Build Your Own Garage Manual E-Book

Design America Inc.

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Seitenzahl: 168

Beschreibung

Build the garage of your dreams by doing all or part of the work yourself. Planning and constructing a handsome new garage may seem like a daunting task, but you can make it a reality by following the instructions in this essential do-it-yourself guide. All of the techniques and tips you'll need are inside. Build Your Own Garage Manual graphically demonstrates the latest in garage construction techniques, and illustrates every step of the construction process in detail. Because drawing up your own plan from scratch may be challenging for the inexperienced builder, make planning and cost estimating easier by selecting from more than 175 terrific plans, prepared by garage experts. Easy-to-follow construction blueprints and materials lists are available for each project to ensure success.

Leseprobe

The cost of labor and materials is rising constantly. People are turning to do-it-yourself projects as a means of completing additions and renovations to their houses. If you are a homeowner, a garage significantly increases the value of your property. You will also appreciate the additional storage space that your new garage will provide. This book will enable you to make a new garage a reality if you follow the instructions carefully. Should you ever decide to sell your home, a carefully planned and constructed garage will add considerably to your home’s resale value.

Build Your Own Garage Manual is a unique guide that concentrates on the process of building rather than designing the garage. Certainly all of the elements of design and proper plan detailing are considered, but this is foremost a book that graphically demonstrates the latest in garage construction techniques. Each step of the construction process is illustrated in detail. Several design alternatives are presented for your consideration.

Every effort has been made at the time of publication to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. However, the reader should check for his or her own assurance and must be responsible for design, selection and use of suppliers, materials and actual construction. Happy garage building!

2-Car Garage with Loft and Dormers

2 1/2-Car Reverse Gable with Storage

2-Car Gable

3-Car Reverse Gable

Table of Contents

Build Your Own Garage?

Planning Driveway and Parking Areas

Garage Sizes

Anatomy of a Garage

Establishing Lot Boundaries by the Lot Survey

Layout of the Garage Site

Preparing Your Garage Foundation

How to Pour a Concrete Footing

Formwork for Foundation Walls

Casting a Concrete Wall

Building Concrete Block Foundation Walls

Pouring a T-Shaped Foundation Concrete Floor

Foundation Details for Turned-Down Monolithic Slabs

Pouring the Concrete Slab

Some of the Tools Needed

Calculating Concrete Volume

Estimating Cubic Yards of Concrete

Choosing Lumber for Framing

Nails and Fasteners for Framing and Finishing

Selecting Your Doors

Selecting Your Windows

Typical Garage Wall and Roof Framing Plan

Typical Garage Floor Panel (Wall Panel System)

Garage Wall Framing

Constructing the Basic Wall Frame

Door and Window Framing

Diagonal Bracing

Raising the Walls

Leveling and Corner Details

Framing with Metal Fasteners

Roof Framing

Hip Roof Framing

Overhang and Trim Details

Roof Shingles

Siding

Garage Doors and Mouldings

Sectional Garage Doors

Installing Prehung Doors

Disappearing Stairs

Building the Stairway

Electrical Wiring

Garage Door Opener

Garage Storage Ideas

Finishing the Inside of Your Garage

For Notes

Glossary

Ready to Start Some Serious Planning?

Example of a Typical Garage Plan Sheet

For Layout Purposes

Project Plans: Garages, Workshops, and More

Project Plan Index

What Kind of Plan Package Do You Need?

Before You Order

Order Form

Build Your Own Garage?

The answer is yes! By doing the planning and all or part of the work yourself, you can have the garage you might not otherwise be able to afford. By supplying the labor and buying materials yourself, construction costs can be significantly reduced.

Framing out a garage is not difficult. Standardized materials and construction techniques make it relatively easy if you take the time to plan and work carefully. All of the techniques and tips you’ll need are in this book. Read it carefully from cover to cover before beginning. It will help you determine the work you can handle alone, and where a little expert help might be needed to do the job right.

You can also learn many construction basics by studying existing garages. Ask your neigh-bors if you can take a few minutes to review their garages before you begin building your own.

