Garage Size Pictures

[nolimits76]

I agree w/ the thought that you use what you have and will find a way to make it work. Obviously if you can afford it, we would all recommend you go bigger.

Outside of that I would seriously consider dimensions of the cars you plan on working on and then figure out how you will need to layout your lifts, workbenches, compressors, etc. to make all that happen for you.

I was contemplating an old Scout or Bronco project myself. They aren't very big. It's been a year or so since I pulled the specs (found old diagrams on Bronco forum) but they were roughly 6' wide x 14.5' long or thereabouts. Compare this to my Dodge Ram 4x4 that is approximately 7' wide x 19.5' long. My Challenger was similar in width but shorter.

In an ideal world I'd make the shop so you can work on a full size crew cab truck and then it would fit any of the smaller stuff.

Using the width of the Ram, I'd figure it this way....

<--3'--><---7' Ram ---><---4'---><---7' Ram---><--3'-->

That gives you 3' on each side and 4' between the vehicles, for a total of 24' INSIDE dimensions. Be specific about this being INSIDE dimensions -- many builders will make them outside dimensions, which then gives you something like 23' and some change of usable space.

For a working garage, the above seems too narrow to me. I'd go 26' or 28' if money allows.

 

[Falcon67]

You can go through the whole 24dx40 in my build thread, link in the signature.

 

[zmotorsports]

You can go through the whole 24dx40 in my build thread, link in the signature.

I recommend viewing this^^^. Chris has done a great job of laying his shop out and worth checking out.

Mike.

 

[rusty1]

....here's an easy way to visualize a floor plan,...draw the floor out to scale on paper, draw out what you want in the area, (cars, tools, benches, etc.) and start placing the contents on the floorplan like you'd like them. This idea work'd great when I planned out my 2 buildings.

 

[katy]

Here ya go:

 

[RTcat]

Chopper,

I lurked and studied shops here for a couple years looking for ideas and thoughts on how big to go. In the end what I thought would work for me and has thus far was having two bays (one with a lift) for my greasy, mechanical work and the rest of the shop for woodworking and "clean" projects.

I went 32' x 50' with 10' ceilings except the coffer trusses in the lift bay.

this pic gives an idea of how the lift fits in the bay with the raised trusses.

 

[rburke65]

I put up a 32' x 56' with a 13' 4" side wall and I love it. Full attic, 20x20' front porch. But I should have just went with a nice round number of 40' x60'......I had the money and I'm not taking it with me......oh well.

 

[coleman10]

All I know is 19.5 X 17.5 is misery. My only saving grace is the kickout that my tool box fits into. Oh well, the price I pay for living with the highest housing cost location in the country.

I'm right there with ya. Mine is 20' x 18' 7". I'd have 20'6" deep if I didn't have to lose 6" with a hurricane impact rated garage door. I have 5 sets of 3 tier, 22"' shelves on the side walls for all the household stuff, paint, cleaning stuff, etc., plus space for gardening tools, cycling stuff, and whatnot. I have things hanging from the ceiling like a wheelbarrow, bike rack, and lawn spreader. Space is definitely at a premium here. It's a real challenge.

 

[rmmiller]

....here's an easy way to visualize a floor plan,...draw the floor out to scale on paper, draw out what you want in the area, (cars, tools, benches, etc.) and start placing the contents on the floorplan like you'd like them. This idea work'd great when I planned out my 2 buildings.

This works great, you can also cut out scale sized fixtures, cars etc so you can move them around to see what will work best.

 

[Will McRay]

I have a 30x57 (outside measurements), 4 bay garage. Doors are 10' wide 9' tall. Right three bays have 11' 6" ceiling, the far left bay is a cathedral ceiling for the two post lift I installed. Upstairs I use for storage. It is 14x36 with three active dormers and the dormer above the lift bay is also active. Don't go too shallow in depth or you will have regrets when you get a car or truck in there and you can get around it. My goal was to get my 06 GMC Sierra, crew cab long bed in there with

room to walk around it and have a tool box in front of it. The size I did met my objectives. I have insulated all the vertical walls on the shop area and working on the ceiling now. Next will be drywall.

 

[alberto]

I have a 30x57 (outside measurements), 4 bay garage. Doors are 10' wide 9' tall. Right three bays have 11' 6" ceiling, the far left bay is a cathedral ceiling for the two post lift I installed. Upstairs I use for storage. It is 14x36 with three active dormers and the dormer above the lift bay is also active. Don't go too shallow in depth or you will have regrets when you get a car or truck in there and you can get around it. My goal was to get my 06 GMC Sierra, crew cab long bed in there with

room to walk around it and have a tool box in front of it. The size I did met my objectives. I have insulated all the vertical walls on the shop area and working on the ceiling now. Next will be drywall.

What a great space. Nicely done.

 

[Chopperjake]

^^^This is a fantastic space. The trusses for the vaulted ceiling...Are they scissor trusses? I have not seen ones that are that angled before.

To everyone that has contributed so far , I am very greatful. I am getting lots of good ideas here.

 

[smttysmth02gt]

This thread has pretty much confirmed that my original desired size of 24x40 is perfect for me (as a minimum size lol).

 

[OJ Bartley]

WOW, Will that garage is amazing, very well done. Looks great from the outside, and you have all the space in the world inside, with the bonus of the upstairs area. Storage, play room, hangout area, TV/movie room... so many possibilities.

 

[Moose02]

This thread has pretty much confirmed that my original desired size of 24x40 is perfect for me (as a minimum size lol).

just remember one more sheet of plywood each way makes it 48 x 32 you can never have enough

mine went 34 x 44 with 14ft ceilings and full loft above

 

[Falcon67]

just remember one more sheet of plywood each way makes it 48 x 32 you can never have enough

And a couple more yards of concrete, a few rafters, a few more studs, couple o'five sheets of OSB, little more decking, 'nuther roll of tar paper, few more bundles of shingles, 5 more lb of nails/screws, roll of insulation, few more fees of wire....

The best way I found to lay out my shop was string and grade stakes. Staked out doors, windows, major interior things, etc. Rope it off with string and walk it - changes are instant and problems show up pretty quick. Once you get a layout you seem to like, ignore it for a couple of days then go back. See if it still works. Drove my wife nuts with the stakes and string, probably spent a month on it. But I found that my initial 4 layout ideas would not work in practice. So well worth it.