24x30 build in progress

[Rich H.]

Hey there,

Been lurking around here for a few years, always dreamed of having my own shop and really enjoy checking out all the nice ones on here.

In '07 that dream began to take shape. I bought a house with enough land for a detached shop....something larger than a normal two car garage, but nothing so giant I would be tempted to hoard until it's stuffed, or that I couldn't afford to heat or cool.

Going in, I thought 30x40 would be about right for me....but I knew there was no reasonable way to fit that on the property/make it look the way I wanted and I would have to come up with something else. Township said they would approve 24x30 without any variance, and that size of building seemed to complement the house rather than overpower it, but I was still not sure, it seemed too small. I did some rough sketches on paper and in microsoft paint, and dreamed some more.

Then I started looking closer at some of the work areas I've used in the past and present. I took a tape measure to a shop I was working in, mostly doing engine swaps and builds, and I found if I was careful with the layout and storage, it would work.

The former owners had an above ground pool in the fenced area there....township made them tear it down because it was too close to power lines, and there the fenced area sat ever since. It was just a fenced weed garden when I got the place. Work started december/january this past winter.

[Rich H.]

The lot was sloped down to the west which required some fill to be brought in and a few courses of block to get the elevation where we wanted it. The general contractor kept the ground warm at all times by covering it with straw. I was amazed how well it worked.

I have pictures of the footings and some site prep on another computer, unfortunately, but maybe if I start with the building itself...you guys won't get bored and fall asleep on me Maybe I'll dig 'em out later.

Here's a closer look, right before the GC requested approval to pour the slab, which did not happen when we wanted (read on). You can see I went with 2" foam insulation.

Unfortunately you can't see the 5 loops of pex that were laid down, for radiant heat because, as with site prep pics....they are on another computer. Oops. Maybe post 'em up later if anyone wants to see that.

[Rich H.]

At this point there was a little disagreement with the GC and the township.

The township felt the ground was too cold to pour the slab, that the slab might fail after it warmed up. The GC invited them to come and check it out...he had it covered with straw for weeks, and a person could stick their bare hand in it and feel it was not frozen.

Myself, I could see the point in both arguements. The ground was indeed fairly warm under the straw like the GC said. But like the township said, who knows if it was frozen below that .....All I wanted is for it to be to my specs, and to hold up, regardless of the methods used.

Right about that time I was glad I paid the GC a little extra to pull the permit instead of pulling it myself. No way would I want to be in the middle of that. Anything goes wrong, he has to fix it...not me.

In the end, the township prevailed.....the twp made the GC enclose the building before the slab was poured. This would not be a big deal, except I was freaked out my PEX in the floor might be damaged in the process. The GC assured me they would be extra careful, and that the pressure test at the end would tell the tale. He was right.

So, they had to enclose it.

[Rich H.]

View from the back

[Rich H.]

View from the deck, looking west.

A couple glass patio tables were smashed to bits, because of the way the wind used to whip across the deck.

Also, the deck was kind of hard to use in the summer evenings, because the sun bakes you out there until like 9:00 pm.

One of my ideas with the garage dimensions and siting (besides meeting local setbacks to a "T"), was to block some wind and sun on the deck. It's helped a huge amount with both, so I got a more useable deck in the bargain

I explained all that to my Dad, for like a half hour, before ground was broken on the new shop. He gave me that look, like "Son, you're out of your mind" Then, after he saw it done he understood.....

[Rich H.]

At this point, is when it really hit me, and what was happening sunk in

[Rich H.]

Looks like fall yard work happened a little late in this shot, but this was the method used to enclose it and hold in the heat because...similar to the radiant heat (which I would not have tried if it was not for GJ) I also wanted a high lift door like I had seen on GJ, and wanted 8' tall instead of a normal 7 footer.....like I had seen on GJ

The door supplier could get everything but didn't have it at the time, so the GC made do with the tarp, and straw. The twp made them enclose it and heat it for 24 hours...I went in there to check it out, and there were two big space heaters running full blast all night long, and it was almost 80 degrees inside, in the dead of winter...when it was like 30 outside. There were open flames, bare studs, maybe a little sawdust, and straw all within a couple feet of each other...personally I found it scary. Deep down I knew the GC was fully insured and knew what he was doing, so I didn't say a word...

The pour was then approved, and was done before I got home from work the next day.

[Rich H.]

With the pour done but still no front door, the gc started on the exterior stuff. It looks just like I imagined it, and matches the house really well.

I had a 6" slab poured in hopes of getting a hoist, which was also the reason for the high lift door, the 10 foot walls, and the scissor truss you'll see in later pics. The ceiling is around 14' at the peak, forgot the exact height but I think it'll work for a hoist and most vehicles.

My buddy has offered to sell me his 7000lb Rotary for a good price, and I will probably just buy that when I'm ready. Going to be awhile before everything's situated though.

