1948 Garage - need wisdom

[tobers]

Newbie here. We are going to move into a 1948 ranch. Brick garage 19x21. It wouldn't be my ideal shop size, but I'm wondering if it can do. I could extend bays, but I suspect a new slab and brick walls would be a bunch of money. I'm wondering if I can make what I have work. The hope is that I could insulate it, heat/cool with a split air, run a sub panel to it, and make the ceiling strong enough to store a bunch of stuff up there to make up for a small floor footprint. Current studs are on 16". Roof, too. 10' ceiling. Don't know roof pitch but I'm guessing 8/12. The entire structure is clad in 3/4-1" solid wood. Studs sit on a 4x6 wood beam, which sits on brick foundation. Got to love this old framing. No trusses really... just a couple of 2x8 or 2x10 ties and hanging framing for the garage door tracks. Question: Can I add trusses/strengthen the roof to make it carry load, not just for insulation and sheetrock, but for storage? Sorry for a dumb question, but do I need to take off the roof to do this? I'm assuming my foundation walls are sufficient? Help me process whether this might be a workable plan, then we can go from there. I couldn't post pictures cause I'm a newbie. Hopefully later today. Thanks.

 

[67carl]

I have a small single car garage close in age to yours, although being on the West coast the structure undoubtedly has different construction. One of the best things I did was to add beefier ceiling joists (I set them on the top plate to get more room in the garage) and a pull down attic ladder. Not a huge amount of storage space gained but it has been invaluable. Maybe something like this would work for you.

 

[tobers]

If I did along the lines of what you did, my span would be 19'. Yours is shorter. We are thinking the same way ... I was even thinking of walk up staircase, too ... just haven't gotten that far in the discussion. Thanks.

 

[tobers]

If my walls are studs on 16" ( beefy studs, old style), and the foundation (the part I can see) is about 5 rows of masonry/bricks, then is this sufficient to carry sheetrock/insulation/load, assuming I create trusses or joists to carry the load?

 

[JackAndy]

Yeah you could insulate that garage and install a mini split. If its not going to be heated all the time, you could just install regular R-13 or R-15 fiberglass insulation in the walls and 'ceiling' if there are ceiling trusses, which it sounds like there aren't and you'd have to add those. Not sure if thats going to be a 19' or 21' span but my 1959 garage has 2x6 ceiling trusses 24" on center. Each span is 24'. Those also have W frames above them to help hold the snow load on the roof. You're not going to need as much of a snow load rating of course and its a shorter span so a 2x6 might even be overkill. It sounds like the wall studs would be strong enough to hold the load.

It sounds like the last 1-2' to the floor wouldn't get insulated but that should be fine.

As for how to install the trusses, you don't have to take the roof off. You can just peel off a couple shingles, cut a hole in the roof decking and slide the 19' or 21' truss in all the way across to the sill plate on the other side of the garage. Just use a stud finder and cut the roof decking in the middle of the ceiling joist its nailed to with a cut off wheel or something. Then when you put it back on, you can just screw both sides of the decking you cut back to the same ceiling joist and re-shingle it. Hopefully the shingles are new enough that you can get them to match somewhat.

For some of the trusses where existing framing isn't in the way, you might be able to just bring them into the garage door with 2 people, lift and then rotate it into place.

 

[bczygan]

You will need LVL's of the appropriate size and spacing to create a floor for that attic and ceiling for the garage that will support normal residential floor loading.

What will be stored?

How about a shed?

Photos?

Bill

 

[firebirdparts]

Sounds like you do have a lot of room upstairs. Floor trusses will cost more, but you'll get a much better result. In order to avoid taking the roof off, your new floor will need to be supported "low enough" to miss the sheeting on the ends of the trusses. For 2x6 rafters, that means you would only be able to put something maybe 4 or 5 inches above the wall. I have done this, but I knocked the roof loose, so my perspective is about what you can't do, so to speak.

If you can extend the roof line straight, it's not at all expensive to build a bigger building.

What do you want to do in the shop?

 

[tobers]

https://www.irista.com/#/photos/photo/7358c107-a992-4cab-aa5a-e154cf5b5f4d/67f43e6a-8bcc-4729-9eb8-a080197d38707358c107-a992-4cab-aa5a-e154cf5b5f4d?s=s
https://www.irista.com/#/photos/pho...7ed197358c107-a992-4cab-aa5a-e154cf5b5f4d?s=s
https://www.irista.com/#/photos/pho...ac7ee7358c107-a992-4cab-aa5a-e154cf5b5f4d?s=s
https://www.irista.com/#/photos/pho...839f17358c107-a992-4cab-aa5a-e154cf5b5f4d?s=s

 

[tobers]

Need a shed, too ... for big Toro commercial walk behind, lawn equipment, etc. My dad has a large wood shop ... table saw, planer, drill press, lathe, router table, dust collection. And a huge stack of cherry, walnut, etc. We have to close up his place, as he's moved to a retirement place, and the shop has no place to go. His shop is more like 26x20. This garage is 19x21. So I was hoping to build attic trusses, or put in beams ... even thought about a lift. Something has to go "up." His stuff is too nice to not have heat/ac.

 

[rburke65]

With that size of a garage, in NC, insulated, I wouldn’t think you’d need much of a mini split.