Garage Design

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

I post this knowing two things. 1) they are never big enough, but you have to stop somewhere 2) for every response, I will probably get a different answer......but here goes.

I'm in the planning stages for a new attached garage. Oversize 3 stall. Wife drives a Suburban. At some point I may end up with a 3/4 ton 8ft box F250 (OAL is 22ft I think). And I have a tractor that is 24ft long with loader and snow blower attached, and 27ft long with mower attached. I want room to walk around all the vehicles both in the front and the back, while at the same time have room for storage/ work benches/freezers/fridge/gun safes, etc both in front of the vehicles and along the opposite side wall from the house.

At first I was thinking 40x32 but once I measure the tractor I feel may be too tight, at least where the tractor sits. Would it make sense to make one bay deeper then the rest, or push it all back? How much deeper? I intend to put a 10ft high door in the tractor bay so i'm looking at 12ft walls too I suppose.

Floor heat
multiple drains
Big deep sink
Thinking of metal along the bottom 4ft or so of the walls to combat moisture. Or do the whole thing?
What else?

Does anybody know of any free 3d design programs where i can sketch it up with vehicles, benches, etc inside for size reference?

Thanks

sierra1995 · Nov 30, 2018

Use the garage designer function on menards website to layout the exterior of the building, then you can scale in all of your equipment. https://www.menards.com/main/design-it-center/garage-estimator/c-1450382374699.htm
Not sure if google sketchup is still free or not, but that would another option for you.

are you considering 3 garage doors on the eave side of the building or one single garage door on the gable end? If you're looking at having three doors, make sure you consider enough spacing between the doors, and also doors and end walls, so you can open vehicle doors, carry groceries, etc.

In my opinion it doesn't pay to have one stall deeper, because you'll have added costs with the extra interior and exterior corner, plus roof trusses.

At some point of my life i'll be building a 28x42, with a single 16' overhead door on the gable side. plenty of room on the sides to jockey around boats and vehicles, room for workbench, deep enough to accommodate vehicles 2-deep. I'm not doing floor heat, just planning on having a ceiling suspended heater and a wood stove. Lot's of options for you, i'm sure you'll get some good advice from others as well.

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

3 garage doors, and your right about the room needed between the stalls. I'm not sure how much is ideal? Maybe 40 wide isn't big enough there either.

Retired Educator · Nov 30, 2018

Sounds like you pretty much have a plan but a couple things come to mind. Is it ok to have a stall deeper? Absolutely, in fact a break-up will most likely add to the curb appeal of your property. Having worked in construction I think curb appeal is always very important. Additions should not look added on. If you have room I wold even consider a 4th stall to have room for everything you list. Depth is important. Allowing for 2 feet in front and back of the vehicle will cause you to wonder why you didn't make your garage deeper.

Floor heat is nice but does nothing to move the air and a garage in the winter is going to have moisture every time you drive a vehicle with snow on it into the garage. Plan for some air movement to eliminate excessive moisture.

I like metal along the bottom 4 ft. Doing the whole thing works but I like the looks of the split better. Outlets (lots of them) at light switch height. You're not in your living room and trying to hide anything. Get to be my age and bending over to plug in a cord is a pain in the back.

A thought: To have space for your freezers, gun safes, work bench, etc., instead of a 4th stall, is a separate room a possibility?

Yes there are CAD programs available for planning. Can't recommend one but a building center may have one, especially if they are going to sell you the material. Or a contractor if you are hiring the construction of the garage.

You are well on your way to a good plan it seems to me.

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

40 isn't going to be wide enough for 3 overhead doors and 1 entry door according to Menards planner.....good to know.

sierra1995 · Nov 30, 2018

Whisky said:
40 isn't going to be wide enough for 3 overhead doors and 1 entry door according to Menards planner.....good to know.

Go to 44 ' wide. How i'd set it up (from left to right) 1' space, then 3' walk door, 1' space, 10' door, 3 foot space, 10' door, 3 foot space, 10' door, 3' space.

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

House entry will be on the East (right side). Garage doors facing south.

So from left to right based on what you got above for spacing for 44':

5ft space,10x10 door, 3ft space, 9x8ft door, 3ft space, 9x8 foot door, 1 foot space, 3ft entry door, 1ft space

Chas'n Tail · Nov 30, 2018

Whisky said:
House entry will be on the East (right side). Garage doors facing south.

