Most efficient size for garage or shed

55 50 Ron · Jul 18, 2016

Is there such a thing as a "most efficient size" for a garage or any other building. Things like useage of existing lumber or other building material sizes, vehicle sizes to be kept there, concrete or gravel floor, etc.

Maybe a stupid question, but as "they say" ______________________.

RayP(MI) · Jul 18, 2016

Mo matter how big you make it it will turn out to be too small.

rustyfarmall · Jul 18, 2016

The most efficient size is always 20 feet wider and 30 feet longer.

cuby · Jul 18, 2016

I put up a 30X30x10high stick built building for my 2 car garage. Plenty of room. Cemeted the floor w/cemented 10 ft proach. Has 18ftx8ft overhaed elerctric door.

oc-18guy · Jul 18, 2016

The absolute biggest you can afford!

4020_guy · Jul 18, 2016

Make the dimensions devisable by 4, preferably by 8.....Ron

old-9 · Jul 18, 2016

Do you mean according to common lumber, and common framing sizes? Like 16 and 24 inch on center?

Geo-TH,In · Jul 18, 2016

I think a square gives you maximum square footage and minimum wall materials. Do the math and post back.

pete black · Jul 18, 2016

30+ years ago I mentioned to an older co-worker I was planning to build a 24x24 garage; his reply-double it. How true.

Adirondack case guy · Jul 18, 2016

Steel is 3ft. on center so make every dimention on the outside of the building divisable by not only 4, but 3' also. Example 72' x 48' or 24'x36'
Loren

PDRuff · Jul 18, 2016

always bigger or add loft for storage, I did that, I made mine 4' taller that gave me 4' tall along wall but 7' in center under rafters, 11' at roof peak between trusses, can store a lot of parts up there, use forklift mast as elevator. be creative

RGMartin · Jul 18, 2016

Trusses seem to get exponentially more expensive once you get past 30'.

MarkB_MI · Jul 18, 2016

If you want to get the maximum square footage with the minimum materials, a square building will give you that--in theory.

In practice, you'll find that wall space is more valuable than floor space. Walls are where you'll put your storage shelves, workbenches, stationary power tools and, of course, doors and windows. For that reason, if the lot size is not a limitation you'll want a rectangular building.

24 foot roof trusses are the smallest you should consider. That gives you room on the end to put a 16 foot wide overhead door plus an entry door. But once you put in workbenches and shelving, you'll find it's pretty tight. For that reason I'd go up to at least 30 foot trusses. 30 foot trusses can be raised without a crane, an important consideration if you're doing the job yourself. Go much wider and the trusses will get too big and heavy to handle by hand.

Once you've decided on the width of the building, you can go as long as you like (typically in 8 foot increments). It's not that much money to make a building longer.

The height depends on what sort equipment you need to get in, and whether or not you'll ever have a hoist. Don't forget that you need a couple of feet of headroom above an overhead door, so add two feet to the height of your overhead door to get your minimum sidewall height. Shorter buildings are easier to build and heat, but once you put up the building you can't make it taller.

RayP(MI) · Jul 18, 2016

Mine's 48'x96' and that is turning out to be too small.

Jaden · Jul 18, 2016

I made mine 40' deep with doors in the side, so I could put 2 vehicles in each 10' wide stall. By putting several doors in the side, I can fill it, because I don't need to leave drive space to an end door.

dpendzic · Jul 18, 2016

all the homes and barns I have designed I use a multiple of 4 ft for the sides--sheathing comes in that width and 16 inch stud spacing works out well for the 4 ft

D beatty · Jul 18, 2016

I have what they call a 40x60 quon-set building that is a clear span with no place for birds to set. Wind and snow doesn't effect it. I built mine with one end built like I wanted it and other has factory sliding doors. Here's several pictures of it and its something to consider.

Russ from MN · Jul 18, 2016

The bigger you go the cheaper it is per square ft. up to a certain point. Someone stated that trusses get much more expensive after 30 ft, so I would go 30x as long as you need, plus a little! Sheds are never big enough!

