Input on New 32x50 Garage. Size, Layout, Insulation, Heating, Building etc.

[nvd]

Hello,

New here, but have read a lot of others threads for various information. I wanted to start a discussion for my future build to ensure I have covered all what I need when designing/building my garage. So im open to constructive criticism so I build my garage without to many regrets!

This will be used for parking my truck inside daily, sports car, storage of stuff for our rental properties, basic workshop for tinkering on vehicles building random stuff, atv, lawn mower, random storage etc. in future I may want to finish loft but who knows.

Proposed Information
Location: SW Ontario, Canada (Waterford, ONT.)
Size: 32x50 w/12' ceilings.
Overhead Doors: 2 10'x8' insulated and one 6'x7' insulated on the side for lawnmower/atv etc.
Man Doors: 2 36" insulated doors
Windows: a few around, higher up hopefully out of the way.
Trusses: Attic trusses to have storage upstairs. and maybe finish in future.
Insulation: As high as R value as i can afford.. r20+ in walls
Heat: In-floor heating using a Hot Water Tank & Wood stove when I want to stoke it up!
Electrical: unknown at this point, need to talk to my electrician. But will have lots of outlets and lights.
Plumbing: Going to run a 3/4" waterline and 4" drain from the house for a sink, maybe toilet upstairs..

Questions / Thoughts
- is 12' ceiling tall enough for a hoist? should i add one in future. I think id only need to lift vehicle up a couple feet for brakes, tires, oil change.. basic maintenance. I also on a 2500 duramax.. I assume if I can sit on a chair and wheel around under I should be good. I won't be doing any major major work on vehicles.

-What would be a sufficient amount of insulation under the concrete slab? seems like for in floor heating or any heating, the more insulation the better to minimize heat loss.

-Assuming the building is relatively well insulated, If i use a Hot Water Tank for the In-floor heating whats a temperature that would be good to keep it set at all winter. Then If i want to make it warmer, I will toss a few logs in the wood stove. I read the lots usually keep it 58-62.

-Floor drains, I am thinking of having two drains at front of garage where vehicles will be parked and have the floor draining to the drains, and the back part of the garage have the floor level.

-Plan on 2x6 construction, 5" concrete slab (engineered slab), with rebar/mesh, If i put in a hoist i think i read 6" min..? if i dont know the exact area, should i do a section ? or cut out later leaving room with in floor pipes?

-As of know I will have 20' behind garage to the back of our property, to store firewood, outside stuff, chicken coup etc..

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[larry_g]

Hello,

New here, but have read a lot of others threads for various information. I wanted to start a discussion for my future build to ensure I have covered all what I need when designing/building my garage. So im open to constructive criticism so I build my garage without to many regrets!

This will be used for parking my truck inside daily, sports car, storage of stuff for our rental properties, basic workshop for tinkering on vehicles building random stuff, atv, lawn mower, random storage etc. in future I may want to finish loft but who knows.

Proposed Information
Location: SW Ontario, Canada (Waterford, ONT.)
Size: 32x50 w/12' ceilings.
Overhead Doors: 2 10'x8' insulated and one 6'x7' insulated on the side for lawnmower/atv etc.
Man Doors: 2 36" insulated doors
Windows: a few around, higher up hopefully out of the way.
Trusses: Attic trusses to have storage upstairs. and maybe finish in future.
Insulation: As high as R value as i can afford.. r20+ in walls
Heat: In-floor heating using a Hot Water Tank & Wood stove when I want to stoke it up!
Electrical: unknown at this point, need to talk to my electrician. But will have lots of outlets and lights.
Plumbing: Going to run a 3/4" waterline and 4" drain from the house for a sink, maybe toilet upstairs..

Questions / Thoughts
- is 12' ceiling tall enough for a hoist? should i add one in future. I think id only need to lift vehicle up a couple feet for brakes, tires, oil change.. basic maintenance. I also on a 2500 duramax.. I assume if I can sit on a chair and wheel around under I should be good. I won't be doing any major major work on vehicles.

Consider using raised trusses instead of attic trusses in the whole shop. Have 36-38' of attic trusses and the rest open for a higher ceiling in one bay of the shop.

-What would be a sufficient amount of insulation under the concrete slab? seems like for in floor heating or any heating, the more insulation the better to minimize heat loss.

-Assuming the building is relatively well insulated, If i use a Hot Water Tank for the In-floor heating whats a temperature that would be good to keep it set at all winter. Then If i want to make it warmer, I will toss a few logs in the wood stove. I read the lots usually keep it 58-62.

You will not raise the floor heat by tossing a few more logs on the fire. Floor heat changes slowly. Now it the wood burner is in the building then the radiant heat may change things a bit faster.

