Recommendations for 1 car garage + workshop area

[condensermike]

Hello everyone,

I want to build a 1 car garage with enough room for a tool chest, a workbench, and enough room to maneuver a floor jack so I can jack up my car and work on it. What size dimensions would you recommend for this space? It will also have a concrete pad so I would need a size before I have that poured.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

Mike

 

[NUTTSGT]

For a single car shop, I would no smaller than 16x28.

I just put an addition on and it's 14x28. To work on a full size truck, in front and behind, you'll need 28' if it's a long bed/or crew/super cab.

14' is plenty to get around the sides but if you're putting a tool box and bench in there, you'll need extra space. However, being this is GJ, you may find that pricing incremental sizes may not cost much more. Buy once, cry once.


Are you limited on lot space ?

 

[condensermike]

Thanks for the response. I am actually limited somewhat on width, 14' is about the limit, but length no. I will be working on a Subaru Forester but who knows, maybe someday I might own a truck and no sense in crying about not having the space if I could have planned for it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Thanks for the response. I am actually limited somewhat on width, 14' is about the limit, but length no. I will be working on a Subaru Forester but who knows, maybe someday I might own a truck and no sense in crying about not having the space if I could have planned for it.

My outside measurements are 14x28, so inside they are a little smaller. I went with 2x6 studs for the walls, 3/4" or 1" foam on the outside of the foundation and 3/4" on the inside of the foundation, which was also the screed edge for the concrete.

It has a 9x8 O/H door, plenty of insulation in the walls and ceiling. Four 8' 4 bulb strip light fixtures. Ducted heat from the wood burner, it's own sub-panel and currently extending the airlines into this side.

If you want to read and see how it's coming along or thoughts on building your small garage, here's a link to where the addition starts...about half way down the page.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75024&page=127

 

[Ak Jim]

If you have the room go 40’ deep and when you sell you can advertise as a two car garage. Also someday you might end up with another vehicle so why not plan ahead. Also with the width you have you won’t have very much room for keeping things along the walls where your car will be parked.

 

[John in OH]

I can't offer much experience with regard to recommended width; however, I'd definitely second the recommendation to go AT LEAST 28 ft. long.

I realize you have no length limit, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth should anyone else be considering the length question.

 

[banjopete]

It might seem a bit weird to passersby but run a stringline or tape out some dimensions around your forester. It'll help you understand the space in real terms. If you have some computer skills there are lots of ways of getting a pretty good model with toolboxes and work benches and so on all being considered.

Having a few clear feet of space at either end can be really useful for moving things around, engine stands, lifts, subframes etc.

Good luck.

 

[condensermike]

These are all great suggestions and idea. I really love the idea about mocking something up in a photoshop program with dimensions. I could also use a tape measure to figure out how much width I need to work around the car.

thanks!

 

[captain14]

And if you make it longer the work shop area can be in front of the car inside.

Lay out the Garage size too with string so you can see what a 14x28 or longer building will look like.

 

[CombatNinja]

If you are limited to 14' in width, well, you're going to need every single inch of that. I really think 16' is about the minimum width for a working automotive single. As stated by multiple posters here: just resign yourself that your cabinetry and storage and tools are going to have to be in depth, so plan for 20' of space for the car, 3'-4' to walk around the front and then 2' for workbench depth, so 26' at a minimum.
You can pull this off with proper planning from the get go but really do your homework and see if you can get to 16' of width as it will make the space so much nicer to use for your application.

 

[CraigStu]

14ft is a little tight to use a full sized jack on the sides of the car. Doable but tight. Since you are in the 14-16 area for width I'd just go as long as you possibly can.

 

[CombatNinja]

I'd be careful about following all this advice about going as deep as you possibly can. Once you get out to where the depth is more than twice the width, the proportions will not be pleasing to the eye and it will look and feel like one of those industrial 'chicken house' buildings. If you are capped at 14', I would not exceed 26' deep personally.

Do you have height restrictions? Are you planning for a lift?

