Is 22x38 big enough?

[cstreit]

I'm getting ready to start my detached garage. After mapping and planning I've actually pulled the trigger with the builder for a 22 wide x 38 deep garage. I wanted it deep enough for two cars with walking room, especially because I'm putting a lift in.

However I've got this nagging dount in my mind about the width. It's a foot wider than my current attached garage and I have shelves on both sides so it's tight, but with the new one, I'll only have workbenches/shelves on one side...

Am I shorting myself? Opinions?

 

[kartracer55]

No... Not wide enough

My garage is 20 or 21 wide and its tight...

Theres 2 cars in it, a 68 442 and a durango. The lawnmower and snow blower go between the two cars, with a bit of walking room on the durango side. Theres enough room between the wall and the 442 to fit a 60 gallon compressor tank, and another 3 inches on top of that. Then barely enough walking room on the other sdie of the durango.

Im probably not being clear, but I dont think that will be wide enough for a lift AND a second car next to it

Jim

 

[Pekingman]

No, its not wide enough. You will not have very much space with two cars and workshop goodies on the sides. It will be severely limiting in how far you will able to open the doors and forget about being able to work on anything on the sides with both cars in it. I would go a least a couple feet wider.

 

[cstreit]

Should have explained a little bit further.

Only the left half of the garage is planned for car use....

So in the right rear, I;ll have a 10' wide section with an office and storage area, leaving me 11 feet for a car

In the front half, again, only 1 car most of the time.... If there is a second car it will be "stored" and pushed over to the wall (close as reasonable). My limitation is this: I'm storing our racing rig on the left side of the garage and don't want to short that on width because I won't be able to get out. On the right side I have to be 10' from my septic drain field. Any extra width will come at the expense of parking the RV/24' trailer on that side...

 

[MAINIAC]

if your 22 wide what size doors are you planning on using? mine is 24 and i have 2, 8 foot wide doors and that doesn't leave hardly room for the center and corner supports to say nothing about opening car doors, personal access door etc. if you only have room for a 22' than that's all ya got and I do understand that, but if you can angle the layout to clear septic etc then try for wider. just my .02 worth

 

[Kevin54]

I would not have less that 26' minimum width for two cars. Remember also that the car on the right has to have enough room to swing the drivers door open without trying to squeeze out.

 

[Der Bugmeister]

No garage is ever big enough!

I have to agree, though, that you'll find 22' to be a bit narrow. If you've got the space and cash to go wider, now is the time to do it. Once the building is up, it's pretty hard to change your mind.

 

[astroracer]

Get a pad of 1/4" grid paper and layout your floorplan, 1/4" = 1'. Then make paper cutouts for everything you want to put in the shop. This is the best way to visualize what you will have. You also have to remember that the 22' is the OUTSIDE dimensions of the building. The inside space will be reduced by the width of the wall studs and any finishing that you plan to do so that 22' quickly becomes only 21' after construction.
Mark

 

[tech]

needs to be 24' at least. it may be useable if you install one big door rather than 2 small ones. can you get a 20' door?

 

[JMURiz]

Should be an OK size for the Posches you plan to have in there. My 914 used to live in a 10x16 space in my old townhouse). If you could possibly go 24' wide that'd be great. If not, I understand, I was hampered by zoning regulations on mine.
Like others say, and I'm sure you've done, get some grid paper and map everything out. Also get some car dollys for the 2nd car (if it is in there and pushed to the wall) should make moving it around a lot easier.

 

[TonyMazz]

I have a 27L X 34W and would have liked to add another stall...wider...is better !!!

I live in the country on 16 acres and once you start packing it with **** , mowers, shovels, snow blowers carts, etc you loose space real quickly...

I'd go wider...

 

[Ign]

No. I, at least, would much prefer 30x30. Lose some length if you must, but 22' is narrow once you actually move stuff in there.

 

[JMURiz]

The inside space will be reduced by the width of the wall studs and any finishing that you plan to do so that 22' quickly becomes only 21' after construction.
Mark

Great point, you have to account for the 6" on each wall for the stemwall to come up.

 

[boiler7904]

Like someone else mentioned, door configuration is going to be key in determining if this size will work for you. It sounds to me like you're going to want to put one 16' or 18' wide overhead door across the end of the garage. Two nines will get tight quick.

The other thing to look at is the shear wall requirement for each side of the overhead door. This is something to discuss with your architect (if you have one) or the building department. The shear wall requirements have been drastically changed (much stricter) in the last couple of years and they are enforced rigorously. I've got something about it at home that I can post later tonight.

 

[cstreit]

Well I talked to the builder and decided to go 24' wide. I've got a complete scale mockup of my cars, equipment, rooms, etc.. While I know 22' was workable, it wasn't optimal. The extra 2 feet will give me the breating room I need.

I've got a 12x20 storage shed for lawn equipment, etc.. so the only things in the garage will be my racecar, street car, and a customer car. ...and the racecar is usually stored on the trailer. (which is flush with the front of the garage, basically giving me an extra storage space). The door is 16'

Here's the original mockup:

Keep in mind my cars and the ones I work on are only 6x14' so they don't take up a ton of space. The space in the front right is mostly assembly area, not parking) as I do probably 10 engines per year for folks.

The compressor will be in back... Other major equipment will be in storage room, shed, or along the right wall