I want to build a 24×24 garage with a workshop above, but I don’t want any posts in garage area. Any suggestions on an affordable design?
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You've got to add up the load
then size either steel beams, the new LT Wt Steel Beams (I'll try to provide a link when I find it), I-Joists, or attic trusses.
All of these methods will give you an option or two. The span should be no problem for storage, however, what you put on that upper floor will make a difference.
So will your access stair (assuming a real stair rather than a hacked together one or pull down. You will be eliminating a joist somewhere in the mix.
Side walls ? What usuable space are you needing up in the second floor?
edit: http://www.litesteelbeam.com/
Garage Plan
If you go on the net and do a search you will come up with many sites that sell garage plans.
Yeah ... use trusses. Inexpensive and just what you need. Maybe cheaper than stick frame, posts, footings, etc. Is that a problem?
If I use a steel I-beam to span the 24', with 2x6 walls, can I just rest the I-beam on a 6x6 post under the beam at each end , with a 2x6 on each side to capture it?
24x24 garage
If I use a steel beam to span the 24', what would be your selection on floor joists and spacing; assuming that labor is not a factor; 12" 16" or 24" and 2x8, 2x10, or 2x12. I am looking for a stiff floor that will accomodate living quarters, or a shop with stationary power tools, or a party room with pool tables and room for a bunch of folks. Thx.
I'm not an engineer and can not help you figure your load, the size of the steel beam nor would I advise on the size and centers of joists w/o knowing the load per sq. ft that you anticipate.
Living qtrs might be less load (esp. in that it's spread out rather than on 4 legs or a base)
Pool TABLES? that's a bar.
Bunch of folks.
I'm a dumb carpenter, I take prints that have been engineered and follow the specs. Sorry, no big help from me other than yes you can clear span that area in several different ways.
Be careful with living space-bunch of folks. You've got egress issues, fire separation and knee wall ceiling ht. to think about (among others).
Best of luck.
and, I replied but don't know if you replied to me in the first place. Hit the REPLY below the post you are responding to and maybe, just maybe that person that you are replying to might get a notification and know you are responding.
As others have said, use attic trusses.
Here's a 24'X25' garage with a shop above I build last year with no posts below and no steel.
Garage1 shows the front to back attic trusses installed with a girder/attic truss (2 ply) on each side of what will be a dormer.
Garage 2 shows the same thing viewed from the other way.
Between and perpendicular to the two girder trusses where installed smaller trusses at the ceiling level. At the floor level I used 2X10's (same depth as the bottom chord of the attic truss) perpendicular to the girder trusses. This can be seen in Garage2 photo but with the subflooring on the 2X10's. On one side the attic truss is 36" from the wall to allow a stair to come up and the roof over the stair is built with short 2X6's (on the left in the Garage1 photo, on the right on the Garage2 photo).
Garage 3 shows the finished product.
Works great. Nice shop area above. No problems with 36" of show on the roof during the east coasts storms last winter. Of course the trusses are fully engineered by the truss manufacturer and with an engineers stamp.
Hope this helps.
Doug
24x24 garage
Thx for the advice. It looks like trusses would be a smart way to go. Would putting a single 10' wide garage door at one side of the gable end, with a single 3' entry door somewhere along the remaining 14', and still keeping the dormer; sound possible?
Sure. I think that would work. You just have to remember to locate the stair so it comes up upstairs somewhere near the center of the gable end (headroom considerations here). If the center is 12' from the wall, you shouldn't have headroom problems bumping into the shop floor where the stair starts below.
Doug
garage
16 inch I-joists on 16 inch centers.sidewalls? if not, 12/12 roof right on deck..use 2x12's for your rafters and collar ties at about 8 foot off the deck(that puts them in the right place as far as being on the upper third of the rafter) I have built this design almost to the t a few times and it works out nice..
Ah, a workshop. Could mean you will need a floor capable of supporting some weight. What type of equipment will the floor system be supporting?
Anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence
I did this in a house on Maryland and because of wanting to match existing floor heights (and a 5" stepdown to the garage) I ended up with a 8"x34# steel beam spanning 25'. The engineer said that was plenty for the load of a rec room above but the floor was a little springy.
If you can deal with the height, go with the trusses.
24x24 garage
Trying to support enough weight to qualify as a living space. I need as much space as possible, with as much headroom as possible. I priced a W8x58# out at around $1000. Nobody seems to like this idea. I plan on supplying the labor. Thx for the help
The engineer told me you get a lot more strength by going with a deeper beam. I wish I had done 10" or even 12" in retrospect.
I would have still had plenty of height in the garage because of the step down. The door was only 7 feet high so vehicle clearance is not really an issue.
24x24 garage
How did you support the beam? It still seems as though a steel beam would give me the most living space; compared to I-joists or trusses. A 10"or 12" high beam would work for me as a W12x40# is about $300 cheaper.
This was masonry walls so the beam was in a pocket in the block wall, 3 courses of brick inder the beam and steel bearing plates to shim it up flush
You saw my garage. Loads qualify for living space (even though mine's a shop) with no deflection that I can see. Garage is drywalled and the shop is drywalled and no cracking whatsoever.
BTW, your SOP of always replying to yourself is a little confusing since I (myself anyway) have to speculate who you're replying to. If you would reply to an individual poster it would be much better....well at least for me....but then again I'm "crazy" at least according to some inspectors.
Doug
24x24 garage
Thx for all the advice and the instructions for the correct way to respond. In your 24'x25' garage, how much usable,space do you actually have? I really like your garage and it seems as though if I can get enough living space with trusses; it may be the way to go.