Questions about my layout

[BeachBoy]

Starting slowly to design my garage. It should go up this summer, or maybe the next one so I have plenty of time to do it right.

I want a "storage" space that would not be heated and a working/storage/tools space. I wanted to put the mec room (compressor, dust collector, etc) on the outside but decided to doa small room in the "cold" space.

Here's what I have right now.

The main section is 30x30 and the left storage is 10x30, including 4ft for the mechanical room.

I have planned 10fot ceilings with a 14-16ft section in the center over the lift. The entry door has an enclosed space so that you don't get the whole space cold when entering in the winter. I have also planned for a door between the storage and workshop.

My current concern is about the mech room.. TO get to that door means I have to keep a whole corridor clear from the front to the back of the show... I wonder if I should put the door only on the outside, which would get the storage space fully useable but would require shoveling to get to the mech room int he winter.

Any comments or thoughts on this and on the whole layout?

 

[BeachBoy]

We can see the raised ceiling height zone in this one, it's 10 wide by 15 long
The 5ft x 25ft zone on the left of the worshop is to store tools and parts and stuff. Maybe even store large tools that I would "pull" when needed )(small lathe and such)

 

[The Cobbler]

I would put a small door directly from the garage to the mechanical room so if you need to access you can get in there easily. leave a larger door where planned for access if you need to remove/replace or add anything.

 

[BeachBoy]

How often does someone has to go to a mech room? I was planning on having stuff in front if I put a door on the workshop side.

Also I guess noise would be much lower without a door...

 

[72Anthony]

Since you are planning to put a dust collector and compressor in the mechanical room, in addition to a HVAC system I would put in a full size door. Its not like you are going in there every day, but it will require regular access: tank drain, emptying dust collector. You can use solid core exterior door with weather stripping to cut down on noise transmission.

You also need to plan your ventilation such as keeping compressor cool and what you are going to do with the exhaust from the dust collector.

One other suggestion: I would change the exteriot man door to an out-swing, that will eliminate the door conflict with the smaller space and do a better job keeping out the weather.

 

[BeachBoy]

Since it is on two exterior walls I can vent outside easily. I'll look at how I can incorporate a door in the workshop.

Is 5x10 a good size for compressor, HVAC, radiant heat, dust collector, maybe hot water tank? I feel it might be tight although with 10ft tall there is a way to superpose stuff...

 

[Aquaticbob]

What type of compressor you plan on getting? If noise is a huge concern, get a rotary screw. I have one, it's super quiet, though quite a bit more spendy.

The 5x10 is a bit tight though, mechanical storage was something I skimped on, it overflowed into my shop space

 

[BeachBoy]

No clue about the compressor yet. It's later in the process. My uncle sells screw type compressors I'll see if I can get a deal

 

[readhead]

The mechanical room seems way to small for what you want to but in it. It will need at least a three foot door somewhere to get equipment in and out. I would be inclined to open it to the large shop area. I think ten foot for the work area is going to get tight right away when you start putting stuff in there. I don't see the need for the air lock unless you have a habit of leaving the door open. It would however provide a place above for equipment.
Where are you located?

 

[BeachBoy]

The storage room is the 10x25 on the left side. The workshop is 30x30 on the right.

I could put a 5ft pocket door between the storage and mech room and a 30in access door between the mech room and the workshop.

The location is northern Vermont by the Canadian border.

 

[readhead]

Ok. That helps. I don't think I fully understood your thinking. Why do you need to seperate the mechanical room from the storage? Not heating the storage and mechanical areas could cause problems for some equipment.

Unless you plan to walk to the back wall of the storage area and stack stuff untill you get to the door you will need to leave some walk space which would work as access to the mechanical equipment.

All the walls and doors are taking up usable space. Leave the dividing wall, get rid of the air lock and put one door into the storage area.

Having had a lot of different shops that would be my advice and it's worth what you paid for it.

 

[BeachBoy]

The storage area is heated but only above freezing (I.e. not 70+ like the workshop). I will put radian heat in there.

So maybe a door between the mech room and the workshop would be the easiest, that would allow full use of the storage area without leaving walkways.

Like this:

still a fair part of the workshop has to be clear to get to that door. One option is to put rolling storage system so have access when needed.
something like thi$

 

[sberry]

Why separate all this, make the storage and mechanical one in the same.

 

[BeachBoy]

Separate = one more wall to hang stuff on. And also with snow equipment I fear some humidity?

Or maybe a single room would be better but still, getting from the front to the mech area would require leaving a lot of floor space unused.

 

[D.J.]

Just looks like too many doors to me lots of unuseable space that cod be better used.

 

[CNGsaves]

+1 too many doors and not using space well.

First on mechanical room, 5 ft is too narrow. You'll barely be able to turn around in there with compressor, HVAC, etc. I'd make it 6 1/2 ft wide by 10 ft long. Once you actually measure what goes in there, you might need to make it 7 ft x 10 ft.

Now for doors, agree that front man door should open out. It will give you better use of inside of shop. Would be nice if you could have overhang on exterior of garage that provided rain relief when you got to stoop of man door. Like a mini dormer roof look that would have overhead lighting with can lights. Make that man door BIG like 40" or at minimum 36" as you can get more use out of large door so you don't have to open the garage door to get in and out with equipment, supplies, etc.

For interior doors, get rid of unneeded door on heated shop side . . . it's a garage not a doctor's office . . . you do NOT need a lobby !!

