Who else has a pole in their garage?

[afbrian13]

I have a 2 car with a stupid support pole in the middle! The I beam supporting that side of the house has the pole in the middle. Its such a pain in the ****. My house is a 68 raised ranch old track house.

Anybody else have one? Have you done anything interesting with it or just try to work around it? I also have a low ceiling in the areas where hvac ducting runs, and pipes from a bathroom.

Just wondering what you've got. Any threads in the gallery with "normal" size garages? Id love one the size of some of these new houses-high ceilings, 3 stalls, etc, but thats not happening any time soon.

Brian

 

[Steevo]

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life gives you a pole, you encourage pole dancing!

 

[Catadj78]

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life gives you a pole, you encourage pole dancing!

 

[afbrian13]

I have offered up that idea, but she doesn't find it as great as I do!

 

[BonzoHansen]

I have one and I plan to get a micro lam beam in there and get rid of that damn post!

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I have one. Fortunately I have I beams running to it so it's great for my chain hoist. It is an obstacle for parking and getting around. My garage is normally spotless. I am moving and my new garage has no pole. This is the view from my door into the garage from he house.

 

[R'Addiction]

My pole barn has no pole on a 30 ft span.12 ft/ ceilings. Also has a 12X30 room upstairs. Love it. On my other property with a 30X50 garage that is all concrete, walls floors and floor in the apt above (all radiant heat also) only has 10 ft ceilings but all the plumbing and drainage comes thru the ceiling. Basically a storage arage with great heat. It has 2 massive concrete support poles that are a pain in the azz.

 

[Jagmandave]

Yes, and it's a major PITA to work around...

 

[rburke65]

No help here but I vote for the Steevo's fix!

 

[buildyourown]

I do, but only cause the roof started to sag and the PO didn't know how to address it. His solution was to use a 4x4 as a beam, and throw a couple of posts under it.

You gotta embrace it. I'm replacing the 4x4 with a beam for my chain hoist.
Mount tools to the post. Perfect place for grinders or hose reels.

 

[chazzz]

Paint your pole with an invisible paint.

 

[DIC]

My Dad had a garage built in the early 70s. He wanted a steel beam and a post installed. The builder said it wasn't necessary but put in the beam and post anyway but left a gap above the post. It still has the gap above the post

 

[joseph.a.owens.9]

Paint your pole with an invisible paint.

Invite people over to watch the run in to it. Lol

 

[conceptzj]

I have a house in Nebraska that is a Split Level Ranch. 2 Car garage and Low ceilings with Duct work and a Freaking Pole in the middle. If you ever find a solutions LMK. That pole take away any possibility of working on a single car with space all around it. The garage is small in the first place and that support pole makes it so much worse. Good Luck and hope you find your pole some use one day.

 

[wssix99]

Just wondering what you've got. Any threads in the gallery with "normal" size garages? Id love one the size of some of these new houses-high ceilings, 3 stalls, etc, but thats not happening any time soon.

My garage is a new one with 13' ceilings and three bays, but... I did have to have a pole to support a beam carrying a concrete wall above it. Putting the pole in saved 10K by allowing us to go with a smaller beam. The catch was that it was right in the way of the car doors.

We found that putting two columns in, one towards the front, and one towards the back, got us around the problem. Although I have two columns now; the middle of the garage, where I need to open car doors, is clear. (... and I can also use them as twin stripper poles)

If you are up for adding a column (and putting in the foundations for them) you can do the same. As long as the distance between the two columns is less than or equal to your current longest wall-to-column dimension, it should work.

The other nice thing about two columns, is that I can use them to hang extension ladders, etc.

 

[afbrian13]

Jagmandave-nice etype! I worked on a few of those in a previous life. I think thats why I like my poor mans Jag...my 280z.

Ducksface-Id check the neighbors but I've got one of 3 with a two car, and the only one that actually uses it.

I wish I could just add another to move it, but it runs across, not length.
Its not worth doing major work since I'll get orders eventually and be gone. Ive thought of having an engineer look at it to see if its even needed. The beam is pretty freaking big, but it depends on the wall supports on each side too.

