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I'm in the process of planning a move to a smaller house and building new house and garage. The detached garage will be 25 by 40 (max allowed) and will have 3 overhead doors. I'm planning to use some sort of epoxy for floors, both in this one and the 2 car attached garage. What have folks used and been happy with? Also, even though I'm 75 I'm thinking that I may put in a lift, partly to provide extra storage without expanding the footprint. Ideas for lifts? What ceiling hight have you used? Any other thoughts or suggestions while I'm in the planning stage would be welcomed.
Do you have a height restriction?
I have a 36' x 50' shop with 12'-8" height from finished floor to ceiling, with a two post lift.
If you are planning a lift I would think the first thing to decide upon would be the type of lift so you could determine the ceiling height. Can't help with the epoxy floors since I used tile.
Charles
10' wide doors with 8' height. Also designed mine to have the center section bumped out at least 4' for possible future trailer storage and it also helps with aesthetics.
Go with the epoxy and do it before the concrete gets grease stained. I did it when I built mine, cant remember the brand but I used the no slip flakes. Very durable and easy to clean.
Go with the epoxy and do it before the concrete gets grease stained. I did it when I built mine, cant remember the brand but I used the no slip flakes. Very durable and easy to clean.
Yes, that is my plan. I think concrete needs to cure for some time, maybe 30 days before epoxy but no cars inside until work done.
Something else you might want to consider is a wash area. If you look at my picture in post #2, just to the right of the '59, you will see a low white wall. This is a concrete block wall that encloses a wash area in the far right end of the shop. I also use this space to park my truck.
Charles
Do you have a height restriction?
I have a 36' x 50' shop with 12'-8" height from finished floor to ceiling, with a two post lift.
If you are planning a lift I would think the first thing to decide upon would be the type of lift so you could determine the ceiling height. Can't help with the epoxy floors since I used tile.
Charles
Charles, who's the invisible man in the picture on the left?
If you are planning a two post lift, consider adding an extra two inches of concrete where the lift is to reside. I had 8' ceilings and bumped them to 12" .I purchased a Bend Pac four post lift and added the aluminum ramps. I also had my garage doors retracked to hug the ceiling for extra room. I also added outlets every four feet and added 220V lines for my compressor and lift. I add extra lights to the ceiling for these old eyes. Lastly, check out the Garage Journal forum. It has a wealth of information on this as well as other useful topics. Good luck. Jerry
Make sure you have a vapor barrier under the slab. Putting high density foam under the pour will help with keeping it warm if you choose to heat it. 10' min, 12' better for sidewall high if you want to use a lift. Trusses will get in the way of the lift if you use wood framing, so even 14' sidewalls may be better; if steel framed, you don't have the truss problem.
Doug
Mine is about your size. 24 feet wide, by 42 feet long. I raised the roof for the first 20 feet and installed a 16 foot wide roll up door so I could get antique cars and motor homes inside. I went up to 12 feet on the walls to raise the ceiling for a lift. I can go up 6 feet in the air with a full size vehicle on-board. Have never had good luck with any floor coatings. All of them lift with the tires over time, at least all the ones I've ever come across.
You can test the new concrete to determine when it is ready. Put a piece of plastic sheet on the floor and set a box or other item that presses the plastic against the floor. It doesn’t have to be heavy. Give it 24 hours and remove the plastic. If the floor is damp, it’s not ready. This also assumes you do as Doug suggests and put a good vapor barrier under the slab. Which ever you choose, ensure it is a two part epoxy, you prep the floor properly and you give it plenty of cure time. I actually prefer the tile over coating as it’s much easier to repair and more durable if you’re rolling jacks and garage junk across it.
You're in Maine and if you plan on installing hvac, you might consider a floor drain on one side to make it easy to wash vehicles and rinse off tools in the comfort of your toasty garage!
Something else you might want to consider is a wash area. If you look at my picture in post #2, just to the right of the '59, you will see a low white wall. This is a concrete block wall that encloses a wash area in the far right end of the shop. I also use this space to park my truck.
Charles
I agree with being able to wash a car inside and with a lift you can also pressure wash the under side of a car so put in a floor drain with sloped floor.
I would also dedicate 5'D x 8'W in one corner for a bathroom with shower. These garages often double as a man cave and it will be a great benefit to have a bathroom and will increase the resale value.
FWIW, it would have opened a whole new can of worms if i wanted to put some floor drains or any kind of drains (sink, etc) in my shop. It would ahve added considerably to the cost, also, many, many thousands of $$ to tie into the septic, and extra permits, inspections, etc.
I bought some big long sheets of thin painters plastic and drape that around the underside of the lift using 2" masking tape if i want to pressure wash something and just squeegee the water out the front door onto the apron, which is sloped.
I couldn't tell the permit people that i would be storing or working on cars in my shop as they wanted me to put in a 4" per 10 foot of floor slope fro drainage if autos were involved,and on a 50' long shop, that would have been a couple feet diff, and you can't have lathes and stuff on a slope, much less shelving.
I have a 40x40 with 5 10wx8h doors and one 10wx10h for motor home access and 12ft walls; 3 doors front & back so cars can be driven through if wanted (or in my case 6 cars plus a 4post lift in one stall for storing an extra car. 2 post lift is in the exact center of the garage
Bill
You can test the new concrete to determine when it is ready. Put a piece of plastic sheet on the floor and set a box or other item that presses the plastic against the floor. It doesnt have to be heavy. Give it 24 hours and remove the plastic. If the floor is damp, its not ready. This also assumes you do as Doug suggests and put a good vapor barrier under the slab. Which ever you choose, ensure it is a two part epoxy, you prep the floor properly and you give it plenty of cure time. I actually prefer the tile over coating as its much easier to repair and more durable if youre rolling jacks and garage junk across it.
You're in Maine and if you plan on installing hvac, you might consider a floor drain on one side to make it easy to wash vehicles and rinse off tools in the comfort of your toasty garage!
I agree but new regulations say no floor drain unless separate system for gray water. In my current garage I have a drain and it works perfectly.
With a 24" wide garage, a two post lift will take up excessive room. I went with a full height scissors lift with no posts to get in my way. I park a car over the lift and it vanishes. I can fit 4 cars and two motorcycles in mine with room to work.
I add a 32 x 48 section to my existing 31 x 44 garage. A 6 stone base, vapor barrier and 6 4000psi concrete floor is plenty strong. I have three 4 post lifts and plenty of storage room.
I used Armorpoxy on the floors, once they were cured.
I have spray foam insulation on the walls and ceiling. The walls are 12. We added 5/8 Sheetrock to the walls. There are 110v plugs all around the walls. I had the electrician add 220/110 plugs on the rafters, with pigtails to plug in lifts (220v) and trickle chargers (110v). There are three in the front third and three in the middle for lifts.
Adding a drain would have caused major issues, so I passed on it.
I have a 134k BTU / 5 ton heat and a/c unit installed outside. Didnt want a propane heater firing up inside the garage with possible leaking gasoline.
Take your time planning because once its built major changes are difficult and/or expensive.
10-16-2018, 09:59 AM
OT-Garage construction thoughts
