The awesome Pole barn/home shop thread

[Mojoe]

I'm hoping this can be a thread to exchange idea's, pictures, details, and deals for the most functional and cool pole barn or home shop. I'm talking about a man cave building that is for you and your motor sports fun, car, bike, truck or off road toys. A shop that is fun to just be in, and maybe have a few friends over to work on the toys or hang out. I'm not so much looking toward a home business theme.

 

I would a assume a lift would be in the mix. I know there was a thread recently about someone asking for input on a couple they had seen online. What names to stay away from and why to do so would be nice to know.

 

Power:

How much would you run in there. Who would you go to to have the electric work done and why. Assume there would be an air compressor. Deals on air compressors you have seen and maybe ones to stay away from.

 

Internt, TV and heat would all need to be in the building too.

 

So share your thoughts and experiances here please. We all love pics. So show or find what you can.

 

Thanks

[stangsn95gt]

When I eventually build one it will be 50/50 car tools and gun smithing tools with hopefully a loft for more of a hangout space and kegerator with a nice IPA in it.

[Mojoe]

I like the gun smithing/reloading being done out there. I thought about incorperating that and a work bench, but I think that will come naturally as the work space and tools will be there.

 

I like the loft idea. I was looking at some pics, and just to have the extra space looks appealing.

 

Kyle, what we talked about a couple weeks ago is moving forward, so I will be hitting you up to bounce some things off you, if you are cool with that.

[stangsn95gt]

I like the gun smithing/reloading being done out there. I thought about incorperating that and a work bench, but I think that will come naturally as the work space and tools will be there.

 

I like the loft idea. I was looking at some pics, and just to have the extra space looks appealing.

 

Kyle, what we talked about a couple weeks ago is moving forward, so I will be hitting you up to bounce some things off you, if you are cool with that.

 

Sounds good

[ross]

My parents shop was built by Mark Strait of Straitline Structures. It's an all steel 60x100 20' at the eves with 3 18' tall overhead doors and 2 walk in doors. 80' radiant heater running down the middle of the shop.

As far as electric, there is a 4 outlet box for 110 every 20 feet. There are 4 220 boxes in the middle of the walls. My welder extension cord is 50 feet so I can reach any spot in the shop. There is a room built with heat inside that has a few arcade games, fridge/freezer, stereo, pool table, and my reloading bench. Over that room is a loft for storage and random junk.

 

Things you may want to consider:

-Decide what size you like, then go with the next size bigger. My parents had another pole barn built within 5 years.

-Have drains placed just inside every overhead door and have the concrete sloped more than standard sloping.

-Skylights

[Mojoe]

That's a whole lot of shop. Sounds pretty nice. Thanks Ross.

[Sully]

I have thought a lot about what I want in a detached garage when I build one. I'm thinking 2 overhead doors. One side will have a lift. I'd like to have the ability to wash cars in the other side by closing it off when needed. Heated for winter. Large exhaust fan in the roof for summer. Loft with tv, internet, futon, kegerator.

[Skinner]

growing up we had a 30' x 60' building that was split in half with living quarters on one side and a shop on the other. the finished side was 2 bedroom 1 bath good sized Kitchen and large opened area living space.

[stangsn95gt]

Another thing I'd do is a wood burning stove

[John Bruh]

Garage journal /thread

[Mojoe]

Garage journal /thread

 

It's like Pintrest, and not the times I seem to like.

[SPL_Josh]

We had a 60'x60' Morton barn growing up, I would build similar dimensions.

1/3 of the space would be machining, welding area, tools (concrete)

1/3 of the space would be motorcycle/ truck area

1/3 would be sectioned off and heated. Would be the "man cave" tv, interwebs, and such

[Bam]

I approve this thread. I look forward to the day I've got the time and space to build one for myself.

[kirks5oh]

here are some pics of my detached shop/garage. the shop is roughly 40' X 60' with a 12' X 12' compressor room in the back where i store yard equipment and spare parts, and an 8' X 8' office up front with internet/phone connections. the first couple shots are from right when i moved in. the previous owner built the shop a couple years prior to me moving into the house. the electrical is a 200amp box that actually is hooked up to a separate account for some reason (i get two electric bills)--the previous owner used the shop for his side business. there are plenty of standard outlets every 4 feet and at least four 220 outlets in the main building and one in the compressor room. heat is taken care of by a large modine unit--the shop is kept at 55 degrees. its not warm enough here in the summer to justify a/c. there's a large ceiling fan and plenty of lights everywhere. i have an 80 gallon kobalt compressor in the back room and the whole shop is plumbed for compressed air---two overhead air reels, the lift has air running to it, and several air hoses 'hard-piped' to my work benches.

 

the lift is a standard bendpak unit--love it. the ceiling by the back area is 12', the ceiling in the middle peak is 20'. the floor is coated with thick 'factory-type' epoxy that is guaranteed for 10 years. the garage door is 12' X 12'. i'm not sure i'd change much with this shop if i could do it all over again. i could probably squeeze 7 cars in there if i used the lift. the only thing my shop doesn't have (yet) is running water--i have well water and the previous owner was too cheap to run it up there. i will be fixing that this summer, as well as adding a urinal.

 

 

 

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9767/dsc00922gf.jpg

 

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/796/dsc00932hr.jpg

 

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4223/dsc00907jf.jpg

 

http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv265/kirks5oh/DSC00610.jpg

 

http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv265/kirks5oh/DSC00601.jpg

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6039/dsc01159o.jpg

 

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4963/dsc01297.jpg

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img339/1970/dsc00565lv.jpg

[Geeesammy]

Morton is the cat's ass.

