Best plan for a 24 x 26 garage?

[dockdoc]

I've made some slow progress on this detached garage plan for my house. It's going to be a hell of a project, but I've got tree removal figured out, a good concrete contractor working up his estimate, and a contractor who will help me on an as needed basis. So going to frame this puppy myself.

I don't have a plan. The house is a ranch, so single story but due to the grade I can be about 20' high on this. Other caveats:

- want engineered attic trusses for overhead storage (6/12 roof rise I'm thinking?)
- not sure if 2 bay doors or 1 is better
- will be a 4" slab, with stem walls; need foundation plans as well
- thinking 2x6 walls because eh why not

BEHM has some designs, all pretty simple. Is there anything more interesting out there?

 

[matt_i]

I'm going to recommend a 7:12 pitch roof. Its one thing I wish now that I did instead of 6:12. The collar tie at the top makes it impossible to walk straight thru standing up. I can stand up between the trusses but not walk across. Room is 12'-0-3/4" wide so its easy to build the floor with 3 sheets of T&G plywood.

You need a plan, imo. Its super helpful to have a drawn reference to go back to when you get stuck rather than guessing or fitting on-the-fly....which can lead to issues later on. Graph paper an a basic scale would be a good starting point, learning a CAD-type program even better because the electronic model can be embellished with more and more details as you go.

Even sketching out with pencil and paper details surrounding siding, roofing, flashing, etc will be helpful. Having a rough plan of electrical and or HVAC, stairs, hoisting, etc will pay off down the road.

 

[dockdoc]

I'm going to recommend a 7:12 pitch roof. Its one thing I wish now that I did instead of 6:12. The collar tie at the top makes it impossible to walk straight thru standing up. I can stand up between the trusses but not walk across. Room is 12'-0-3/4" wide so its easy to build the floor with 3 sheets of T&G plywood.

Great to know, thanks! One thing I don't know is if I can modify an existing plan that, say, has regular trusses and substitute an engineered attic truss with a different roof slope. Any idea?

 

[mike93lx]

2x6 may be required, but is the right decision anyway if you are climate controlling the space.

Planning for a lift? Interior height will be important.

Modifying plans will be up to your local code enforcement. Is this permitted? If so, you will probably need stamped plans

 

[dockdoc]

2x6 may be required, but is the right decision anyway if you are climate controlling the space.

Planning for a lift? Interior height will be important.

Modifying plans will be up to your local code enforcement. Is this permitted? If so, you will probably need stamped plans

Yeah at the moment I'm leaning towards these plans, which calls for a "heavy duty" construction with 2x6, and can substitute various roof pitches.


This will be permitted, although I don't believe my county requires stamped plans, but I'll of course check.

 

[ddurrett896]

with a 24x26, the 26' wall will sheath (8'+8'+8'+2'). I'd bump it up to 28' so it's half a sheet or even 32' if allowed.

 

[Hallucar]

I'm nearing the finishing stages of my 24 x 26 detached garage. I went with 2x6 studs, and wouldn't have even considered 2x4. The small difference in price when taking shouldn't be a factor...I don't believe in skimping a structural components.

I went with one garage door on mine (9x8) which is positioned off center. The other side has a 4x4 window, which balances the aesthetic look, but also lets in light. This is where my work space is, so I didn't want a garage door in the way. If you're gonna be using your garage to park vehicles in rather then puttering, then you may want to go with 2 doors.

I'm building mine myself as well, along with help of course. The only part I hired out was the foundation footings, concrete slab, and drywall. Be prepared for the build to take longer then expected if you're doing it yourself. I'm exactly a year into my build, and still have the siding to finish!

 

[dockdoc]

with a 24x26, the 26' wall will sheath (8'+8'+8'+2'). I'd bump it up to 28' so it's half a sheet or even 32' if allowed.

Thanks, but I'm maxed out on size based on the property lines.

I'm nearing the finishing stages of my 24 x 26 detached garage. I went with 2x6 studs, and wouldn't have even considered 2x4. The small difference in price when taking shouldn't be a factor...I don't believe in skimping a structural components.

I went with one garage door on mine (9x8) which is positioned off center. The other side has a 4x4 window, which balances the aesthetic look, but also lets in light. This is where my work space is, so I didn't want a garage door in the way. If you're gonna be using your garage to park vehicles in rather then puttering, then you may want to go with 2 doors.

I'm building mine myself as well, along with help of course. The only part I hired out was the foundation footings, concrete slab, and drywall. Be prepared for the build to take longer then expected if you're doing it yourself. I'm exactly a year into my build, and still have the siding to finish!