-Floor drains, I am thinking of having two drains at front of garage where vehicles will be parked and have the floor draining to the drains, and the back part of the garage have the floor level.

-Plan on 2x6 construction, 5" concrete slab (engineered slab), with rebar/mesh, If i put in a hoist i think i read 6" min..? if i dont know the exact area, should i do a section ? or cut out later leaving room with in floor pipes?

-As of know I will have 20' behind garage to the back of our property, to store firewood, outside stuff, chicken coup etc..

Wood piles near a building are an invitation for rodents.
Keep the wood storage remote and research what approved wood storage racks look like.

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Sounds like a good start. You will find that with in floor heat that you do not have to have the ambient heat as high. If your working on a warm floor the air temp can be 60* and your still comfortable working.

Good luck on your project.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[metschers]

Welcome aboard!
As you probably have figured out, this is the best place for about any advice you may ever need help with. There’s a great group of talent here.
Anyway, I finished my shop(36x48x12) about 2 years ago(avatar pic). Codes pending(not sure in your area), Definitely put a drain in. I put one in the center of my shop for those times I want to hand wash my cars, wash out the floor, or more importantly a place for the melted snow to go. As for windows, I pleased with mine, they’re 12 x 48 transom windows. I rarely turn on any lights except at night.
Good luck!

Regards,
Steve

 

[nvd]

Great thanks for the information so far.

Anymore information the better.

 

[jscoggin]

Size: 32x50 w/12' ceilings.

Definitely good with 12' ceilings, I went with the same. 16' would have been better to allow future RV or other large vehicle entry but adding the height adds cost.

Overhead Doors: 2 10'x8' insulated and one 6'x7' insulated on the side for lawnmower/atv etc.

This one is personal preference but I like one large door vs two so so doors. I went with an 18'x10' overhead and am glad that I did.

Windows: a few around, higher up hopefully out of the way.

This is another one that is personal preference but I added (4) non-operable transom windows just under the plate and (1) horizontal slider on the back wall for cross flow. The natural light is amazing, I'm so glad that I did it even though I lose a tiny bit of usable space and add one more potential security breach.

Trusses: Attic trusses to have storage upstairs. and maybe finish in future.

I did a full attic but wouldn't if I could do it over again. It added more cost than I figured it would and made the building much taller than I would have liked and the staircase eats floor/wall space.

I originally planned on doing the back 10' with storage trusses and the rest of the shop with scissor trusses. I'd love to go back and go with my original intention. Don't get me wrong, having a 600 sqft attic may be something I'm thankful for in the future but it just seems like a waste at the moment. Just think it through on how you intend to use it or if you ever will. I ultimately decided to use attic trusses because it was now or never.

Insulation: As high as R value as i can afford.. r20+ in walls

I originally planned on closed cell for the walls and ceilings but after doing a bunch of research and talking to multiple insulation companies I'll be going with open cell. It's much cheaper and I can accomplish almost the same goals. I'm going with 3" in the walls and 6" in the rafters. You'll be able to do even better with 2x6 framing.

Heat: In-floor heating using a Hot Water Tank & Wood stove when I want to stoke it up!

Did a bunch of research on in floor heating and I personally decided it wasn't worth the effort/cost/trouble for the gains I would get. Other people have different opinions.

Electrical: unknown at this point, need to talk to my electrician. But will have lots of outlets and lights.

Don't skimp. I went full overboard on electrical outlets. Much easier to add them when building than down the line, especially if wanting them in wall. I did go with the 'cheap' Sunco lights on Amazon even though many people are skeptical. They're only $25 each and nine of them light up my 2,000 sqft shop like it's day time. I put sixteen in but have yet to feel the need to turn on more than nine at a time.

Plumbing: Going to run a 3/4" waterline and 4" drain from the house for a sink, maybe toilet upstairs.

I added a full bathroom; toilet, shower, sink, shower and washer/dryer hookup. I think it's overkill but a sink and toilet should be done at minimum. Same for a floor drain, I skipped it and am now kicking myself.

Questions / Thoughts
- is 12' ceiling tall enough for a hoist? should i add one in future. I think id only need to lift vehicle up a couple feet for brakes, tires, oil change.. basic maintenance. I also on a 2500 duramax.. I assume if I can sit on a chair and wheel around under I should be good. I won't be doing any major major work on vehicles.

12' works but best to be a bit taller. If using 2x6x12's you should finish out somewhere close to 12'4"-12'6" to the bottom of the trusses, that should be plenty.

-Plan on 2x6 construction, 5" concrete slab (engineered slab), with rebar/mesh, If i put in a hoist i think i read 6" min..? if i dont know the exact area, should i do a section ? or cut out later leaving room with in floor pipes?

