Garage Design Feedback please

[toms73novass]

I would like some feedback on my new garage design that I am working on.
At this point I need to make a decision on a single 18'x 8' garage door or 2 9'x8' doors.
because of where the garage is going to be positioned I need the doors to stay to the left of the garage design.
Options:
1. Single door, I can space 2 post lift out from the wall and have about 2 feet of walk around distance on that side, however, on the opposite side the car not on the lift would have to angle a bit as it enters the garage to have door swing clearance on the lift side. Also, no problems with accidently taking off a mirror with a center "divider" found on two door designs
2. Double door, one lift post would have to be near the wall a few inches away. However, how have more room between other car and lift post would not have to angle approach. 9' doors should give me plenty of entery and not clip a mirror.
I'd like to hear you thoughts since I am still in design stage. The only set in stone things are its positioning and size 28x 30. That is what my varience was approved for.
here are the quick drawings.

 

[bmwpower]

Putting the lift post a couple of inches from the end of the slab is dangerous. It should be installed at least 2 feet from the end of the slab.

In addition, most guys on here will agree that, if you architecture allows it, a single door is much easier to deal with.

Good luck!

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I'd go with the double doors and space them further apart.

If you put the lift all the way against the wall, you won't be able to walk around the car on the lift when you have it 1/2 way up. When I use my lift, it's actually much more common to be lifting the car up 1/2 way or less. That way I can work on stuff without so much bending and stooping.

Is there a reason you have to have the man-door on the front? That's messing you up on your overhead door spacing.

9' doors are actually bare minimum. I went with 9' doors on mine and really have to watch when backing out in my Tahoe. The mirror clearance to each side is just a few inches. Coming in, they'd just fold back if they hit. Backing out? They'd get broken off the truck if they caught.

Phil

 

[davidcalhoun]

Can you bump the second 9' door a little more to the right?

Another option (depending on weight needs) is a single post car stacker. This frees up the car space on the right. No post on that side to bump into.

Another thought. A 4 post lift would give some future placement options. It's hard to justify moving a 2 post lift in the future.

 

[toms73novass]

The reason that the man door is on the front because I am going to put a covered breeze way between the exsisting garage and the new one. The reason I have the doors where they are because if I move it more to the right I probably will have a problem making the turn into the garage. Also, I already have the 2 post to put in the garage.

The other thing I could do is put the lift on the other side so that it is not so close to the wall. The original reason that I thought that I would put it on that side so that I would have a larger open floor space on the right.

Here is the other options:

 

[thefairlaneman]

I had the same question as if I wanted one big door or 2 small ones. I went with the one big door, Its cheaper and less work to install than 2 and I never have to worry about backing into the center divider found on 2 doors. It also alows you the put an extra wide item into the garage and still have room to walk around it

 

[toms73novass]

Does anyone know what the widest single door is ..18'?

Keep the ideas comming....thanks

 

[thefairlaneman]

yes Im sure 18 is the largest door you can get thats not special made. Its what I have and if I recall only cost about 500 bucks

 

[bmwpower]

I like the lift on the left. I have mine the same way. I like it better since you don't have to walk around it when you enter the man door. It leaves more room open for a general work area on the right, eg. detailing, etc.

What was the reason you couldn't line up the back garage door with the left side of a large, single front garage door?

If you can, I choose:
(1) Lift on the left side
(2) One big front door
(3) Rear door lined up with left side of front door.

 

[ersatzs2]

I like it in on the right for the reasons mentioned above: easier to work on all sides of the car when it is halfway up. What is your plan for how the garage door(s) will clear the lift when open?

 

[toms73novass]

I like it in on the right for the reasons mentioned above: easier to work on all sides of the car when it is halfway up. What is your plan for how the garage door(s) will clear the lift when open?

It will have 12' walls and scissor truss ceiling. The door will follow the wall then the ceiling, high lift track.