IA Roy · Jul 18, 2016

My son helped me build my 30 x 40 with 10' sidewalls, studs 16" OC and vinyl siding. I have a 9' high x 18' wide overhead door on the south end with a 36" walk in and a 8' high x 9' wide on the north end of the east side. He commented on how little waste material there was. He had been building mini McMansions and with all the funny roof lookouts and the walls diving in and out, there was a lot of waste.

Craig45 · Jul 19, 2016

My building is 40x60. Build as many shelves as you can on the walls. Got to keep the stuff up off the floor.

Blackhole49 · Jul 19, 2016

As big as you can afford, then double it.

rustyfarmall · Jul 19, 2016

My building was originally going to be 36'x40'x10'. 36' was the maximum width because of where it had to fit, but then I realized 40' in length was going to be too short so I changed it to 60'. That extra 20' was the cheapest part of the building.

Tx.Ricefields · Jul 19, 2016

Have you ever heard someone say.....I wish I had built it smaller.

Destroked 450 · Jul 19, 2016

I built a 28Dx72Lx12H tool shed (should have built it 30x72x14), then closed in a 24x28 work shop. Going to add a 10x32 storage room on the back side soon.
For years I wanted a large work shop but realized that most of my friends and family's shops are full of stuff with no room to work, their large size also makes it costly to heat or cool so I decided on a tool shed for storage with a smaller work shop that's easier to keep clean and cheaper to heat and cool. This allows me to get more done by keeping shop temps at a comfortable level with out having unaffordable utility bills.

What ever you build plan for the future, if you plan to have a large combine or dual wheeled tractor later on build a shop that it will fit in.
No combine for me and a 100hp tractor will fit in my little shop.
Now I just need a 30x120 tool shed to put the rest of my stuff in so I can empty out the barns for more hay storage, and that's probably not big enough.

MSS3020 · Jul 19, 2016

as stated already...think of size and double it..I built a 42x63 metal shed 16 years ago.. Had plenty of room until boys started buying their cars and my Hay fields increased. So i built a 24 x 36 for extra space...then I hauled in a 12'x 40'pull around loafing shed..which the horse have part of..other side is for thier hay...now thinnking of adding a lean-to on the 24x36 shed to add additional 12' x 36 space... lol

jacksun65 · Jul 19, 2016

As big as you can afford lol it just takes longer to fill up.

1948CaseVAI · Jul 19, 2016

(quoted from post at 18:28:16 07/18/16) I think a square gives you maximum square footage and minimum wall materials. Do the math and post back.

That is correct as far as rectangles go. However for max area enclosed by a given number of linear feet of wall you would build a circle. Of course the circular structure is more complex, although the builders of the old round barns were onto something.

Destroked 450 · Jul 19, 2016

(quoted from post at 12:36:15 07/19/16)

(quoted from post at 18:28:16 07/18/16) I think a square gives you maximum square footage and minimum wall materials. Do the math and post back.

Click to expand...

That is correct as far as rectangles go. However for max area enclosed by a given number of linear feet of wall you would build a circle. Of course the circular structure is more complex, although the builders of the old round barns were onto something.

Just buy a large dia gain bin about 4 or 5 rings tall and cut out some door holes

fixerupper · Jul 19, 2016

Design a floor plan, then think about size. What are you putting in there? Cars and small tractors or big tractors and combines? if you are storing small tractors and cars, a long rectangular building with a center alleyway and side bays might work out best. How wide the center alleyway is depends on how tight you want it when you are driving vehicles into and out of bays. Side doors take up a lot of storage space in the side wall but it wouldn't hurt to add side doors. You can always leave them shut and use the end door or doors only but at least the side doors will be there for whatever. For summer ventilation one large south door and one large north door can't be beat. If you are driving large vehicles with poor visibility to the rear and sides (combines), plan on driving them or backing straight in and parking them facing the back wall. Cranking a big large vehicle around in a building is asking for something to get run into, even if someone is guiding you. $5000 to repair a kinked combine unloading auger when it is lightly backed into a wall post. Ask me how I know! Measure out what you plan to store in there, so many square feet per vehicle, then double it at least. this is for storage area only, not center alleyway or drive area. The thickness of your billfold might be the final deciding factor! This is assuming you are using it for storage only with a small area to do wrench turning.

Most efficient size for garage or shed

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