Depends on the lift, some say that 4" is acceptable but I poured 8" pads just to be safe. I did (2) 4'x4' pads, hopefully if I ever add a lift I don't change my mind on where I want it.

-As of know I will have 20' behind garage to the back of our property, to store firewood, outside stuff, chicken coup etc..

Don't build or stack against the shop, you're just inviting moisture/insects/rodents. 20' should give you plenty of room for that stuff while still keeping it off of the shop. My shop is exactly 10' from the side fence and it seems like a lot more room than it sounds.

Good luck on your build, this site is an immense source of knowledge and experience, the members were a ton of help when planning my shop.

 

[Jackfre]

Water heater: Gas, oil, elec? Can you use a water heater? Yes. Is it a good idea...no. Consider the capacity of a water heater. It will be in the 36-40 kbtu input range at about 60%. For a place your size in Ontario you will have substantial load on 1500 sq ft. Bite the bullet and get a combi boiler. If you don't want a wall hung pick up a Buderus Cast Iron 80+%'er. 2" of poly-iso insulation under the slab and do a good job on your slab edge insulation...or else

 

[nvd]

Thanks jscoggin.

I have not priced out the difference between regular trusses and attic ones yet so will consider costs.

I never considered 1 door, just assumed 2 would be better to delineate where i park my truck and where i can park a future sports car (sold one when i was younger, plan to buy another when kids are older) or trailer or project car.

Good point with fixed windows higher up for light, Id like 1 that i can open on the west wall, and maybe one on the east wall as we always have a west wind and may be nice in summer.

Plan on using 2x6x12 studs, so withe top and bottom plates and maybe little wall around in concrete, i should end up with 12'6'' give or take.

Thanks again.

 

[nvd]

Water heater: Gas, oil, elec? Can you use a water heater? Yes. Is it a good idea...no. Consider the capacity of a water heater. It will be in the 36-40 kbtu input range at about 60%. For a place your size in Ontario you will have substantial load on 1500 sq ft. Bite the bullet and get a combi boiler. If you don't want a wall hung pick up a Buderus Cast Iron 80+%'er. 2" of poly-iso insulation under the slab and do a good job on your slab edge insulation...or else

Planned on electric. House is on propane, so could do propane possibly.

I planned on having 2" foam board under the slab and is about r10 from what i can see. and isnt cheap but important part.

I figure a hwt because its simple, cheap to buy in fact i may already have one. As the plumbing seems to be basically the same id consider a boiler over a hwt assuming i can find one that's economical and or more efficient that will pay for its self over having a hwt...plus i only care to heat the garage a bit as i simply will park my truck in it and maybe work in it a couple hours a week... perhaps when kids are older ill spend more time but i guess i can always upgrade in future?

 

[jscoggin]

Thanks jscoggin.

I have not priced out the difference between regular trusses and attic ones yet so will consider costs.

I never considered 1 door, just assumed 2 would be better to delineate where i park my truck and where i can park a future sports car (sold one when i was younger, plan to buy another when kids are older) or trailer or project car.

Good point with fixed windows higher up for light, Id like 1 that i can open on the west wall, and maybe one on the east wall as we always have a west wind and may be nice in summer.

Plan on using 2x6x12 studs, so withe top and bottom plates and maybe little wall around in concrete, i should end up with 12'6'' give or take.

Thanks again.

You're very welcome. I'm in the trade and even I needed feedback and advice when building mine, there are so many options and choices and many of them are permanent so the more opinions the better.

I'm sure it varies from region to region but regular trusses were quoted to me at $4,200 and attic trusses were $7,700. That is a big difference but ultimately I decided that they can't be done later so even though I didn't foresee the need, it was better safe than sorry.

The problem is that the costs didn't end there. It added a day of labor to set them (at $1,400 per), $500 to deck them as the framers needed to do it to help set them. Labor/material costs for the set of stairs which was probably another $2,000. I'm probably over $6,000 over where I would have been with standard trusses and I haven't even done drywall, electrical, finish flooring etc, just decked it.

I say probably because I don't really want to know. Even so, say it ends up costing me a total of $8,000 to finish it out, at about 650 sqft, that's pretty cheap per foot. It will make sense if I ever find a use for it or plan to sell it but at the moment, neither is happening and I miss my extra $6,000. Just things to ponder.

I find one single large door to be so much easier to work with. 18' or larger makes it easy to move multiple cars in/out and even better if trying to back a trailer in. It is also one less opening to maintain, seal, install motors etc.

