Garage lofts - 12' sidewalls?

[BellyUpFish]

Any of you guys have 12' walls and still throw up a storage loft?

 

[carotene]

Ive got a build underway with 12ft walls and attic trusses. Are you proposing a 2nd story or truss with knee wall?

 

[My Old Tools]

My building is metal, 30x40x12 foot walls. I have a 20x30 loft across one end. I put it at the 10 foot mark. I have an 8/12 pitch roof, so lots of headroom. I tied it into the main I-beam bent in the center of the building, so no post, clear span. It in effect has a truss rod going up to the center I-beam. I had real stairs built for access.

 

[sanddan]

I built a loft in one of the 12x36 bays (12' sidewalls) which was my main work area for many years. I still have my welding table there and main bench's. The storage has been great and the head room is still 8' in the work area. Better would be to have 14' sidewalls as you would have better access in the loft but it still works ok for me. My building is over 20 yrs old so there are lots of things I would do different if I was to build it now.

 

[bczygan]

If you have regular trusses, then the storage loft will be less than 4' high, assuming 8' clearance below. Good for storing some things, but to short to walk in, unless you use a roof structure to add some headroom, like a scissor truss or Gambrel roof.

How big an area, and what is the size of the building? Clear span of beams? etc.

Bill

 

[marksland]

My recent build has 12 foot walls, in the front half I did attic trusses to create a room overhead. The back half has cathedral trusses which gives me an 18' peak (where the lift is going).

 

[larry_g]

You can see how I did it in my build below. I have 14' walls here but I did the same in the old shop with 12' walls, just a smaller room.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[BellyUpFish]

Ive got a build underway with 12ft walls and attic trusses. Are you proposing a 2nd story or truss with knee wall?

I'd like to avoid a 2nd story. Just trying to keep the budget in check and looking at different options.

If you have regular trusses, then the storage loft will be less than 4' high, assuming 8' clearance below. Good for storing some things, but to short to walk in, unless you use a roof structure to add some headroom, like a scissor truss or Gambrel roof.

How big an area, and what is the size of the building? Clear span of beams? etc.

Bill

40x50 at the moment. Keep kinda bouncing around.. I was thinking abotu a 30x56 with 14' walls and attic trusses, but thought I'd see what a quote for a 40x50 without the attic trusses and 12' walls would look like. He spec'd it with a 5/12 pitch, but that will change to match the house.

Wife is afraid the 14' walls are going to make the "house look funny." Which, I understand - sorta.

You can see how I did it in my build below. I have 14' walls here but I did the same in the old shop with 12' walls, just a smaller room.

I'll check it out, thanks.

 

[bczygan]

40x50 at the moment. Keep kinda bouncing around.. I was thinking abotu a 30x56 with 14' walls and attic trusses, but thought I'd see what a quote for a 40x50 without the attic trusses and 12' walls would look like. He spec'd it with a 5/12 pitch, but that will change to match the house.

Wife is afraid the 14' walls are going to make the "house look funny." Which, I understand - sorta.

It depends on the house and site and what you do with the new structure.

There are two different ways to go.

One is to try to match the house.

The other is to make it distinctly different.

If making it different than the house, you can exaggerate the difference by making the thing completely industrial or modern, and by using completely different materials. In this case it is good to keep the structure as a big imposing block.

The other way is to try to match the house by using the same materials. Here you need to De-emphasize the bulkiness of the structure. This can be done with siting, landscaping, shaping the building and placement of openings. If the site offers the opportunity, swales can hide the apparent height. Using a masonry base wall can make the building look longer and lower. Landscaping can break up the apparent bulk of the building. And you can jog walls and create step backs to breakup the masses. If enough space is available, earth sheltering can help make a bulky building disappear into the landscape. One story shed roofs attached to the sides of the building can add covered storage and make the building look less massive.

What does the lot and existing house look like? And what is your build-able area?

Bill

 

[BellyUpFish]

What does the lot and existing house look like? And what is your build-able area?

House doesn't exist yet.. Hoping to start building soon. I'll see if I can dig up a print of what the house should look like.

Area has yet to be decided. We are building on 40 acres, so I'm open in that respect. Making the house/shop fit the spot we want to build is going to be the biggest issue.

We are building "in the woods" and the spot the we want the house on may necessitate the shop is moved a bit, just due to the lay of the land.

Here is a rather rudimentary setup I'd prefer to have..

H = House
S = Shop
AS = Alternate Shop location

 

[Cyberbear]

Mine is a 30 x 80' shop with 5:12 pitch roof. At one end I have a large 15 x 24 storage room, smaller 10 x 15 office and a washroom with standard 8' ceilings. Above that is my storage area mezzanine loft with reduced headroom at the edges but more than enough headroom in the middle 2/3 portion. We use the area mostly for storage as well as an 8 x 24 space in the trusses w/ 3/4" ply floor. The loft/mezzanine uses standard rafters resting on a lam beam for the ridge and has worked out well for us. I also mounted several 8' two tube flourescents for lighting. Eventually I'll use the area for a man cave upstairs.

 

[Randy in Maine]

My "storage loft" is about 8' high and 3' wide and runs along 2 of the 12' walls in my shop. Along some of it a split the 4' into 2 using shelves. Great place for spare wheels, camping gear, extra building stuff and that sort of stuff.

Handy to put stuff up there that doesn't weigh too much to keep it off the floor.

 

[bczygan]

40 acres?