 

[NUTTSGT]

You're not limited on length, but what about height ?


If it was tall enough, you could put a lift in it as well. I'm not sure what width is needed for a 2 or 4 post. Car on lift, raise it and you could park another one under it.

If you have 16' side walls and a tall door. . . . possibly fit a RV in it ? Again, you'd have to take some measurements. Or put a loft/mezzanine area over part of it where the lift isn't for some extra storage or a small hang out space with a pull down attic stairs.

The possibilities are endless and in true GJ fashion, we're going to tell you to build it bigger now rather than later.

 

[condensermike]

And if you make it longer the work shop area can be in front of the car inside.

Lay out the Garage size too with string so you can see what a 14x28 or longer building will look like.

I had thought of that. Good call.

 

[condensermike]

You're not limited on length, but what about height ?


If it was tall enough, you could put a lift in it as well. I'm not sure what width is needed for a 2 or 4 post. Car on lift, raise it and you could park another one under it.

If you have 16' side walls and a tall door. . . . possibly fit a RV in it ? Again, you'd have to take some measurements. Or put a loft/mezzanine area over part of it where the lift isn't for some extra storage or a small hang out space with a pull down attic stairs.

The possibilities are endless and in true GJ fashion, we're going to tell you to build it bigger now rather than later.

Having a lift is the dream, right?! Unfortunately, that is probably not going to be in the works financially or space-wise. The wife would let me choose garage or house to live in.

 

[ItsNemo]

I've worked in 12 feet wide before, it's tight, you can open the doors but can't walk around them at all. 16 feet is comfy, anything more is luxurious

 

[John in OH]

Making a layout model of your proposed garage and its future contents is an absolute necessity if you are working with limited available space!!

A computer-based drawing is always best as it allows for easy editing, but, if your skill or time is limited, you can readily accomplish the same thing with a piece of 1/4" graph paper and a pencil. Draw everything at a 1/4" per 1 ft. scale and have fun playing with ideas!

As I mentioned above, I've no experience with working in a single-wide garage, but just shooting-from-the-hip, figure most vehicles to be about 7 ft. wide, then add 3 ft. minimum on each side to allow for door swing and AT LEAST 3 ft. more on one side for a bench and toolboxes ... you are instantly at 16 ft. wide (interior width) and that gives you minimum clearances. Anything less would seem to be very cramped for working.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[pdubss]

My interior dimensions are roughly 14 x 23.

It not too hard to make a smaller space work.

Its tight, but i can jack cars up and move around with relatively ease. Working on our daily cars (normal sized cars) is not a problem at all. I do have a project and it is wider and longer so that is tight (especially length wise).

I did build a bench at the end of the garage and in hindsight made it deeper than I should've. Its a little over 31 inches deep.

I added some pictures to show you what 14 feet of with leaves for space with a fairly large car parked inside. Also, I have machines and a large shelf that basically occupy about 2 feet of width along the entire left side of the garage.

Hope this helps & good luck with your project!




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[nadogail]

I have seen many garages that were too small, I don't recall seeing any that were too big.

 

[rburke65]

A 32’ x 40’ x 12’ is a real good start! And yes....that’s a one car on here.

 

[John in OH]

A 32’ x 40’ x 12’ is a real good start! And yes....that’s a one car on here.

, Yeah, you aren't far from wrong!!

Though maybe not really relevant, I will add one of my old rants about two-car garage sizes ... so often new houses include a 20x20 or 20x22 garage that the builder advertises as "two-car". Absurd! There should be a recognized standard that NO garage less than 24x24 can be called a "two-car" garage!!

 

[NUTTSGT]

, Yeah, you aren't far from wrong!!

Though maybe not really relevant, I will add one of my old rants about two-car garage sizes ... so often new houses include a 20x20 or 20x22 garage that the builder advertises as "two-car". Absurd! There should be a recognized standard that NO garage less than 24x24 can be called a "two-car" garage!!

I will agree with that.