Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT 30x32 Garage/Shop Build

[FingerlessFreak]

Well the time has finally come to start building my new Garage / Shop.
This is what im currently working with. South Sill plate is rotten, roof is all but gone (tarp is helping keep the weather out) Its leaning 3" more now than it was last year at this time. Its given me a few good years but time to upgrade!



Started doing some site prep throughout the week. Trying to get everything leveled out.



Last night built 8 of the 16 ground contact portion of my posts.



Frost depth is 32" This will leave the center of the beam 22" above ground level and allow me to utilize non treated lumber (cheaper) for the rest of the posts

 

[jarhead]

I like the post idea, Following!

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Corner Posts set on Saturday with help from a couple friends. Progress took a grinding halt shortly after lunch when the tractor decided to stop working. 3 hours and a couple trips to the farm store later for parts we were able to get the last post set

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Sunday I set the 4 remaining side wall posts. Tractor ran fine all day thankfully but was a little slower going doing it all myself.




Did a little mockup just so the Girlfriend can see how parking will work.

White cones mark where front posts will go to signify the garage doors. one 16x10 and one 8x8.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Well after narrowly missing my concrete delivery time due to a tractor trailer fire on interstate the Concrete "Footer" is in! Planning on picking up trusses tomorrow.

 

[captain14]

Following.

Is the old garage going to be removed?

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Following.

Is the old garage going to be removed?

Yes. City code will mandate i have to, cant have more than 65% of your property covered in structure.

 

[billspit]

Yes. City code will mandate i have to, cant have more than 65% of your property covered in structure.

What about townhouses and condos?

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Good question. I live in the sticks. Small town 3500 people. But we dont have town houses or Condo's.

 

[dmittz]

Wow, 65% is actually pretty generious. In my Zoning they cap it at 25% and they even gave me a hard time about my proposed 8% site coverage!

Looking foward to seeing your progress.

 

[Evan92]

What about townhouses and condos?

Usually there is different zoning for high density residential that doesn’t carry the same site coverage requirements, setbacks, etc. The logic is that higher density housing provides greater utility (typically more affordable housing) vs. single family residential at the trade off of typical site cover requirements. The public utility of a massive garage or house that takes up the entire green space isn’t there. Plenty of NIMBYs don’t want to see your 40x60 garage just as much as they don’t want an apt complex in their backyard.

 

[loganb]

Looking good! How far west in Kansas? I'm currently sitting about 20 minutes away from Concordia. Grew up here, live in Omaha now but back home for the weekend

 

[FstEdde]

Looks like the start of a fun project. I’m sure you’ve been waiting a while for this! Enjoy.

Here in MI we would use posts instead of stacked 2x stock. And I believe they run from frost line to top plate (I never built a pole barn before). You do that for strength?

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Looking good! How far west in Kansas? I'm currently sitting about 20 minutes away from Concordia. Grew up here, live in Omaha now but back home for the weekend

Im on the Colorado / Kansas border.

Looks like the start of a fun project. I’m sure you’ve been waiting a while for this! Enjoy.

Here in MI we would use posts instead of stacked 2x stock. And I believe they run from frost line to top plate (I never built a pole barn before). You do that for strength?

You can use full posts. These work out just as strong, and the only treated section is that in the ground. the rest is standard framing lumber so costs work out cheaper since only the lower portion of my "DIY Laminated" posts are treated.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Saturday I drove 11 hours round trip to pick up the trusses for my shop. Facebook marketplace find. Grabbed 4 of them since they will allow a 10' span between. Grabbed 4 of them for $1600, plus $300 for fuel.





Worked on wire wheeling, washing then painting one of the trusses this evening. I make the boys help me tomorrow to finish the other 7.

 

[FstEdde]

Great find! It just feels better when you can save a ton of cash and still do it right.

I’ve used salvage and Craigslist finds all over my house. I saved thousands on my shed alone with cedar siding and industrial shelving I scored for pennies on the dollar.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Great find! It just feels better when you can save a ton of cash and still do it right.

I’ve used salvage and Craigslist finds all over my house. I saved thousands on my shed alone with cedar siding and industrial shelving I scored for pennies on the dollar.

Thats Awesome, and looks clean. Very nice!

