Connecting new garage to old

[Jack_Toepfer]

Hi Guys,

Here is the situation. I bought your typical suburban home with 2 car attached garage. I decided to build an addition, 18x40 (10’ ceiling) with an 18x32 (8’ ceiling) upstairs.

So, considering that I have a 2 car already, and this one is attached just set back 2’, how big of a hole do I cut in the wall to connect them?

Initially I was thinking take out everything I could and open the space right up. Then it occurred to me how valuable that wall space could be.

The new garage will be heated/cooled, the old one will not but it could be.

Do you separate by a man door? Do you take out the entire shared wall (minus support for ibeam) ? Remove 8’?

Interested not only in your suggestion but why.

Notes -
Old garage has single garage door, no man door. Primary entrance to house.
New garage has 16’ door front, man door front side, 8’ garage door in back, man door on opposite corner of other door behind house. No direct home entry (yet, will make another thread for that one).

Thanks in advance.

 

[landlord30]

I built a 24 x 40 attached to my original 2 car garage. It extends 14' past the rear face of the original. The wall they share of the original had a window in it. I cut it down and put a man door in there. I also put a man door in the 14' part that extends past the original. It has worked out well for me.

 

[scheu]

I built a 10x20 addition on the side of my existing attached garage. I had thought about just having a man door to connect them (no roll up door, all work space). But decided on two approximately 8' openings connecting old to new. I don't believe the space would have been nearly as usable otherwise.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

I've been asking myself how big something may be that I'll want to move between the 2 without opening 30' of garage door to do it.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

I built a 10x20 addition on the side of my existing attached garage. I had thought about just having a man door to connect them (no roll up door, all work space). But decided on two approximately 8' openings connecting old to new. I don't believe the space would have been nearly as usable otherwise.

Do you have any pics? I'm thinking my (2) 8' openings would be like yours may be, on either side of the supports holding up the i-beams.

 

[ford33]

I think having an extra wide man door would be useful. Think a standard wheel chair wide door would allow you to carry some big tool cart and parts between garages. It would save on heating expense during the winter to not open the large doors. The extra wall space is very useful.

 

[James-W]

What would you have in one garage that you would want to move to the other one? I mean, would you be moving large tools or pieces of equipment between the two? I may be dead wrong but I would tend to think you would be walking between the two and possible taking a few hand tools back and forth, but that would be about it.

I would put a short hallway with as wide doors as I could get. I am not sure of this, but I think you can get a regular type door up to 42 inches wide, but they will likely be special order only.

 

[matt_i]

Based on the heating issue, I'd go for a true 3'0" = 36" wide exterior door. However because you have two big overhead doors right next to each other that would be the normal conduit for anything large that needs to pass between the sides.

Seeing the finished living space above it, though, I would want to make sure that ceiling was very well insulated otherwise the room can get pretty cold. Also based on the ceiling being potentially "stuffed" I would want to do as much future proofing with wiring, etc so that you didn't have to open anything back up down the road.

 

[rsanter]

It depends how you are going to use the different spaces or the whole space.
Is,part going to be a shop and the other parking? Or all of it shop? All of it parking?

Bob

 

[Teach]

My two areas are used for two distinct purposes, but I still wanted easy access between the two. I went with French doors:

 

[lakeroadster]

Nicely done Teach.
_____________________________________________________________________

Hey Jack, Ideally you could use one of those doors like Scotty designed in Star Trek

Hard to answer your question without a plan view of the garage.

Why? Because it depends on how close the overhead doors are to the side wall of the garage and/or how deep the garage is and what you'll be parking / storing in it.

It appears the overhead doors are close to the side wall. If so that limits the size of the door; you sure don't want to swing the door into a parked car.

You could put the door toward the front of the wall, but now you are loosing valuable wall space where storage is at a premium.

I used a weatherproof outside man door in my shop between the maintenance bay and storage bays. The door sill is a nuisance when moving things between the two spaces... like rolling a shop vac. or a floor jack.

A pocket door eliminates the sill, and the swinging issue, but would not be weatherproof.

I was initially going to use a sliding barn style door at the rear, but decided an overhead door would be better from a insulation / air tight perspective.

Perhaps this gives you some food for thought. Good luck on your project, looks like it's going to be an awesome space.

 

[Teach]

And if you use a weatherproof outside door the door sill will be a nuisance when moving things between the two spaces... like rolling a shop vac. or a floor jack.

Fortunately I thought of that ahead of time on my project. I wanted to be able to roll a tool cart between the two spaces so both floors meet flush.

 

[lakeroadster]

Fortunately I thought of that ahead of time on my project. I wanted to be able to roll a tool cart between the two spaces so both floors meet flush.

Works great when both sides are conditioned spaces..... but in this case:

The new garage will be heated/cooled, the old one will not but it could be.

How would the OP seal french doors with no sill plate to the floor to prevent HVAC and filth issues?

That's why I used a man door in the front and an overhead door in the back. Both are insulated doors.

Form follows function.

 

[Teach]

Works great when both sides are conditioned spaces..... but in this case:

How would the OP seal french doors with no sill plate to the floor to prevent HVAC and filth issues?

Form follows function.

In my case there is just a rubber strip on the bottom of each of the French doors that just rubs the ground. It is definitely not airtight, but filth is not an issue. I do add "draft dodgers" under the French doors in the winter since the small shop is heated all the time but the main garage is only heated when I need to work on something out there.

