Shop Build...should be a fun journey...

[Jim Becker]

That's my main beef with roll up or even overhead doors. It takes some effort to get an overhead door truly sealed and that's nearly impossible with a roll-up. A traditional door is clearly easier for those tasks. I do plan on working very hard to get my overhead door configured to minimize any air infiltration/exfiltration. It will be rarely opened, too. Honestly, if I actually had the time and space to do it, I'd build big, insulated carriage doors like Mike Farrington did for his shop. (YouTube) They are magnificent, but nearly equivalent of "swinging walls" when it comes to conditioned space.

[Lawrence Duckworth]

It gets so hot here in the summer, cross ventilation was what I was thinking when putting 12x12 openings on opposite ends of the building. I envy the guys that can $ air condition their shop

[Walter Plummer]

Jim when I was trying to seal up my door I changed the hinges to these with springs to push the door into the weather striping. https://www.greenhingesystem.com/. They do a great job unless it get really, really windy then they can be pushed in. At the top of the door I found this top seal that adds a lot to keeping the wind out. https://www.garagedoorweatherseal.com/product/20013383/. I also upgraded the outside weather striping but that was mainly because mine was in bad shape. Definitely at least add the top seal. Keep us posted.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, Walter...I'll check those out if I feel that I'm not getting a good seal once I have an actual building.

[Andrew Seemann]

I wouldn't completely rule out building doors. I did these in less than a day. They are basically hinged walls; framed with studs and sheathed in OSB on both sides. There is even a vapor barrier on the inside and Tyvek on the outside. I sized the opening so it would fit a standard 8'x9' overhead door in case the next owner wants to park a car or boat in there. It also makes it much easier to back the truck in for unloading machinery. I have a mount for an overhead hoist a few feet inside the door specifically for that.

They are actually easier to install than you would expect. I just set down some 3/4" scrap on the slab, put some boards on the inside so they couldn't tip and lifted them up in place. Then I adjusted the spacing with some 3/8 lath on the sides and put the hinges on.

For weather stripping I folded over and stapled 6 mil poly for the sides and top. I found that actual weather stripping foam made the doors too hard to close tight. The bottom have some boards with foam weather stripping that friction fit to cover the gap. The doors definitely insulate well with R19 fiberglass in them. While there is some leakage around the doors, it isn't very bad and could be reduced easily, but it serves as the draft for my stove and heater, so I have left it be

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[Jim Becker]

I'm not concerned about the process of building doors at all; it's about time to do that vs time to complete the other things I need to do to get my shop back up and running and out of the very tight temporary space in the garage. I've made the choice to focus on the interior fit-out and let the post frame company provide the 8x8 insulated overhead door so when they leave, I have a secure structure.

[Andrew Seemann]

That where-do-you-put-your-limited-time thing is always the hard part. It is even worse when you have everything (tools, materials, skills) except time. I quit doing my own car repairs years ago, despite a garage full of mechanic's tools. I don't even change oil or headlights anymore. I've got a good mechanic with his own shop, and I've gotten to the point where I'd rather pay him $60/hr or whatever he charges (I don't even look) than open the hood. I'd definitely rather spend an hour in the woodshop than an hour under the car any day.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I can see the appeal of having them install a premade door and not having to worry with it. I still change my own oil, but it's even easier now with my new (2013) car since the oil filter is on top, right where it's handy to grab.

[Bob Riefer]

The good news is, today's insulated overhead garage doors are pretty darn ok, and you'll have a nicely prepared opening should you ever want to take the time to build the doors in the future. Also, when I upgraded my garage door recently, I was able to sell the 10 year old previous door for 1/2 what I originally paid for it new... so if you do decide to make a change years from now, I think you'll have a lot of options.

(Lastly... when I say today's doors are pretty darn ok, I mean that I have no trouble heating/cooling my shop and the bill for the mini-split has been totally reasonable. Could it be a bit better? Sure. Of course. But, there's many other fish to fry)

[Jim Becker]

I don't think I'll have too much trouble getting a decent seal on the overhead doors, either as installed or with a little tinkering after the fact. Most of my mental focus right now is about various ways to do the interior, particularly dealing with sound abatement. I gotz idears....and lots of time to think about it.

[Charles Coolidge]

I don't think I'll have too much trouble getting a decent seal on the overhead doors, either as installed or with a little tinkering after the fact. Most of my mental focus right now is about various ways to do the interior, particularly dealing with sound abatement. I gotz idears....and lots of time to think about it.

The door discussion has been interesting. At first I agreed with you, time right. However I just thought about how many times I wished my overhead door tracks and opener where not in the way over the past years. That the shop lights were not covered by the door when opened. The constant battle with spiders, beetles flooding in and the occasional shrew sneaking in at the corners. Something to think about.

[Jim Becker]

Those are good points, Charles, and they have come to mind while I was making the decision. If I were inclined to leave the door open a lot, the impact on lighting would be a large consideration. But my purpose for the doors is for getting material in and larger projects out, outside of the initial tools getting moved in. And even if it's up, that particular area really isn't going to be a work area, for the most part. So I'm not going to worry about the tracks. Critters are certainly prone to finding their way in. 'Not going to worry about that either.

And as Bob mentioned, I can always make the decision to replace the overhead door in the future with something custom built and resell the door. It's good to have options.

[Doug Filo]

Jim im the post frame business I would either use perma columns or a product called post protector. I would also use laminated columns for my post. Also consider putting in 4" pvc pipe on your slab going through your floor around your building so you can get wires in and out of the building you can put a cap on ones you're not using.

[Jim Becker]

Doug, I am using laminated posts. Not using Perma Column, but doing protection. I have to balance cost vs benefit. (to me) The posts already have a lifetime warranty (and that's certainly longer than "my" lifetime", but a little extra protection is indicated because of moisture. I will likely put in some PCV prior to the pour for certain electrical needs for sure.

[Tom M King]

Any time I build any kind of shop building, there are large doors on opposite ends. When cleaning day comes, and the wind is blowing the right direction, air compressor and leaf blowers do the last bit of cleaning, with help from the wind to carry it away.