Garage ceiling height and lifts

[Jayhem]

Ok, so I'm still in design phase of my custom garage.

I'm looking at 24'x40'. I would go wider but I'm limited by my topography and set backs.

I'm looking at a block stem wall that is Just about 12" above the slab floor. Using 10' 2x6 stud walls above that with double bottom and top plates I'll be right at 11.35' garage ceiling height to drywall.

Would this height allow me to get a full size pickup on a lift to a height I can comfortably work under it on a stool? On paper it looks doable but I need some real world experience! I really cannot go any highter because my garage cannot have a roof ridge higher than my house (by local code) and I'm using 10/12 attic trusses, we are just 4" short of the house roof!

Also, is there anything special I need to do to my slab in the location where a lift will eventually go? I'm going 5" thick with fiber and rebar reinforced 3,500 psi concrete...should I thicken the slab under where my lift will go? extra rebar?

 

[ExxWhy]

My ceiling is 2 1/2' higher than your plan. I have a Bendpak 4 post lift and can easily stand under a truck with room to spare. If you just want to be on a stool, then you should be good to go.

 

[Ironcrow]

I'd cove the ceiling or scissor truss or something to get an extra foot.

 

[Scud67]

My ceiling is 11'6" and I can get my F-150 up on it to a level that I can get under it with a roll stool.... actually can almost stand under it, but not quite. The lift I have can be installed in a garage with a ceiling height of 10'.

 

[pattenp]

Your concrete is okay. The ceiling height depends on the style of lift. Four Post and Two Post Floor Plate style will work with 11' ceiling. It's the Two Post Clear Floor style that may have a problem fitting because of the overhead beam and hydraulic lines. Those usually need around 12'+ ceiling.

 

[Unhdsm]

I have a 10ft ceiling and the door opener hangs 9 inches down. I can get my Ram 1500cc to full height with the MaxJax. There is zero room to spare though.

 

[astroracer]

Watch the spacing on your doors. If you are putting doors on the long side, my rule of thumb for a "working" garage or barn is "at least 6' on either side of the door". 4' will work but 6' is so much better. 6' gives room for opening the car doors, storage or bench space and room to work on the car with storage or bench space on the wall.
If you are pulling in on the long side, 24' wide is going to make things very tight with vehicles parked in there. Remember, your building is only 23' wide on the INSIDE. You may want to try for a few more feet to make life easier when working in there.
Another point is concrete thickness. 4" of 3500PSI concrete is plenty. Go to BendPaks site and read up on their recommended concrete thickness. 3 1/2" is what they recommend for anything up to 14K. Save the concrete cash and put it into size.
Mark
Mark

 

[MJockey]

Which side are your doors on? The 40ft side? Assuming your trusses are spanning the 24ft span, you might want to consider 1/2 attic and 1/2 scissor truss. 12.5' of clearance where the cab of the truck would go would allow you to walk under it. Plus you will be able to get a clear floor 10K 2 post lift in there if that is what you want.

 

[Jayhem]

My ceiling is 2 1/2' higher than your plan. I have a Bendpak 4 post lift and can easily stand under a truck with room to spare. If you just want to be on a stool, then you should be good to go.

Excellent!

I'd cove the ceiling or scissor truss or something to get an extra foot.

No can do. Part of the reason my wife is on board with this garage build is to gain an extra Attic Room she can use as a music/game room for the kids.

Your concrete is okay. The ceiling height depends on the style of lift. Four Post and Two Post Floor Plate style will work with 11' ceiling. It's the Two Post Clear Floor style that may have a problem fitting because of the overhead beam and hydraulic lines. Those usually need around 12'+ ceiling.

Didn't even think about what style lift but was looking at 2-post style as it takes up less space without a vehicle on it.

I have a 10ft ceiling and the door opener hangs 9 inches down. I can get my Ram 1500cc to full height with the MaxJax. There is zero room to spare though.

Nice!

Watch the spacing on your doors. If you are putting doors on the long side, my rule of thumb for a "working" garage or barn is "at least 6' on either side of the door". 4' will work but 6' is so much better. 6' gives room for opening the car doors, storage or bench space and room to work on the car with storage or bench space on the wall.
If you are pulling in on the long side, 24' wide is going to make things very tight with vehicles parked in there. Remember, your building is only 23' wide on the INSIDE. You may want to try for a few more feet to make life easier when working in there.
Another point is concrete thickness. 4" of 3500PSI concrete is plenty. Go to BendPaks site and read up on their recommended concrete thickness. 3 1/2" is what they recommend for anything up to 14K. Save the concrete cash and put it into size.
Mark
Mark

Mark, Unfortunately due to my 20 % grade drop off on the left side of my garage and setting off the house, the very most I can get in width is 26' and entry will be on that end with an 18x9' OH door with high lift tracks.

I would love to go 30W but that starts to really jack up the cost of Attic Trusses as well as become impossible due to my site topography.

I'd love to go down to 4" thick slab if you feel that's enough. I will probably keep it near 5" under the areas where tires will sit and lift would eventually go. After using fiber reinforced concrete on my 12x20 shed build last year I would never go without the fiber...it makes the slab at least twice as crack resistant from what I can tell. I had trouble busting apart a 4" thick piece of extra we had using a 10lb sledge!

So unfortunately my lift will have to be just a couple feet off one wall and I'll have to work from the other side and beneath the vehicle. I'm not that concerned with it. It's not often that I'm working under our vehicles, maybe once a month for oil changes or other maintenance. Half my reason for a lift will be as a way to store a 3rd or even 4th car in the garage once I am able to get a project car again by stacking them under the lift.

