Actual shop "garage" build.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Bernica

When I visited the Kirkham shop a few years ago, Mr Kirkham (Sr) gave us a tour on a Sunday. Then he showed me his personal shed across from the shop facility. As I recall, he told me that 60'x120' was just perfect! And that is what he has. Wish I lived in farm land!!

Yeah - me too. But, I couldn't get my wife to go along with moving outside the city. Too far from a hospital and grocery store she said. Unfortunately her father was a farmer and she and her mother still think the greatest event of their life was when she was about 10 and he caved in and bought a house in the little community of Lockesburg AR (pop about 600 w/dogs included) and made him commute about 5 miles to the farm.

So I had to do with two, slightly oversize double garages which have 6 cars crammed in them. Yes, I'm also envious. So keep the pictures and reports coming.

[Ron61]

That is going to be an awesome garage. I wish I had room to make a larger garage but the city codes limit what we can do here. I really could use a 2,000 square foot garage with a 1,200 square foot house attached.

Ron

[HealeyRick]

Lots of good ideas on all things garage here: The Garage Journal Board - Powered by vBulletin Looking at the Gallery of garages will make you drool. Make sure you have enough room for a Healey in those bays. When we built our house, we had an oversized two car garage. I'm just able to fit my wife's car in the center with a Healey shoved up against the wall on either side. When the builder saw the three cars in there, he said "If I knew it was going to be a 3 car garage, I would've charged you more." Funny guy.

[Bernica]

I started with a dream of 48'x48' metal building with clear span (no columns) and high ceilings. Then the City got involved and now I'm down to 30'x30' and no metal building so I have to build it conventional. Height restrictions, side yard restrictions, blah, blah, blah.

And I live in an agricultural zoned area (horses).

[427sharpe]

In my shop I planned for mobile lifts, and added a '7/8' bathroom (farm sink, shower, toilet and urinal) and have zero regrets. Later plumbed an outside faucet to the hot water tank and use it with my pressure washer. Absolute ditto on adding an apron--I didn't and had to add one later. I added 12 feet in front of my triple doors and wish I had done 15. Overall shop is 60 x 40. No floor heat required because it's as hot as the surface of the sun here usually; but put in 2 very large industrial exhaust fans to move air and have a couple shop fans that use water misters to cool things down as much as possible. Someday I would like to air condition the whole thing. All I can add is you never have enough electrical outlets or lights no matter how much you plan.

[Rjw289]

Great pictures-keep them coming.

[Dwight]

I'm a electrician so I ran my outlet using EMT surface mount. I have a two gang box ever 10' around the walls. I've add welding receptacle, more lights. In the last year I started upgrade my 8' and 4' fixtures to the new 4' T-5s and a few of the LED 4' fixtures.
By using the EMT I can add a light over a work area very easily.


Dwight

[Bernica]

Good call Dwight! That's what I did as well. Everything is surface-mount EMT and although I put in a LOT of quad outlets it seems like I use them all at one time or another and some are full all the time. The surface mount EMT makes it easy to change things up or add things later. The other thing I did in the current garage was to put one up in the ceiling area right over the car. Gable fans are also handy with a timer to get rid of exhaust fumes.

[1985 CCX]

Permits have been slow.
Slight progress

[Bernica]

Permits slow? I hear that!!
We are on a septic system and they put you through the ringer on that one here, even building a garage. Been over a year now waiting for a permit.

Looks like those piles of dirt and gravel will be to fill the bathtub you built, right? When you get to final grade, do the vapor barrier, then sand, then another layer of vapor barrier. Don't cheap out on the reinforcing steel either. No mesh, use actual rebar somewhere around 12" or 16" on center each way There is also an ad mix for concrete called Fibermesh that gives you even more strength..
All IMHO and that's my 2c

[427sharpe]

Ah yes, the wheels of government exist to crush our dreams--or at least delay them as much as possible while squeezing out as much cash as they can!

[1985 CCX]

Responsible party for the work once town approval is commissioned.
Chad is a great resource if you are in this area.

[1985 CCX]

Backfill and compacting today.
Yes, rebare and fiber mesh.

[Bernica]

You're certainly doing it right Jeff!! Nice!

[Bernica]

Another handy thing to consider is a "trench drain" all the way across the front in front of the doors. Allows you to control where the water goes when you are hosing something off either inside or outside. Just a thought.

[1985 CCX]

Hosing off?
I don't own a Corvette????

[Bernica]

Jeff, the one thing about the fiber mesh is it may tend to have some "fur" on it when the finishers are done. It drives them crazy! Easy to burn off later before you coat or polish the floor should you decide to do so. They have come a long ways and that may no longer be a problem. The stuff helps a lot!

[Bernica]

Also, there are some great industrial impregnating sealers to coat the slab. Polished slab gets my vote...no coatings, no paint and not floor tiles.
Just let the slab cure first.

[DanEC]

I second the polished slab. Wish I had that done in my garages when we built.

[Jaydee]

I used black oxide mix in my shed. Nice black finish and smoothed to a waterproof finish. I don't like the pale grey look. It hides blemishes as well. JD