The windows were something that I went back and forth on and I landed on doing the transoms on only one side. I liked them so much that I then cut in two more on the opposite side. It would have been so much easier at initial framing but it was still worth doing. I think they are the best of both worlds, high enough to not ruin wall space and usability yet still allow in natural light and let me see the sky (see my build thread for pictures).

I did not want to have a floor level window but did put in a 18"x5' horizontal slider because cross flow is huge. The pros definitely outweigh the cons.

I wish I would have gone with 2x6 instead of 2x4 but I didn't due to cost. Considering where you are located, 2x6 is definitely the right call for snow load as well as space for thicker insulation. Yes, you should end up at about 12'6" with 12' studs and the plates. I should have too but my framers cut down the studs to make my plate height a literal 12'. My mistake, they were just following the plans which were unclear and I didn't catch it in time.

 

[nvd]

You're very welcome. I'm in the trade and even I needed feedback and advice when building mine, there are so many options and choices and many of them are permanent so the more opinions the better.

I'm sure it varies from region to region but regular trusses were quoted to me at $4,200 and attic trusses were $7,700. That is a big difference but ultimately I decided that they can't be done later so even though I didn't foresee the need, it was better safe than sorry. - Ill have to look into this. Wouldnt think it would be much but will see.

The problem is that the costs didn't end there. It added a day of labor to set them (at $1,400 per), $500 to deck them as the framers needed to do it to help set them. Labor/material costs for the set of stairs which was probably another $2,000. I'm probably over $6,000 over where I would have been with standard trusses and I haven't even done drywall, electrical, finish flooring etc, just decked it. - I plan on building a lot myself so hopefully save on a lot of the costs.

I say probably because I don't really want to know. Even so, say it ends up costing me a total of $8,000 to finish it out, at about 650 sqft, that's pretty cheap per foot. It will make sense if I ever find a use for it or plan to sell it but at the moment, neither is happening and I miss my extra $6,000. Just things to ponder.

I find one single large door to be so much easier to work with. 18' or larger makes it easy to move multiple cars in/out and even better if trying to back a trailer in. It is also one less opening to maintain, seal, install motors etc.- Ill re draw it on cad and see how it looks with my layout.

The windows were something that I went back and forth on and I landed on doing the transoms on only one side. I liked them so much that I then cut in two more on the opposite side. It would have been so much easier at initial framing but it was still worth doing. I think they are the best of both worlds, high enough to not ruin wall space and usability yet still allow in natural light and let me see the sky (see my build thread for pictures). - seen it, looks good ill probably go this way.

I did not want to have a floor level window but did put in a 18"x5' horizontal slider because cross flow is huge. The pros definitely outweigh the cons.

I wish I would have gone with 2x6 instead of 2x4 but I didn't due to cost. Considering where you are located, 2x6 is definitely the right call for snow load as well as space for thicker insulation. Yes, you should end up at about 12'6" with 12' studs and the plates. I should have too but my framers cut down the studs to make my plate height a literal 12'. My mistake, they were just following the plans which were unclear and I didn't catch it in time- apparently 2x4 is enough to support the 2x6 is to have room for insulation electrical plumbing etc. but should help to make things stronger forsure..

thanks for you input much appreciated.

 

[nvd]

Oh what roof pitch did you do with your attic trusses?

 

[jscoggin]

Oh what roof pitch did you do with your attic trusses?

I went with 8/12 but regret it, 6/12 would have been perfectly fine. I was worried that the slighter pitch would cramp the attic but that wouldn't have been the case, it maybe would have provided a 3" lower ceiling height inside but that still would have put it at about 8' finished. The reason I regret it is because it makes the shop very tall, I would have preferred it a bit shorter. Even a foot or two would have made a big difference, my peak is in excess of 24'.

I'll try to take some interior and exterior attic shots today and add them here. The framed attic space is amazing, I can't deny that. When I go up there, I instantly forget the extra cost.

 

[Disturbed Sledneck]

My shop is 28' deep, 50' wide, and a 12' ceiling. I basically have 4 bays, all laid on the eve side. First being just a man door and benches, tools, etc. Second bay has a 10'x10' door with a 10k two-post Rotary. Third bay has a 10'x10' door. I have a partition wall between the third and fourth bay. Fourth bay has a 9'x10' door and is mostly cold storage with pallet racking, and clean storage for the Jeep.

You're on the right path with your planning I'd say. I opted for no windows for a little security piece of mind, but mostly so I could have all available wall space for cabinets, shelving, etc.

