Thanks MiniT, you are so right about not having re-bar in the old concrete. I couldn't believe that someone would trade concrete for dirt and proper grading. I guess the previous owner of the property had a good line on cheap concrete...
Currently on my plans I have a 4" floor and 1/2" re-bar every 18", but after seeing the broken concrete, I am going to pour a 6" floor in the shop and re-bar every 12".
More details about the shop. It is going to be 30'x40' with 10' 10" walls, restroom with separate entrance from the outside as well as from within the shop. That way people can use the restroom during backyard BBQ's and whatever... It will have a 12’ sectional rollup door on the end pointing to the street and an 8’ Sectional pointing to the block wall and a personnel door on the same end as the 12’ door. The ceiling will be flat on the first 10’ and last 10’ of the 40’ run with a vaulted ceiling to 14’ and change in the center 20’ with 8 2x4 skylights.
There will have a bank of 4’ deep cabinets 24’ long from floor to ceiling and then permanent work bench around the entire inside perimeter. The 4’ deep cabinets will allow me to keep all my tools on wheels and dollies (welders, table saw, pressure washer put away when not in use. I will also have some tools mounted to the floor inside the cabinet like my drill press, 6” Belt/12” Disk Sander, etc. The workbench will be made of 2x4 and 4x4 lumber with face frames for the door and drawers. I plan to run shop air and a vacuum system inside the bench with the outlets sticking up out of the workbench. I’m not sure what kind of workbench top to put on at this point. Maybe a mix of metal and maple butcher block. At this point I don’t know if I am going to need overhead cabinets.
The air compressor and vacuum system will be outside in a separate structure outside the 8’ rollup door.
The interior will be smooth texture over gypsum and painted semi-gloss white. The floor will be light gray epoxy without the color flecks. I drop too many small parts on the floor… LOL The white walls will reflect the light well.
I found some 4’ (6 tube) T-8 fluorescent fixtures and there will be 10 of those over the workbenches. The 8 2’x4’ skylights will illuminate the center area of the shop by day. I plan to build the skylight vaults so that the vault opens up at an angle to spread the light out and also enable me to place some Highbay Lighting fixtures at proper height up inside the skylight vault. So at night I can turn on the 8 Highbay Lights as necessary. I have the Highbay Lights now. They are 400 watt Metal Halide with a 22” acrylic bell. I think the lighting plan will keep me in light and I hope that I don’t need to turn on the 400 watt fixtures much. You younger guys will appreciate what I am talking about when you reach 40-45 years old…
Anyway, more to follow. I should start digging for the footing after I get rid of the tree roots this weekend, and pour the footing in early May.
