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

[Jim Becker]

I think that's a nice idea for a large shop, Tom. For something this small, it would take away from usable space, unfortunately. Most of the time, it will be conditioned space, too.

[Tom Bender]

One thing with doors and rain; rain blowing against a door will run down and pile up on the pavement and tend to run under in spite of the weatherstrip. if you can get your concrete finisher to slope the slab down a little starting a few inches inside, it will leak far less. Better is to have your doors on the lee side. A big awning is even betterer.

[Jim Becker]

One thing with doors and rain; rain blowing against a door will run down and pile up on the pavement and tend to run under in spite of the weatherstrip. if you can get your concrete finisher to slope the slab down a little starting a few inches inside, it will leak far less. Better is to have your doors on the lee side. A big awning is even betterer.

Already in the spec...'kinda normal around here. That's how my gara...err....temporary shop...door is setup.

[Tom Bender]

The slope is built in with a sloping garage floor but it takes a special effort to get that detail on a flat floor. In my experience with factory floors the finishers want to work up to a flat form. That's the easy answer for the architect too so getting it done is not easy. It was one of my failures in project management.

[Jim Becker]

No slope on my new shop floor! I had to live with that challenge for 23 years at the old shop...but a recessed door opening to let the bottom of the overhead door be an inch or so lower than the slab surface isn't difficult at all. That recess is mostly about keeping water from the outside from getting in.

[mark mcfarlane]

FWIW, I am very happy with my Liftmaster wall-mount direct-drive garage door opener. A little pricey and the initial installer didn't set it up correctly, but after an adjustment it has worked great for 4 years, is extremely quiet, and doesn't take up any ceiling space.

I still have the tracks to deal with at the ceiling, but not a bulky opener and drive train.

https://www.liftmaster.com/8500-wall...eners/p/8500MC

[Jim Becker]

Mark, I have a new Liftmaster jackshaft opener on the garage (temporary shop) now and it's a fine product. It's quiet, efficient and has a really good deadbolt lock. It's also WiFi enabled and tied into my RING alarm system dashboard. I would NEVER ever buy a "regular" opener after having worked with this great jackshaft product!

However, I honestly do not intend to put an electric opener on the big door for the new shop building as it will not be opened regularly once I'm moved in and raising an 8' door by hand is easy with a well-adjusted door. I got rid of the opener on the one garage bay at the old house and even with the old, heavy, wooden door, it was very easy to open. I can't justify the $800+ expense for an electric opener for this application, especially with the higher costs for other materials at the present time. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future. Who knows?

[Tom Bender]

Good decision on the manual door. Best to have the handles only at the bottom. It's important to build a stretching exercise into your shop.

[Alan Lightstone]

Mark, I have a new Liftmaster jackshaft opener on the garage (temporary shop) now and it's a fine product. It's quiet, efficient and has a really good deadbolt lock. It's also WiFi enabled and tied into my RING alarm system dashboard. I would NEVER ever buy a "regular" opener after having worked with this great jackshaft product!

However, I honestly do not intend to put an electric opener on the big door for the new shop building as it will not be opened regularly once I'm moved in and raising an 8' door by hand is easy with a well-adjusted door. I got rid of the opener on the one garage bay at the old house and even with the old, heavy, wooden door, it was very easy to open. I can't justify the $800+ expense for an electric opener for this application, especially with the higher costs for other materials at the present time. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future. Who knows?

+1. I had one at the old house, and it was great. Plus the battery backups in case of power outage came in handy a few times. Unfortunately the new house doesn't have one. When supply/demand changes in the future, it may be a good choice again.

[Jim Becker]

+1. I had one at the old house, and it was great. Plus the battery backups in case of power outage came in handy a few times. Unfortunately the new house doesn't have one. When supply/demand changes in the future, it may be a good choice again.

The circa 1993 (literally) Craftsman door lift in this house (one year ownership milestone this last Saturday!) died last summer. The local company I worked with recommended the jackshaft version to go with the otherwise excellent insulated 16' door already in place and I'm thankful for that. It was about $200 more, but completely eliminated all that clutter in the center of the ceiling, which in the case of my "temporary shop" left the path open for my duct work. They also thoroughly adjusted and lubricated the door and it's nearly silent when going up and down. Eye openingly silent.

[Eugene Dixon]

Planning on installing one of those on the house garage as soon as I can get the shaft above the door. Replacing a Wayne Dalton system which doesn't not work well with summer temperatures.

[Jim Becker]

Worth the investment, Eugene. I was so surprised the first time I pushed that button! The creaky old thang at the old house on the one garage door was so bad I was actually happy when it died and I could just raise and lower the door manually. LOL The old Craftsman here was probably a really good system...in 1993, but it wasn't any good in 2021. I'm thankful that the door here was already a nice jackshaft setup for the springy-thingies.

[Jim Becker]

Today's milestone was receiving the engineer-sealed plans in the mailbox...as well as a PDF version via email. This really does make it seem a lot more real now. Everything on the plans was to my specification and the only adjustments I'm making is a request to use one-piece panels on the gable ends and to lower the window between the man-door and the overhead door so it doesn't look awkward. I don't need that window to be up high in that particular place between the doors.

Exterior-Plan.jpg PostPlan.jpg

I'm hoping that my electrician can come out tomorrow or Thursday so we can finalize a plan for getting power to the building as I need that determination to submit my permit application "real soon now".

[James Cheever]

Looks great, Jim, I'm jealous of your "above ground" shop. Can't wait to see your layout.

[Adam Herman]

Today's milestone was receiving the engineer-sealed plans in the mailbox...as well as a PDF version via email. This really does make it seem a lot more real now. Everything on the plans was to my specification and the only adjustments I'm making is a request to use one-piece panels on the gable ends and to lower the window between the man-door and the overhead door so it doesn't look awkward. I don't need that window to be up high in that particular place between the doors.

I'm hoping that my electrician can come out tomorrow or Thursday so we can finalize a plan for getting power to the building as I need that determination to submit my permit application "real soon now".

Nice! I'm still waiting on permits. hopefully yours go smoothly.