Are my plans proportionate?

[408Chevelle]

The other day I discovered the CB Structures' Space Planner and laid out the basic plans I have for my future build. Maybe it's me, but the scale of the shop along with the cars, work benches, etc. doesn't seem proportionate. The program sets these items to what they are in real life, but there's more open space than what I initially expected.

60'x40' with four 12'x12's.

*Edit: After reading more on compressed air systems, I have learned a complete loop is more efficient.

 

[blue dog]

Most plans are done on a scale of 1/4" per foot. The extra room gives you space for a nice big rolling work bench or welding table. The only thing i see wrong with this layout is that there is no fridge. And i allways suggest floor drains in a shop/garage. especially if you live some where it snows.

 

[Kevin54]

Most plans are done on a scale of 1/4" per foot. The extra room gives you space for a nice big rolling work bench or welding table. The only thing i see wrong with this layout is that there is no fridge. And i allways suggest floor drains in a shop/garage. especially if you live some where it snows.

Yep....it's gotta have a beer fridge.

I second the floor drain idea. If not for the complete floor, maybe just a dedicated bay to allow snow, slop, rain, to drain and to be able to wash the car. I wish I had drains put in when I built my garage. We constantly have dirty water running off of our cars in the winter and always are having to squeegee the floors out after the **** thaws off.

 

[Wingnut65]

Nice Layout. Yes it looks proportionate if the cars are to scale. A basic car is about 18' long and around 5-1/2' wide. The garage is about double a car length and looks about 40'. I think what throws in all the extra space is going for a 40' wide space instead of only 30'. But the extra space would be nice! You could put a low wall in front of the cars to define the parking area and the work space. The low wall could also have electricity run through it with outlets on both sides. It would allow for 40-50' of additional workbenches, cabinets, tools or what else you could need. Everything doesn't need to be against a wall. But, remember that "Space Creates Vacuum" - Create that much open space and it will be filled with stuff to trip over. You will always fine enough stuff to fill the space you build. Just ask anyone on here.

For a couple other suggestions... Consider swinging the bathroom and compressor room doors outward. Since they will be closed most of the time, it really doesn't matter. It also gives more room for storage that will be put in their eventually. Also, if something falls over in the room, it won't block the door from being opened.

The amount of space between the cars is nice, but doesn't give much circulation space on the ends to access the workbench or shelving. Right now between your 12' doors, you have 5 pieces of wall at about 2.4' long. If teh doors were pushed together, that wall spacing could cut down to 16" and you could have 2' more space on each end to work. Or consider going with only 10' doors instead of the 12'.

And I agree with the others, Floor Drains and Beer Fridge!

Good Luck with your project.

 

[408Chevelle]

Thanks for the input guys! It may not look like a fridge, but the plans do have one in the top left corner. In my part of the state we're "lucky" to see snow once every 5 years and even then it's nothing big. I really like the floor drain ideas though!

 

[rodnok1]

I have a 40x60 and I laid it out in advance, I use two 10' wide doors, leaving space of 10' in between. Knowing I would be working on 2-3 MAX at anytime. I can tell you when I have my long bed crew cab truck in there in takes 2/3 of the width. I think you are underestimating storage and workbench areas also. Where and how many windows are you putting in also. I use about 15-20 x 40 just for **** that collects around the place, bikes I'm working on, small projects, scaffolding, generators, concrete mixer, shop carts, etc... I also would re-arrange so lift isn't right by that corner, nothing like an abstacle to smash your head on when you have a long vehicle on it.

 

[Falcon67]

I agree with rod - I'd put the lift on the far end away from the most used man door, or one away from the man doors. Leave space for "stuff", it'll come in droves.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I like my floors perfectly flat, or as flat as the finishers can get them. My builder told me I either had to have floor drains or a sloped floor according to code, all the while nodding his head side to side. We agreed and I have flat floors. I use a squeegee when it is necessary to move water.

12 wide doors are nice, but probably extreme for all four doors. Depends on what you plan to drive in there. Unless you need all four bays, I'd only use three doors and the remaining space would be an organized shop area where you have the drill press, and other large heavy stuff. I'd keep it focused in one area.

You might consider one 12w door and two 10w doors. It all depends on what you have to park in there. If you work on VW's all the time, 10 is great. Dually pickups, trailers, etc, would need the 12w.

Charles

 

[1320stang]

12 wide doors are nice, but probably extreme for all four doors. Depends on what you plan to drive in there. Unless you need all four bays, I'd only use three doors and the remaining space would be an organized shop area where you have the drill press, and other large heavy stuff. I'd keep it focused in one area.

You might consider one 12w door and two 10w doors. It all depends on what you have to park in there. If you work on VW's all the time, 10 is great. Dually pickups, trailers, etc, would need the 12w.

Charles

Car Hauler, Dually, Boat, RV.... I'm planning a 3 bay addition to my attached garage and it'll have 2 12' doors on the street side and a 12' door in the middle on the backyard side. Unfortunately it'll probably have 7' tall doors, 8' if I can make it work. I'm considering SIP's for the roof and not having a conventional header above the doors.