The first step is determining what you want your garage to do. Store your car or cars? Provide a workshop area or additional storage space? If you have two cars, consider a two-and-one-half car design. But before planning too big, remember that your lot must have sufficient space for the garage site and proper setbacks from adjacent properties, sideyards, and driveways. Local building codes often set guidelines in these areas, so check with your local municipality for any restrictions that apply to your situation.

Planning Driveway and Parking Areas

In addition to the structure itself, you’ll also want to plan your new driveway, off-street parking, or turnaround area. The illustrations on this page are designed to give you an idea of the basic space requirements. You may need to alter them to fit your lot, but remember that adequate driveway and parking areas will add greatly to your garage’s convenience.

In most cases, short approaches to two-car garages are double-width. For longer driveways, use a single-width driveway that gradually widens to the double-door opening. Driveways should be wider at curves because the back wheels make a track with a smaller radius than do the front wheels.

Construction methods for concrete driveways, walks, and parking areas are similar to those covered under slab foundations later in this guide. Local ordinances can apply to these items, so consult with your local building department for specifications covering required concrete thickness, grade and slope preparations, set backs from boundaries, and so on. In general, concrete thickness is 4" to 5". The driveways must be crowned or sloped at 2% to provide drainage. The slope of any uphill grade should not exceed 14%, and any change in a grade should be as gradual as possible.

You have a lot of options in deciding what kind of garage to build. This book contains designs to help you make that decision, but remember that local zoning and building codes in most municipalities will have some affect on your final choice. There might be lot-size requirements, minimum setback regulations, height restrictions, and certain building materials that must not be used. To save yourself time and future headaches, take a day or so to learn what you cannot do and what you might be required to do. In most localities, for example, at least a building permit will be required. The best place to start is at the local building and zoning code offices.

Take time to consider your possible future needs. Will a two-car garage do, or do you expect that you will need to store two cars and/or possibly a boat someday? Will you use the garage as a workshop? Is storage space in the house running short? Also, consider how it will look in its proposed site. Choose a style and size that will complement its environment. Last, but certainly not least, remember your budget. Build for your needs, not your desires.

Figure 4A - Garage with Side Parking

Figure 4B - Garage, Parking, Turnaround

Figure 4C - Driveway Parking Area

Garage Sizes

Figure 5 - Different Garage Types and Sizes

Anatomy of a Garage

Treated Bottom Plate

Studs

Top Plate

Tie Plate

Corner Bracing

Cripple Studs

Garage Door Header

Rafter Ties

Rafters

Ridge Board

Collar Ties

Hangers

Gable Studs

Soffit

Fascia

Fascia (Rake)

Gable Shingle Mold

Roof Sheathing

Roofing Felt

Shingles

Doorjamb

Trim

Door Stop

Corner Boards

Siding

Sectional Garage Door

Service Door

Concrete Apron

Concrete Floor Slab

Establishing Lot Boundaries by the Lot Survey

Before you can begin construction of the garage foundation, the precise boundaries of the building site must be verified by means of a lot survey conducted by a professional surveyor. Lots are normally recorded on maps kept on file by the local building or zoning authorities. By studying these maps and records, the lot surveyor will determine and stake out the precise boundaries of your property. By measuring from the proper reference points, the surveyor will establish the front two corners of the lot. These reference points can be the street curb, the center of the road bordering the lot, or special markers placed in the sidewalk. Once the front corners are marked out, a transit level is most often used to establish the two rear corners of the lot.

Once the lot boundaries are set, you can set up lines showing the exact location of the building, taking into account any setback guidelines set by local building codes. The information required to layout the foundation can be found on the garage blueprints. It is also helpful to design a plot plan showing the location and dimensions of the planned garage, driveway, and sidewalks.

Figure 6A - Measuring Foundation Lines

Layout of the Garage Site

Accurately locating the four corners of the building will in turn establish boundaries for the foundation. The site is laid out using batterboards set back from the corners of the planned building in an L-shaped arrangement. Setting them back from the actual building site allows you to maintain an accurate reference point as you dig footings and construct the foundation.

Batterboards are made of pointed stakes connected with 4' lengths of 1x4 lumber. Each batterboard should form an accurate right angle when checked with a framing square. Batterboard tops must be level with each other all the way around. Check for this with a mason’s line level.