Door to cold storage as you first enter, make sure that's BIG too like 36" to 40" to make access easier bringing stuff in and out.

Mechanical room needs an exterior door that swings out as you don't want it taking up critical space within mechanical room.

For door between mechanical and cold storage, I'd recommend a pocket door (shown in drawing in red).

/ {.02 ideas on layout}

 

[A_Pmech]

I agree that there are way too many doors for the size of the space. At a minimum I would ditch the air lock. For an essentially unheated space it's just more doors to open and wasted space.

Those rolling storage systems are very easy to build. Inverted angle iron track, some pillow blocks, cold rolled round, wheels turned to fit the track and a bit of chain and gears. The rest of the job is simply welding up the shelving units.

 

[NUTTSGT]

+1 too many doors and not using space well.

First on mechanical room, 5 ft is too narrow. You'll barely be able to turn around in there with compressor, HVAC, etc. I'd make it 6 1/2 ft wide by 10 ft long. Once you actually measure what goes in there, you might need to make it 7 ft x 10 ft.

Now for doors, agree that front man door should open out. It will give you better use of inside of shop. Would be nice if you could have overhang on exterior of garage that provided rain relief when you got to stoop of man door. Like a mini dormer roof look that would have overhead lighting with can lights. Make that man door BIG like 40" or at minimum 36" as you can get more use out of large door so you don't have to open the garage door to get in and out with equipment, supplies, etc.

For interior doors, get rid of unneeded door on heated shop side . . . it's a garage not a doctor's office . . . you do NOT need a lobby !!

Door to cold storage as you first enter, make sure that's BIG too like 36" to 40" to make access easier bringing stuff in and out.

Mechanical room needs an exterior door that swings out as you don't want it taking up critical space within mechanical room.

For door between mechanical and cold storage, I'd recommend a pocket door (shown in drawing in red).

/ {.02 ideas on layout}

I'd agree with alot of that.

Get rid of the entrance way/foyer/lobby, it's a space killer.

Make the walk in door and between the sides at least 36"

7x10 for the mechanical room is probably more appropriate too. Lay out that size on the floor of your house garage with tape. Mark the size of the mechanicals and compressor to give you an idea of what you need. Doing a bathroom out there ? This would be the place to put it. I'd also agree to make the door to this room open into the garage area. . . . access and ease of use.

 

[BeachBoy]

The grid layout of the building system is 5x5 but they do have 2.5 spacing where needed so I could do 7.5x10 for the mechanical room.

here's with
7.5x10 mechanical room
door to outside from mech room
pocket door to mech room from storage
removed wall for entryway
5ft doors (all three), the connector to storage could be a rool-up door or pocket door although a normal door would prpobably be way more insulated.

 

[readhead]

Please explain "grid layout" . Does this have to do with the drawing or something from the building company?

 

[BeachBoy]

Building company.

This is lightweight steel building envelope.

It's on a 5x5 grid with 25ft max span. I will put a few beams on the left of the workshop (dotted line 5ft right from the wall between the storage and workshop space) in order to get the 25ft clear span.

They do have a 2.5ft section but its not standard so should be used only when 5 or 10 is too large of a gap.

Because its an inside wall I could do whatever size I want but if I want to use the beams to make a shelve to put the compressor let's say, it would be better to be on the main supporting walls grid.

 

[readhead]

How about a link to the building company. This a new one for me and I would like to understand what is driving your design.
Where are you located?

 

[BeachBoy]

www.bonestructure.ca

It's a VERY well insulated and efficient building system. Takes only a few days to put up and you can do the inside yourself. Check the videos.

Build is northern Vermont close to Canadian border.

 

[Carves]

Unless its really needed for some insulation reason,

Scrap the "lobby" entry, imho.

As for the "mech" room at the end of the "store" room,

Whats the storage system going to be in the store room ?? ... shelving/hanging, on both long walls ??

... if so, you will need walkspace up the middle ... which in my mind - would dictate putting the mech room door ... in the middle of the 10ft wall ..

 

[BeachBoy]

The storage is for really all the stuff... Jerry cans, lawn mower, chainsaws, eventually snow blower, tires, bicycles, name it.

Likely one wall with storage on the wall and the rest open to drive in the rolling equipment.

Tools, parts, more tools, house overflow will be in the workshop area. I want to leave my options open for small bench top paintbooth and some small machines (lathe, mill, etc)

 

[dfiler2]

I had the same concerns with a shop area I am currently working on " TO get to that door means I have to keep a whole corridor clear" I then realized unless I wanted to crawl over everything, I needed to have a corridor, so I put the door in the middle, I am able to store things on each side of the path through the middle and I always have access to the back room.

 

[readhead]

Interesting system. Have you priced anything else? Will your building department accept the design?

 

[BeachBoy]

We have absolutely zero restrictions for building. Except setbacks for the road and the lake (shoreline protection).

I haven't priced a shell only, my father is getting his whole home built with the system so I'll check prices once I have a better plan. I want a flat roof so my girlfriend can put a garden there... Limits the other options...

 

[readhead]

A flat roof doesn't limit any options. Can be done as a pole building, steel or conventional framing. For as small a building as this is conventional framing with flat roof trusses might be the least expensive way to go.

We have done several garden roofs and they do require some slope to drain.

 

[BeachBoy]

I'll see if bone is too expensive but I really like their system. Easy to route stuff (walls and ceiling), very, very airtight and very quick and easy to assemble. One problem where we are is incompetence of labor and they are slow...

Also a metal building will never move and crack and such.