[poncho62]

I don't know about the stability of adding 2 or 4 ft section to your walls, but I think in the long run, you would be further ahead to knock her down and start from the slab. You could even do it 1/2 at a time. Store your stuff in one half, knock down the other half. You could still run the roof the same way. The house I have just moved into has the garage doors in the side walls..........You need a good solid header.

[AntnyL]

Originally Posted by F&J

Lets say I do exactly that on the front 1/3 of the building to make a nice work area....What is the "correct" way to make the side walls taller? Do you just add a 2-4 foot wall section with a bottom plate and double top plate and nail it to the existing wall top plate? I've never done one. What would keep those extensions stable?? Will it work & pass code? What I mean is that it is sort of like "platform" framing for a 2 story home, but that second wall is always built on top of the second floor deck....not just added to a wall.

By the way, the existing roof is corrugated metal, no eaves, no soffits, and most likely can come apart real fast. There is a full ceiling so I can't see what the roof framing is built like, but that's not an issue if I go with trusses.

I am familiar with straight foward, building, remodeling & demo, as I nearly tore my former house down to the sills. Back then the town let me do the plans and passed all my work that I did. Not the case in this town or date.

Stability comes from the sheathing; overlap the existing wall framing and the new wall framing with the new plywood sheathing (I recommend using CDX plywood for this application). This ties the 2 wall systems together. You can also add diagonal bracing within the new gable end walls to add stability, by "letting in" a diagonal 2x4 at each corner to midspan. This will prevent racking. The framing of this dormer would be no different than any other platform-framed structure. Instead of building off a deck, you're building off walls. No different when you really think about it.

Antny

[dinger]

Originally Posted by AntnyL

Stability comes from the sheathing; overlap the existing wall framing and the new wall framing with the new plywood sheathing (I recommend using CDX plywood for this application). This ties the 2 wall systems together. You can also add diagonal bracing within the new gable end walls to add stability, by "letting in" a diagonal 2x4 at each corner to midspan. This will prevent racking. The framing of this dormer would be no different than any other platform-framed structure. Instead of building off a deck, you're building off walls. No different when you really think about it.

Antny

add the rafters to tie the walls together, shouild be no problems with stablity.

[F&J]

Well, the seller accepted my offer and signed the contract yesterday...so if the place passes the bank's appraisal & inspection, and if all else works out, I should be in before the holidays.

When & if I get it, I'll get in the attic to take a pic of the roof structure. Thanks for the suggestions.

Most likely the ground will be frozen by then so I won't be able to redo the grades on the long sides of the shop.

[F&J]

This building will always be an ongoing challenge. I am starting today on putting a 7x9 rollup door on the far gable end. I need a "long bay" to get my recently repurchased Diamond T truck indoors. It is 1 foot too long to go in from a side door.

My son started last evening by ripping roots with his 49 Minneapolis Moline industrial tractor....until it ran out of gas It has forks on it, and he will switch to his bucket to move the dirt. We needed a decent road to get back there.




Working with old stuff always causes more work. These old tractors steered stiff even with an empty bucket. We adapted a mid 70s Chevy 4X4 power steering box on it and it now steers like a car. It took "a few hours" to find the exact spot to put it due to it ending up with 1/8" clearance in many areas. The fluid lines were a challenge Crummy pic, but if you follow the lines you can maybe see the top of the GM box & rag joint. The GM & Moline steering arms were grafted together and it points straight up.

[59 wagon man]

a set of go-jacks or car dollies will make storing cars in there much easier. i can move my 59 chevy wagon alone when it's on the jacks. almost spin it in a 360 degree circle

[PapaG]

Some real old mechanic shops used wood floors. I have seen several. Early 1900s they worked on model a's, model t's and other stuff. I guess they were built before concrete was readily available. Just don't spill a lot of oil The wood floor will be warmer than the concrete floor, and easier on the feet and legs. One shop is now a restaurant.

Later you could remove the wood floor. The concrete floor might not be thick enough for some work.

[dave1939]

hi,on your centre posts problem,you could put in a steel i-beam to eliminate some of them.you would have to figure out the size you needed.i had a centre post in my garage when i bought the place i supported the ceiling with 2x6 in a few spots,cut a hole in one end wall and took out the post and timbers.my friend ray helped me put in a 6"ibeam 30' long.my garage is only 24' long so i have 6' outside for loading and unloading.opened the place right up without that centre post.my garage isn't as big as yours will be but maybe this will help.