To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

planning and modeling

shopoholic

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
23
Location
Arkansas
As I mentioned in my introduction post here is my first draft and some things I am thinking about for my first shop build.

Thinking:
- 30x40 or 40x50 (depending on the layout i draw up) as i have CAD experience and 24/7 access to it.
- 2 post car lift, 9000lbs probably
- car/truck wash/detail bay thinking something along the lines of a 25'x12' rectangle sloping just enough to go to a trough drain with one or 2 5-6" pipes
- clean room just big enough for engine tear down and or storage (reason next)
- open welding/fab area

COMMENCE RAMBLING GOOD LUCK FELLOW READERS :lol:

With that said here is the first model I have conjured up. I will do a layout drawing with dimensions later, this just gives me a good idea of the potential room i could have to work with. this model is 40'x50' with 12' side walls. 2 10'x10' doors for lift and wash access and a smaller 8'x8' for idk what but surely it will come in handy. also the entrance ramps are very exaggerated. im showing them about 4 ft long at i think 5 degrees. but who knows i may have a supercar one day and need it.

the red area will be the room and for it to be a clean room with shelves on two walls as shown. may do the self on both exterior walls instead of on the wall between red and blue.

the blue area is for welding/fab area or lawnmower storage and what not.

the black area I am going to use for the wash/detail bay i think if its a 25'x12' that will be long enough and wide enough for just about any crew cab long bed truck. the whole 25'x12' will be sloped ever so slightly to drain into the trough shown in the floor and then down to several 3" pipes. probably will only do one 4" pipe though because realistically a water hose doesn't flow enough to justify multiple. unless someone here can prove me wrong.

the yellow area will be a two post car lift 9k or 10k capacity. I wont ever own anything more than a 2500 long bed dodge chevy or ford. that would be the biggest that is ever on it. so the two I am currently deciding between are SPOA10TRIO (asymmetric) and SPO10 (symmetric). i dont really see the need for one over the other because i dont see it being that hard for me to get out of the truck after pulling it in there. but i may go asymmetric just for the added room encase i need it one day. :dunno:

also as you can see i planned to do some sort of loft/storage area for christmas stuff and just anything really. One day when i have kids maybe turn it into a play room/area when they are old enough to not fall down the stairs or something. :eyecrazy:

concrete i think i am going to go with 3-4k psi 5 or 6" deep. got to do a little more reading on this, i DO NOT want it to sweat. honestly i can see dropping some serious money on the slab so that when the building falls it will still look awesome with no cracks and never sweat. (maybe this is wishful thinking).

metal outside 0" overhang (unless i shouldn't do this?)

spray insulation on walls and ceiling. close up the walls with about 4' of galvanized tin or something of the sort for easy cleaning if need be, then wood from 4' up. not sure about the ceiling yet.

Not sure if i would want any windows either.

will probably run a 1" line to the shop for water then split it into two 1/2" lines and have a tankless hot water heater for the rare occasions that i will need it.

maybe a real cheap shower area with a nice floor drain just for when i decide i want to dump trans fluid or oil all over me i can clean up a bit before going inside and a toilet.

Lighting is a huge one for me so i am sure it will be filled with LEDs not sure on the size or the brand or the spacing for them yet though. however the detailing bay will have more light than needed i can tell you that for sure.

indoors hose facet for the detailing area of course.

was thinking about a wood burning stove for heat in the winter but due to the stupid insurance companies i think this will be a no go. so have to decide how i want to heat it. not trying to get it to 70 degrees but it would be nice to knock off the chill and keep it at least like 55 or so in it. to do things without a jacket.

Not real keen on having air because i could open all doors and just deal with it maybe..

I may do two air drops but they aren't that important to me. biggest thing i will need air for is the occasional air tools and a plasma cutter one day.

Electrical outlets, no such thing as too many (within reason) a 4 plug outlet every 3' to 4' would be nice. and a 220 plug or two. may put the old dryer out there for detailing rags only.
 

Attachments

  • shop pic.jpg
    shop pic.jpg
    174.6 KB · Views: 64
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

matt_i

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
10,725
Location
SE Michigan
I would wash outside on a flat concrete area with purpose-built slope for drainage, then pull directly inside to dry & detail. Imo washing inside needs a dedicated bay with nothing else in it plus walls designed to resist the splash.

I would look at an overhead radiant tube heater (e.g. Reverberay) which heats objects and not air.

For concrete, imo 4" minumum is sufficient if its detailed properly. Washed crushed stone base compacted, vapor barrier, steel reinforcement, cut control joints the day after the pour, curing sealer or wet/moisture curing are all things to pay attention to. Use a rotating laser in "coarse" mode to assess level on the subgrade and stone base to avoid big thick or thin spots.
 
Last edited:

sberry

Banned
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
35,747
Location
Brethren, Michigan
I wash outside. A lot warmer there too. A drain is nice to dry or thaw cars. Build the bigger building and forget about interior walls and "clean" room. I have never spilled trans fluid all over myself to that degree. A bathroom and utility sink is something that you will use.
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Hot Rod Grampa

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2017
Messages
812
Location
Near Cooperstown New York
An 8 x 8 door has limited use. Up that to 10 x 10 also. No shower per se but a kitchen style pull out faucet comes in handy and yes to toilet. Dedicated wash bay no. Drain yes but maybe a tall tarp or curtain that would be like a shower curtain to separate the area while you wash and then pull it back. Consider making the clean room portable. Build it on a skid base so a pallet jack can move it as your needs change. Everyone will tell you that a new shop will fill up quick and it's never big enough. They are right. Assume you will line all the walls with shelves and benches and "shstuff". Only you know what you really want to do in that space so give yourself a little room for adjustment as you work and be creative.
 
OP
S

shopoholic

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
23
Location
Arkansas
yeah so update... I have pretty much ditched that whole concept that I had modeled up. Drawing up new plans in the next few weeks.. purchased a 1974 dodge charger to restore (pretty rust free, needs both rockers and a quarter panel as far as I can tell) so I need to get started on the building at some point. do not want to work out of the garage though so im holding out on it.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom