Garage converted into two bedrooms

[richmac]

A garage converted into two bedrooms featuring exposed timber beams.

• The project
• Tools and materials
• Steps
• More inspiration for your bedroom renovation

The project

Due to limited space, we converted our garage into two beautiful bedrooms by exposing the character of the existing natural timber beams originally sourced from our property, using a texture wall paint to softly express the rudimentary blockwork and a feature plywood wall.

We poured and polished a concrete slab over the existing to give a rustic, clean feel. For the cupboards, we used second-hand cupboards and doors built into the stud walls to save costs.

Tools and materials

Materials used in the project:

• Off white cement
  
  
• Ramboard temporary floor protection surface protect plus pre-taped roll
  
  
• 70 x 35mm timber studs
  
  
• 10mm Supacell plasterboard
  
  
• 10mm PVC tearaway shadowline bead plaster trim
  
  
• Gyprock 15kg easy-finish topping compound
  
  
• Chemset galvanised joist hangers
  
  
• Ramset chemset 101
  
  
• 9mm plywood
  
  
• Sika hollow blok sleeves for M10 rod
  
  
• Dulux 10L medium texture paint
  
  
• Termite protection
  
  
• Easycraft VJ100 wall panels
  
  
• Galvanised wall ties
  
  
• M10 galvanised threaded rod
  
  
• 18 x 18mm and 90 x 18mm timber mouldings
  
  
• Lambswool mitts
  
  
• 200 micron PVC sheet
  
  
• Earthwool R3.5 insulation.

Tools used in the project:

• Cement trowel
  
  
• Ryobi airwave 3 in 1 air brad nailer and stapler
  
  
• Powerfit brad nails, mega pack
  
  
• High-pressure water cleaner.

Steps

Step 1

We remove the roller doors and infilled partially with recycled 200mm blocks/damp proof course and recycled off-cuts of 200 x 800 x 50mm thick sandstone to form a sill (from our local quarry).

Step 2

We water blasted the timber beams from a silver grey to a beautiful off white colour, and left uncoated in a raw finish. As the existing floor joints to the loft above were milled on the property many years ago, we needed to add timber trimmers to fix the 90 x 35mm ceiling joints, too.

We removed timber plates supporting the floor joists and chemset galvanised joist hangers to the blockwork to ensure a flush ceiling.

Step 3

We placed 200 micron PVC sheet and termite protection to the wall perimeter before pouring and carefully curing a 100mm reinforced concrete slab. We then put down Ramboard temporary floor protection until polishing.

Step 4

Before building the stud walls, we carefully laid out the positions of the 1200mm wide sheets of 9mm plywood and Easycraft VJ board, to ensure 45mm studs were at all vertical joints. We also allowed for recesses in the walling for second-hand cupboard shells to be placed, cutting down on the cost of custom built cupboards.

Step 5

Before attaching wall panels, the floor was burnished/polished and then the Ramboard was again placed over to protect it from damage. Double glazed windows were installed.

Step 6

Wall insulation was installed before nailing the plywood feature wall and VJ boards. The use of these wall materials removed plastering and cut our overall install by a few weeks.

Step 7

Next, we installed the plasterboard ceiling and the PVC shadowline beads each side of the exposed timber beam which in the end was quite simple. We then plastered the joints carefully to ensure the timber beam was the key feature of each room.

Step 8

All exposed block walls were firstly cleaned with a brush, and then we applied Dulux medium texture, USA Antique White tint with a lambswool mitt. The process was very simple and helped fill indentations and small holes in the blockwork. We applied two coats. For the plywood, we filled the nail holes with putty, lightly sanded and left the plywood with a raw finish.

Step 9

We attached second-hand doors and mirror, and trimmed the cupboards with 18 x 32mm white aluminium angle to provide a neat and clean finish with the VJ board. The angle was simply glued (no nails) to the VJ board.

Step 10

Finally, we added the queen bed, old timber stools/chair with second-hand lamps, white sheer and beige blockout curtains, along with water heated radiators, and we also added an old timber tree branch as a clothes rod inside the cupboards.

To clean the timber beams, we used a high pressure water cleaner (4000psi). This maintained the amazing natural finish of the raw timber. The shadow line was an important part of the ceiling finishes so we could express the beautiful raw timber beam in each room.

More inspiration for your bedroom renovation

Community member Trevelyan used Dulux Green Turquoise paint when they completed their bedroom renovation with VJ panel mudroom.

Workshop member Alyce_Pham removed the carpet, updated the paint and added floating shelving in her master bedroom makeover.

For more creative ideas from our community members, check out 10 ways to update your bedroom.

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @richmac 

That really has come up nicely! Lots of work but paid off so well You mention that the orignal timbers were milled on your property, envious to the mx and nice way to tie in with what you guys have done!

"Nodding my head in appreciation at the job", looks so good.

Dave