Neew shop

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Last summer I started a 24x40 pole barn that will be my home office and a 3 bay garage with plenty of storage and some additional "outdoor living" space.

There is a power line easement and a large tree that constrained the size and placement of the structure, so I was originally plannig a 24x24.

In the search for low price options to get "in the dry" I found a roof system for a used 40x60 chicken house.

I decided to put the trusses on 2 foot centers and shorten the building from 60' to just 24' and use the rest of the roofing tin for the walls. It worked out pretty close... I cut my last piece of tin the other day.

Here are photos of the project.

I will try to keep them in order so it is easier to discuss if you are thinking of building a shop.




Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Posts are about 6 foot apart. The front of the building is 40 foot wide and the sides are 24 foot deep.

Had to get help from my neighbors and rent a bucket lift to set the roof trusses.

The skechiest part of this project was setting the first truss. The scissor type trusses have a really high center of gravity and the first one has absolutely nothing to hold it up. I used some 2x4's together to make a long pole to hold it, and added a couple of 2x8's on either side as counterweight like a sailboats keel to help it stay upright when we let go.

Hardhat stuff.







Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Thanks !
I added a radiant heat barrier made by AtticFoil.com on the roof and sides of the building (the aluminum looking material).

This stuff is ideal for preventing the "toaster oven" effect that is common with metal buildings in a sunny and hot climate. The barrier needs an air space to work, so I put it under the purlins so there is 1.5" of air space for convective ventilation.






Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Keep in mind this is a replay of the project I started last June, so its not real time. This will show 10 months of progress.

I borrowed the metal scaffolds to do the front because I did not have any posts to hang my home made scaffolds to.

For the wood scaffolding, I bought some fresh 2x6x8s to support the weight of the scaffold system every 6 foot and got (6) pieces of 3/4 plywood so I had 4'x48' of walkway that I could use as needed. I used some of the 2x4x12 purlins as joists for the scaffolds ~14-15" oc.

Very stable. I moved them to the rear to finish that gable and felt comfortable even when working on the 10' ladder at the peak.


Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Thanks.

Its not my first rodeo !

I have built a few times before - I built a couple of my own homes in NY state, was Project Manager (GC) for a couple of modular builds and have done some renovation projects in NY, TX and AL as well.

I do as much of the work as I can based on the local regulations or the need for specialized tools. Sweat equity they call it.

On this barn, I hired out the concrete pour/finishing and electrical panel/fixtures.

I just had the electrician crew over last week and am now on the list for the utility company to hook up to the pole once the inspector has approved.



Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
I got a deal on some used barn door hardware, they call it the Cannonball trolley system. There are 2 trolleys for each door and the track runs the full width of the building (40 foot).

Also got a deal on a bunch of double pane windows that had been taken out of the frames.



I laid out the barn doors with 3 windows each that are 7 foot above grade to be a bit more secure.


The barn doors are 10 foot wide by 11 foot tall. They have 2" polyiso insulation and a rough barnwood style masonite siding.



There is a 10' x 12' rollup door on the right bay and a 3' steel entrance door on the left.


Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Interior work. Framed in the office and bathroom and put a standard 8' cieling to make room for a storage loft above this space.

Made a work bench along the back wall and some shelves on the opposite side so I can start moving tools and stuff in. The work bench is 2 foot x 16 foot.The shelf is 16" x 8 foot. Planning another 12 foot of shelves along that wall.



Got exterior entrance doors for front and rear. This is the flashing on the rear door.



Pics of 8 foot shelf and 16 foot work bench.

Its a mess already !
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Made some latches for the sliding barn doors. All parts from TSC. Total was about 40 bucks and that includes 18 foot of unused high tensile chain that will come in handy around the shop.

I had to cut a slot in the gate hinge piece so the chain link will fit inside. Also cut the chain into 4 pcs with 3 links each. Everything else works as assembled.



oops, yah, I made two shopping trips on this afternoon project. Had to get a box of 1-1/4 Tapcons from HD, so that was another 7 bucks.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Plumbing and sheetrock. I borrowed a PEX flare tool and that made it possible to save some bucks on labor.


Getting close to having a bathroom with custom tile shower, and an office with kitchenette in the shop.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Thanks @landuse. Your comment brought up a memory of the first build activity in the shop during the dirt floor days in Dec/Jan.

>> http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?p=539289

No progress on the "Spare Parts Kart" since I started on concrete for the shop floor (you can see the plumbing drains going in the dirt in the background of the go kart build shots), but theres been constant progress on the shop ever since, including a few automotive repairs and a good start on couple of build-off projects.



Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
 

gegcorp2012

Active member
Messages
491
Reaction score
62
Location
Alabama
Shop update for winter time. We had a couple of nights in the high 20's in December, but no extended stretch of really cold weather down here.

It is cold enough to get me thinking about how to stay warm in the shop without heating the entire space, so naturally, I'm working on radiant heat.

Many folks associate radiant heat with PEX pipes embedded in the slab and if I was in a "cold 51% of the time" type of climate, I would have put the pipe in the slab.

I am planning to use radiant heat from propane gas. Rather than buy the two big 30,000 BTU units new or used, I just pulled this patio heater in from the yard for now.

We got it years ago for patio use, but it blew over and the umbrella got bent and that happened a couple more times and when I tried lighting it, it would not burn.

20210108_210908.jpg
Tonight I decided to invest a couple of hours getting it going, and I'm really glad I did.

I had to flatten out the metal reflector and take the burner all apart to get the spider webs and dirt nests out of it, then re-assembled it.
20210108_225120.jpg
This heater rains down heat from 7 foot above the slab in a 6-8' diameter circle, and can be moved around.

I have not moved since I fired it up !.
Feels I'm standing in the sun on a warm sunny day.

Propane is the new liquid sunshine !

20210108_224927.jpg
I'm planning to complete the pegboard and shelves in the work bench area and do some more New Years resolution organization on Saturday.

The layout will change slightly from what I tacked up last week... The pegboard and shelves are from a box store that went out of business.

20210108_225217.jpg
I completed the sheetrock inside the office area and have been moving into that space, organizing as I go.

1/3 of the shop floor is tied up with my Wife's Freestyle wagon up on jack stands (the front suspension dropped) since July... its awaiting transmission replacement.
 
Last edited:

rockman96

Member
Messages
115
Reaction score
14
Location
SC
Nice shop!
I have as much (or more) issue with heat and humidity and I do the cold. In 2015 I built a 18'x32' concrete and block shop... No ceiling (exposed trusses) but I used radiant barrier and solar board for the sheeting. I ended up with a mini split system, and I love it. Keeps the shop very comfortable, although I'm sure the block structure helps maintain the comfort level too. Congrats!
 
Top