Building a garage

[Jay2D2]

hey guys im in the process of planning my garge to be hopefully built this summer.  Just wondering if any of you have planned your own and have any input.  Things you missed or ideas in hindsight

basically any tips or suggestions or must haves or not haves...
you know what i mean
thanks

[VileZambonie]

I just built a pretty slick garage. Bigger is better. At least 13' ceilings so you can add a lift. Fiber mesh floor with expansion joints. If you do plan on adding a lift make sure it's strong and thick enough of a pad on weathered and packed process. Inside and outside curtain drains and seal the concrete. Make sure the floor has a pitch so all water and crap will drain outside. Build yourself a bonus room upstairs. I suspended a forced hot air furnace to add floor clearance. Home Depot sells a cheap program to build your own garage which is helpful for quick designs and ideas. Laminated beams or attic trusses will help you build a bonus room without loli columns in your way downstairs. Ideally a barn style garage is what I want for my next garage. Give us more details on your plans so we can offer up more suggestions. I have a page on my myspace page about my garage build here

[lowbucktruck]

My father-in-law installed plumbing for a sink and toilet, when he had the concrete slab poured for his shop.  Just in case he ever wanted to install them later on.  I suggested that he put in a urinal.  

[hotrod24]

vile man your myspace page is not working

[VileZambonie]

Oh well, There's been a few threads here on garages. There's a few pix of mine here

[jhah71chevy]

Build it twice as big as you think you need and still will not be enough.

[Blazin]

Go bigger than you think you need to. Build into a bank if you can. Ground level entry to a second floor. If you can afford it go 4' in, and 4' out with the concrete. Also heat in the floor. Even if you don't hook it up right off, a 100 gal gas hot water heater with a circulater will heat a good size garage. 14' ceiling is a good thing, 12' x 12' door, or doors. Exhaust fan 30" is about as small as I would go there. Definite on LVL engineered beam for the center span. Water into and septic hook up are a must. Outdoor outlets, flood lights up in the peak of the gable. Plan you benches ahead of time. Then do 4 gang outlets there instead of two gang. Plenty of lights, some on the walls too, especially if you are going to do any painting. I like a gambrel style roof, lots of useable room upstairs that way, I also prefer metal roof.

[crazedhick3]

High ceilings, Good concrete, A/C, Heat, Satellite Tv, Recliner, Huge room upstairs and you are guaranteed not to touch your project again!!!!  Oh, I forgot a fridge full of beer........

[Bitzer!]

I'm with Blazin- Plenty of powerpoints. If you can't get height think about a drive over pit? General rule here is two widths of vehicle minimum. That way you can open doors with room. Length + half minimum. You need room front and rear.

If you have more than one entrance/exit - light switches. Nothing worse than walking 20ft thru the dark after turning lights off!

Compresses air. Its worth hard piping all round even to area's you dont imagine using. If possible set compresser itself outside in soundproof box- it'll do ya swede (head) in constantly running.

Lastly, secure anchor points in roof. You need to sling a block & tackle to lift heavy stuff, you cant always get an engine crane in

just my thoughts

Bitzer

[78 Chevyrado]

Put in at least half again as many power outlets as you need.  It sucks to plan out where you want power, just to decide you'd like to cover that spot up later with a toolbox or cabinet or something.  you can't have too many options for placet to plug stuff in. 

[Novadiecast]

Don't forget the 220V outlets for a welder and/or an air compressor. Try to put the sir compressor in it's own room or a small exterior room for sound. Nothing worse than a loud air compressor running all the time.

[Maintenanceman]

Like these guys said build it twice as big as you think you need. Also, If your doing a slab then put in a drain and coat the floor with the special coating like you see in the really nice garages on tv and in magazines. Not sure what its called but I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish I had done mine. Now Ive got oil stains in my concrete that I can get up. And Some typ of exhaust fan and insulated doors and SOME SOURCE OF HEAT. DOnt forget to insulate it.

[Lt.Del]

My dad put in a long 6" diameter pipe, like 20' long, into the trusses.  Why?  you ask.  Well, we threw a chain around it, dropped the chain down a foot, and put a pulley on it.  That is the lift for when I take my engines out of my vehicles. The long pipe distributes the weight evenly through about a dozen trusses.   The ceiling is unfinished for more storage of large items.   Add 4' to the width of your garage...you want work benches, right?  The workbenches can be made with drawers for your tools, too.  You radial saw will be on one workbench, right?  You need work benches.   see bottom pic.  Hopefully it wont end up like dad's garage, prior to rebuild.  Dang squirrel chewed electric wires... www.delbridge.net/fire

[caddylow]

Do not, I repeat do not use U-Coat it on your floor if you like to work in your garage! I did mine and it chips real easy which in turn creates a little bubble which turns into many bubbles. Every time I drop a tool a new chip occurs! No matter what they say it isn't made for guys who really wrench and weld in their garages. If I had to do it again I probably would have had the floor polished just like in The Home Depot. Polishing repels fluids. Also, if you don't take my advice and you end up using the U-Coat it product make sure that if you use fiberglass reinforced concrete that you burn the strands of hair that stick up after the concrete cures and before you paint. Oh and I did use the clear coat and this happened to a brand new floor.