My only recommendation would be 14' height if you can afford it, since you're planning on a lift. My shop is a tad limited due to the height only being 12'. With my Duramax on the lift, I can't get it as high as I'd like for service. The other recommendation would be 10'x10' doors possibly.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[nvd]

I went with 8/12 but regret it, 6/12 would have been perfectly fine. I was worried that the slighter pitch would cramp the attic but that wouldn't have been the case, it maybe would have provided a 3" lower ceiling height inside but that still would have put it at about 8' finished. The reason I regret it is because it makes the shop very tall, I would have preferred it a bit shorter. Even a foot or two would have made a big difference, my peak is in excess of 24'.

I'll try to take some interior and exterior attic shots today and add them here. The framed attic space is amazing, I can't deny that. When I go up there, I instantly forget the extra cost.

Thanks that would be much appreciated.

 

[nvd]

My shop is 28' deep, 50' wide, and a 12' ceiling. I basically have 4 bays, all laid on the eve side. First being just a man door and benches, tools, etc. Second bay has a 10'x10' door with a 10k two-post Rotary. Third bay has a 10'x10' door. I have a partition wall between the third and fourth bay. Fourth bay has a 9'x10' door and is mostly cold storage with pallet racking, and clean storage for the Jeep.

You're on the right path with your planning I'd say. I opted for no windows for a little security piece of mind, but mostly so I could have all available wall space for cabinets, shelving, etc.

My only recommendation would be 14' height if you can afford it, since you're planning on a lift. My shop is a tad limited due to the height only being 12'. With my Duramax on the lift, I can't get it as high as I'd like for service. The other recommendation would be 10'x10' doors possibly.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Thanks for the input! 14' i think will be to high for me. hope to lift the truck 4' which will cover 90% of what id do to it. Plus more $.

10x10 doors would be do able but dont know if i need the height but maybe a case of better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.. thought about if i ever need to bring a camper inside id need more the 10' probably.. but if i need to fix a camper it will be summer and nice out hopefully!

 

[jscoggin]

Brick is still back ordered but this picture is to illustrate the pitch of 8/12. I really, really wish I'd have gone with 6/12. My attic space which I'll show in a second has 8'3" of headroom, 6/12 would have only shortened that a little bit, I believe it was going to be about 7'10", that would have been more than enough. I'm 6'3" and can lift my arm above my head now and not touch the trusses.

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48373994_1155881971247704_4017862289599234048_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=b3ad8a1df6f4524e1483f453c5d89746&oe=5CC4ECAA

Pardon the mess, it is by definition, 'a work in progress'. This picture is to show what I did for the staircase.

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50080193_1173968229439078_8834503679240306688_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=70e113eb2583f8ad3196367b088f4437&oe=5D009218

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50294434_1173968269439074_5783117273006866432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=f62c0c7932a7bbc0a35584013d84c6dd&oe=5CC8F37E

Attic from top of stairs.

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50221164_1173968322772402_1213757263928360960_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=a14f11f17154f63127b34d2a09d0d32f&oe=5CB3706D

Attic looking back at stairs.

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50272048_1173968359439065_5849186020481826816_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=6dd2daa39191fd0081baafb9bc5a6ba0&oe=5CD47C9C

I don't know if any of this helps or not but hopefully it does.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Hello,

New here, but have read a lot of others threads for various information. I wanted to start a discussion for my future build to ensure I have covered all what I need when designing/building my garage. So im open to constructive criticism so I build my garage without to many regrets!

This will be used for parking my truck inside daily, sports car, storage of stuff for our rental properties, basic workshop for tinkering on vehicles building random stuff, atv, lawn mower, random storage etc. in future I may want to finish loft but who knows.

Proposed Information
Location: SW Ontario, Canada (Waterford, ONT.)
Size: 32x50 w/12' ceilings.
Overhead Doors: 2 10'x8' insulated and one 6'x7' insulated on the side for lawnmower/atv etc.
Man Doors: 2 36" insulated doors
Windows: a few around, higher up hopefully out of the way.
Trusses: Attic trusses to have storage upstairs. and maybe finish in future.
Insulation: As high as R value as i can afford.. r20+ in walls
Heat: In-floor heating using a Hot Water Tank & Wood stove when I want to stoke it up!
Electrical: unknown at this point, need to talk to my electrician. But will have lots of outlets and lights.
Plumbing: Going to run a 3/4" waterline and 4" drain from the house for a sink, maybe toilet upstairs..

Questions / Thoughts
- is 12' ceiling tall enough for a hoist? should i add one in future. I think id only need to lift vehicle up a couple feet for brakes, tires, oil change.. basic maintenance. I also on a 2500 duramax.. I assume if I can sit on a chair and wheel around under I should be good. I won't be doing any major major work on vehicles. Depends on lift and vehicle go to Bendpak for spec's most for a truck are in the 145"-150" range.

