Garage build - what to include
Discussion
Off set the door and get the widest possible, that way no brick pillar to back into if you have two separate doors, and more cupboard space at the other end. As already said door on a single frame (up and over)insulated, thermolite blocks inside the brick with air gap then dry line, with electric rads on a greenhouse stat. Ensure when they put the floor down they insulate the floor first then pour the concrete, and be 100% sure they do not mix anything up on the finished floor. Builders ignored me and when I put the epoxi floor coat down it all came up due to plaster being mixed on it after laying.
I used Ikea cupboards as they are cheap and good. New types of fixings now mean no need to drill and rawplug just screw in. Work bench (kitchen work surface)from Jewsons 4.2m long. Good lighting as already said and loads of plug sockets. last a rack for the wifes garden tools![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/MBiZrd7W.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/gyj7zgDQ" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/gyj7zgDQ.jpg)
I used Ikea cupboards as they are cheap and good. New types of fixings now mean no need to drill and rawplug just screw in. Work bench (kitchen work surface)from Jewsons 4.2m long. Good lighting as already said and loads of plug sockets. last a rack for the wifes garden tools
nightflight said:
Definitely a four post ramp plus all the above. 
Liking that setup. Was that the original roof timber setup or have you modified it to make the raised car fit ?Has anyone got a pic of the roof timbers for a pyramid garage. I have no idea what the standard / cheap option would look like but I'm expecting lots of trusses all close to one another so no room for lifting.
Naybr said:
On my double garage I've always wished that I'd specified a full width double door. The brick pier between the two single doors means that it's very hard to position a car so that I have good working space all around it.
Now that's very useful to know. I have been wondering about whether to change to a double width door. Pros are as you said but cons are that when you open the door, the whole garage is on show and leaves etc blow right into the lot. Still can't decide.Colin RedGriff said:
I fitted an electric roller shutter door. It's a slimline one so when raised the actual roll doesn't intrude into the roof space by more than about 50cm. Means I can have the car raised on the lift and still be able to open the door.
Great info again guys. This is all exactly what I was after. Fantastic stuff. Much appreciated all.If you do put a loft in and its a big garage consider two loft ladders, angled towards the bench so you just have to nudge one of the cars out to get into the loft, my last garage had a lot of unused space 2m past the loft hatch, due to access. Thinking about it now I should have positioned one so I could get into it without moving one of the cars. 
I'm thinking on whether I could get the roof built with no cross timbers in the centre. I've seen a few 1930s lofts / roofs constructed like this. Alternative would be to have the support pyramid made up from steels sitting on a welded square of steel. Not sure how much this would be compared to trusses but I'm guessing lots more!
The design I've had done is only single brick not a cavity. Is this a bad idea as it'll be cold / damp etc. I was trying to maximise the internal space. The garage is 19 foot square external dimension. Would you recommend sacrificing internal space in order to have the extra wall and cavity then ? How much am I going to lose, 10 inches each side ?
What is the normal internal space in a double garage / what is useable, i.e able to drive in two cars and open doors easily or have one far enough from outer wall to be worked on but still able to park another next to it overnight if needs be ?
What are your internal dimensions chaps ?
ratboiler said:
...As already said door on a single frame (up and over)insulated, thermolite blocks inside the brick with air gap then dry line, with electric rads on a greenhouse stat.
Hi Ratboiler,The design I've had done is only single brick not a cavity. Is this a bad idea as it'll be cold / damp etc. I was trying to maximise the internal space. The garage is 19 foot square external dimension. Would you recommend sacrificing internal space in order to have the extra wall and cavity then ? How much am I going to lose, 10 inches each side ?
What is the normal internal space in a double garage / what is useable, i.e able to drive in two cars and open doors easily or have one far enough from outer wall to be worked on but still able to park another next to it overnight if needs be ?
What are your internal dimensions chaps ?
