Metal Garage Kits: Have you built one?

[Larry Callahan]

Metal Garage Kits: Have you built one?

What would you do differently?



We will be building a garage type storage unit in the back yard. It needs to look like the house in roof style and color. It needs to be large enough to hold two cars and additional space for things like yard equipment, car parts and the normal garage junk.



Due to the space that it must be built it needs to be narrow and deep. Something like 20” wide by 30” deep. We will do a concrete slab under it but not one thick enough for a lift. The ceiling height also needs to be kept as low as reasonably possible.


It will just be for storage. There will not be any electricity or water or insulation. I will put a solar powered battery operated garage door opener on it. I intend to use the two parking spots on a near daily basis eventually. Cost and visibility are the big driving factors in it being short, without power and water or having a thick slab.



It won’t be used to work on cars or to spend much time in it. We have a typical 2 car garage and that’s where all the work will be done on the cars. This new shed is just a place to keep them and stuff when not being used or worked on.


Who makes a good kit? What would you do differently? What should we avoid?



Thanks everyone!

195170

[79 Camaro]

On my first shop it was kind of like what you show. If you can go 40 feet deep. Take every inch you can get per your local codes. Depending on your location windows? Maybe a sky light? I would raise it up a bit to make sure water can't run in between the walls and concrete.
Set it up so you can make future improvements. Local codes change like the wind.
Good luck.

- - - Updated - - -

On my first shop it was kind of like what you show. If you can go 40 feet deep. Take every inch you can get per your local codes. Depending on your location windows? Maybe a sky light? I would raise it up a bit to make sure water can't run in between the walls and concrete.
Set it up so you can make future improvements. Local codes change like the wind.
Good luck.

[JOSHL8484]

I have one that I built a couple of years ago. I actually use it as my primary shop. I live in Oklahoma so it gets pretty hot and cold. Here is what I did, I built an 18 inch concrete stem wall to sit the building on. Then when the building was finished I took body shop structural adhesive and went to every corner/joint and glued it up. Once that dried, then I spray foamed it. Then I installed 3/4 plywood around the bottom 8 feet all the way around the building. Now it is as strong as can be. I absolutely love it. I have 3 mini split air conditioners that keep it at 70 all year around. PM me if interested and I'll send some pics. Sorry I haven't posted enough to post pictures yet.

[Vimes]

Expect 2 cars to need the entire 20ft of width. A Chevy Suburban is about 19ft long, and is about as long a vehicle as you can ever expect to store (unless you're into fire trucks :razz:) so you could put a wall up 20 feet in to separate your cars from your stuff if you wanted. You'll also want 8ft of height to the lowest point of the roof.

I'd also suggest a door on one side towards the back of the building. This way you don't have to move the cars to get stuff out from behind them, and won't have a problem storing and using your lawn equipment. I don't know if you do a push mower or a rider, but a rider is going to need a 4ft-6ft depending on how big your mower is.

[Larry Callahan]

I'd also suggest a door on one side towards the back of the building. This way you don't have to move the cars to get stuff out from behind them, and won't have a problem storing and using your lawn equipment. I don't know if you do a push mower or a rider, but a rider is going to need a 4ft-6ft depending on how big your mower is.

Oh!!! Great idea. I was going to put a door on the side but up near the big door. If I had two cars right inside I would have a hard time getting stuff in and out. Better not forget that one. LOL!

[itguy]

These are popular in my area, South Carolina. Seen a few that use spray foam and it stays pretty nice year round.

[Steve68]

You will want heat and A/C, I live in Florida, so basically its a oven, I paid all my money out to the county, every time I took a breath is was $100, I have no heat and no A/C, No Exhaust fan, no ceiling fans,

I would like to spray foam the roof and the walls with foam or a good "R" rating insulation, I looked at the Tiger Foam but now I hear stories about foam holding water and rust, Living in the land of humidity, that's not a good thing, mines 40x40, 20' roof height with 2 12' doors across from each other, a 10' door to the left of the other doors, 1 personal door, holds 6 cars and I have a loft, really wish I could have done some insulation, guy was giving me a deal, his deal was 1/2 the cost of the building! no deal,

Share the insulations ideas when you get some,

Its hot in the OVEN!!!

[Vimes]

Fiberglass is still an option.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2022/05/TypesofMetalBuildingInsulation768x534-1.jpg

My shop's metal roof is insulated with fiberglass like this. Combined with half burying the walls, it stays fairly comfortable inside under the hot Oklahoma sun, even without air conditioning. In the summer the walls radiate cool as they are anywhere from 2ft to 10ft underground.