-What would be a sufficient amount of insulation under the concrete slab? seems like for in floor heating or any heating, the more insulation the better to minimize heat loss. Most slabs we have done are 2" insulation for radiant heat.

-Assuming the building is relatively well insulated, If i use a Hot Water Tank for the In-floor heating whats a temperature that would be good to keep it set at all winter. Then If i want to make it warmer, I will toss a few logs in the wood stove. I read the lots usually keep it 58-62. Lot's of people use a hot water heater but a boiler would be my choice.

-Floor drains, I am thinking of having two drains at front of garage where vehicles will be parked and have the floor draining to the drains, and the back part of the garage have the floor level. I do wish I had put in at least one drain, but in my climate not a real need. Also local codes can be restrictive as to what is a allowed.

-Plan on 2x6 construction, 5" concrete slab (engineered slab), with rebar/mesh, If i put in a hoist i think i read 6" min..? if i dont know the exact area, should i do a section ? or cut out later leaving room with in floor pipes? Again a lot of people think you need super thick reinforced concrete for the lift. Look at Bendpak spec's for a 2 post 10,000lb lift 4" is minimum. I don't think I would cut out later, try and locate and place lines to miss it. You can use a Flir scan to find pipes later.

-As of know I will have 20' behind garage to the back of our property, to store firewood, outside stuff, chicken coup etc..

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Sounds like you are on the right track, if it is a stick frame building you could raise the side wall with the footing 6" so your ceiling height is higher for a lift.

 

[nvd]

Thanks for all the input and those pictures. Made me rethink my stair design and my wood stove location, dont want the chimney to go through the loft.. or do i... would be a way to heat upper level if in the right location.?

JSCOGGIN - thanks for the pics!! your loft appears to be 12' wide by length of your shop. your width is 36' wide im planning on 32' so my loft wouldnt be as wide.. or think it would be if i did a 6/12 pitch?, do you think 5/12 would be to low..

 

[jscoggin]

Thanks for all the input and those pictures. Made me rethink my stair design and my wood stove location, dont want the chimney to go through the loft.. or do i... would be a way to heat upper level if in the right location.?

JSCOGGIN - thanks for the pics!! your loft appears to be 12' wide by length of your shop. your width is 36' wide im planning on 32' so my loft wouldnt be as wide.. or think it would be if i did a 6/12 pitch?, do you think 5/12 would be to low..

I absolutely would not have the chimney penetrate the roof. I did all of my venting out the walls, you could do the same with a wood stove I'm sure. I did this for a couple of reasons. First and most important, I hate roof penetrations and try to avoid them whenever possible, keeps down the potential for future leaks. Second, I didn't want to compromise my attic or bathroom loft either functionally or aesthetically.

I won't be messing with a wood stove though, I'll probably install a full HVAC system at some point and have separate ducting upstairs and downstairs. You may be fine as I grew up with a single woodstove heating the whole house, get that baby hot enough and it should warm the attic up just fine whether the vent goes through it or not.

Reach out to a couple of truss companies and give them your dimensions, they can tell you exactly what the clearances will be. Yes, my attic width is 12', I could have had it 16' but it would have cost $2,000 more. It would have been cheap for the additional square footage but I had to cut the bleeding off at some point and that was my line in the sand. The space is so big that I doubt I'll ever regret it.

Below is a link to a chart that I found in another GJ member's thread, don't take it as gospel as every truss company builds to slightly different specifications. Just use it as a rough guide. I didn't realize how much lower the height would be by your building only being 4' narrower. That chart is showing your attic center height to be 7'6" on a 8/12 pitch with a 32' wide truss. I wouldn't go much less than that or it will start to feel claustrophobic. You will still be able to get 12' plus, that seems to be an easier dimension to achieve vs the height.

Again, different companies may be able to get you a few more inches. When shopping for mine I found that they were all close but there were definitely variances in height and width. For example, that chart shows that my attic opening would be 15' + wide yet I got only 12'. I got bids from five different truss companies and none had identical dimensions. As I said before, I'd recommend a 6/12 over an 8/12 but not at the risk of dropping the attic height below 7'6". Your opinion may vary.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=5772&pictureid=72238

 

[nvd]

Thanks again for the input. much appreciated.

 

[tarmy]

This is 32x56...by 10

I suggest the biggest and highest doors that fit...my boats, tractor, full size truck all need to get in and out...

200amp panel...

Also consider having the trusses designed to hold up beam for overhead winch...

 

[nvd]

Thanks,

I have a friend who works for a garage door company who I have used at properties we have renovated. He said the cost for a garage door jumps up a lot when its over 9' tall.

I don't think I will ever need higher then 9' but im sure there will be a time for something..

Im thinking 12'x9'..