Appreciate that! Yeah I'm not expecting it to be a quick project by any means, but I think I can get it done. I like the single offset door idea, but I do intend to store vehicles in there so will need room for that. My question was more should I have one large door, or two small doors.

 

[mike93lx]

I'm nearing the finishing stages of my 24 x 26 detached garage. I went with 2x6 studs, and wouldn't have even considered 2x4. The small difference in price when taking shouldn't be a factor...I don't believe in skimping a structural components.

I went with one garage door on mine (9x8) which is positioned off center. The other side has a 4x4 window, which balances the aesthetic look, but also lets in light. This is where my work space is, so I didn't want a garage door in the way. If you're gonna be using your garage to park vehicles in rather then puttering, then you may want to go with 2 doors.

I'm building mine myself as well, along with help of course. The only part I hired out was the foundation footings, concrete slab, and drywall. Be prepared for the build to take longer then expected if you're doing it yourself. I'm exactly a year into my build, and still have the siding to finish!

2x4 is completely adequate for a single story structure, let's be realistic. Saying that is skimping on structural components is being dramatic

My house is only 2x4 framed and it's fine,as are nearly all houses older than probably 20 years. Downside is insulation. My 28' span trusses are also 2x4 and all interior walls are 2x3.

With that said, I would also use 2x6 for anything more than a shed.

 

[Hallucar]

2x4 is completely adequate for a single story structure, let's be realistic. Saying that is skimping on structural components is being dramatic

My house is only 2x4 framed and it's fine,as are nearly all houses older than probably 20 years. Downside is insulation. My 28' span trusses are also 2x4 and all interior walls are 2x3.

With that said, I would also use 2x6 for anything more than a shed.

A 2x6x8 costs $5.05 here in British Columbia. A 2x4x8 costs $3.65 - a difference of $1.40 each. I used approximately 90 pieces for my build, but we'll round it up to 100 to keep it simple. That's a savings of $140 to build the walls out of 2x4 instead of 2x6. My detached garage cost me just under $40,000 to build. Spending $140 to improve the overall structural integrity of the building is not even a question. But hey, if there's some reason why it's better to go with 2x4 walls, other than the $140 saving, then I would like to know.

 

[mike93lx]

A 2x6x8 costs $5.05 here in British Columbia. A 2x4x8 costs $3.65 - a difference of $1.40 each. I used approximately 90 pieces for my build, but we'll round it up to 100 to keep it simple. That's a savings of $140 to build the walls out of 2x4 instead of 2x6. My detached garage cost me just under $40,000 to build. Spending $140 to improve the overall structural integrity of the building is not even a question. But hey, if there's some reason why it's better to go with 2x4 walls, other than the $140 saving, then I would like to know.

Did you read my post? Or did you just want to scream that you are right and I am wrong?

 

[jetnow1]

A couple of small benefits with the 2 by 4, the walls are lighter to lift and you gain about 4 inches in interior width and depth. In a garage that small you would be amazed how quickly the space gets tight. If you are insulating the garage I hope you insulated the slab/foundation also, This is my only major
regret. Mine is 24 by 30 deep and I wish I could have gone 4 feet wider, when You put vehicles in it the stuff on the sides crowds you very quickly.

 

[mike93lx]

My garage is 24x26 and we actively park in it. I hate not being able to open car doors without hitting a wall or the post. A single door would help as we could park a little closer together.

I'd go single door if I was starting with a clean slate and that size restriction.

 

[spudley]

A 2x6x8 costs $5.05 here in British Columbia. A 2x4x8 costs $3.65 - a difference of $1.40 each. I used approximately 90 pieces for my build, but we'll round it up to 100 to keep it simple. That's a savings of $140 to build the walls out of 2x4 instead of 2x6. My detached garage cost me just under $40,000 to build. Spending $140 to improve the overall structural integrity of the building is not even a question. But hey, if there's some reason why it's better to go with 2x4 walls, other than the $140 saving, then I would like to know.

I think mike93lx's point is structurally 2x4's will get it done.

On a one build basis the increased costs aren't deal breaking but some additional costs you missed are 2x6 plates, window and door jamb extensions and (as noted) the loss of a few more interior inches.

That said, I used 2x6's in my garage build but I also did a second story by making use of my 12/12 roof pitch by adding a full dormer. I'm also located where it gets fairly cool in winter so I prefer more insulation than 2x4's allow.

 

[dockdoc]

My garage is 24x26 and we actively park in it. I hate not being able to open car doors without hitting a wall or the post. A single door would help as we could park a little closer together.