So from left to right based on what you got above for spacing for 44':

5ft space,10x10 door, 3ft space, 9x8ft door, 3ft space, 9x8 foot door, 1 foot space, 3ft entry door, 1ft space

That all looks great, my only question is that with your garage filled, do you want extra room to what would be the west side for a work bench or anything like that? If property space allows, I'd consider either a bump out, or a set of stairs leading to a loft where you can have endless possibilities. Consider the price difference in adding a loft space built into the trusses. It's a great opportunity, especially with an attached garage.

Kentucky Windage · Nov 30, 2018

Bump the walls out perpendicular to the garage doors so you can actually store stuff along the wall and still open your vehicle doors. Garage door height should be considered if you running a trailer enclosed trailer/fish house/etc.

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

Chas'n Tail said:
That all looks great, my only question is that with your garage filled, do you want extra room to what would be the west side for a work bench or anything like that? If property space allows, I'd consider either a bump out, or a set of stairs leading to a loft where you can have endless possibilities. Consider the price difference in adding a loft space built into the trusses. It's a great opportunity, especially with an attached garage.

So on the W wall I would have 5 ft between wall and the door (this would be the tractor stall). Would that not be sufficient for storage?
I was thinking the work area could go in front of the vehicles. If I did a depth of say 36ft that would be ample room in front for work area wouldn't it? Standard garage are what, 26 deep?

- - - Updated - - -

Kentucky Windage said:
Bump the walls out perpendicular to the garage doors so you can actually store stuff along the wall and still open your vehicle doors. Garage door height should be considered if you running a trailer enclosed trailer/fish house/etc.

I have an old, kind of crappy uninsulated 40x60 outbuilding which helps for storage items like that.

powerman · Nov 30, 2018

A depth of 36' would be great. Mine is 32' deep and have counter top and cabinets on the wall and once you get vehicles in it doesn't leave alot of room for karate moves and other activities.

Mort · Nov 30, 2018

Just build it..they will come....

aron · Nov 30, 2018

I would have the lower 4 ft of the walls a waterproof/resistant panel to wash down
lots of electrical outlets with some in the ceiling too between stalls.
lot of lighting
transom windows to allow for natural lighting but high enough so people can't see what is inside

Whisky · Nov 30, 2018

It seems floor heat isn't that popular on here. I currently run house and garage heat on propane so maybe I'm better off looking at different options. I have not priced anything out yet either so I don't know what floor heat costs vs other methods. I do want a dry garage floor though.

Tymurrey · Nov 30, 2018

In the shop that my dad had built we tinned the whole inside, we kept the windows low because we like looking out them even though higher windows let in more light. We also ran all of the electrical in conduit on the outsides of the wall incase we ever want to add or need to fix an electrical issue. Lots and lots of outlets and make sure they are on lots of different circuits. Outlets outside as well. We ran two 220v outlets as well for welders or anything like that. One big long floor drain in the middle. Framed it for a drive through door on one of the stalls but didn't put a drive through door in because the northwest wind would have been a killer for heating but the feature is there with very little work if we ever wanted to put one in. Things I don't like are the fluorescent lights, I wish they were LED's, I just like them better. Also the windows don't open, didn't think it would matter but during the summer its nice to get some breeze. We went 40' deep and 48 wide with 3 stalls on the wide side, can easily fit 4 vehicles in there without having to move one to get out and the tractor with mower and bucket has all kinds of room.

SDMF · Nov 30, 2018

2 reversible ceiling fans over each vehicle stall, 4 over the tractor stall, even if you have to offset them towards the inside/outside of that stall. Power outlets and retractible extension cords at each ceiling fan and garage door opener location. Minimum 2 50 Amp 220V plugs, one close to the tractor stall for you or the next owner to potentially plug in an RV/Camper. Whatever the garage design software tells you to get for light, double it at a minimum. I'd opt for a dedicated space for your workbenches, but, get the model you can put wheels on. Then it's no thing to back a vehicle out, roll the bench into the middle of a stall and greatly increase your workspace. Just think about being able to turn your workbench into an island and how much quicker your deer/wild-gam processing would go giving room for 4-6 people to be cutting/cleaning game or fish. Get the biggest garbage disposal/grinder thingy you can find for the extra-deep/large washbasin. Something that can easily digest the odd bird-feather, fish bone, or elk femur.

