OccupantRJ
Well-known member
After moving into this house 2 years ago, I was somewhat thankful that I now had acquired a detached garage, dilapidated as it was, since after the flood, and in following my wife's advancing career, it had been years since I had a workshop. It was 26 X 26, and was obviously built by rank amateurs, as it had masonite lap siding, with absolutely no bracing whatsoever, including having no sheathing in any form.
After getting settled in, I began the task of seeing if I could make something out of this old building. It could be swayed by pushing on an upper corner of the roof, from a stepladder. First order of business was to tear off the old rotting masonite siding, then using a cable tugger, rack the building back to square, doing one side at a time. OSB was added to each wall as it was done, until the building was back into solid condition.
When I went to square the front wall, I found that the building had a curve in the upper left wall, and the building was an inch wider at the top than at the bottom. This was remedied by sectioning the front wall top plates, cutting loose the first six trusses on the left side, then using the tugger to pull the wall in at the top. This also straightened the crooked left wall. Hurricane clips were added to all the trusses at this point.
After the building was straightened and braced, I added an 8 foot by 20 foot tool and compressor room to the rear, using a simple shed roof style. This was all the rear lot room I had left. A 10 foot by 26 foot expansion was added to the left side of the building to allow room for my machining equipment. The roof was completely redone with architectural shingles and black drip edge to match the house. The tool room is walled with drywall, and the rest of the shop is walled in 1/2" BC plywood, sanded in place, then primed and painted.
I still have ceiling to do, but wanted to get the vinyl siding on before winter set in here. Just got through with that, so thought I'd share some progress pics of the outside. Interior pics will be added as things progress more inside. When ddawg16 was here in NC, he took time from his hectic work schedule to come by one Sunday to hang out, drink beer, and hang a wall of interior plywood with me, and he brought the beer! How's that for a GJ friend?
After getting settled in, I began the task of seeing if I could make something out of this old building. It could be swayed by pushing on an upper corner of the roof, from a stepladder. First order of business was to tear off the old rotting masonite siding, then using a cable tugger, rack the building back to square, doing one side at a time. OSB was added to each wall as it was done, until the building was back into solid condition.
When I went to square the front wall, I found that the building had a curve in the upper left wall, and the building was an inch wider at the top than at the bottom. This was remedied by sectioning the front wall top plates, cutting loose the first six trusses on the left side, then using the tugger to pull the wall in at the top. This also straightened the crooked left wall. Hurricane clips were added to all the trusses at this point.
After the building was straightened and braced, I added an 8 foot by 20 foot tool and compressor room to the rear, using a simple shed roof style. This was all the rear lot room I had left. A 10 foot by 26 foot expansion was added to the left side of the building to allow room for my machining equipment. The roof was completely redone with architectural shingles and black drip edge to match the house. The tool room is walled with drywall, and the rest of the shop is walled in 1/2" BC plywood, sanded in place, then primed and painted.
I still have ceiling to do, but wanted to get the vinyl siding on before winter set in here. Just got through with that, so thought I'd share some progress pics of the outside. Interior pics will be added as things progress more inside. When ddawg16 was here in NC, he took time from his hectic work schedule to come by one Sunday to hang out, drink beer, and hang a wall of interior plywood with me, and he brought the beer! How's that for a GJ friend?
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