New guy

[raggmann]

Hey all.
Just stumbled across the forum and figured I'd join.
(EDIT-ooops,didn't see the new member introductions at the top,sorry.)
I "lost" my garage last year to a wind storm. It blew one side wall 6" off the foundation.
The garage has been there approx 50-60 years and does not appear to have even been anchored to the concrete.
It's a 24x24 garage and being the concrete is decent I'm going to build a new replacement garage starting this spring.
The one bay was poured but not finnished. It's actually got a dirt floor in a section 12'x15', there is the footing around the perimiter though.
My plans are for a 10' ceiling and I'm stuck on weather to do 1-16x9 door or 2-9x9 doors, what are your thoughts?
I'll be asking all kinds of advise as this is the first project I've ever taken on that's this big. I've helped people frame different buildings but this is the 1st on my own.

 

[socapots]

wrong place or not.
welcome to the boards. personally i like 2 doors. But it all depends on your needs and the driving skills of the people pulling in and out..
any chance someone will smack the center structure that separates the doors?
But if you are heating in the winter, possibly less heat loss with the smaller doors then the larger one..

 

[raggmann]

I never thought of the heating issue.......go figure,it was -43C here this morning with the wind and I'm not thinking about heat

Searching on google is how I found this forum. I actually saw the picture of ymerej's garage here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42967&page=4
and it got me thinking of the 1 door idea.
I have a barn and plenty of "out buildings" for storage,I need some place for my better 1/2 to park and a little workshop area.
I'm leaning towards:
24x24 with the ridge running East/West, 12' lean-to's on the North & South sides, 10' ceilings, wood stove for heat (currently the heat in my existing garage).
The lean-to's will house our tent trailer and one of my trucks. Eventually, once we upgrade trailers, I could close in one side as a tool room or???

 

[nmanitou]

Howdy and welcome!
For a 24' width, I think a 16' door is most efficient and leaves you room on the sides. This isn't a great picture, but it might help you visualize.

The "existing" garage is 24' wide with a 16' door. The new addition (left) is 14' wide with a 9' door.

 

[e-tek]

Welcome aboard! I have a 24x40 with 16x9 doors at either end. While I like the set up, a draw back is less wall space (can never have enough!). Of course if your alternative is a 16x9 or 2 - 8x9's, that is moot. Two doors will give you a more defined stall structure, but one allows you more room to get things in and out. On the fence - who me?!!? LOL!

MINUS 43C - you poor *******!!! It was a BALMY MINUS 40C here today in the "banana belt"!!

 

[rickairmedic]

wrong place or not.
welcome to the boards. personally i like 2 doors. But it all depends on your needs and the driving skills of the people pulling in and out..
any chance someone will smack the center structure that separates the doors?
But if you are heating in the winter, possibly less heat loss with the smaller doors then the larger one..

Actually heat loss would be worse with 2 doors than with one door . The 16X9 has a smaller surface area than 2 9X9's would have not to mention with one door you only have 2 side seams to try to seal with 2 doors now you have 4 side seams to try to seal . Both options have their merrits but heat loss will be worse with 2 doors than with one .


Rick

 

[raggmann]

My biggest issue is going to be keeping it organized.
Like I said, they'll be her car in there for sure. Then, I've usually got a project vehicle (or?) on the go.
I'd like to be able to get my old Dodge 4x4 in if needed for oil changes,etc. that's why I need a 9 foot-ish door.
Not only have I got a decent assortment of mechanical tools I'm also stocked up on various wood working tools.
I know that 24x24 isn't very big but it's what I've got to work with as far as existing concrete.
Even if I could afford a40x60 like I want, I'm sure I'd be out of room in a week or two.
It may end up once the garage is built I'll retrofit the barn for wood projects

 

[JC23]

You can go either way.

Mine is 28 across with two, nine foot doors. It kinda depends on what you're gonna do with it and how you lay it out.

And welcome!

 

[Coolabah]

I never thought of the heating issue.......go figure,it was -43C here this morning with the wind and I'm not thinking about heat

<snip>

I just posted a reply to your post in the "introduce yourself" forum and the first thing I thought about was heat.... you canuks must be really really tough if it is -43 and you don't think it is cold !!!

 

[raggmann]

Well guys, just a bit of an update if you want to call it that.
I have decided on what I want as far as doors,windows,etc and feel some what confident enough to do the job myself.
My biggest issues (so far) is how does one frame for the o/head door? Do you contact the o/head door company and see what they usually recomend for rough measurements or??
Also,being the price of steel has apparently dropped is there any advantage going with vinyl or tin? The house is yellow with brown & white trim and that's what I used when I built the new well house last year. My better 1/2 says to do the garage different so it stands out. I can't afford to update my barn at the same time I build the garage so it'll have to stay weather worn wood for a few more years. Eventually I'd like all the out buildings to kind of match. The other out buildings are either red or weathered wood.
My color thoughts are:
(Tin) green w/white trim,brown shingles
(Tin) red w/white trim,brown shingles
(Tin) brown w/white trim,brown shingles to kind of resemble and old weatherd shop/garage
(Vinyl) match the house-yellow w/brown or white trim,brown shingles
What are your opinions?
The slop of the roof is such that the sun would probably glare off the roof and right into our kitchen window,that's why I'm leaning towards shingles.

If it'd help I could possibly take some pictures of what we've got and post them this weekend.

 

[Coolabah]

LOL thanks for the PM- but I seriously DO NOT BELIEVE that you can get used to -43 degrees C .....EVER !!!.......... yeh, sounds logical but I have been in -30 C in Japan all rugged up in ski gear and was trying to remember what ANY extremity felt like...

Take care and am watching your "build" progress....