Author Topic: My first garage! (Read 28607 times)

rcampbell · « **on:** December 20, 2015, 10:52:47 AM »

So for almost as long as I can remember, well at least since I was about 13, my younger brother and I have dreamed about the day where we could have a garage with a concrete floor and our own tools to work on our various projects. That isn't to say I didn't appreciate the shop we had when we were kids. It was my grandfathers shop, was wooden floor, was a little cramped and drafty. But we sure loved it in there. In fact, that's where I learned so much of my "handiness" that I enjoy so much today.

Anyway, this Christmas, I'm really counting my blessings that we are able to do this. It's not what many would call a dream garage, but I think it will be wonderful. If I was rich, of course it would be bigger, and more extravagant. But I think this will do just fine.

It's going to be 24'x28' deep, two 9x8 doors, 10' ceiling. They have already poured footings, frost wall will be poured next week, and luckily enough it's going to be above freezing all next week! Should work out great. My contractor is a friend of mine, and fellow volunteer firefighter, who jut lives up the road. I will be doing electrical and interior myself, with the help of my electrician father. Getting so excited!!

Nate · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2015, 11:09:33 AM »

nice. is it going to be just for automotive or will other type projects be going on as well?

rcampbell · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2015, 05:57:02 PM »

It will be for most all my projects, cars, trucks, woodworking, etc etc. Most of the non-winter months it will likely have only projects in it. In the snowiest part of winter we'll keep a car or two in there. To make best of use of my space I will be putting the bigger things like table saw etc on wheels, tool chest, welder etc will all be mobile as well so I can move thing around as needed.

stlaser · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2015, 06:12:05 PM »

My current shop is about that size. Items on casters is a must have the other thing that helped me considerably especially in winter months were the lofts I built adding more sq ft of storage space.

KensAuto · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2015, 09:04:55 PM »

Congrats ! I do believe you'll appreciate it.

JR · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2015, 02:21:57 AM »

Great. Probably the same size about 90% of us have. 10 ft and 8 ft doors ceiling will be a plus.

Rollers, yep. I have parts bins all over I roll around with those.

Atkinsmatt · « **Reply #6 on:** December 21, 2015, 07:50:45 AM »

You are gonna wonder how you lived without it when you get moved in.

stlaser · « **Reply #7 on:** December 21, 2015, 09:17:34 AM »

Quote from: Atkinsmatt on December 21, 2015, 07:50:45 AM

You are gonna wonder how you lived without it when you get moved in.

X2

Flyin6 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 21, 2015, 09:52:18 AM »

Two things men like us never have enough of:

1. Time

2. Space

JR · « **Reply #9 on:** December 21, 2015, 01:52:50 PM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on December 21, 2015, 09:52:18 AM

Two things men like us never have enough of:

2. Space

I bet Norm has enough of that,,,,,,,,,,,,

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 21, 2015, 02:59:00 PM »

Quote from: JR on December 21, 2015, 01:52:50 PM

Quote from: Flyin6 on December 21, 2015, 09:52:18 AM
Two things men like us never have enough of:

2. Space

I bet Norm has enough of that,,,,,,,,,,,,

pretty sure he was just making noise about adding on to his shop/barn ;D

JR · « **Reply #11 on:** December 21, 2015, 03:08:51 PM »

I saw that adding a 20x30 so he can clean. Must be nice!!

rcampbell · « **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2015, 05:50:56 PM »

The guys got my forms all up and ready for concrete now. I would have taken another picture, but with such short days this time of year, I leave for work before the sun is up, and don't get home until the sun goes down, so I really only have the weekend to get any pics in the daylight!

rcampbell · « **Reply #13 on:** December 26, 2015, 09:36:51 PM »

Well some more progress today, back filling is almost done, likely will be finished up in the morning. Supposed to be colder Sunday to Tues, but hopefully not too cold to pour the floor around mid week, or I might end up with a gravel floor until spring :(

Anyway, here's how it looks now!

rasimmo · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2015, 09:43:57 PM »

You will really appreciate that when it gets done. One of these days I will build one. Right now I work in the driveway, under my horse barn, or borrow space in a family member's shop for a couple days.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 27, 2015, 05:01:09 PM »

Darned thing is full of dirt!

What a mess!

