shop plan?

[Stick&String]

Hey guys and gals it been a while since I have been on here but I have a question and I know this I where I can come for some constructive advice.

I have a small shop/shed/storage area 10x12 that is falling apart due to termite damage. It was used as an office by the previous owner and is drywalled. My plan is to rip the thing to the ground and start over with a 16x20 shop. It is larger than I need but I’m sure I can fill it over time. I was thinking of doing tin (Aluminum or whatever is cheapest) and making it like a barn; just up off the ground.

I would make a pressure treated floor that is up off the ground and build a barn like frame on top of it. Now for the questions.
Do you think it would save on cost? I figure there will be less wood used, and siding costs will be less because it will be tin. Plus I’m trying to give termites less to chew on. Keep it dry and keep it high.
I don’t mind the cold in winter with my little heater but will a metal box be too hot to work in during summer months? I don’t plan to have AC.

Any suggestions are welcome

 

[JackLeg]

1:Build the absolute biggest thing you can afford! It'll be too small too soon!

2: Put in at LEAST DOUBLE the electrical outlets you think you need.

3: Insulate the heck out of it at the time you build it!

4: Make the ceiling height 10" if at all possible.

5: Put in a white ceiling!

6: Put in more lighting than you think you need!

7: Plan where your dust collector will be and make arrangements at the time of construction. Ditto for the air compressor.

8: Put in a large door, roll up or double 3' at a minimum.

9: Put in an oversized electrical panel.

10: Good luck! You're gonna love it!! :icon_thum
:wsmile:

 

[FredP]

it will be hot in the summer without AC but anything you build would be hot without AC.:gar-Bi you may want to look into prefab metal buildings. they can be reasonably priced and you can set them on a slab or a floor system. Wiring will cost a bit more as you will need to use BX cable or conduit. windows that create cross ventilation and a fan or two will help.

 

[sawduster]

I currently reside in a 12 x 20 uninsulated Leonard metal building with a raised wooden floor, 1" steel frame and aluminum sides and top. Brother it gets HOT in there !! i have 2 windows and a large garage door on the end and even with 3 fans running I cannot tolerate it during the middle of a 95+ degree day with 80% humidity :nah: I use a kero heater in the winter and that works OK but only in the immediate area i'm working and it never really gets " cozy " . Finishing is also a challenge during those extremes. The building is only in the sun for a small part of the day

i don't have any solutions to share , only my experience for what it's worth

 

[Glennbear]

1:Build the absolute biggest thing you can afford! It'll be too small too soon!

2: Put in at LEAST DOUBLE the electrical outlets you think you need.

3: Insulate the heck out of it at the time you build it!

4: Make the ceiling height 10" if at all possible.

5: Put in a white ceiling!

6: Put in more lighting than you think you need!

7: Plan where your dust collector will be and make arrangements at the time of construction. Ditto for the air compressor.

8: Put in a large door, roll up or double 3' at a minimum.

9: Put in an oversized electrical panel.

10: Good luck! You're gonna love it!! :icon_thum
:wsmile:

Reggie has said just about everything I would say based upon my experience building my 24 x 24 shop. :wsmile:

 

[gator]

Scott -

Even though my shop is an absolute disaster area at the moment, you are welcome to come by and see how mine came together. I used a 16 x 24 garage kit from BDC (Builders Discount Center) in Henderson. I can show you what I did and why some decisions were made as they were.

Shoot me a PM if you are interested.

George

 

[ScottM]

One added suggestion is to add functional windows. You will be very happy long term with natural light and fresh air.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

1:Build the absolute biggest thing you can afford! It'll be too small too soon!

2: Put in at LEAST DOUBLE the electrical outlets you think you need.

3: Insulate the heck out of it at the time you build it!

4: Make the ceiling height 10" if at all possible.

5: Put in a white ceiling!

6: Put in more lighting than you think you need!

7: Plan where your dust collector will be and make arrangements at the time of construction. Ditto for the air compressor.

8: Put in a large door, roll up or double 3' at a minimum.

9: Put in an oversized electrical panel.

10: Good luck! You're gonna love it!! :icon_thum
:wsmile:

I think Reggie has pretty much covered the key points. It may seem like overkill right now, but you'll be glad you went the extra mile pretty soon. If this is a shop you plan on being in for years to come, you might plan ahead for at least a window unit A/C and run the electrical for it now.

Bill

 

[ehpoole]

I'm going to add one more suggestion to the nearly complete list already provide.

If you are going to go to the trouble of building a raised floor, you might want to consider creating a functional crawlspace. Raise it a couple feet above the ground (on cement block piers) and you not only give termites less opportunity, but more importantly you can then run electrical, compressed air, dust collection runs, etc. under the floor to any point on your shop floor pretty much at will.

Just be sure to over-engineer your floor joists to ensure you won't suffer too much sag between piers. Wood storage and heavy cast-iron equipment can concentrate large loads over an area of just a few square feet..

I also agree that a metal shop, unless well insulated (with spray foam, for instance) will be very hard to heat and cool. You may also encounter issues with unwanted night-time condensation dripping on your cast iron surfaces

While I do not know your needs, I can say for certain that a 16x20 shop would be much too small for my needs. I have a roughly 22'x26' two-car garage and, to me, that would be the bare minimum if you intend to aquire a full complement of large power tools. On the other hand, if you are more hand-tool oriented and are not interested in large stationary power tools, then 16'x20' may well be more than adequate for your needs.

Good luck with your new shop. An exciting time for sure!

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Ethan reminded me of one thing that I don't think has been mentioned so far: don't forget to allow for wood storage, both new wood and scraps. They take up far more room than most of us plan for in the beginning. An attached shed roof outside the shop is a good alternative if you don't have room inside the shop.

Bill

 

[Stick&String]

Thanks for all the input. I'll be looking at George's shop soon to get some ideas for setup.

But, what I’m running into here now is my township wants me to be 8 feet from the property line. My current building is only 4 feet. So they will not let me rebuild:eusa_naug where the old one is even with the termite damage destroying it. I thought I could just “fix” what I have where it is. All this zoning and township garbage is enough to make your head spin. :BangHead:
I love the country we live in but more and more I’m noticing there is less and less Freedom. I can’t even build on my land. Maybe I should ask them to redo my taxes because if I’m not allowed to use about ¼ of my property then I shouldn’t get taxed on it. I bet that will go over like a lead balloon!
side note:
What’s the largest “non-permanent” structure you can build legally?

 

[MarkE]

Just went through that all that 'zoning' and 'setback' stuff ourselves. We can't build anything within 100 feet of the road behind our house. That's half the backyard!

Unbelievable!