 

[larry_g]

I would have you consider getting rid of one OH door. I have found that eventually when 'stuff' starts to accumulate that one bay usually gets filled with junk so plan for it and use the space where the door is to make more storage. I also would think that the lift is to close to the sidewall with trying to sneak the work bench and compressor room there also. I would eliminate the the big door on the lower right and move the entertainment area to there leaving 3 full bays for working.



I always look at plans like this from a workshop perspective. If you are just building a storage garage/mancave then OK. What you plan to do in there should dictitate a lot of the layout. You show a couch out in the middle of the room so I assume that cutting/welding/grinding are not in your plans. Think of clean and dirty areas and if you need to seperate the space into clean and dirty.


I went back to your intro thread and seen some of the pictures or your dads shop ( some are gone) and see that it has some of the things I talked about, not all doors, and an upstairs for clean area.


lg
no neat sig line

 

[T1320T]

Looks like a good layout for the most part...all depends on what kind of work you're gonna be doing. You may want to account for large equip also, i.e. welder, plasma cutter, press, band saw, tool boxes, etc., those things tend to eat up a lot of floor space as your tool arsenal grows!

 

[408Chevelle]

According to the program all of the work benches and shelving are 2'X12'. In reality it would probably be 3' deep instead of 2'. As of now I haven't added any windows. If I go the steel building route I'll rely on sky and artificial lighting.

This will definitely be a working garage, but I thought it would be cool to squeeze a couch in there if it doesn't eat up too much space. I like all of your ideas on three doors instead of four. That would really increase wall space.

Rod, do you have any pics of you garage?

 

[Zeke]

You could put a low wall in front of the cars to define the parking area and the work space. The low wall could also have electricity run through it with outlets on both sides. It would allow for 40-50' of additional workbenches, cabinets, tools or what else you could need.

Good idea, but you never know what kind of project might come up. Not all garage projects fit into what would be a dedicated automotive workshop. Therefore, I'd make that low wall cabinet idea one on casters that lock and out of modular sections.. Maybe even a lockdown to the floor via anchors. Power and air could be fed from over head or floor connections. I'm sure a waterproof floor box can be found somewhere, but if not, overhead.

 

[sberry]

I been down this road with a couple of builds. You can try to plan but a lot of it changes or doesn't seem to have the same perspective it had on paper. I don't waste wall space with benches, thats where tools sit and I like benches more away from walls so I can walk around. Walls for shelves, machine tools, welders, drill press etc. Main things are to consider door layout and where incoming utilities are to save on long wire runs to heavy tools. I park air comps and welders near incoming power. With modern trusses and all I consider making it 60 wide and 40 deep, put working doors in gable ends vs on the eve side.

 

[red baron]

I personally would not have the 4 post right next to that workbench on the right side, it will make it difficult to use the bench.

 

[stan.riner]

I would also make the bathroom door open the opposite direction. You'll be going in there to use the sink more often than the toilet and it'll get annoying closing the door everytime. You're more likely to close the door when using the toilet anyway so I would configure it that way.

Cool garage though. Wish I had the room on my 5500 sq ft lot for something like that!

 

[Goobzilla]

I just completed a 40x64 and I went with 3 10x10 doors.

This gave me the area from the wall on the right hand side to the 1st rollup door for the "work area" and the space from the 3rd rollup to the left side wall as the "storage area" which the pallet racking fit perfectly in and the 3rd bay is still clear.

I can take more pics if it will help you finalize your design. My original plan was for a 40 x 60 but my builder told me the additional cost was essentially zero.

 

[sberry]

I would also make the bathroom door open the opposite direction. You'll be going in there to use the sink more often

There would be a utility sink in my plan, keeps the bathroom so much cleaner, urinal too.

 

[larry_g]

Here is how I did my shop. I have a 36x48 and have migrated from cars to machining as a better focus of the shop. In that light I went with two o/h doors and left two bays for shop work. On the far right side I planned a 'clean' area for the mills and lathes and assciated tools. In the center picture you can see the divider wall for the clean area with the stairs leading to loft area. To the left of the stairs is a large opening that will allow moving in machines and then will be closed with a false wall. To the right of the stairs will be a man door between the two areas. Both the machine area and the loft are 12x36'. Above the machine shop is the wifes hobby room. I have three open bays for dirty work and whatever.
lg
no neat sig line

 

[Flange]

It looks a little bit too small to me.

 

[Grumpy365]

Looks like a good layout for the most part...all depends on what kind of work you're gonna be doing. You may want to account for large equip also, i.e. welder, plasma cutter, press, band saw, tool boxes, etc., those things tend to eat up a lot of floor space as your tool arsenal grows!

This is what I was thinking. I don't see a lot of room for a Welder, Plasma Cutter, band saw, Welding Table, engine hoist, engine stand, chop saw, etc. (Those are the stuff that always seem to be in my way). Also You kinda need to commit now, so you can get the 220 Plugs in where you want them.

Also Grinding, and Cutting is extremely dirty and should be planned for accordingly.

Lastly, Where are you going to put the spare **** we all end up with, (right now I have a Ford 9" rear end, some Jeep doors, a couple of pieces of big pipe that may become a BBQ pit some day, a outboard motor, and alot of stuff, to good to sit out in the yard).

I am way jealous of your new shop.