Figure 6B - Layout of Garage Site

To Set Up Batterboards

1. Accurately locate one corner of the building and drive stake A at that point (see Figure 6B).

2. Measure out along the long side of the building to the next corner. Drive in stake B at this point. Drive a small nail into the stakes and connect with tightly drawn twine.

3. Measure out the approximate positions of corners C and D and drive stakes at these points. Use a framing square to form an approximate right angle at these corners. Run twine from stakes B to C, C to D, and D to A.

4. You will now erect batterboards and adjust stake locations to form a true square or rectangular layout. Erect batterboards so that each corner stake is lined up directly on the diagonal from the opposite corner as illustrated. Use the line level to check that all batterboards are level with each other.

5. Stretch mason’s twine between the batterboards so it is aligned directly over stakes A and B. When perfectly aligned, make a saw kerf or cut in the batterboards to make a permanent reference point and tack the twine.

6. Stretch twine over stakes B and C. It must form a perfect right angle with twine A-B. Check for a right angle using the 6/8/10 method. Measure 6' out along twine A-B and 8' along twine B-C. Mark these points with pins. The diagonal between these two pins should measure 10'. Adjust the position of twine B-C until it does and then notch the batterboard at stake C and fasten off line B-C.

7. Using the 6/8/10 method lay out twine C-D and D-A. At each corner carefully measure from the point where the twine lines cross each other to set building dimensions. Drop a plumb line at this intersecting point and set stakes in exact positions.

8. Check the final layout by measuring the diagonals on the layout. They must be equal in length. If they are not, recheck your measurement and make proper adjustments.

Preparing Your Garage Foundation

Inverted T-Shape Forms

The type of foundation you use will depend on your local climate and local building codes. In warmer climates you might only need a simple slab foundation such as those discussed on pages 11 and 12. In colder areas, where the foundation must reach below the frost line, several different designs can be used. The most common is the inverted T-foundation, also known as floating slab foundation (shown below). Whichever type you require, be certain to build a substantial and level foundation. It can save you plenty of problems later in the construction sequence, such as when you frame and level the walls.

Placing concrete footings and foundations is hard work and can be tricky for the inexperienced. So this is one stage in the construction you might want to rely on professionals or friends with experience in working with concrete. Forms must be strongly constructed of sturdy lumber or use premanufactured forms that can be rented. To keep a large job manageable, divide the areas up into convenient sections that you and your crew can pour and finish in one day’s time.

The spread footing of an inverted T-foundation provides good bearing on all soil types. Low T-foundations often have the footing and wall poured at the same time. These monolithic pourings eliminate the cold joint between footer and wall and prevents moisture at this joint.

For high T-foundations, the footer and walls are poured separately. Immediately after the concrete footer has been placed, pieces of 2x4 lumber, called key strips, are often pressed into the concrete. Centered on the footing, these strips form the keyways in the footing as it hardens. These keyway grooves help secure the foundation wall to the footing.

As you can see from the illustrations below, several different methods can be used to tie the bottom or sole plate of the wall framing to the foundation wall. Special ties can be embedded in the wet concrete once it begins to set, but the most common method uses anchor bolts.

Figure 7A - Special T-Lock Anchors

Figure 7B - Foundation Section

Figure 7C - Floating Slab Foundation Plan

How to Pour a Concrete Footing

Forms for Footings

Typically footings are twice the width of the wall they tie into, but local building codes can vary from this rule of thumb. When the soil is firm and uniform, use an earth form for the footing by simply digging a trench to the required width and depth. When the soil is too soft to hold its form, wood forms for footings and foundation walls will be needed. Several designs are illustrated on the following pages. Concrete is very dense, so build and reinforce the forms strongly. Remember, if you plan to construct a masonry wall on the footing, its top surface must be as level as possible. See page 13 for estimating materials and concrete amounts.

1. Lay out the footings using twine and batterboards as a guide for the trench. Use twine as a guide for your forms once the trench is dug.

2. Level the bottom of the trench and tap it firm. On sloping ground, use a stepped trench. The trench bottom must be below the frost line.

3. Build the forms using the batterboards as a guide for positioning. Support reinforcing steel using brick or stone. Suspend the keyway strip from cleats as shown.