I think ill just mount retractable air and electric on it up high, and wrap some foam around it to cut down door dings.

Conceptzj - the only way I figure to do something like painting the car will be to spin it sideways between the pole and garage door, but my z is small enough to do that.

Thanks for the entertainment!

 

[don long]

I don't have one pole I have 2 poles My garage is 36 x 52 and I work in it almost every day
The poles are parallel to each other so I put my 4 post lift between them and hung 220 plugs on them both for my welder and hung hose reels for my air

 

[rmmiller]

Our last house had a three car with a post between the large and small bay. I was able to back my long box extended cab 89 F250 in between the wife's car while tucking it within an inch of the pole. That was the only thing that pole was good for, bragging rights on my parking skills. I hated that damn thing but have no solution to offer, sorry.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I've got a pole, right in the center of the place. I put an island-style bench next to it, and now it doesn't bother me like it used to.

I also put a clock on it.

 

[Jlbc212]

I have a 36x28 two bay garage without a pole. I really like the open space, but the two post lift is on the way. Does a post for a lift count as a pole?

 

[dlcwent]

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life gives you a pole, you encourage pole dancing!

I figured that Cudachick was going show us her new pole and dancing shoes she got for X-mas.

 

[joseph.a.owens.9]

I've got a pole, right in the center of the place. I put an island-style bench next to it, and now it doesn't bother me like it used to.

I also put a clock on it.

I like the clock!

 

[CudaChick1968]

I figured that Cudachick was going show us her new pole and dancing shoes she got for X-mas.

LOL!!!!!!!!! I got an arbor press ........ can't really dance on it though.

 

[Thumper68]

I have 2 in my 40x32, neither are really in the way though. My suggestion is to embrace the post, the one I replaced not long ago is now steel. I have power , the hanging shop vac and my clock on it now, I will be adding air to it when I redo the air lines latter this winter.







The other post I put in to support the corner of the loft, also not in the way.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I like that clock, too.

 

[Thumper68]

I like that clock, too.

I would like to say great minds think alike, but since I copied yours.......

 

[Purist]

I have a 2 car with a stupid support pole in the middle! The I beam supporting that side of the house has the pole in the middle. Its such a pain in the ****. My house is a 68 raised ranch old track house.

Anybody else have one? Have you done anything interesting with it or just try to work around it? I also have a low ceiling in the areas where hvac ducting runs, and pipes from a bathroom.

Just wondering what you've got. Any threads in the gallery with "normal" size garages? Id love one the size of some of these new houses-high ceilings, 3 stalls, etc, but thats not happening any time soon.

Brian

I suffer from the same issue. '76 raised ranch with a support beam. But one of the PO's decided to throw in another temp fix and installed a jack post (a temp fix which has ended up as a more permanent fix, evidently), albeit, upside down. Here's a photo of the garage, where in the foreground, you can clearly see the original support beam and in the background, the jack post:



In for updates and any potential fixes. Might take time this summer to look into what it would cost to relocate the main support beam closer to the end of the garage, nearest the garage doors, which would hopefully allow me to remove the jack post and to open up the center of the garage more.

 

[wssix99]

But one of the PO's decided to throw in another temp fix and installed a jack post (a temp fix which has ended up as a more permanent fix, evidently), albeit, upside down.

OMG! Who needs a foundation, anyway???

In for updates and any potential fixes. Might take time this summer to look into what it would cost to relocate the main support beam closer to the end of the garage, nearest the garage doors, which would hopefully allow me to remove the jack post and to open up the center of the garage more.

Is that a concrete beam (above the columns) and a concrete ceiling you have? If so, then that jack post is probably there for a reason. (Maybe the beam started to fail.) You may have some major surgery required to fix that beam before you even look at relocating the columns. But - that might also be an opportunity to go larger with the beam and eliminate the column or give you some flexibility on where it's spaced.