I'd go single door if I was starting with a clean slate and that size restriction.

Thanks that's a super helpful insight. We may also park our boat in this garage and I feel like the extra room from a single large door to maneuver the boat tight against the wall would be helpful.

I think mike93lx's point is structurally 2x4's will get it done.

On a one build basis the increased costs aren't deal breaking but some additional costs you missed are 2x6 plates, window and door jamb extensions and (as noted) the loss of a few more interior inches.

That said, I used 2x6's in my garage build but I also did a second story by making use of my 12/12 roof pitch by adding a full dormer. I'm also located where it gets fairly cool in winter so I prefer more insulation than 2x4's allow.

Thanks all - appreciate the discussion on 2x6 vs 2x4. It seems to me like there's no real NEED for 2x6, given my single story structure, but as others pointed out the cost difference is negligible, I may just go that route for the sake of overengineering. This is located in the south, so cold isn't a huge deal but I may insulate and do a mini-split for some cooling in the summer time so I can use the (albeit small) shop space in comfort.

 

[mike93lx]

If you are ever going to work on a car, you'll wish for the single door as well. Being able to pull into the middle will make a brake/suspension/tire rotation job so much easier. Plus if you keep the sides clear, you could possibly squeeze two cars plus your boat in if you need shelter from a hail storm or hurricane

 

[matt_i]

If you ever ever have ideas around insulating it for heating/cooling then the 2x6 wall will be a better choice in my opinion. Energy is just going to get more expensive in my opinion as the lowest hanging fruit continues to be picked off. We're just in a lull right now.

 

[u2slow]

I don't have a plan. The house is a ranch, so single story but due to the grade I can be about 20' high on this. Other caveats:

- want engineered attic trusses for overhead storage (6/12 roof rise I'm thinking?)
- not sure if 2 bay doors or 1 is better
- will be a 4" slab, with stem walls; need foundation plans as well
- thinking 2x6 walls because eh why not

BEHM has some designs, all pretty simple. Is there anything more interesting out there?

20' to the top? Or 'mean' roof height? Wall height may force you to go to 2x6. I went with 6/12 pitch to accommodate the side bays. No main attic, but each side bay has a half attic. I did my own plan on graph paper, and took it to a local designer to be turned into real drawings, and then took them to an engineer who further spec'd the end walls in 2x8 for rigidity.

Are you considering an automotive lift? You might want to take that slab to 5 or 6". Check their specs. A planned 4" slab may vary from 3-5".

 

[seedtime]

I put a 8x8 door on the back of my detached. Allows me to drive through if necessary, but mainly I don’t have to open my personal space up for everyone driving by to see. I get lots of white grimy dust accumulating in my garages if I leave the doors open on the road side for extended periods.

Or you could do what my neighbor did when he wanted to insulate his detached garage and had a 16 x 8 door he hadn’t used in years. He framed and insulated it on the inside, and left a void behind the door to store rakes, shovels, and odd yard tools.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[nafterclifen]

My garage is 24x26 and we actively park in it. I hate not being able to open car doors without hitting a wall or the post. A single door would help as we could park a little closer together.

I'd go single door if I was starting with a clean slate and that size restriction.

Agreed 10000%. With a single, double wide door you will have MUCH more flexibility. Maybe you don't care or need it now but you might as well be prepared for whatever the future brings.

I have (2) single doors on on 20x22 and can't park a single car in it because of car size (Honda Pilot) and not being to open doors, walk around it, etc.

 

[Bldmovs]

I have a 24x28x10, with a 9/12 pitch and a 18’x8’ door. It’s built with 2x4s and I haven’t noticed any structural or heating and cooling issues. It stays fairly consistent in there, during the winter and summer months.

 

[dockdoc]

Agreed 10000%. With a single, double wide door you will have MUCH more flexibility. Maybe you don't care or need it now but you might as well be prepared for whatever the future brings.

I have (2) single doors on on 20x22 and can't park a single car in it because of car size (Honda Pilot) and not being to open doors, walk around it, etc.

Wow, thanks I'll definitely aim for the single door!

 

[ddurrett896]

Wow, thanks I'll definitely aim for the single door!

Standard double is 16' and pretty tight. I bumped mine to a 18' and it's a breeze for 2 SUVs to pull in. On a 22' wall.

 

[mike93lx]

Standard double is 16' and pretty tight. I bumped mine to a 18' and it's a breeze for 2 SUVs to pull in. On a 22' wall.

Be careful as the door eats up more of the wall.... Bracing and shear strength are critical. This is where an engineer can help a lot and you might make a bad mistake just downloading something off the net and making changes