TWN · Nov 30, 2018

Has anyone ever seen or built a garage where the cement comes up 8 or so inches along the edge and you build your walls from there? We were talking about this at work and 100% of the people said that in their garages water always runs to the edges. I know they are supposed to be sloped to the middle or doors but none of ours seemed to stay that way. Maybe a steeper slope to begin with. I am a fan of floor heat as it allows the snow dripping off your vehicles to dry instead of run to the edges. Ceiling fans to move air.

REY_off · Nov 30, 2018

Whisky said:
40 isn't going to be wide enough for 3 overhead doors and 1 entry door according to Menards planner.....good to know.

I'll disagree with this. I currently have a 40 x 32 with 3 overhead doors and a 36" walk in door. There is enough room between vehicles to open doors. I have a 2007 dodge ram and have 10 feet in front of my truck and about 1 foot between the door and bumper. 9 ft doors with 2 feet between them I believe. If could change one thing, I would have went with 10 ft doors instead of 9. Getting my 19ft fiberglass boat in and out leaves me with about 1.5 inches on either side of the wheels. It's a two man operation and an accident waiting to happen.

Also have floor heat. Love it, except for the moisture issue. I currently run a dehumidifier when it gets above 40-50 percent. Hopefully once I get a coating on the concrete it will help with the humidity by not allowing the concrete to absorb the moisture. With the floor heat, the foam insulation under the slab acts as a moisture barrier and does not allow the moisture in the slab to transfer to the ground underneath, therefore it has to come back up and be absorbed by the air in the room.

CatDaddy · Nov 30, 2018

Whisky said:
I post this knowing two things. 1) they are never big enough, but you have to stop somewhere 2) for every response, I will probably get a different answer......but here goes.

I'm in the planning stages for a new attached garage. Oversize 3 stall. Wife drives a Suburban. At some point I may end up with a 3/4 ton 8ft box F250 (OAL is 22ft I think). And I have a tractor that is 24ft long with loader and snow blower attached, and 27ft long with mower attached. I want room to walk around all the vehicles both in the front and the back, while at the same time have room for storage/ work benches/freezers/fridge/gun safes, etc both in front of the vehicles and along the opposite side wall from the house.

At first I was thinking 40x32 but once I measure the tractor I feel may be too tight, at least where the tractor sits. Would it make sense to make one bay deeper then the rest, or push it all back? How much deeper? I intend to put a 10ft high door in the tractor bay so i'm looking at 12ft walls too I suppose.

Floor heat
multiple drains
Big deep sink
Thinking of metal along the bottom 4ft or so of the walls to combat moisture. Or do the whole thing?
What else?

Does anybody know of any free 3d design programs where i can sketch it up with vehicles, benches, etc inside for size reference?

Thanks

Google Sketchup + Youtube on how to use it....easy once you get the hang of it. And very representative of the finished product! And free!

Ristorapper · Nov 30, 2018

My garage floor has the raised cement (3-4") where the walls are. No moisture coming from under the walls

. If you don't have raised cement consider metal (alum sheet roll) buried in the ground and part way up the wall on the outside of the wall and before the siding. Did that with my garden shed; no moisture along the walls.

Consider ceiling storage as i did. Before I insulated the attic of the garage, I dropped threaded rods (3/8" X 36") from the front wall and both side walls from the 9 foot ceiling. I dropped the threaded rods 40" from the front wall and 18" and 24" from the side walls. Someone 6'6" can walk under these, vehicle doors clear them of course. Depth of above ground storage at front of garage is 40". Depth at sidewalls is 18" and 24". Threaded rods allow you to adjust height of shelves up or down if/when needed. Cleats along wall where desired height of shelves are needed. From the bottom of the threaded rods hangs a 2X4 level and parallel with the cleat on the wall. From those two parallel 2X4's hangs the shelves. IF you want to enclose these above ground storage areas, I put a cleat (2X4) at the top of the ceiling where the threaded rods come through the ceiling. Cut two rabbits parallel to the 2X4s on the top cleat and bottom cleat of the front of the storage units to be able to slide paneling into those rabbits that act like doors. The paneling doors then slide back and forth on the rabbits as you need to get to your stored items. With the 9 foot ceiling I only need a 3 or 4 step ladder to access everything. Most of the off season stuff gets tucked up there. Works great for up off the floor storage.

This gave me an additional 106 square feet/238 cubic feet of storage space UP OFF THE GROUND in my 3 stall garage (32X24).

A huge advantage with ceiling storage in the third stall in my situation when i had a boat was when i was able to access all the boat/fishing gear from that storage area while standing in the boat.

Additionally I hung pvc pipe right above the boat to hold rods/reels not stored in the boat.

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