 

[bmwpower]

I like it in on the right for the reasons mentioned above: easier to work on all sides of the car when it is halfway up. What is your plan for how the garage door(s) will clear the lift when open?

Remember, if it's 2 foot from the wall you still have:

- 1 foot wide post
- At least 1-2 feet from the post to the car. I have 18" with my wide F250.

That gives you:
2 feet + 1 foot + 1-2 feet = 4-5 feet from the wall.

I've found mine to be enough room.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

If you can't get more room for it on the left, then putting it on the right looks like the best solution to me.

If you get an asymetrical lift, you will move it towards the back of the garage. An asymetrical lift puts about 1/3 of the vehicle in front of the posts and 2/3 behind it when lifting. This allows you to open the doors while it's on the lift. It will also put it further towards the back of the garage and out of the way of the doors when you park between the posts.

Phil

 

[TNToy]

I'd probably do this... since I'm partial to the single wide door, and moving a seperate door too far over is going to make it really fun to park a long vehicle over there.

1) Usually, you work on the lift with other vehicles pulled out. This gives you a lot more room.

2) You can fit a longer vehicle on the lift.

 

[TNToy]

If you get an asymetrical lift, you will move it towards the back of the garage...

An a-symmetrical puts the posts further toward the FRONT of the vehicle. Your head was on backwards.

Tom,
It looks like you already have the lift from what you said, but I have to wonder why you appear to have a symmetrical lift from what's drawn there. For that matter, most of the people on this forum seem to buy symmetrical lifts for a shop that'll see cars almost exclusively, and certainly no long-bed 4ton GVW trucks.

An asymmetrical lift is a much better choice for most of us, myself included. I used a symmetrical at work for a while, and I'm much happer in my new, a-symmetrical equipped bay.

I've worked underneath a lot of vehicles on a lot of different lifts. A 9-10,000 pound asymmetrical Rotary lift is what I'll be buying when that day finally comes.

 

[toms73novass]

thanks for the idea so far guys!

I do already have a 2 post that is waiting to be installed.

I picked up a 2post symetrical rotary lift for $1000. I figured for the cost savings that I would fore go the asymetrical, particulary since this is a hobby and I won't be using it every day.

 

[TNToy]

Can't argue with that. Does the seller have another one lying around?

 

[1320stang]

An a-symmetrical puts the posts further toward the FRONT of the vehicle. Your head was on backwards.

I think he meant towards the back wall of the garage, read his next sentance, says the same thing you're saying.

I like the single door, but I'd move it a bit to the right, then you gain your left side lift clearance.

I agree on the assymetrical lift, my buddy has a 10k# 2 post Rotary assymetrical and that's what I plan on getting. His garage has the 18x8 front door, but his garage (attached) is two cars deep. On the side wall towards the back wall of the garage (front of the garage? I think this is where the confusion is, it's where the front of the vehicle typically goes, but it's at the back of the house..) he has a 'normal' 16x7 garage door. The lift is on the opposite side of this, at the same end of the garage.

 

[boiler7904]

Does anyone know what the widest single door is ..18'?

Commercial overhead doors are available in even widths from 18' to 24' and maybe larger. 24s are the biggest I've dealt with. Be prepared to spend big bucks for the door, operator, and the header that you would need to support the roof load over it. It's also going to have a much more industrial appearance from the street than a standard residential style door.

 

[boiler7904]

I'd probably do this... since I'm partial to the single wide door, and moving a seperate door too far over is going to make it really fun to park a long vehicle over there.

1) Usually, you work on the lift with other vehicles pulled out. This gives you a lot more room.

2) You can fit a longer vehicle on the lift.

You really have to set the lift at an angle for #2 to be true. Take a look at the attached drawing. Sample is an 18' long x 6' wide vehicle but the idea remains the same regardless of the vehicle size. Once you start turning it, you need to account for the width of the car and it's added requirement when figuring a stall depth.