Hello All. My first time posting here so I will just jump in. I am building a 3 stall garage with a small apartment upstairs and can’t decide where to put the stairs! I’ve never dealt with stairs before and didn’t realize how much room they take up or how difficult placement can be. Any suggestions? The garage is 28ft by 40ft with hydronic heat equipment located at the front of the middle bay. I want to put counters at the front of the other two bays which leaves the two side walls and the problem with opening car doors. The up stairs apartment will only be used part time for guests. One bay up stairs will be used for storage so will want to keep the stairs on the inside of the building for ease of access to the storage area. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Q
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I assume by 'front' you mean the wall opposite the doors?
My first inclination would be a stair with a 90 degree turn and a landing, starting on the side wall and turning into the front wall. That way it doesn't take up a large fraction of any one wall. The heating gear might fit very neatly under the upper half on the front wall. Two disadvantages; it's more complicated to frame and it's harder humping stuff up and down the stairs.
You need a fire-rated door at the top of the stairs
(or at the bottom and enclose the whole stair in
double sheetrock). 10 foot ceiling? Looking at
13 feet by 3 feet including the landing at the top.
Maybe a 6 by 8 footprint if you have a second landing.
If this is living space, I think you might not be allowed
to have the only entrance from inside the garage.
Easier to have just a fire-rated ceiling and put ####stair on the outside. Maybe a small deck. Could also
enclose the stair and have the garage entry adjacent,
so long as the stair itself is not inside the garage.
CQNOYES-
I'd be with building the stair(well) on the exterior. You're right, stairs eat up a lot of space.
Ken Hill
Edited 6/13/2002 9:38:40 PM ET by Ken Hill
Are you a repair shop with apts above?????? None the less....consider adding an enclosed stairewel on the side or back with the staircase. sounds like the area is huge so whats another twenty square feet around back and not have to mess around with your inner area?
Be well
Namaste'
andy
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