New garage - looking for ideas, need to make some design decisions

[KennyG]

The local zoning building height is restricted to 24 feet. If I do 10 feet in the garage that severely reduces the occupied space and head room on the 2nd floor if I use a sloped roof.

How about this? In your original post you said the limit was 8 meters. 8 meters is over 26 feet. Again using my approximate calculations, with a 10 foot ceiling on the first floor, 4 feet for slope and 2 feet for joists and rafters, you have side walls on the second floor of about 10 feet. How much head room are you looking for?

I would do a 12 foot ceiling on the first floor and 8 foot sidewalls on the second floor, but that's just me.

 

[plowhog]

Has anyone gone with bifold doors and have experiences to share?

I had a 50 foot Schweiss bifold door on my airplane hangar. It performed really well and I liked it. Push one button and the entire side of the building opened up. Wish I had it on my garage.

The straps, hands down, are better than the cables. And if you add one, be sure you can secure it at the middle hinge point on both sides. Mine was initially not secured and the wind could get through there and vibrate the door more than I would like.

I had some lever type locking devices welded onto the door frame at each side with attachment points on the door. That solved it.

If you go this route I'd suggest a "man door" installed in the bifold as well. I used it quite a bit when not moving the plane in and out.

 

[mikester]

How about this? In your original post you said the limit was 8 meters. 8 meters is over 26 feet. Again using my approximate calculations, with a 10 foot ceiling on the first floor, 4 feet for slope and 2 feet for joists and rafters, you have side walls on the second floor of about 10 feet. How much head room are you looking for?

I would do a 12 foot ceiling on the first floor and 8 foot sidewalls on the second floor, but that's just me.

I just used 3ft per m as a quick calc. The garage portion is for cars primarily so 8 feet to the finished ceiling is good enough for me. I've been playing around with roof lines and will be using structural steel to frame the roof. I am considering a gambrel style roof and cathedral ceilings underneath. I plan on super insulating so the roof will likely be 2 feet thick between inside and outside cladding. If my 2nd floor elevation is at 10 feet (giving me 8 feet clear in the garage) that leaves me 12 feet under the peak on the 2nd floor.

FYI I already have a full sized barn with 18 foot high sectional doors. I'm wanting to build a dedicated 4 car garage with a 2nd storey. I want the high ceilings on the 2nd floor. I am trying to decide on garage door width right now. I am only parking cars but I am trying to avoid the "I wish I did it differently" which is why I'm looking for input from people with double wide garage doors and SUV/PU trucks. I currently have no desire to buy another full size PU or SUV, if I do it can park in the barn. I know I won't be able to fit my M59 and cab in the garage. I do know my forklift will fit under a 7 foot door no problem.

The problem with bigger doors is that they are like a great big poorly insulated holes in the wall which sucks for heating. I'm leaning more towards the 18 foot door width. The bi-fold doors intrigue me because in theory they can be sealed up better than a roll up door. I can also use thick insulated panels. I just don't have any experience with the bi-fold doors. My neighbor has a large single panel hydraulic door at his hanger which would be similar.

 

[mikester]

I had a 50 foot Schweiss bifold door on my airplane hangar. It performed really well and I liked it. Push one button and the entire side of the building opened up. Wish I had it on my garage.

The straps, hands down, are better than the cables. And if you add one, be sure you can secure it at the middle hinge point on both sides. Mine was initially not secured and the wind could get through there and vibrate the door more than I would like.

I had some lever type locking devices welded onto the door frame at each side with attachment points on the door. That solved it.

If you go this route I'd suggest a "man door" installed in the bifold as well. I used it quite a bit when not moving the plane in and out.

If I was in a warmer climate I would consider a single door. I too like the strap idea. Does the door seal up well against the wall when it's closed? Do you have a flush mount door or is it exterior mounted?

 

[plowhog]

The lever locks I added helped a lot with the seal. It was pretty good but I am in a mild climate.

 

[dieselscout80]

If you’re going to park a 4x4 2500/f250 or above truck in it you will regret 7’ doors as most of them are near 84” or more at the antenna. Also, most ROPs on tractors are most than 7’.

I got a 10’ wide by 8’ tall roll up door and I like, but wider would be better. However, my garage door wall is only 20’ wide.

 

[scootr]

I love rollup doors. Got a 9x9 on a dedicated 12' wide tractor storage with 11 ft ceiling. In my hobby shop I put an insulated sectional roll up. It was costly but that room has heat and air so it was necessary.

 

[civilian]

I won't argue wall heights. But do you want / need to move two car through the doors at the both time? Or is it mostly one car at a time? Bigger door open to move only one car. Also not sure how long it takes to open the bi-fold airplane doors. Again more heat loss. Now, if you are heating the floor, that keeps some heat for room heat recovery. Jon

 

[airbiscuit]

Have thought about 2 18' doors and a 9' door?