[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]I have questions for anyone who has converted a carport to a woodworking shop. The house that we moved into last September was built in 1962 and is in good shape. The concrete floors are about 4” thick with welded / galvanized 4”-square mesh over about 8” of crushed stone. [Plumbers had to jack hammer the floor in a nearby bathroom to repair / relocate a shower drain.][/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]The carport inside dimensions are 12' wide and 30' deep with the house basement on the left. The front edge of the carport floor drops 1” from the house to the right and 5.5” from there to the right-rear. The left edge (house side) drops 1” from the front to left-rear and 5.5” from the left-rear to the right-rear. Plus, the right-rear corner has cracked diagonally about 3' back from the corner towards the house and front. The right edge has a 2' high by 1' wide wall from front to back. There are four “true” 4”x6” posts on the wall supporting the roof and two matching columns at the house corners. I plan to replicate that wall across the front leaving a 3'-wide by 4'-deep opening (boxed-in on right and rear) for access to the electric meters and energy controls (trash cans can hide there). I plan to replicate that wall across the rear leaving a 3'-wide opening for a rear door. Above the low wall(s) I plan to frame with modern 2”x6”s and install small windows in each of the 9' to 10' openings between the posts (front, right side and rear walls).[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]My 1[SUP]st[/SUP] questions are “What is the best way to level the floor for the walls and reinforce the floor crack (where the rear door will be)?” One thought was to build a concrete frame for a 12”-wide base for the block / brick low walls (putting re-bar about 2” back from the 2 frame faces). Pour a level wall footer, build an 8”-wide block wall on top of it, and face it with matching red brick. Of course the front wall will be easy with just a 1” drop; the rear wall may take extra re-bar across the door opening and beyond (about 5' or 6' total). Has anyone had to do this? Should I dig down below the edges of the floor (slab) to pour a footer? Should the footer (if recommended) be a full 12' or just the width of the door plus a little? The wall is not load-bearing but the floor (slab) will need to support the block, brick, framing, windows, door, etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]Once enclosed, the floor inside will need leveling. One big pour will be hard to estimate and very costly. A second thought was to divide the floor into 4' squares divided by treated lumber that is level on the top edges. Then use a small concrete mixer and Sakrete Sand Mix (5,000 PSI) to pour a level floor one square at a time. My 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] questions are “Does anyone know of a better / easier way to level a floor without spending a fortune? Eventually I would like to put something over this concrete to make it easier on the feet. Does any member have suggestions? I really want to do the carport-to-shop conversion correctly![/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]The carport inside dimensions are 12' wide and 30' deep with the house basement on the left. The front edge of the carport floor drops 1” from the house to the right and 5.5” from there to the right-rear. The left edge (house side) drops 1” from the front to left-rear and 5.5” from the left-rear to the right-rear. Plus, the right-rear corner has cracked diagonally about 3' back from the corner towards the house and front. The right edge has a 2' high by 1' wide wall from front to back. There are four “true” 4”x6” posts on the wall supporting the roof and two matching columns at the house corners. I plan to replicate that wall across the front leaving a 3'-wide by 4'-deep opening (boxed-in on right and rear) for access to the electric meters and energy controls (trash cans can hide there). I plan to replicate that wall across the rear leaving a 3'-wide opening for a rear door. Above the low wall(s) I plan to frame with modern 2”x6”s and install small windows in each of the 9' to 10' openings between the posts (front, right side and rear walls).[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]My 1[SUP]st[/SUP] questions are “What is the best way to level the floor for the walls and reinforce the floor crack (where the rear door will be)?” One thought was to build a concrete frame for a 12”-wide base for the block / brick low walls (putting re-bar about 2” back from the 2 frame faces). Pour a level wall footer, build an 8”-wide block wall on top of it, and face it with matching red brick. Of course the front wall will be easy with just a 1” drop; the rear wall may take extra re-bar across the door opening and beyond (about 5' or 6' total). Has anyone had to do this? Should I dig down below the edges of the floor (slab) to pour a footer? Should the footer (if recommended) be a full 12' or just the width of the door plus a little? The wall is not load-bearing but the floor (slab) will need to support the block, brick, framing, windows, door, etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]Once enclosed, the floor inside will need leveling. One big pour will be hard to estimate and very costly. A second thought was to divide the floor into 4' squares divided by treated lumber that is level on the top edges. Then use a small concrete mixer and Sakrete Sand Mix (5,000 PSI) to pour a level floor one square at a time. My 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] questions are “Does anyone know of a better / easier way to level a floor without spending a fortune? Eventually I would like to put something over this concrete to make it easier on the feet. Does any member have suggestions? I really want to do the carport-to-shop conversion correctly![/FONT]
