED lights on your lathe and mill to provide spot light on the work surface. I have florescent fixtures, a lot of them and it is the LED's that really make a difference.

M.L.Woy

 

[pineyfolks]

If your worried about cleaning the wall put a piece of plexiglass or lexan behind your lathe and mill. You can still look at the nice brick walls. I posted the same thing on another forum a while back and it worked out well for the user.

 

[clevinski]

Hi Folks,

In the attached photo of my garage wall where I want to put a Mill and Lathe, they are brick. Is it a good idea to cover these with plaster and paint them whit to assist lighting or won't it matter if I add correct lighting above and on the machines?

Colin

Hi, Colin,

The brick is beautiful, and I would be hesitant to paint it or sheet rock over it. If all you're worried about is light (and absorbing oils and the such, as several posters have pointed out), why not just hang a large sheet of white plastic, or even a white shower curtain, over that area? That was you don't deface the brick, you protect it from oil and the such, and you get better reflection. Plus you can remove it in a few minutes if you decide to move the machine or whatever. Just a thought... :think1: