Shop Building

[John Brown]

I've been getting quotes on various building types and sizes. Hoping to build a shop this year. Want to get opinions. What's a good shop size? What construction type? What wall height? How thick should the concrete floor be? How would you insulate it? Etc.

Any opinions are welcome. Just looking for the idea that I haven't had yet. Rather have the idea now than 5 years after building the shop.

I have three acres in the country. The county I live in has very few restrictions, and almost no building permits.

Thanks

[mike wade]

John, It will never be big enough no matter how big you start with.........

6" floor would be minumn, with 10' eve height and I would not build anything smaller than 30' X 30'......I say build the biggest you can afford and make sure you can take one end out and add on then put the end back, then do it again if you need too...............

Mike

[jesse albright]

John, As Mike said it will never be big enough. I have a 30' X 40' X 10', wish I had gone another 10', but wife wouldn't let me cut the Oak tree. So I'm making due. I have a Ark-laTex building and love it. There's my two cents worth hope it helps.

[Big Bill]

In my opinion Shop size is controled by two things, money and space. Each person has to figure that out for theirself, but as for floor, insulation, electrical outlets (both 110 & 220), lighting, and ceiling height. I have the exact annswer. Decide what you think you need then double it then multiply that by six and what you build will be big enough for the first year or two. I have ten foot ceilings and wish they were higher so that I could use a full height lift. I was limited in size by zoning so my shop is only 32 feet deep I wish it was forty or more. I can only get four cars in it, then as I add more machinery I get more crowded. Make sure that you allow for tool boxes, welders, presses, work benches, Saws, lathes, mills, sheet metal tools or anything else you might decide to aquire, plus room to get a car in and still work on it. Another thing to consider is heat and Air conditioning that you might wish to add someday. Also a ventilation and air filtration system. Much of this is controlled by your skills that you have or want to learn. Another thing to consider is an air compressor location and power to run it, plus compressed air lines with outlets all over the place.
The only thing holding me back from having the worlds greatest shop is a couple of million dollars so I had to settle for what I could afford. But seriously you can add many things over time but you need to start with a building large enough to hold the things that you hope to add some day as adding on is a major pain in the rear. Everybodies wants and dreams are different so take time to think about yours and what you want this building to hold when finihed then go for it. Then after 15 or 20 years you will know what you forgot to allow for.
GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN.

[Krovette]

I agree, go bigger than you think you need. My last one is 30 X 30 and turned out too small as soon as I started working in it. I had to put my lift outside next to the shop. I suggest radiant heating in the floor. You can warm up the shop but if you have to lay on the floor it is still cold. Put an extra room to put the air compressor in to keep the noise down. Plenty of circuits both 110 and 220 volt to allow you to move equipment around as you figure out your space. I insulated the walls and put up 1/4 plywood painted white to reflect light. Also put foil face stryofoam on the ceiling for insulation and more light. Put in an exhaust fan in the wall. Even if you are only grinding rust it gets a haze in the air. If you are going to paint in there plan for it before you build so you can build in the way to hang temp walls if wanted.
I have a 24 X 30 garage, 24 X 32 garage and the 30 X 30 shop and they are all too small.

[Bill Holley]

i can see everyone is on the build it bigger then needed.. and i'm on board with that too.. i built a pole building and don't have any problems with it.. started thinking a 24x24, for it was just for me.. talking to brother and ended up with a 24x40...another 8' would have been great.. to do again i build with garage, doors wide.. meaning 24 deep and 40 wide. this way u can isolate 2 bays and heat easier. ceiling height no less then 9', and doors at 8'. if u plan on a lift the plan on thicker concrete in that area. u can also put down sheets of 1" foam and pour crete over for insulation. min of 4" thick. when i poured my floor i put a 2by down the middle and did half at a time, pulled the 2by and filled in.. i should have filled in and walked that area to smash it in then tral that.. i got a really nice straight line crack because i didn't. i also would not slant the concrete but make it level... i also did a metal roof.. little noisey but last for yrs.. and 2 people can do it fast.. (talk to bill darr on this, he was GREAT for me).
i might add, give yourself some attic room.. 6ft min.. get truss's.

[rbsWELDER]

John,

A couple of thoughts:

- I would want to include a least one bay that is tall enough for an RV, as you never know. Include tall garage door too.

- I would put floor drains for each stall, where I plan to store cars. Machining area floor would be flat.

Good luck!

[John Brown]

Thanks guys, just trying to do my best to not overlook anything. I've been getting quotes toward getting a 40x60 with 14' walls. Still have to get the dozer and gravel guy out here to give me a price. Also need to get electric company out to look it over for setting up a meter. Then it's off to see the banker. Hopefully be getting started sometime in March if nothing fall apart on my planning.

[Bill Holley]

i might add.. when the elect guy comes talk to him/her about also running .. water, cable tv, phone lines also in the same trench. much cheaper to do it at that time then later.. i ran coiled black plastic tubing for water and ran the phone/cable in 1 1/2 conduit. my trench is as deep as the trencher would go.. maybe round 3'.

[Steve Stock]

Bill, all your advice is spot on. Laying the styro down before the concrete floor pour will have good insulation results. Always good to divide the garage for a warm work area and a cold storage area, unless money is unlimited for heating. I've always liked wider than long too. I'd go min. of12' high ceilings so you could add a 4 post lift with a tall door in front of it.
Another thing, if you have to build up the height of the floor before you pour your concrete, use pea gravel because it is 100% compacted after it is in place and the slab will be less likely to crack later.

BTW, this is one of the best threads I've seen here in a long time.