 

[ddurrett896]

https://scontent-dfw5-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50294434_1173968269439074_5783117273006866432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.**&oh=f62c0c7932a7bbc0a35584013d84c6dd&oe=5CC8F37E

I'm planning my garage and have a question on those stairs. I'd like to do exactly what you did, where they attached to the trusses, but was under the impression I couldn't because trusses aren't meant to support any load except the top plates.

Did you have to tell the truss manufacture about the stairs or is it ok to do normally? Thanks!

 

[jscoggin]

I'm planning my garage and have a question on those stairs. I'd like to do exactly what you did, where they attached to the trusses, but was under the impression I couldn't because trusses aren't meant to support any load except the top plates.

Did you have to tell the truss manufacture about the stairs or is it ok to do normally? Thanks!

I spoke with the truss engineer and he cleared this design. My trusses are on 2' centers and the stairs are obviously wider than that, 3'6". What we did is double up two trusses. The far side is lag bolted into the exterior framing all the way up and the near side is secured into the doubled trusses as well as the landing that was built at the top. In hindsight, I would have tripled up the trusses, because overkill. He said that two was perfectly sufficient both for the larger gap as well as the heavier weight. I'm no engineer but he seems to be right, it is very solid. Like I mentioned before though, almost every truss design is different, so definitely clear it with your manufacturer before proceeding.

This was very important to me and the final deal breaker cleared in going with the attic. I did not want posts under the stairs that would kill any possible usability beneath them. That is the area that I plan on building my workbench.

I also would have preferred to have a straight run with no landing at the bottom. Due to my plate height and shop width, we just couldn't get the correct rise without the landing. It isn't awful but I also don't love it.

 

[jscoggin]

Thanks,

I have a friend who works for a garage door company who I have used at properties we have renovated. He said the cost for a garage door jumps up a lot when its over 9' tall.

I don't think I will ever need higher then 9' but im sure there will be a time for something..

Im thinking 12'x9'..

I put a 10' door in mine and like you, I don't see ever needing that tall of a door. Thing is, better to have it and not need it than vice versa. Truth be told, I would have put in a 14' tall door if the wife hadn't have nixed the extra plate height. 14' allows you to pull in an RV or semi. Will I ever need that? Who knows what the future holds but even if I never do, it would be a huge value add if we ever sell. Same with the width, I'd do at least a 14' wide at minimum.

Yes, a 10' tall door is a lot more expensive but I never considered going with anything shorter than what would fit under my plate. You just never know what tomorrow will bring. It's only money, right?

 

[nvd]

Well, refinancing a property to pull out some equity to fund the garage project!

stopped at local lumber yard to get a price on the building materials so will see. they did say attic trusses where about double..... so will see.

 

[Jtrudel90]

I live in Brantford, Ontario lots of great questions and answers to items I’ve been thinking about...thanks for all the great insight

 

[Jtrudel90]

What are you guys doing for the header over larger doors with attic trusses lvl or steel beam ...? Don’t mean to hijack

 

[sberry]

Go to 36 wide, this is the place to stretch. You can do fancy stuff inside later but wider gives so much usable space along the walls. My neighbor just did 30, cramped, had to build another 2 small pole barn after. 40 is even better.

 

[nvd]

Go to 36 wide, this is the place to stretch. You can do fancy stuff inside later but wider gives so much usable space along the walls. My neighbor just did 30, cramped, had to build another 2 small pole barn after. 40 is even better.

and 42 is a bit better and 44 is even better lol, your absolutely right. If i can squeeze another 4 more feet with space and budget i would. I was at 28x40.. now 32x50.. but yes bigger is always better.

 

[nvd]

What are you guys doing for the header over larger doors with attic trusses lvl or steel beam ...? Don’t mean to hijack

I can see what they spec when i get my material list back. id suspect 2x10 or 2x12 triple or double..

 

[nvd]

I live in Brantford, Ontario lots of great questions and answers to items I’ve been thinking about...thanks for all the great insight

Im in waterford, so not to far!

 

[Lewit12]

My barn is 32x48x12. I decided to go with scissor trusses and I’m about 16ft at the peak. Makes for a lot of added height on the inside. I’m still in the process of finishing the inside of mine. But the scissor trusses are a nice touch

 

[jvitez]

Check out:

babco.ca

They're the Canadian Benkpak distributor. Their site has all the specs you need for each lift whether 2 or 4 post, so you can see what interior height you'll need for that particular lift.

You're in Ontario with insane electricity prices. Forget the attic and do regular trusses with R60 blown in cellulose, Roxul R22 in the 2x6 stud bays, and 2" XPS or EPS foam under the slab, and most importantly on the slab edge. Search " frost protected shallow foundation " for details. Ideally you'd also do 2" of rigid foam on the exterior of the walls. Check out:

https://buildwithhalo.com/

This is an EPS rigid insulation which doesn't slowly lose R value like XPS. It comes in several versions for interior, exterior or under-slab use.