Make the shop look like a shop.

Get it situated where you don't see much of the house when you can see the shop, and much of the shop when viewing the house.

And make the shop as big as zoning and finances will allow. Site it so you can add on later, if desired. Try to keep all existing healthy trees.

Site the shop so there is open area adjacent for vehicles, supplies, materials, vehicles etc.

Give consideration to the idea of having pleasing views from within the shop, at some of the typical workstations, of the surrounding countryside. I don't like working in a windowless industrial cell.

Just some ideas. You have to work a design like this, while juggling a number of factors, such as where utilities are, access for driveways, drainage, views, soil and subsurface conditions, etc.

Bill

 

[akdiesel]

BellyUpFish

I have a 60x40 detached shop with 12'6" ceilings. The shop has an open floor design and there is a 12'x28' room and bathroom on the far side. There is a loft above that that gives me approx 4' of headroom.
Not the easiest to move around up there when trying to position large items but it is manageable.
I bought the place as they were and I would rather have 16' ceiling for a few reasons.
1: the obvious. More loft headroom.
2: 12' tall overhead doors for a motor home or a boat.
3: storing tall ladders upright.
I can understand the reasons for a budget concern but look at options.
A 30x50 will have more waste then a 40x50. Look at the cost of a 40x60. Demintional lumber is always something to keep in mind.
Make a deal with the builder that if you go bigger or just taller to save on waste and reduce his time and runs to the dump after clean up.

 

[carotene]

40 acres?
Make the shop look like a shop.

This. Looks like you have plenty of space to put this shop out of view and go 14'. I like the loft idea and would like to do something similar on my (much, much smaller) build.

Since i'm only 5' 8", i'm thinking of going less than 8' clear under the loft. Maybe only 6'8" or a hair more to fit an 80" cabinet under if necessary. Accounting for beam and loft flooring, it should leave 4'9" in the loft (12' 3" ceilings). Still not enough to stand, but every inch helps.

 

[carotene]

My "storage loft" is about 8' high and 3' wide and runs along 2 of the 12' walls in my shop. Along some of it a split the 4' into 2 using shelves. Great place for spare wheels, camping gear, extra building stuff and that sort of stuff.

Handy to put stuff up there that doesn't weigh too much to keep it off the floor.

have a pic?

 

[vonhef]

Here is how I did a small one 8' off of the ground. My shop has 12' side walls

This is before the deck was on

This with the deck

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'd like to avoid a 2nd story. Just trying to keep the budget in check and looking at different options.

I have a 20x20x8 garage and the best feature is the "mini-loft" at the back. It is about 4' off the ground, high enough to get the nose of a long car under or use it for storage of short items (horizontal compressor, generator, BQ grills, wheelbarrow, etc.) It sticks out from the back wall about 4'. That is a bit inconvenient because you can't reach some items pushed all the way back, but I do like the extra space.

There is a 2x8 ledger nailed to each stud across the back. There is another 2x8 "joist" that runs side to side. Each end of this "joist" rests on top of a 2x4 sistered to a stud in the stud cavity, so the load of the "joist" is tranfered directly to the bottom plate and foundation. In the center, there is a 2x6 that fits between the back wall bottom plate up to the "joist".

This was built a long time ago so the "floor" is 1x6s. If I did it today, I would use 2x4 with joist hangers space 24" O.C. and 5/8 plywood.

I store some pretty heavy stuff up there and it holds my 275 lbs. I have enough room above it that I have a "lumber rack" and shelf for some small/medium sized boxes.

If you wanted to make something like this, but not go full width (or make one for a wider (>24') back wall), you should really have one or more 4x4 post for the joist to rest on top of. That angle 2x6 is kind of sketchy.

 

[BellyUpFish]

I can understand the reasons for a budget concern but look at options.
A 30x50 will have more waste then a 40x50. Look at the cost of a 40x60. Demintional lumber is always something to keep in mind.
Make a deal with the builder that if you go bigger or just taller to save on waste and reduce his time and runs to the dump after clean up.

That's exactly what I am battling, but have not done enough carpentry work to know which direction to attack the idea.

I just want to get the most I can for my money.

I guess I need to see how much extra 14' walls will add over the 12's.. Should just be the cost of the 14' versus the 12' x number of units needed, shouldn't it?

 

[akdiesel]

That's exactly what I am battling, but have not done enough carpentry work to know which direction to attack the idea.

I just want to get the most I can for my money.

I guess I need to see how much extra 14' walls will add over the 12's.. Should just be the cost of the 14' versus the 12' x number of units needed, shouldn't it?

You would think it should just be the cost of materials but there are some that hide additional costs to an adjusment for an increased profit.
Look at your original quote and price the extra material yourself at a local store then then do the math on that. Then ask him for an additional quote the extra height and see how far off they are.

 

[NUTTSGT]

That's exactly what I am battling, but have not done enough carpentry work to know which direction to attack the idea.

I just want to get the most I can for my money.

I guess I need to see how much extra 14' walls will add over the 12's.. Should just be the cost of the 14' versus the 12' x number of units needed, shouldn't it?

Is the contractor building the house, the same as the one putting up the shop ? If it is, he "should" work with you and the numbers. . . . if he wants the job.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Is the contractor building the house, the same as the one putting up the shop ? If it is, he "should" work with you and the numbers. . . . if he wants the job.

No, the guy building the house suggested the shop builder, says he can't compete with him.