Garage Expansion

[KTNC]

I am looking to expand an existing free standing garage (26x40x12) by adding a three sided building (24x40x12) to the one side. The existing roof will have large partial trusses attached to it so that when finished the addition will appear as if it's part of the original garage.

I would like to use the original garage as my new shop, it will be heated and insulated and the interior walls covered in white steel. The new part will be used as cold storage.

My questions - thoughts on having a door in between the two building?, If so what type of door? Thoughts on size doors on end and their location, centered or staggered for parking ease (will be parking a large gooseneck trailer in the cold storage)? I was thinking 16x10 size. Also for those who have used white steel for interior wall covering, is it necessary to sheath with 7/16 OSB first as opposed to 1x4 strapping? Contractor feels with the strapping there will be too much air flow behind the walls. I don't want dry wall, it doesn't stay nice for long... Any other advise would be appreciated, want to do this once and get it right. Thanks

 

[matt_i]

I'm going to say your 10' door isn't wide enough for a GN trailer which is probably 8'6" wide....that leaves you 18" total clearance or 9" per side to stuff a heavy trailer (that purposefully doesn't turn on a dime) into it. I would think 12' would be better, especially if the trailer gets used a lot. It helps to have really good lighting inside of it, I've tried to back a GN trailer on a sunny day into a dark space in tight quarters and it was nearly impossible without 15 trips back and forth to confirm what I could not see....(also no spotter was available for me)

For max insulation value my worry would also be that the white steel doesn't "seal" the space well enough and the um of all the little air leaks at panel joints would have less than ideal efficiency. There is the option of plastic sheeting to help assist.

I think I'd try to source a 36" wide exterior-grade man-door to go between shops at minimum. For big stuff you could always walk around, outside. There are of course french-style doors without the center mullion that have the extra width built in but those are kinda weak in a security situation, imo, and may not seal well either.

 

[astroracer]

A few questions.
1). How wide is the trailer? Parking it in a 20' wide space may not leave much room around it for storage.
2). Can you go 24' wide? That would give you 3 1/2' on either side of a 16' OH door centered on the wall. Remember, a 20' wide structure loses 6" of inside space for every wall and yours is only 19 1/2' on the inside...
3). Is Teeing into the existing structure an option? Your current truss design will be custom pieces anyway so, cost wise, teeing in would allow you to use a standard loft truss and gain some room upstairs with a break even cost? Just something to check into.
Mark

 

[Falcon67]

You can figure any trailer - GN, box, flat bed, etc - that is big enough to park a car in/on is going to be 9~9 1/2' wide at the fenders.

 

[matt_i]

You can figure any trailer - GN, box, flat bed, etc - that is big enough to park a car in/on is going to be 9~9 1/2' wide at the fenders.

I could be wrong, but I have it in my head the Federal DOT has a max width of 102" = 8'6" for highway transport before oversize permits have to be drawn.

What I can't recall is whether the rub-rail on a deckover trailer has to fit inside the 8'6" or they allow it to be outside of that....I'd have to measure to find out.

 

[KTNC]

Thanks guys -

"I'm going to say your 10' door isn't wide enough for a GN trailer which is probably 8'6" wide.... " - O/H doors will be 16 wide, 10 is the height.

1). "How wide is the trailer? Parking it in a 20' wide space may not leave much room around it for storage." - It's about 9 ft, like to leave about 2 feet around to walk easily...

2). "Can you go 24' wide? That would give you 3 1/2' on either side of a 16' OH door centered on the wall. Remember, a 20' wide structure loses 6" of inside space for every wall and yours is only 19 1/2' on the inside..." - Am considering 24...

3). "Is Teeing into the existing structure an option? Your current truss design will be custom pieces anyway so, cost wise, teeing in would allow you to use a standard loft truss and gain some room upstairs with a break even cost? Just something to check into." - Not sure what you mean by teeing in?

 

[astroracer]

Not sure what you mean by teeing in?

Instead of running the new rafters parallel with the old roof turn them 90 degrees and "Tee" them into the old roof instead.
Mark

 

[RWorth]

I could be wrong, but I have it in my head the Federal DOT has a max width of 102" = 8'6" for highway transport before oversize permits have to be drawn.

What I can't recall is whether the rub-rail on a deckover trailer has to fit inside the 8'6" or they allow it to be outside of that....I'd have to measure to find out.

You are correct, total width is 8'-6"

 

[brownbagg]

i dont like metal on the walls inside, because it echo real bad, so it be noisey, on the interior door, if it was me, I use a roll up door. that way warm weather just leave it open, out of the way