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Well after the long weekend, yesterday was definitely a Monday on a Tuesday. left work early to get my last 2 posts set on garage. then had to run out to the training site to help off load the first part of my other major project!





This is the first of 3 40 foot containers. then we will also have a 20' coming. I wrote a grant for the expansion of our small burn building. Adding an extra wing and going to 3 floors (extra ISO point for a 3rd floor.) If you look closely at the first picture you can see the other building in the background. The pictures below are the new layout!

 

[captain14]

Interior steps for all three levels and exterior access doors to simulate basement fires? Post more photos as you work on the container project.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Interior steps for all three levels and exterior access doors to simulate basement fires? Post more photos as you work on the container project.

Interior steps from first to second level in 2 locations. Exterior staircase will go to third floor. from third there will be an exterior ladder going to roof of 3rd from rope and ladder training. I have updated drawings being worked on now from one of our captains (he teaches engineering technology at the local college)

captain14, Im going to document it all in this thread:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-scrfd-training-site-thread.503423/

 

[sublime68charger]

good luck will be following along both this and the Fire Training Center.

I'm a 20 year Volly FF and also on the County Tech Rescue team.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Well after being gone for the last month teaching finally made some progress on the shop.



Got all my Metal picked up.

Then took Friday off and worked on getting things in the air all weekend.



Getting those trusses up onto my post was a challenge.


Had to do a little pulling and tugging with come a long to try to square it all up.



But finally got all the framework on and the roof on. I need to frame out the front for the garage doors and one entry door still. I think ill wait on the front garage doors till i get my concrete in next week. Yea its not perfect. but once its covered inside and out ill be the only one who knows!

 

[nolimits76]

Getting those trusses up onto my post was a challenge.

You're making some amazing progress, and it looks great!

I am curious about the decision to use PT lumber in the ground and continue with normal. Less about economics and more about how you came up with the proper lap splice for lumber? I know for rebar, it's about 50d give or take so you maintain full strength.

When using lumber I've seen halved lap joints, but not necessarily in this type of application.

Not condemning or saying what you did is wrong -- genuinely interested in the "engineering approach" to your solution.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

You're making some amazing progress, and it looks great!

I am curious about the decision to use PT lumber in the ground and continue with normal. Less about economics and more about how you came up with the proper lap splice for lumber? I know for rebar, it's about 50d give or take so you maintain full strength.

When using lumber I've seen halved lap joints, but not necessarily in this type of application.

Not condemning or saying what you did is wrong -- genuinely interested in the "engineering approach" to your solution.

Well.......

The post method is something i picked up from a contractor here in town. That's how he starts all his pole buildings. I know he has engineered plans for the posts.

Anything i built past that is just home grown farm boy ingenuity. All of my lumber is nailed with Army core of engineer nail patterns. (my Structural collapse technician coming through) then some 4.5" screws just to hold everything together.

The Trusses obviously weren't designed for a wood post but more of a concrete stub wall. we made them work. Even the way it sits now with the frame and roof its beefed up alot. I suspect once i get the sidewalls on throughout the week itll just get better.

Also still want to throw some cross braces up but will have to wait till i can get over to Denver to pick up some 20' 2x6.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Finally had some time after being gone to get the rest of the Tin and trim up. Screw lines aren't perfect but i guess that's par for the course for 14 year old labor. I'm not complaining, both my boys were great help and definitely speed the process up instead of trying to hang sheet by myself.








Doing 5/8 of the concrete floor this Friday. Then hopefully this weekend putting in the small garage door and starting some wiring.

Big door is back ordered till January. Guess ill figure out a way to tarp it and make it easy to move for parking.

 

[jarhead]

How is the shop coming along?

 

[FingerlessFreak]

Man i completely dropped the ball on my thread! Was gone so much teaching that i never really took any progress pics.

So heres a few that were found of concrete work. Did the L shape and ran it all last winter as my "work: area. Had a large FD Salvage Tarp over the big door and reused the 8x8 door I had from previous garage i tore down. last pic is an example of my setup all through last winter.

 

[FingerlessFreak]

A couple pics here from the last part of the concrete we finished this summer. And a couple pics of the Project im currently working on. Ill try to get some better interior pics when I get back to town this weekend!