Well I have been a long time in wanting for my own Large enough shop to fulfill my needs and God willing the project will finally begin in the next few weeks. Base for the Project is a 40' X 60' X 12' Below grade Poured Concrete Foundation with storage trusses which will give me a 14' X 60' X 7' room up stairs for a total of 3240' sq. The Poured walls are going to be 10" thick per the contractor pouring them. My idea is to put the front side of the garge 4' below finish dirt grade (So you will walk in and walk down 4 feet to floor level but still have a standard 8' above ground "look" outside. This will tapper to the back which will be about 6' below grade giving me 6' above and 6 below.) the one mid wall will have an at grade section like a walkout basement for the 12' garge door and a 3' man door.
Large concern is heating and cooling. This is going to be a working metal fab shop and Truck Garage. My climate ranges from 0*F to 100+*F so that is a big reason for the sub level design. I definately intend to heat it with radiant floor heat. I have an older boiler that is currently set up for regular heating oil that I am going to convert to a wasteoil burner.
Now on to several of my many questions. I appologize if these have been covered, I have read and searched here and many others and there is so much info its hard to sort through so here are the question I have
AC is one of my big questions that I am still searching for answers on. What are you guys using, what works what doesnt, I expecting the sublevel to help a lot but still it will have a metal roof. Now on to several of my many questions.
Below flooring insulation--- I have read both sides of this that sublevels do not benefit that much from insulating under the floor because the ground temps dont vary as much. would you guys insulate it and what would you use? Regular 2" solid or the Silver Foil radiant barrier stuff. (brands good or Bad) I am going to use the radiant barrier under the metal roof along with another type of insulation.
Installing the PEX--- Towards the top of the slab or to the bottom? To me towards the top would be better because it would warm quicker and more to the top, but asking to be sure. I intend to use Fiber in the concrete instead of wire 6X6 as its easier and cheaper with current steel prices and works Great from all my expierience with it. The shop will have a 2 post lift so I will leave the the PEX out of the post securing areas. Any good places to buy the Pex (ebay 1/2" X 3000' is $800 free shipping) from what I have read and found the O2 barrier is required correct? Not sure on the stapling it to the insulation due to the whole top or bottom of the slab thing. Where can I find a good design for the loops to make sure my idea is right?
Insulating the roof--- I currently have about 35 bales of 2' X 4' cellulose sheets of insulation. the sheets are 2" thick. Not sure how I am going to hang them in the rafters, they are in sheets but pretty fragile and easily crumble up. Any thoughts there. Remember I have a room within the trusses so just a ceiling with blown insulation really wont work for me to well.
One Last biggie is Floor Covering. What have you guys found to be good for stain resistant, DURABLE, hold up to Lots of welding and grinding and not cost more than the building
Money is an object for sure but doing it right the first time is usually cheaper in the long run, so thats the key.
I have played with a floor plan for the shop for a good while to try and lay it out the way I want. Will try and post a pic or link up here to it
Sorry for the long post but as you all know A shop is a big investment I dont want to build it and wish I had ask questions I didnt
Thanks
Large concern is heating and cooling. This is going to be a working metal fab shop and Truck Garage. My climate ranges from 0*F to 100+*F so that is a big reason for the sub level design. I definately intend to heat it with radiant floor heat. I have an older boiler that is currently set up for regular heating oil that I am going to convert to a wasteoil burner.
Now on to several of my many questions. I appologize if these have been covered, I have read and searched here and many others and there is so much info its hard to sort through so here are the question I have
AC is one of my big questions that I am still searching for answers on. What are you guys using, what works what doesnt, I expecting the sublevel to help a lot but still it will have a metal roof. Now on to several of my many questions.
Below flooring insulation--- I have read both sides of this that sublevels do not benefit that much from insulating under the floor because the ground temps dont vary as much. would you guys insulate it and what would you use? Regular 2" solid or the Silver Foil radiant barrier stuff. (brands good or Bad) I am going to use the radiant barrier under the metal roof along with another type of insulation.
Installing the PEX--- Towards the top of the slab or to the bottom? To me towards the top would be better because it would warm quicker and more to the top, but asking to be sure. I intend to use Fiber in the concrete instead of wire 6X6 as its easier and cheaper with current steel prices and works Great from all my expierience with it. The shop will have a 2 post lift so I will leave the the PEX out of the post securing areas. Any good places to buy the Pex (ebay 1/2" X 3000' is $800 free shipping) from what I have read and found the O2 barrier is required correct? Not sure on the stapling it to the insulation due to the whole top or bottom of the slab thing. Where can I find a good design for the loops to make sure my idea is right?
Insulating the roof--- I currently have about 35 bales of 2' X 4' cellulose sheets of insulation. the sheets are 2" thick. Not sure how I am going to hang them in the rafters, they are in sheets but pretty fragile and easily crumble up. Any thoughts there. Remember I have a room within the trusses so just a ceiling with blown insulation really wont work for me to well.
One Last biggie is Floor Covering. What have you guys found to be good for stain resistant, DURABLE, hold up to Lots of welding and grinding and not cost more than the building
Money is an object for sure but doing it right the first time is usually cheaper in the long run, so thats the key.
I have played with a floor plan for the shop for a good while to try and lay it out the way I want. Will try and post a pic or link up here to it
Sorry for the long post but as you all know A shop is a big investment I dont want to build it and wish I had ask questions I didnt
Thanks
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