[Rich H.]

Then, the door! It took quite some time to show up...Prior to this, the door was a gray tarp that flapped in the wind. I got so tired of the tarp flapping, I weighed it down with an old 3/4 ton Dodge truck driveshaft. The electricians worked in there when the door was a tarp. They had to have been cold.

And look! Gutters, downspouts, and aluminum too!

Not to mention exterior lighting and a funny little square hole in the front....

Still awake out there? Bored to death yet?

[Rich H.]

With electric done and approved, 200a upgrade to the house + 100a service to the shop, the GCs job was done. He got paid and that was that, the rest was (and still is) up to me.

Do I just move in? 25 years worth of Mopar stuff...a bunch of tools, parts...engines..etc etc..just cram it all in there and get to work, and finish it later? Had a couple heart to heart discussions with friends who had been in the same position.....After that I was convinced....no way...If I didn't finish it now, then I'd be regretting it years later, and sure wouldn't be enjoying working in there in the meantime. So I went ahead and began finishing it....then when ready, load up the hoard.....and then begin the de-hoarding + delayed project process in a sensible manner rather than rushing.

After alot of thought I decided to try the Mooney Wall system to insulate the walls (dense packed cellulose behind a layer of fabric, so the density can be easily confirmed/seen/felt...google "Mooney Wall" for a better explanation), but for the ceiling I went with more conventional blown in cellulose over fiberglass.

When I began insulating the ceiling, the first mistake I noticed was that I didn't specify a raised heel scissor truss, which I didn't know existed until AFTER the whole thing was built.... It probably would have only cost a little extra, and I could have fit more insulation in there. But, it was too late at that point...work with it...The eaves are R19 for the first 5 feet, then R38 for the remainder, then 15 bags of cellulose blown on top of that. The eaves have all the insulation I could fit in them, without collapsing the rafter baffles.

In this pic you can see the high lift track, the liftmaster 3800 opener, rafter baffles, my first row of insulation....and it explains what the little square hole is in the front. It's an industrial exhaust fan with a louver, a used/re purposed piece from a cell phone tower site. I'll put it on a switch at some point, but for now when you plug it in the fan spools up and the louver opens at the same time. It really worked great keeping me somewhat cool in there this summer when I was working on the place....open a window at the other end... cross flow ventilation. Or better yet, pull up a chair by the open window and you've always got a breeze when the fan is on, and take a break.

[Kevin54]

Originally Posted by Rich H.

View from the deck, looking west.

A couple glass patio tables were smashed to bits, because of the way the wind used to whip across the deck.

Also, the deck was kind of hard to use in the summer evenings, because the sun bakes you out there until like 9:00 pm.

One of my ideas with the garage dimensions and siting (besides meeting local setbacks to a "T"), was to block some wind and sun on the deck. It's helped a huge amount with both, so I got a more useable deck in the bargain

I explained all that to my Dad, for like a half hour, before ground was broken on the new shop. He gave me that look, like "Son, you're out of your mind" Then, after he saw it done he understood.....

No matter what though, when you open your garage doors the wind will blow the leaves right in there That's a given no matter where a garage sits.

In your last pic where you are insulating, why do you have 2x strapping on the walls, or did I miss something?

[Rich H.]

Oh yeah, leaves and grass clippings are an ongoing battle for sure.

Went after the ceiling with R38 fiberglass and drywall. I had never done a ceiling before so it was quite an adventure. Even with the drywall lift I bought, it was alot of work. I started mudding it for a little more strength before the blown-in. Left the center open for the blown in and closed it up as I went.

To the left you can see the big shelf/mezzanine or whatever you want to call it...I built out of engineered I joists, and my old reliable metal Dominion fan on top. The shelf was, for me, a huge project in itself.... straightforward, but quite physically demanding when you're too dumb and stubborn to call a friend to come help. Like a dummy I built the whole thing myself, and it's a wonder there weren't any nasty accidents/I joists crashing down etc....somehow I got it done working alone, and there weren't any problems (other than my arms locking up and not being able to move a couple times!).

The 2x strapping is for the "mooney wall", wall insulation....will post pics of it in a bit.

[Rich H.]

You'll notice the rented HD scaffold, the ebay drywall hoist with extension, the first row of insulweb stapled for the mooney wall because I wanted to sneak it under the gable framing, and drywall hung on the other gable which is insulated with OC pink panther. btw I hated working with the owens corning pink stuff....I used Certainteed for the rest of the fiberglass work and preferred it greatly, I found it much more robust than the pink stuff....it didn't rip so easily and fall apart when manhandled. Both were the nasty itchy type. I'm throwing two shirts away as a result, the fibers just won't wash out.

And there's a great big open hole in the middle ready for cellulose....

[Rich H.]

15 bags of cellulose, the blower in the truck bed, and had nothing but problems. It only took a little while to blow the material, but many things went wrong...

