o/t - garage design

[Asterix]

My garage also has no windows but has 4 sky lights instead and they let in plenty enough light. Worth considering as they arte quite cheap - less than £100 each from Screwfix

ta John

[Mark (smokey mow)]

"RSJ" - this is probably a stupid q but please confirm that, as BryanC stated, these are lateral (i.e. not longitudinal). What spec RSJ? What wall reinforcement provision did you have to make? Piccies of installs would be appreciated if at all possible.

This should be designed, but if it's for an engine, something along the lines of a 125 to 150 deep should suffice. It may depend on the type of hoist you are using. You will need a concrete padstone under each end to ensure the vertical load is distributed equally, rather than crushing the 'breeze block' below.

Install the beams laterally across the width.  I've got the calculations I did somewhere somewhere for my beam, I'll try to dig them out, but it's a 127x76UB spanning 3.5m, that will take a safe working load in the centre of 500Kg.  a single engineering brick under each end will suffice for that load and simply build the beam ends into the wall to prevent it from rotating or pulling out.  I'll take some pictures when I get home later and post them up.

[Asterix]

Re.: -

drainage, will have flat floor and drain to middle (i.e. if their's levelling for drainage, it will be obvious and be within the footprint of the car

roof and cavity wall insulation - will discuss with builders who will be quoting (as stated, lots of other stuff to do as well, some things may have to be dropped now even if they are preclusively expensive later on)

striplights - ta for the info

external sockets - already planning for them

alarm - bungalow already has old (but functioning) alarm, this may be the catalyst to get it extended to the garage

[langy]

This should be designed, but if it's for an engine, something along the lines of a 125 to 150 deep should suffice.

Ok, what if it's 2 RSJ's, 1 for each end of the car (as a previous poster suggested)?

If you want to lift the car off the ground using 2 beams (4 lifting points), I would have a beam which on it's own would lift the car. click me for designing a universal beam.

I've not calculated it (it's been a few years since I last done a bending moment diagram), but 'gut feel' is that a 152x89 should be in the right ball park

[Blatman]

By the time you've bought and paid for an RSJ + extra parts etc etc, wouldn't a 2 post (or even a 4 post) lift be cheaper?

[James]

Power points! you can NEVER have too many power points.

How ever many your planning on fitting by your bench add more!

[JeffC]

my garage was built house spec and I went overboard with insulation everywhere as it has a bedroom above it and I wanted it boarded/skimmed out painted and  carpeted room as a room for my motorbikes when I built it  , wasnt a right lot more to do it this way and to me worth every penny      also not a gadget but I was advised and did buy a decent garage door, I bought an insulated Horman sectional up and over door,I  recall it was pricey at the time but when shut it is draught free and  toasty warm  

[daveblissett]

i would strongly suggest a personel door as i have found this very useful as i can lock the roller door at the front of the garage with its normal lock from the outside but i also lock it from the inside with extra locks to stop the theifing rats from getting in

in short they would have to rip out the whole roller door and i built it on the inside of the opening so it cant be levered off the wall.

i then exit through the personel door which is a lot easier to lock up well

for the above reasons i would be carfull with windows

i dont mean to be negative its just we all have alot of valuable stuff and if its not connected to the house it's vunrable

i also built the roof the tradional way so i get to use the space for storage ( most people wanted to use roof trusses but that meant i could not use the space for storage)

cheers

dave

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

At this rate its going to cost you about 20 grand to build  

[salexander]

having just finished my own 6mx5m garage, I'd agree with all of the other comments on insulation, flat floor and sectional garage door (expensive but brilliant).  When I built my workbenches along the end of the garage I split it into a clean area and dirty area.  The clean bit has a nice white kitchen worktop and stainless faced Ikea units for storage. The dirty area is for fabrication work and is a traditional style wooden bench, open underneath to store the welding gear, compressor etc.  I have the vice here plus grinder and piller drill. I also faced some of the bench with alloy checkerplate, saves damage to the bench from welding and chucking tools down on it.

[daveblissett]

may be he could write a book

"how to build a garage for £250" ( or £250K)

i seem to remember a book like that for a car that got me started on a westfiled    

[Mark (smokey mow)]

By the time you've bought and paid for an RSJ + extra parts etc etc, wouldn't a 2 post (or even a 4 post) lift be cheaper?

I'd expect to pay around £80-100 for each of the RSJ's based on current prices so with 2 chain hoists (£40 each) and 2 girder trolley's (£40 each) to go with them you'd be looking at around £320 all in for this set up.  

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Pics of my lifting beam the trolly and chain hoist are the 500kg ones from machine mart.

[hilux]

Yours is longer than wider so benches at end and with a side door.

If you pitch a traditional joisted roof then try and pitch it as high as you can so you gain useable space although you will need planning permission if it is over 4m high to the ridge (3m with a flat roof)

If you can then do away with the hip ends as you lose roof space and go to gable ends.

The bottom chord (ceiling joist) can then be moved up as far as you need so as to increase head room in the garage yet offer storage space, Storage space can be created by overboarding the chords and insulation inserted between the chords and plasterboarded under.

Use commercial type fluorescents with proper diffusers in two rows for even shadowless lighting and consider where you will be working on the car so the lighting is where you need it.

If the chords are raised then consider running the lights on the slope of the roof each side for even lighting.

Decent well thought out lighting makes a massive difference.

I assume its detached and you have no windows but I would put a window at least where the work bench is. I would also wire in a spotlight type downlighter over the work bench for good lighting on fiddly work.

Smooth float the (insulated) slab surface so it can be painted with good quality floor paint.

Regarding insulation - no point in spending loads on it if the garage door isnt   Find one that is.

I would also recommend a 32 amp circuit be included for welding or single phase lifts etc.

Consider carefully where you need power and what is to be powered and plugged in permanently ie: compressors, battery conditioners, a radio etc as they will use up available sockets you might need for other things.

Assume the wife will want an extra freezer so allow for a fridge freezer position and power so you can store your beers for when your mates come around  

While there consider an external waterproof 13amp supply for jet washers, lawnmowers, hoovers etc so the garage benefits the whole family.

If you are digging holes then consider how to get power and water to the garage easily and use underground plastic flex duct etc so it can be replaced or upgraded without extra excavation.

When making a bench use marine ply (metal sheet it if you want) but set in on the front edge a good thick length of angle for bending, clamping, smithying metal/sheet.

Dont use front legs for the bench they take up floor space, instead triangulate the leading edge back to wall bottom, loads of extra room to stand and easy access to store stuff (as I have done)

Consider shelves but use storage containers/bins, they are superb, practical and sort bits out so are always readily accessible.

Get Tesco to deliver your groceries but insist on them leaving the containers.....................and use them for storage  

Try and consider how you want to heat the garage. A couple of strategic power points for wall mounted hot air blowers will save floor and bench space and distribute the warm air effectively.

Once done then photograph all your tools and equipment for insurance purposes. They cant quibble if its broken into and you claim for lots of stuff as the photos prove you did have it  

Find space an fit and keep a dry powder and Co2 extinguisher near the exit door.

Most of the above are what I did originally. Some are from experience and useage and a couple are what I wished I`d done when building it.

My ceiling is 2.1m as I created a room above it, used mainly for storage but a potential room none the less accessed via a ladder in a corner of the garage.

I am toying with the idea of a two or four poster as I consider the top of the support legs can be cut down as they simply house a bearing or pulley, but thats another story  

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

QUOTE

I am toying with the idea of a two or four poster as I consider the top of the support legs can be cut down as they simply house a bearing or pulley, but thats another story  

Or the base of the legs sunk into the ground