 

[scheu]

Do you have any pics? I'm thinking my (2) 8' openings would be like yours may be, on either side of the supports holding up the i-beams.

I'll snap some tonight for you.

 

[CraigStu]

I added a 16x22 addition next to my original 2 car garage. Wall studs in the original garage wall are on the typical 16" centers. I took out two studs. I finished off the edges of the opening and then went to Joannes Fabrics. Bought some of their heaviest clear plastic. Cut it into 4 strips and hung them to seal the opening by overlapping by about 2 inches each. This has worked really well for 3 yrs now and allows me to easily heat or cool my addition w/o heating/cooling the original 2 car space. The plastic is easy to part by hand or, if carrying something, it parts on it's own to let me through.

 

[Slednut]

I added a 26x30 to my 26x26 attached, also have living space above. I use a curtain that I pull across when I heat or cool the new space.

 

[scheu]

Jack,
This is what I did. Two, approx. 8' openings between new and existing. Can't figure out why/how it's turned 90 degrees...
Jeff

 

[lakeroadster]

Jack,
This is what I did. Two, approx. 8' openings between new and existing. Can't figure out why/how it's turned 90 degrees...
Jeff

Rotated to correct orientation..

 

[NUTTSGT]

Being just east of Buffalo and knowing that Buffalo gets lake effect snow, I sure would want a decent sized door between the two garages.

A double door like Teach has would be nice and it appears that he has solved the heating/cooling/dirt issue.

An overhead garage type door would work to if ceiling space isn't an issue.

A wide man door, I think 48" can be order yet this will have the sill issue unless you leave it out. . . . same principle as Teach has solved.

You could also get a roll up door. However, it wouldn't be practical to use everyday and to get an insulated one, it'll cost a little more.

I did see a double door that was installed and customized by the owner to have the entire unit hinged up. I don't exactly remember but one of the doors may have been permanently fixed closed but the whole unit could be swung up so he could get his Goldwing out.

 

[lostmind]

Consider a sliding door , like on a horse barn. You can make it any size that fits.

 

[albaran]

I did exactly what the OP wants to do with an office above the new garage.
The picture shows the passage between the old and new areas. The gas heater hanging from the ceiling in the new section heats both areas.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I'd be tempted to go with a double door, preferably insulated and meant to be a fire door as well. With that amount of space inside both halves, having a fire door there could be very helpful in keeping at least half of the structure intact in case of fire.

Plus big industrial steel swinging doors just look cool. Especially if they have any glass windows in them with the safety wire glass panels.

 

[johnnyradiant]

Works great when both sides are conditioned spaces..... but in this case:



How would the OP seal french doors with no sill plate to the floor to prevent HVAC and filth issues?


Form follows function.

Use automatic door sweeps is another way. They most commonly rabbet into the bottom of the door and have a plunger on them. When the door shuts the plunger is pushed by the door jamb and the sealing bar drops down to the floor. I have had a couple for over 15 years. I also have a surface mounted variety on one of my mom's basement doors (40+ yrs). It isn't quite as robust as the rabbeted variety, and because it is surface mounted not as aesthetically pleasing. The rabbeted ones don't even show. Pemko is one brand. They normally don't require the floor to be parallel to the door bottom just flat.

The # and size of doors/openings is truly subjective to your preference and intended use.

 

[James-W]

What will be getting moved between the two garages that you need to have such an extremely wide door?

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

Very good questions in here.
First though, thank you all for the ideas and pictures!!

As mentioned previously, I’m in Buffalo NY... so when it’s VERY COLD and VERY WINDY, the last thing I want to do is open 2 16’ doors to move things from one to the other.
Now, what might I be moving? Well, if it’s a 36” door, I won’t be moving anything wider than that. If it’s an 8’ opening, I’d have no problem moving motorcycles, 4 wheelers, lawnmowers, or powerwheels through the opening(s).
I also really appreciate the ways you guys are “closing them off” and I was looking forward to a barn door type roller style, with rubber/plastic to help seal it. I think it would be a beautiful accent piece, and very functional.
The “house garage” not being conditioned, that’s simply because I don’t want to put any money into it. Hopefully my wife and kids will park their stuff in there and it won’t need any special treatment.
The back of the new garage has an 8’ garage door because I wanted the freedom to move things about... but I know I’m sacrificing “storage” as a result, and didn’t want to lose more wall space if anyone had a good reason not to.

A garage door between the 2 wouldn’t work because the rails would interfere with each other.

I’ll be watching this thread if anyone else had anything to share or any other questions. Thanks again!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I also really appreciate the ways you guys are “closing them off” and I was looking forward to a barn door type roller style, with rubber/plastic to help seal it. I think it would be a beautiful accent piece, and very functional.

I’ll be watching this thread if anyone else had anything to share or any other questions. Thanks again!

If you want a sliding door, you could easily do it. Might have to get slightly creative with sealing the bottom or it just may not be an issue.

If it's not, I'd get the house garage insulated, even though you're not heating/cooling that space. It will help trap any conditioned air from your garage shop. Small investment.

Back to the sliding door. One of the main reasons guys don't use them is they steal valuable wall space with the area the door slides too. You could over come this by literally boxing the area in where the door will ride when it's open, creating a space much like a pocket door. While you might lose 6-8" of floor space, you will gain your wall space back.