Where's the garage?

rcampbell · « **Reply #16 on:** December 27, 2015, 05:59:05 PM »

Haha you think that's a mess, you should see the pile of dirt on the left just out of the shot, it's gotta be 10 feet high!!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 27, 2015, 06:18:09 PM »

Quote from: rcampbell on December 27, 2015, 05:59:05 PM

Haha you think that's a mess, you should see the pile of dirt on the left just out of the shot, it's gotta be 10 feet high!!

I hope to see lots of the latter when I get Sarge wallowing in some Kintucky dirt!

rcampbell · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2016, 03:34:38 PM »

And we have a floor!!

Hoping the framing can start this week as well, but there may be some snow coming!

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2016, 08:33:50 PM »

Looks good. Crazy optical illusion makes it look like its slanted. I know you'll be excited to see it finished

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stlaser · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2016, 09:27:35 PM »

It does I'm assuming the floor is flat or slopes towards what looks like a center drain. But if that's the case then the top of the sill plate is sloped on each side. So when they frame the walls all of the 2x4's will be different lengths on the side walls? Please correct me because this seems really weird......

Flyin6 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 10, 2016, 10:41:46 PM »

Things gonna fill up with water angled in like that ;-)

rasimmo · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2016, 10:49:19 PM »

Had to look at the lines in the siding on the house. Assuming they are level, that'll kinda get your eyes uncrossed. Surely looks like a sump until you do that.

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2016, 10:49:21 PM »

Looks good!

Why slanted vs stepped stub walls? Just to match the house? or is there another reason I'm not aware of

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rcampbell · « **Reply #24 on:** January 11, 2016, 08:39:47 AM »

Haha, yes it is a little wacky looking in that picture, but it is flat in real life! The grade there is about 1' in 7'. Which worked out great for my split entry house.

I'm not sure why a flat slope in the walls, as opposed to stepping it down, but the carpenter told the concrete guy that it didn't matter to him either way, so I'm not really sure of the pros/cons.

stlaser · « **Reply #25 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:49:30 AM »

Con would be that framing the walls would be more difficult. I've never saw concrete sills built at an angle honestly. However if the framer didn't care then whatever I guess. In my mind I can't see why anyone would not have an opinion on that (preferring level sill plates) although from pic it appears they did the house the same way.

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:29:51 AM »

Exactly what i was thinking too...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 11, 2016, 11:10:30 AM »

One big disadvantage to building on an angle like that would be...gravity.

Obviously I know nothing about this sort of construction, however on a level sill plate the wall plates (2 X 6 or 2 X 4) only have to hold things in place against wind loads.

But on a tilt like that, should the bolts eventually fail due to rust or pull out of the concrete because it will always be loaded against the building naturally trying to slide off the wedge, then the whole thing will fail.

Again, I am no expert at all, and this must be some alternative form of construction, but even as the plates expand and contract due to differences in humidity and seasonal temperature, that building is always going to try to inch downhill. Must be some concept I do not understand...

I guess I'll assume that technique is just fine...

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #28 on:** January 11, 2016, 04:59:11 PM »

Meh. Once they set the angle of the saw cutting the studs is easy friction will keep the wall stable should an anchor fail but that won't happen in our lifetime.

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Dawg25385 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 11, 2016, 05:09:41 PM »

Quote from: TexasRedNeck on January 11, 2016, 04:59:11 PM

Meh. Once they set the angle of the saw cutting the studs is easy friction will keep the wall stable should an anchor fail but that won't happen in our lifetime.

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Angle's easy... it's the length that would throw me for a loop. No two studs will be the same length except along the back wall. Guess that's why i'm not a professional framer!

stlaser · « **Reply #30 on:** January 11, 2016, 05:37:26 PM »

Dumb question but do you have building inspectors where you live? Question directed at OP

rcampbell · « **Reply #31 on:** January 12, 2016, 08:43:41 AM »

Yup we have inspectors. And had to get a building permit to start as well.

stlaser · « **Reply #32 on:** January 12, 2016, 09:02:49 AM »

Copy, when does framing begin then?

rcampbell · « **Reply #33 on:** January 12, 2016, 09:33:04 AM »

Hopefully, lumber delivered today and covered with tarp. Snowstorm supposed to come tomorrow, and then hopefully framing starts thurs or friday. Rafters, garage doors, windows, siding etc has already been bought, so that will hopefully make things go a little quicker.