 

[Jayhem]

Which side are your doors on? The 40ft side? Assuming your trusses are spanning the 24ft span, you might want to consider 1/2 attic and 1/2 scissor truss. 12.5' of clearance where the cab of the truck would go would allow you to walk under it. Plus you will be able to get a clear floor 10K 2 post lift in there if that is what you want.

Doors are on 24' side. Was planning a single, 18x9' high lift door.

If 11.35' will let me get under a truck, don't need to have 6' under it, I'm short (5'8") I'm good with that. We want to maximize attic space for storage and game room.

 

[Jayhem]

Here's what it looks like to scale, using an average full size pickup (5.5' from frame to roof and 7' wide (not including mirrors)

6" from roof to drywall I'd still have about 5 1/2" feet under the frame. That's enough for me I think.

 

[dave*99]

So unfortunately my lift will have to be just a couple feet off one wall and I'll have to work from the other side and beneath the vehicle. I'm not that concerned with it. It's not often that I'm working under our vehicles, maybe once a month for oil changes or other maintenance. Half my reason for a lift will be as a way to store a 3rd or even 4th car in the garage once I am able to get a project car again by stacking them under the lift.

What type of 3rd of 4th car are you considering? Folks have advised you can sit on a stool under your truck with your proposed ceiling height. Fitting a vehicle under another vehicle is a bigger challenge.

 

[Falcon67]

Having to mod my shop for a lift, you just need - assuming 2 post here - to put a straight edge on the truck frame and on the high point of the roof. Get the measure between them then add 6' 6" to it (5' 8" + 6" for your hair + 4" to get off the locks) and there is your required ceiling height.

If you know fer sure where you lift will go, I'd dish out some 3' x 3' or so pads down 6~8" where the posts will land. Won't add much of anything to your floor pour. I used 3/8 bar 24" OC and 1/2" bar in the footers and grade beams. You get a good quality 3/4" Irwin SPS hammer drill bit and don't worry about where the bar might be because you'll just eat right through it.

FWIW the back side of one of my posts is only 24" off the wall, it's not been any kind of hindrance.

 

[vettex2]

Just to add something :You could sit on a rolling stool or chair to work under a lift that won't go to full height. I do it all the time

 

[Jayhem]

What type of 3rd of 4th car are you considering? Folks have advised you can sit on a stool under your truck with your proposed ceiling height. Fitting a vehicle under another vehicle is a bigger challenge.

Both 3rd and 4th cars would be small. One compact and one convertible sport car that would be smaller than compact (I have always wanted to put a LS2 motor in a Honda S2000 convertible). The car would be less than 4' tall.

Having to mod my shop for a lift, you just need - assuming 2 post here - to put a straight edge on the truck frame and on the high point of the roof. Get the measure between them then add 6' 6" to it (5' 8" + 6" for your hair + 4" to get off the locks) and there is your required ceiling height.

FWIW the back side of one of my posts is only 24" off the wall, it's not been any kind of hindrance.

I laughed at your height figuring. I don't think my hair is 6" tall though.

Good to know it works at only 2' off a wall on one side.

Just to add something :You could sit on a rolling stool or chair to work under a lift that won't go to full height. I do it all the time

That's how I prefer to work under a vehicle, on a shop stool on caster wheels.

 

[ndm]

Here's what it looks like to scale, using an average full size pickup (5.5' from frame to roof and 7' wide (not including mirrors)

6" from roof to drywall I'd still have about 5 1/2" feet under the frame. That's enough for me I think.

Is there anything at all preventing you from adding a couple more feet to the height of the walls? You are already using 2X6 walls so that should be plenty. Then you can have your attic space as planned as well as plenty of overhead room to use any type of lift you want and basically put most any vehicles on top.

If you went with a 4 post lift and the taller walls, well you just added an additional spot for vehicle storage. One up top and one below.

 

[Jayhem]

Is there anything at all preventing you from adding a couple more feet to the height of the walls? You are already using 2X6 walls so that should be plenty. Then you can have your attic space as planned as well as plenty of overhead room to use any type of lift you want and basically put most any vehicles on top.

If you went with a 4 post lift and the taller walls, well you just added an additional spot for vehicle storage. One up top and one below.

Unfortunately there are 2 issues with going higher:

1. Unless it's permitted as a "barn" we are not permitted to have the garage roof peak higher than the house. It's only 4" lower right now.

2. My staircase access to the attic is already at maximum rise/run. If I had to make it go higher I would run out of head-space on the entry step into attic (Need at least 6.0')

 

[dave*99]

Invest some time in picking a lift. Then you will have a clear picture of what will work for you. My Rotary 2 post SPOA10 won't fit under your ceiling - so next I think about a low head room lift for your application. But those lifts have a floor plate that covers the hydraulic lines and cables. Great - it clears the ceiling. But you will not enjoy running your stool on casters into the floor plate.

This is one example of how things can go. YMMV.

FWIW, I prefer 2 post lifts for working on cars. I might consider 4 post for storing cars. Not that you can't mix uses. Again, it's up to the individual to set his preference after considering all the variables.

 

[Jayhem]

Invest some time in picking a lift. Then you will have a clear picture of what will work for you. My Rotary 2 post SPOA10 won't fit under your ceiling - so next I think about a low head room lift for your application. But those lifts have a floor plate that covers the hydraulic lines and cables. Great - it clears the ceiling. But you will not enjoy running your stool on casters into the floor plate.

This is one example of how things can go. YMMV.

FWIW, I prefer 2 post lifts for working on cars. I might consider 4 post for storing cars. Not that you can't mix uses. Again, it's up to the individual to set his preference after considering all the variables.

Thanks for the advice. I have to work with this ceiling height so the choice comes down to which lift but that is not in the budget until the garage build is paid off in a few years.