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New project 12'x40'x48 hybrid detached garage/shop

roadrunner255

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
230
Location
Driftwood, Texas
Hello all,
Planning a new project for our move to east tennessee and looking for suggestions on building roof pitch for a metal building with a metal roof.

Pitch doesn't have to match home.

Current building in Austin texas is 2:12.

East tenn snow loads are 10psi, not much different here in texas. Tenn gets more rain than here.

I'm thinking 3:12 or 4:12, I understand more $ the steeper the pitch.

For others in e tenn what pitch are your building?

Cheers
 
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RW19

New member
Joined
Dec 24, 2024
Messages
2
3:12 and 4:12 aren't materially more money than a 2:12. 5:12 is where some builders start requiring a little more for workers to harness in and slows the project down a bit. Personally, I'd think 4:12 is a good sweet spot. Each foot on the pitch is maybe $100 more in material.
 

Codyboy

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Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
1,611
Location
S.E. TEXAS
I went 5/12 for no other reason than it looks better.
Builder didn't charge more for it and it will match the roof pitch on the house when its built.
To me low pitched metal buildings look too much like a commercial building.
 

OX1

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Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
156
Location
Jackson, NJ
  • More clearance for a 2 post lift - 12’ is tight
  • More clearance for taller doors - small rv storage
  • Can do a mezzanine with more head room

Also storage on a 4 post. I have very tall 4 post with F250 underneath, 59 bird way up top, and can still open 10 X 10 door that snakes up over bird. Not possible with 12' wall I'd guess.

20230620_181933.jpg

And one final reason. I wanted natural light, so I had 4 foot high plastic panel across both eave sides.
With 14' wall, I can have bottom of those panels about 5 feet down, and still put lights along the walls
(under those panels) that are 9 feet up (see pic above, horizontal light near back of bird).
 
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carcruse

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Joined
Apr 7, 2007
Messages
217
Location
SE Michigan
  • More clearance for a 2 post lift - 12’ is tight
  • More clearance for taller doors - small rv storage
  • Can do a mezzanine with more head room
I agree, 12 ft. is tight for a 2 post and a door for a small motorhome. I stick built my garage. Walls consist of a 6" stem wall, bottom plate, 2x6x12 studs and 2 top plates. Gives me a height of 12'-10-1/2" ceiling height. That gave just enough for a 2 post lift and a 10' door for my '75 GMC Palm Beech.
 
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OP
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roadrunner255

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Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
230
Location
Driftwood, Texas
Update, decided on a hybrid style building, steel trusss with 2x6 wood framing, metal roof and exterior wall panels and a 4:12 pitch.

Need to decide between 2 24k mini splits w inverter or a 4 ton single unit.

Currently have 2 24k mini splits in my 36x40 metal building here in central Texas.

Don't use the heat much here.

Thoughts?
Property is northeast of Knoxville tn.
 

racecougar

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Jan 26, 2021
Messages
4,971
Location
Missouri
Will the building have a ceiling? What level of wall and ceiling insulation? How many overhead doors? What size and insulation level? Did you end up with 12' or 14' walls? Number of windows? These are just a few of the questions to answer when you do your load calcs.

As far as two mini splits vs one single unit goes: What is the ducting plan for a single? Will the single be an inverter unit? Any plan for supplemental heating?
 
OP
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roadrunner255

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
230
Location
Driftwood, Texas
Will the building have a ceiling? What level of wall and ceiling insulation? How many overhead doors? What size and insulation level? Did you end up with 12' or 14' walls? Number of windows? These are just a few of the questions to answer when you do your load calcs.

As far as two mini splits vs one single unit goes: What is the ducting plan for a single? Will the single be an inverter unit? Any plan for supplemental heating?
No ceiling, 12' bays, spray foam insulation.
1 12x10 and 8x8 overhead doors with 2 3'x7 man doors, and 2 3'x4' windows.

Probably go with 2 mini splits with inverter so I don't need to worry about auxiliary heat.

Thanks
 

jblnut

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
6,959
Location
In the Middle of MN
Update, decided on a hybrid style building, steel trusss with 2x6 wood framing, metal roof and exterior wall panels and a 4:12 pitch.

Need to decide between 2 24k mini splits w inverter or a 4 ton single unit.

Currently have 2 24k mini splits in my 36x40 metal building here in central Texas.

Don't use the heat much here.

Thoughts?
Property is northeast of Knoxville tn.
I have a single 2ton mini split in my farm shop that is 54x72x18 and it can keep it the same temp as my refrigerator if I wanted
It to. The first 48hrs it was installed I set it as low as it went and it got down to 52f in there while it was around 80f daytime temps outside. Prior to the mini split I had a single 5k window unit and it did okay at removing humidity but wouldn’t get it real cool. The mini split uses half the power as the window unit and will keep it whatever temp I want it set to.

Point is I’d think you will definitely have enough cooling power with 4ton of capacity unless the building is very poorly insulated.

As far as sidewalls go …… I’d go as high as you can before it looks goofy. You won’t regret having more space in any direction in a building designed to do work in. I already added 4’ around the sides and 16’ in length from my original plan and wish I’d have done more and gone with 20’ sidewalls.
 

racecougar

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Joined
Jan 26, 2021
Messages
4,971
Location
Missouri
Similar story here. Climate zone 4A here (same as the OP). I ran two 5k window units for a couple of years before installing a 24k mini split in my 30x60x13 shop. R-55 insulation in the attic and R-19 in the walls. The mini split has more capacity than I need, and it's far cheaper and effective than the window units were. Adequate insulation and air sealing is key to efficiency here.
 
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