Bear9350 · « **Reply #34 on:** January 12, 2016, 10:22:45 AM »

Angle's easy... it's the length that would throw me for a loop. No two studs will be the same length except along the back wall. Guess that's why i'm not a professional framer!
[/quote]

If you know the angle, which as you stated would be easy the length wouldn't be any more difficult. Use the angle to figure our how much it rises/ drops over 16" or whatever your stud spacing is and add that to each frame. Easy way to figure it out is measure the difference from the front to back and total length of wall. The difference will be your rise over run. Multiply that by your span and that tells you how much to increase each stud.

And I would actually think it would be easier to frame the slope. You will have to cut each piece to length so a little extra time planning in the beginning but you can use a continues sill plate. In my opinion that would more than make up for the little bit of extra planning and save you materials also.

rcampbell · « **Reply #35 on:** January 20, 2016, 06:18:16 PM »

Quick little update, all four walls are now framed. Rafters are ready and waiting to be delivered. I think they will start putting some plywood up tomorrow, rafters soon as well. Would have took some pics, but it was too dark by the time I got home, will have some in the next day or two though. Getting excited!

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 20, 2016, 07:18:22 PM »

Right on man. Thanks for the update! Fun watching sticks go up isn't it?

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rcampbell · « **Reply #37 on:** January 21, 2016, 05:17:49 PM »

Well the walls are framed, tomorrow the rafters are going up, all sheathing will be done and Tyvek will be put on. Should almost look like a real garage by then!

EL TATE · « **Reply #38 on:** January 21, 2016, 05:30:08 PM »

What the what!? I thought you were in WA man, are you on the east side? I was just in Leavenworth last weekend and it looked a lot like your back yard.

rcampbell · « **Reply #39 on:** January 21, 2016, 05:56:18 PM »

No sir, I'm a Canadian maritimer!

KensAuto · « **Reply #40 on:** January 21, 2016, 06:32:55 PM »

Looks great!

It also looks very COLD! 70s here today. :P

JR · « **Reply #41 on:** January 21, 2016, 07:20:37 PM »

I build this about 8 years ago in my spare time after a fire in 06. Weekends and after work (neighbors weren't always happy), took about 6 month to get closed up on my own.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=704660&highlight=garage

rcampbell · « **Reply #42 on:** January 21, 2016, 07:34:35 PM »

Very nice JR, I wish I would have had the time to do my own as well, but it just wasn't going to happen had I tried to take that on myself. Looks like yours also has an upstairs? I really wanted to have a loft in mine as well, but the extra material in the rafters (ie. floor joists) plus the steeper pitch roof etc et put it over what I could afford. But I'm still more than happy to have what I'm getting anyway :)

Ken, wasn't too too cold here today, about -6 C, which is something like 20 F I believe? :)

JR · « **Reply #43 on:** January 21, 2016, 08:10:58 PM »

Thx, being a seaman I can understand. Takes more time than it looks and I am a novice at best.

stlaser · « **Reply #44 on:** January 21, 2016, 09:34:58 PM »

Quote from: rcampbell on January 21, 2016, 05:17:49 PM

Well the walls are framed, tomorrow the rafters are going up, all sheathing will be done and Tyvek will be put on. Should almost look like a real garage by then!

Well, that answers that question. I was wondering how they would frame those slanted side walls. Doing that knee wall to level them & then the upper is easy to frame on the floor & raise into position. Didn't see that one coming....... ;)

EL TATE · « **Reply #45 on:** January 22, 2016, 10:15:51 AM »

Well it's looking great there my friend from the GWN.

rcampbell · « **Reply #46 on:** January 22, 2016, 05:53:34 PM »

It was a little dark when I got home, but it's covered in now!

stlaser · « **Reply #47 on:** January 22, 2016, 05:59:24 PM »

Won't be long now, looking good.

rcampbell · « **Reply #48 on:** January 22, 2016, 06:04:17 PM »

I know, I thinking I'll get insulation, plywood and lamp holders this weekend. I'm doing the interior and electrical myself, so not much left to wait for!

Which reminds me, I think I'm going to look at trying to the Roxul insulation instead of pink fiberglass batts. I little more money, but supposed to be a superior product. Would liked to have sprayed foam, but it's more than I can afford.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #49 on:** January 22, 2016, 06:17:23 PM »

Like it!
Coming right along!