The original 5mx6m was single brick which had upright brick piers supports along the walls, which I did not like. Saying that I fitted the garage with 2 bar heaters and never had any problems with things going rusty or condensation, but it did get cold even with a false ceiling plus the roller shutter door was not insulated.
The new garage does not need brick piers because of the thermolite blocks so I am told.
The garage is 8m x 7m with a 5.2m door off set to one end, I will measure the internal and let you know what i have left.
I think that having a completley flat wall makes up for the brick piers that have to be installed on single brick construction.
But if you start cutting holes in the roof you are going to lose heat anyway, unless you insulate the uderside of the rafters.
Mine is fully insulated roof walls doors and window, a nice comfortable refuge from the wife when required.
In my opinion if you are 6m width you will be pushing your luck with 2 cars, don't forget you will have brick piers either side of the doors, I could only just get a vx220 in beside a ford KA and had trouble getting in the side door.
I allowed 500mm to open the doors.
The new garage does not need brick piers because of the thermolite blocks so I am told.
The garage is 8m x 7m with a 5.2m door off set to one end, I will measure the internal and let you know what i have left.
I think that having a completley flat wall makes up for the brick piers that have to be installed on single brick construction.
But if you start cutting holes in the roof you are going to lose heat anyway, unless you insulate the uderside of the rafters.
Mine is fully insulated roof walls doors and window, a nice comfortable refuge from the wife when required.
In my opinion if you are 6m width you will be pushing your luck with 2 cars, don't forget you will have brick piers either side of the doors, I could only just get a vx220 in beside a ford KA and had trouble getting in the side door.
I allowed 500mm to open the doors.
In terms of supply I would get the biggest single phase supply possible from the house. You would be amazed how much power you can consume for peak periods - eg compressor starting up - welder - lift -heating etc.
I looked at wall mounted heat / aircon units which seemed a top plan.
If you start trying to get a 3 phase supply I think you will be opening a pandoras box.
I looked at wall mounted heat / aircon units which seemed a top plan.
If you start trying to get a 3 phase supply I think you will be opening a pandoras box.
30A single phase will be fine. Handles everything I've got, including four-poster, electric heaters, bench tools etc.
I had a double garage built two years 7.5m x 7.5m, steel frame construction infilled with double skin insulating blocks with timber clad on external elevations. Roof is pitched and tiled with a couple of velux windows. There is a mezzanine floor over one half of the floor area with staircase access. This is effectively my loft area as the roof void in the house is not really suitable for storage. Roller shutter door almost full width with no central pier. Had to accept having one 6" vertical steel pier in centre of garage supporting the 7.5m roof steels but it's no problem at all. Width provides plenty of room for two vehicles without worrying about knocking doors. Length allows plenty of space for workbench, storage elements, sink etc.
I went for an Italian 3.5 ton four post lift, (deliberately avoiding far eastern manufactured units), and a same manufacturer jacking beam. Sank the lift below garage floor level so that drive on/off is level, and it gave me a bit more headroom under the pitched roof to accommodate taller vehicles. Whether you can do that depends also on the type and design spec of the lift.
Whatever you do avoid using ordinary garage floor paints - they are useless and won't last five mins. I'd recommend using an epoxy resin coating (as used in car showrooms, factory floors etc). Floor surface must be clean and free from dust and grease but it's easy to apply (roller) and gives a good looking, easy clean, hard wearing surface that withstands spillages. Check out Morgan Polymers.
As others have said, don't skimp on lighting and install a good spread of 13A dbl sockets round the walls and put them at a useable height, not low down.
Also think about security. I ran underground cables back to the house for power and lighting but also connected to the house alarm so that the garage PIR and door contacts operate as separate zones.
I didn't go for air pipe as I don't use air tools. It's easy enough to retrofit some pipework and connect up a compressor.
