Garage, shop, barn, and workshop construction
There are several choices of construction that are available for building your new garage. First the roof can be one of three types; a truss roof , a framed roof, or a combination of the two. Then the roof style can be hip , gable, gambrel, or a combination. The foundation can be either mono-pour (thickened slab ) or standard stem wall and footing. The Building framing can be standard wood studs on a concrete foundation or pole barn construction.
A framed roof is constructed of individually cut rafters that are attached to the top plate or upper floor plywood and to a common ridge beam. Rafters with insulation are usually 2X12 dimensioned lumber and rafters with-out insulation are sized for their length and snow load. .
A truss roof is constructed from truss elements made by a truss manufacturer. They design the trusses, build the trusses, deliver them to your site and place them on your roof. Another advantage beside the speed of building a truss roof is the truss manufacturer will provide the truss engineering which is required for the permit.
A standard foundation is composed of a footing and a stem wall. A typical one story two car garage footing is 12” wide, 6” tall, and 18” below the surface of the dirt. The depth varies by the location and standard frost line depth for the area. On top of the footing is a 6” wall that supports the garage walls. Some areas pour both components and some use concrete block for both. The concrete floor is poured inside the stem wall at a later time.
A mono-pour foundation is composed of the footing and floor as one unit and poured at one time. This saves concrete trips which can save cost of building the garage. A short curb can be poured on top of the slab at the walls or a curb added from concrete block. A curb can be helpful if there is a water problem from inside or out side the building.
The standard framing method is treated plates on the stem wall with wood studs, and wood top plates. A slightly less expensive method is the pole barn. Posts are embedded in the ground and beams are placed on the tops of the posts to support the roof members, either trusses or rafters. The studs (girts) are then horizontal between the posts so that siding can be attached. Although less expensive there are some disadvantages. Insulation is more difficult, and finishing the inside may be more difficult.