 

[Purist]

OMG! Who needs a foundation, anyway???

Ha, seriously!

Is that a concrete beam (above the columns) and a concrete ceiling you have? If so, then that jack post is probably there for a reason. (Maybe the beam started to fail.) You may have some major surgery required to fix that beam before you even look at relocating the columns. But - that might also be an opportunity to go larger with the beam and eliminate the column or give you some flexibility on where it's spaced.

No, I don't believe it is. Pretty sure it's a wooden beam, continued from the beam on the other half of the 1st floor leading into the garage. What you're seeing is a thin, drywall-like covering on the beam.

When we bought the house, the inspector pointed out that the jack post was presumably added since the beam had too much load at that point in the garage. He didn't see it as a major concern, however, and we've now been in the house for almost 4 years without any issues related to that. We're still deciding whether or not this is our "forever" house..if so, it'll require an addition. But there's also a good chance we sell and buy a colonial (I grew up in a raised ranch and now own this one, and as much as I love them, they have absolutely NO storage) in the next few years.

That'll all determine whether or not we even bother spending any resources on the beam.

 

[bobemmerich]

Mine has 2 one on each side. I can't really tell if it's necessary, though as it only supports a beam (3-2x6's) going across the length of the garage. I cannot figure why it's there. It is not supported on the ends. Just nailed in through the 2x framing.
I'll get better pics up tomorrow. It's too cold to go out and do it now...

 

[wssix99]

Pretty sure it's a wooden beam

I'd be interested to see what it looks like when the drywall comes off.

When we bought the house, the inspector pointed out that the jack post was presumably added since the beam had too much load at that point in the garage.

Interesting. I'd also be worried about the beam starting to crack, etc. Taking the drywall off would tell. Depending on how deep it is, you might be able to replace it with an engineered wood beam and forgo the columns entirely.

 

[Purist]

I'd be interested to see what it looks like when the drywall comes off.

Fair point...I'm a bit curious, but have yet to delve into that project.

Interesting. I'd also be worried about the beam starting to crack, etc. Taking the drywall off would tell. Depending on how deep it is, you might be able to replace it with an engineered wood beam and forgo the columns entirely.

Assuming we decide to sell in the next few years, probably won't even touch this. But if we do decide to add-on and stay, then this sounds like a good idea. Thanks!

 

[Chevy-SS]

My garage is a veritable forest of poles, LOL. I painted everything a matching black and now they don't bother me at all.

 

[ThrifyGarage]

Last weekend I finally removed the pole in my garage! So much better now. Check out this video if you would like to see more:

 

[jetnow1]

I am just finishing my new garage and had to put 2 poles to support the center beam. It was either put in I joists which would have made the building to tall for zoning or put in a beam and smaller joists and stay conforming. As it is I am within 1/2 inch of maximum
height. I do have a 12/12 pitch to maximize storage above. I have attached duplex outlets
to both beams, plan to install air drops this week to make them somewhat useful. At least by using 2 I was able to put them where the doors will not hit them.

 

[DCarr2]

The pole in the middle is a pain in the ***, granted, however, you can run wiring for outlets, airlines for air regulators, ect... I had 2 poles in the middle of my old shop that had wiring, for outlets, and air regulators, and on one pole had a water faucet.... so they are useful. I actually miss a pole in the middle of my new shop.

 

[GarageNeedsHelp]

I've got a pole, right in the center of the place. I put an island-style bench next to it, and now it doesn't bother me like it used to.

I also put a clock on it.

Wonderful! The two posts in my garage are in the way of anything and everything. I can’t even get my vehicle in!

 

[larry4406]

I’m sure Pelican Pines does. Probably for entertainment purposes vs structural support.

 

[GarageNeedsHelp]

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life gives you a pole, you encourage pole dancing!

I was even gonna build a platform for my poles! But I can’t get the saw set up to build it. Shucks.

 

[selectedgrub]

The girlfriend doesn't mind it but won't try it a remembrance of younger days I actually thought this thread was going to be about the stripper type.
Disappointed.