Some pics:
I had a double garage built two years 7.5m x 7.5m, steel frame construction infilled with double skin insulating blocks with timber clad on external elevations. Roof is pitched and tiled with a couple of velux windows. There is a mezzanine floor over one half of the floor area with staircase access. This is effectively my loft area as the roof void in the house is not really suitable for storage. Roller shutter door almost full width with no central pier. Had to accept having one 6" vertical steel pier in centre of garage supporting the 7.5m roof steels but it's no problem at all. Width provides plenty of room for two vehicles without worrying about knocking doors. Length allows plenty of space for workbench, storage elements, sink etc.
I went for an Italian 3.5 ton four post lift, (deliberately avoiding far eastern manufactured units), and a same manufacturer jacking beam. Sank the lift below garage floor level so that drive on/off is level, and it gave me a bit more headroom under the pitched roof to accommodate taller vehicles. Whether you can do that depends also on the type and design spec of the lift.
Whatever you do avoid using ordinary garage floor paints - they are useless and won't last five mins. I'd recommend using an epoxy resin coating (as used in car showrooms, factory floors etc). Floor surface must be clean and free from dust and grease but it's easy to apply (roller) and gives a good looking, easy clean, hard wearing surface that withstands spillages. Check out Morgan Polymers.
As others have said, don't skimp on lighting and install a good spread of 13A dbl sockets round the walls and put them at a useable height, not low down.
Also think about security. I ran underground cables back to the house for power and lighting but also connected to the house alarm so that the garage PIR and door contacts operate as separate zones.
I didn't go for air pipe as I don't use air tools. It's easy enough to retrofit some pipework and connect up a compressor.
Some pics:
ratboiler said:
Well I would be happy to move into that garage, have to agree with the floor paint epoxy is 1st class, but be sure you can apply it before it goes off, I struggled with mine, and the floor must be clean.
Do you just paint it on with a brush ? Had previous comments about cleanliness / making sure builders don't mix stuff on the foundations etc. Will keep an eye on that, thanks.Thanks for comments on heating. Do you guys leave the heating on in the garage like in the house or only switch it on when you're working out there. The former would put up the heating bills loads I would have thought.
Garage will be detached from house so wasn't thinking of running the gas CH system out there but having electric fan heaters or those gas tubes (maybe not so good as 'wet heat') just to heat it whilst I am working out there.
Insulation is good. This is all making me think I should have had a double skin wall - gonna lose lots of internal space though and it's only 19' square external dimension. Hmmmm, warm or space, warm or space ?
I would go warm over space if you are going to be spending a lot of time working up there. You can also work better if your hands are not cold. It helps to get you motivated when its a wet cold night.
Not sure you need double skin some fire resistant insulation board would make a big diference plus floor and roof, temp gradients are as uncomfortable as being too hot or cold.
As noted, you need ventilation as well.
The advice so far is excellent, I wish I had running water in mine. I have to get some swarfega as I leave, lock the door with my other hand and then wash under the outside tap. This can be a bit brisk sometimes.
One thing I should have spent more time on was the door, specifically making sure water and leaves couldnt blow in under it. I fixed this with a strip of steel some self tappers and a lenghth of DPC Membrane but should have planned better. Not sure if its mentioned but I had to add a trench along one wall lined with big stones when a build up of garden crud bridged the DPC, your builder may put this in anyway.
Not sure you need double skin some fire resistant insulation board would make a big diference plus floor and roof, temp gradients are as uncomfortable as being too hot or cold.
As noted, you need ventilation as well.
The advice so far is excellent, I wish I had running water in mine. I have to get some swarfega as I leave, lock the door with my other hand and then wash under the outside tap. This can be a bit brisk sometimes.
One thing I should have spent more time on was the door, specifically making sure water and leaves couldnt blow in under it. I fixed this with a strip of steel some self tappers and a lenghth of DPC Membrane but should have planned better. Not sure if its mentioned but I had to add a trench along one wall lined with big stones when a build up of garden crud bridged the DPC, your builder may put this in anyway.
Edited by SMGB on Friday 5th October 12:51
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