[Rich H.]

First, the "free with X number of bags purchased" HD blower machine was junk. It only worked for about a half hour and then the drive belt broke, the blower ran but there was no material flow.

I took it apart and noticed it had a cheesy leather belt, the adjustable link kind like many table saws have. OK for some table saws but totally inadequate for this job. So another hour and a half was blown round trip, to and from o'reilly auto parts for an actual 3/8 automotive drive belt, and another half hour blown repairing the pile-0-krap machine. Not happy about all the wasted time I soldiered on.

[Rich H.]

Notice how it's getting darker and darker in the previous shot lol....

Alex and Sam, my helpers/machine feeders, did their best.

Alex is the one with outstretched arms, he is 9, and considers himself the brains of the outfit. He definitely is acting like a big shot in this picture. He's smart as a whip, with quite an imagination and highly developed creative skills especially in basic visual arts.

Sam is 7, and seems to be a follower at this point in his life...he's the younger brother after all.....however, Sam is hell for strong, is more active, taller, and outweighs his brother too. If Sam ever develops a temper, his brother is going to be in big trouble. Just have to teach him to use his powers for good instead of evil, and all will be well with the world.

When you're 7, you think it's fun to make a game out of not feeding the machine properly and instead throw little tufts in one handful at a time. Whee!

When you're 9, you can see the pointy, prickly, dangerous looking thing spinning at the bottom of the machine, and you know better than to get to close to it, so you really WANT to feed the machine properly but you're afraid of it.

See where I'm going with this? Yep, another hour or so was spent just waiting for material to come out the other end of the hose. Highly frustrating. During a pure act of God, my Dad just decided to stop by unannounced which he NEVER EVER does....he showed the boys how to feed the machine, and we got quite efficient after that.

Even then, with the machine failure and repair and so on, the boys went to bed at 12:30am that night and everyone was wore out. I paid them by the hour though, so they were happy about it. Gotta teach them the simple stuff as young as possible.....work, get paid, make money. Don't work, don't get paid, and you do not have any money. This is only the beginning...

[51rider]

Eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

[Rich H.]

Thank you for saying so.

I laugh when I see the boys' idea of "work clothes". For me it was jeans, t shirt and boots.. But it was very hot and humid that day, so the boys did something slightly different

I'll break the chronological order for a second....I had begun hanging sheetrock on the ceiling, and stopped into a HD store I don't usually frequent for a bucket of drywall compound. Lo and behold, they had a couple industrial ceiling fans on sale...discontinued, and deeply discounted as well. Very interesting... I read the reviews on garage journal and it seemed like a good one for me, so I grabbed it and set everything up for it.

Luckily I already had an unused circuit and a dedicated breaker for it, that I wanted to utilize....breaker is labeled "garage door opener". I had specified the opener should be installed on the left side of the door, but the door company installed it on the right side instead. I was upset they didn't follow my directions, but once I added the ceiling fan....it all worked out for the best. It was a lucky break.

[Rich H.]

Viewers will also notice I mudded and taped as I went, instead of hanging the entire ceiling and then taping the entire ceiling. It is, most likely, considered bad form...

Several reasons for it....one, I am not a pro and can't work on stilts, I'd probably kill myself. It's very slow and tedious doing it on a scaffold, because of the up/down/up down needed to move the scaffold around.....and because I was learning as I went. Tough lessons, and I've got much respect for folks who do this stuff for a living.

I had done tons of sheetrock/drywall/gypsum repair on my house, there were many holes in walls I repaired, and I removed one wall in the house and relocated it....so I had some practice doing walls....but found the ceiling to be a whole different animal.

There are a few mistakes I decided to live with instead of agonize over. It will be a workshop and hangout, not so much a showplace....to get it done I had to cut myself some slack....decided to do "garage quality" work. Some areas look like they may have been a sad attempt at level 4 finish but they really are not...after studying pro drywall forums I learned a couple places to effectively cheat, tried them and they worked well.

I blew cellulose and stapled R38 a little at a time, and closed up the hole.

[Rich H.]

It's very short, sweet and simple posting pics and a few sentences on a bulletin board....but when I think about how much work these pics represent?

Oh boy...gallons of sweat, or at least it felt that way.

I guess the feeling was...Who needs health clubs and excercise machines when you've got a garage to finish?

I got cardio from the heart racing, because of the fear of falling off the ladder. Happened quite often. I got a leg and back workout from standing and bending constantly. I got core, shoulder, and arm workout from the constant overhead work. Maybe this explained why I usually felt I had gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and lost. Especially first thing in the morning....

it was often 90 degrees in there, and I had to remember to keep drinking water and made sure I put lots of salt on my food as well.

I consider myself average strength, but I'm a desk jockey and part time mechanic for my day gig and am not used to this level of activity.

I lost about 10 lbs or so.