When I get out of school and build mine a loft is a must have. A good family friend had a nice setup, the loft he had he used for storage although he could have used it for anything really, had a bathroom in there as well (so you can have peace and quiet for the daily shit, I mean, who doesn't want that?), a small office area, and storage for two cars. He didn't wrench, but he had plenty of room for at least 2 lifts.

[Geeesammy]

here are some pics of my detached shop/garage. the shop is roughly 40' X 60' with a 12' X 12' compressor room in the back where i store yard equipment and spare parts, and an 8' X 8' office up front with internet/phone connections. the first couple shots are from right when i moved in. the previous owner built the shop a couple years prior to me moving into the house. the electrical is a 200amp box that actually is hooked up to a separate account for some reason (i get two electric bills)--the previous owner used the shop for his side business. there are plenty of standard outlets every 4 feet and at least four 220 outlets in the main building and one in the compressor room. heat is taken care of by a large modine unit--the shop is kept at 55 degrees. its not warm enough here in the summer to justify a/c. there's a large ceiling fan and plenty of lights everywhere. i have an 80 gallon kobalt compressor in the back room and the whole shop is plumbed for compressed air---two overhead air reels, the lift has air running to it, and several air hoses 'hard-piped' to my work benches.

 

the lift is a standard bendpak unit--love it. the ceiling by the back area is 12', the ceiling in the middle peak is 20'. the floor is coated with thick 'factory-type' epoxy that is guaranteed for 10 years. the garage door is 12' X 12'. i'm not sure i'd change much with this shop if i could do it all over again. i could probably squeeze 7 cars in there if i used the lift. the only thing my shop doesn't have (yet) is running water--i have well water and the previous owner was too cheap to run it up there. i will be fixing that this summer, as well as adding a urinal.

 

The interior of your garage is a lot larger than I would have assumed from the outside, especially being given the info on the rooms inside. If I was ever in a scenario where I was limited on space I would consider an almost identical design to this. Impressive you can fit what you can in there, and im definitely jealous of the heater as well :nod:

[10phone2]

kirk how is your garage floor coating holding up? I'm still undecided if I will go with tile or a grey coating similar to yours once it warms up. My big concern is if I drag something across the coated floor that it will break through and start peeling later.

[kirks5oh]

kirk how is your garage floor coating holding up? I'm still undecided if I will go with tile or a grey coating similar to yours once it warms up. My big concern is if I drag something across the coated floor that it will break through and start peeling later.

 

i've had no issues with peeling of the floor and its over two years old. i've dragged things across it and they've scratched the floor but not too bad. i ran a floor polisher over the floor last summer and it fixed everything. the coating is much thicker than a standard epoxy that you would get from lowes though

[Crossle]

I would want to be able to pull a truck and maximum 20' car trailer inside with how much we used to rescue/buy blown cars and rebuild them. Ideal space would have doors at both ends to pull straight through, plus have room to move cars around the tow rig.

[10phone2]

i've had no issues with peeling of the floor and its over two years old. i've dragged things across it and they've scratched the floor but not too bad. i ran a floor polisher over the floor last summer and it fixed everything. the coating is much thicker than a standard epoxy that you would get from lowes though

 

 

what coating did you end up going with?

[RS69]

You need to check out the garage journal board. I have a 36x56 workshop. I built it 15 years ago as a shop. I have a 2 post lift, concrete floor with 200 Amp service and water. I have my walls insulated with 6inches of fiberglass and a oil based furnace. I have a second floor in my shop for storage of rims, parts/etc. I don't have any pictures presently on my iPad. My shop kinds looks like Kirk's above from the inside. The exterior is a sheet metal without any windows. The Amish built the shell and I did all of the electric, concrete, insulation work. I also built the second floor and ran the water.

[mrs.cos]

Whenever we finally decide to redo the garage/back patio area at our house.. this will be in our garage in some shape or form.

 

http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/originals/79/ac/72/79ac7273918df2c873be7bea4327c45d.jpg

[XChris1632X]

Here is mine. This was when I was still in the process of moving our business out of it and moving my personal stuff in. It is getting a lift next month and insulation later this year. There are 3 different sections that were all built at different times.

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0499.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0498.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0501.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0511.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0512.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0503.jpg

 

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/XChris1632X/IMAG0502.jpg

 

Doesn't really do justice for its size but you get the hint. Heated office and bathroom with hot water as well.

[smokin5s]

I'll try to get some pics of mine in the next day or so, but it's 30x40 with a 20x40 lean too on the side of it (so the entire building is 50x40). It's insulated has internet and cable. I will probably run water out there in the next year or so. It's heated by a forced air wood burner. Ceilings are 16 foot high so I have plenty of room for a lift, my wallet just hasn't allowed it yet. The one thing that I would do if I had to do over.... not make it so damn far from the house... cold nights light this, I don't want to walk out in the cold to get back to it, so the past probably 2 weeks, I haven't set foot in it.

 

oh and to answer the question about how much power, I ran a 4 ot cable out there with 200 AMP service to it. The reason for that is that I wanted to make sure that I could do absolutely anything that I wanted back there power wise and never have to worry about it. I have power every 6 feet in the building except on the work benches where I have long power bars.