Garage Advice

[lincmercguy]

"Personally I wouldn't close the shop bay off from the garage. The downsides is that the cars may (will) get a coat of dust on them from time to time, and any noisy tools might be louder since there's more room for the noise to bounce around in."

Bringing in a snow-covered car at the end of the day for several days will bring up the humidity quite a bit. Just a thought.

[Snipe Hunter]

Not sure where you live, but regardless, 

1. Insulate… under the slab. My previous life I was an energy manager for a school district.
Since 2009 all our school construction projects have started with high compression closed cell XPS.
Maybe consider in-slab heating?

2.  Insulate … above the slab.  You said you wanted a “flat” workshop.  You may have meant “level” instead of flat.
Personally I think flat is more important than level, but..
In any case don’t try pouring differing planes of concrete.  If you are lucky it will last a long time and should your needs ever change, you’re screwed. 
If you are ok with “flat”, after your slab has cured just throw down a layer of that high compression XPS (Owens Foamular), cover with a 3/4” layer of Advantech osb, and call it good (if you are into “old ‘arn “, maybe go with 1” or 1 1/2” Advantech).
My previous shop was concrete slab, currently osb; what a difference on my legs.  I will never do concrete  again.
If you are going for “level”, probably shimmed 2x4 sleepers with Foamular between, then the Advantech.

3. Insulate… walls and ceiling.

4. Consider a floor drain and plumbing.  

5. Future seems to be electric cars.  Consider
200 amps for your service; 100A for your garage, 100 amps for the work shop; then put your apt. power on whichever one you think will have the least draw, or just run all from one panel.

Would certainly close off the shop area by some method, but would hate to give up the possibility of expanding the shop on an “as needed” basis.

Just to harp on this a moment.

Advantech is an incredible product. Nothing else I've seen compares. I install this under cement/tile shower pans to insure the shower floor never moves, even if the shower leaks. A tile setter got me hooked on this stuff.

I had some scrap left over after the first time I used it and used it to fill in a couple holes in the sides of my utility trailer. It was about 5 years out in the elements before I ever saw any swelling or degradation. If I ever built a house over a crawl-space or a shop over framing... I'd spend a little extra and use Advantech. Not sure if they still do but Lowes carried Advantech.

If I were building a 3 bay garage and wanted a flat shop floor, I think I would have the block layer separate the shop bay so I could have that part of the floor poured flat. Leave a floor level opening so I could install a 36" door between the two areas. I'd install a divider wall on that block. But, I'd also make the shop space wider than the car bays. Walls are nice in a shop.

[JosephP]

Have to admit matching doors is the best option - and won't cause a fuss with the spouse.  I had thought about one of those jackshaft openers, much more compact.  Good idea. 

I had thought about industrial plastic sheeting as a dust barrier, which could easily be removed.  What kind of temporary wall were you thinking?

I installed 5 of them in my barn (by myself - it was easy...will be a lot easier with anything lower 14') ...2 are on 14x14 insulated overhead doors (spring assisted).  Model RJO20 by Chamberlain.  I did call because they manual says max door surface area of 144ftsq - but it also listed a weight limit that I know wouldn't be a problem.  They said good to go.  Openers are working great!


As for the wall, a really heavy plastic may do it.  In was thinking 2x4 studs (maybe 24" on center???) with OSB on one side (shop side for dust management).  Maybe fiberglass insulation stapled to the other side??? Obviously far close to "permanent" than plastic...but not hugly expensive and will provide better separation...but as long as you don't run power through it easily removed.  Could also be finished off if you decide you like it.   Do anticipate needing the extra space?

[BaileyNo5]

Anyone have any experience with those big accordian doors they use in hotel conference rooms and shop fronts? I've seen them on Hufcor and Woodfold websites, but they don't provide prices. Seems like those would be a good solution - close them when creating dust, open them up if I need extra space. Might work if they are reasonably priced.

[tomsteve]

Any other thoughts that would help turn this into a nice shop space?  Appreciate your input.

10' walls

you will never hear someone say,
"i should have built it smaller."
"i should have insulated less"
"i should have put in less lighting."
" i should have built less storage."
 "i should have put in less windows."
"i should have made the doors smaller."
" i should have used less dust collection."
"i should have put in less outlets"

you mentioned sloping floor for drains. tells me some water is gonna be in there. maybe even hose the floor to clean it. consider 2 courses of block then walls on that.

[fredhargis]

A jackshaft opener will take up less ceiling space.  You can even have higher (10'?) ceilings with standard 7' tall door if you do that.

 While I get the ceiling space part, I'm curious about the 10' ceiling comment. Our house garage has 10' ceilings with 7' doors and openers.

[JosephP]

 While I get the ceiling space part, I'm curious about the 10' ceiling comment. Our house garage has 10' ceilings with 7' doors and openers.

I guess 10' ceiling wouldn't be a big deal...it just takes more support to hang the garage door opener?  I was thinking back to the barn.  I have 18' walls there.  2 of the garage doors are 14' doors, 2 @ 10' doors and an 8' door on the end.  It would have been quite the structure to hang a traditional opener for those shorter doors...especially the 8' since it opens straight up.  A jackshaft opener would also allow the door to go up more before going back on the tracks.  I not certain you can do that with a traditional opener, can you?  This would allow for more clearance space under the tracks as well...

[BaileyNo5]

10' walls

you will never hear someone say,
"i should have built it smaller."
"i should have insulated less"
"i should have put in less lighting."
" i should have built less storage."
 "i should have put in less windows."
"i should have made the doors smaller."
" i should have used less dust collection."
"i should have put in less outlets"

you mentioned sloping floor for drains. tells me some water is gonna be in there. maybe even hose the floor to clean it. consider 2 courses of block then walls on that.

I was figuring on 10' ceiling, which is what I have now.  Expect the stem wall will be at least 6" - 12" above the slab, so no need for blocks.  As far as water, just snowmelt off the cars, and hosing it down to clean every now and then.