Whether you can heat with an electric water heater fully depends on the total heat loss of the building. The maximum size of a domestic water heater is 4500 watts (3.413 btu/watt). If your heat loss is more than than that, which it most probably will be for 1500 sq ft, you'll need an expensive commercial electric water heater, or you can jury rig 2 domestic water heaters which chews up floor space, or you could go propane which allows a much higher BTU input. But, and a big but (not big ****.......) you'll wear out a fuel burning water heater much faster when it's used for an in-floor application, unless it's specifically designed for both which again is more money. A dedicated boiler is your best fuel burning bet.

Don't skimp on insulation in an Ontario climate. To quote an old ad, "Pay me now or pay me later"

 

[nvd]

Well we have the permit approved, plan to start in the spring. Here are the drawings, I’m open to suggestions.

I have been thinking of making it a bit longer 32’x60’ but didn’t want it to look funny being so long and narrow.

The loft is going to be a small office, storage space. Below is where I’ll park lawn mower, atv, kids atv and then back right will be two parking spots for summer car/jeep.

Left bay will be spot to park my truck, right side I want a smaller parking spot then a hoist on that side though not sure how often I’d use it.. then the middle area is to tink around. But once everything is in there I’m thinking another 10’ longer would be nice and not to much extra in cost.

Along the left wall will be work bench/tools, and a sink/maybe a toilet tho I don’t think I need a toilet.

Front left corner is where I’ll put hwt/infloor heat set up and hydro panel.

Like I said I’m open to any suggestions!
Thanks

 

[vision8]

Suggestion : I put a wash / slop sink and room for a toilet in my utility room . It is a long way into the house , remove your coveralls and get to the bathroom with greasy and filthy workshop clothes .
This is now four years that I put up the workshop , with the winters getting colder each year a natural gas fired boiler is the next level of in floor heating .
I put a four foot man door so that I can ride my trail bike into and onto the M/C lift without any obstruction. I put together a series of photos of my build in my journal .

 

[nvd]

I plan on having a big sink to wash hands etc, figured I’m running plumbing anyways may as well put in a toilet but not sure where. If I put it at back of the building then it’s a longer way to run the plumbing

 

[puttinonthekritz]

Frame out a room under the stairs and enclose it for the bathroom. Also, give yourself at least a 48” wide stairwell for breathing room to carry things up, it will also make the bathroom a more feasible space underneath as well if you go that route.

Also, based on your layout, there isn’t much room for toolboxes, benches, etc along either side of the end caps to the left and right of both main garage doors. You’ll nearly be driving into everything. Also, if you plan a lift, there isn’t much walk around space,etc. If you are able to add to 60ft in length I’d much rather have 36x54 than a 32x60, nearly identical sq footage and much more usable space. My two cents.

 

[nvd]

Frame out a room under the stairs and enclose it for the bathroom. Also, give yourself at least a 48” wide stairwell for breathing room to carry things up, it will also make the bathroom a more feasible space underneath as well if you go that route.

Also, based on your layout, there isn’t much room for toolboxes, benches, etc along either side of the end caps to the left and right of both main garage doors. You’ll nearly be driving into everything. Also, if you plan a lift, there isn’t much walk around space,etc. If you are able to add to 60ft in length I’d much rather have 36x54 than a 32x60, nearly identical sq footage and much more usable space. My two cents.

My thought was to maybe have my infloor heat set up under the stairs and then build a room in middle under loft for the bathroom. Maybe 3’x6’ or something..

As for workbench/tool storage I plan on having that against the wall on the left side. From approximately the first window to the loft so it would be about 15-16’ long and would be in front of where my truck would be. The garage doors are 12’ wide so if I pull in a little to the right, I’ll have about 3.5’ ish from side of truck to the wall.. another 2’ would be nice.

 

[CraigStu]

that is going to be really nice. A couple of thoughts.
- I'd rethink the doors. I'd much rather have a 16 and an 8. Both standard sizes. The 16 gives you lots of options for pulling in at an angle, backing in a trailer, etc. You could also get three vehicles in there when a storm is coming.
- 12ft ceiling will be fine for your purpose and I'd even think about 12 just over the lift using scissor trusses and the rest make it 9-10 tall. Have you ever gotten up on a ladder in your house to work at ceiling height? Even at just 9ft there is an obvious higher temp up there so the higher your ceiling, the more heat you pay for but never feel.
- I think you have planned where your main work bench will be so be sure to have a window there.