4. Coat the forms lightly with release agent. Pour the concrete into the forms, working out air pockets with a flat shovel. Work the concrete into all corners and along edges of the form.

5. Level the concrete with the top of the form using a straight length of short lumber as a screed. Work back and forth in a short sawing motion. Knock down high spots and fill all voids. Remove the keyway strip as soon as the concrete will hold its shape.

6. Cover it with burlap or plastic sheeting to retain moisture, and lightly spray the concrete with water once or twice daily to keep the surface wet during curing. In hot weather climates cure the concrete for four days.

Figure 8A - Footing Cross Section

Figure 8B - Laying Out the Footings

Figure 8C - Leveling

Figure 8D - Building

Figure 8E - Coating

Figure 8F - Leveling

Formwork for Foundation Walls

Once you understand the principles of formwork for concrete walls, you should be able to handle the framework for your garage’s foundation wall. Most importantly, the form must be strong enough to withstand the pressure of the wet concrete and the rough treatment it will receive during the pour.

Foundation wall forms are constructed of plywood sheathing, 2x4 lumber framing and studs, wooden spacers, and wire ties. Sheathing forms the mold. The frame and studs support the sheathing. Spacers maintain wall thickness, support the form, and resist pressure exerted by the concrete. Ties hold the form sides together (see Figure 9A).

You may want to explore the option of renting concrete forms, if available in your area. This may save you time and labor preparing wood forms. Wall lengths and heights should be considered when determining which choice you make.

Building Forms

Build long forms in sections. The individual sections should be slightly taller than the planned finished foundation wall and no more than 8' in length.

With the lumber laying flat on the ground, construct a frame of 2x4s on edge. Next, nail 2x4 studs into this frame, spacing studs on 16" centers, closer if the wall is particularly thick and will be poured all at one time.

The studded frame is now ready for the sheathing, either 1/2" or 5/8" thick plywood. Lay the sections down, sheathing sides face to face so you can drill holes for the wire ties. Drill 1/8" holes for the wire ties adjacent to the studs as shown. Plan on using plenty of ties to hold the forms together.

Spacers and ties are used to assemble the sections and maintain the proper spacing between them. Spacers are made of 1x2 or 2x4 lumber cut to the same length as the finished wall thickness. Plan to put in spacers every 2' both vertically and horizontally. Wire ties should be made of heavy gauge (8 or 9 gauge) iron wire. Cut the ties long enough to encircle opposing studs on either side of the forms, plus enough excess to comfortably twist the ends together.

Tilt the two sections upright, face to face, and spaced at the wall thickness. Tack the sections together with several crosspieces to make working easier. Thread the 8 to 9 gauge wire ties through the form and around the studs, twisting the wire ends together. Place a 1x2 or 2x4 spacer near the tie.

Place a stick between the wires inside the form and twist the wire tight as illustrated. Do this for all spacers and ties. Tie pull wires on all spacers you will not be able to reach when the pour begins. You must remove all spacers as the pour proceeds (see Figure 9B).

Place the assembled form in position on the footer. Assemble additional sections, butting sections together and nailing through adjacent framing members to create the finished continuous wall form. The running length of the forms should be slightly longer than the planned wall length so that you can cleat in stop boards at the end of the forms.

A properly constructed form is self-supporting, but it must be plumbed and tied in place with braces so it will stay in position during the pour. Nail the bottom of the form to stakes driven firmly in the ground. This will prevent lifting. Prevent lateral movement by installing 2x4 angle braces (see Figure 9C).

Prior to making the pour, coat the forms with concrete release agent to make it easier to remove the form. See page 13 for the tools you’ll need to place the concrete, plus tips on estimating the amount of concrete needed.

Figure 9A - Plywood Sheathing

Figure 9B - Using Spacers and Ties

Figure 9C - Using Angle Braces

Casting a Concrete Wall

After the foundation footing has been placed and properly cured, and you've set the wall forms in place, aligned, plumbed, and secured them, then you're ready to make the wall pour. The steps involved in this process include: mounting the forms, pouring and tamping the concrete, striking, floating, and troweling the top edge smooth to accept the bottom plate, and installing the anchor bolts or special anchor ties.

1. Mount