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eave height for second story in shop

8K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Chaz M 
#1 ·
How high does the eave height need to be to get a second story inside the shop? I plan on doing a 40 x 60 metal shop with 20' of it being a second story apartment upstairs and storage downstairs. I was thinking of 16' eaves with 7 foot ceilings up and down but I don't have any framing experience so ??:question:
 
#2 · (Edited)
well, count on the floor being 10 or 12" thick (depending on the span the floor joists will run, etc), so depending on how high you want the ceilings in your storage area, and depending on how thick the truss beams are, and the slope of your roof, you can just do some simple geometry...and by geometry, i mean addition.

If you have 8' ceilings in your storage area, plus approx 1 ft for the floor (joists + floor), that makes teh floor of your apt approx 9' off slab. then figure probably 8-10" beams for the buildling and 16' eaves, you'll have a ceiling height at the walls of 6' or so. The rest of the ceiling height will depend on the slope of the roof of the building you pick. There are infinite answers to this question. You should probably start by picking a company and asking them for the size of the steel beams they use. once you know that, you can just add it up and figure it out.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I'll assume that you don't want to make roofing changes such as installing dormers and just use the building as built. Generally min accepted ceiling ht is 7'6". Floor thickness will depend on how big a span you plan on using and support structure and spacing. Will you put the joist on 12" cent or 16" cent.? Steel or wood joists? Floor span?

20' can be done with a 12" TGI type joist on 12" centers with out too many problems. If you were to make the span 10' with a center beam you could posibly get away with 2x6's on 12" centers but your codes will probably make you up it to 2x8's.

Since it is in shop space everything in the apt. will have to be fire rated. That will mean minimum 5/8" firerated drywall posibly 2 layers of it on walls and under the floor. You might be required to use a concrete deck as a floor for fire protection. This will most likely mean steel for the floor joists.

You will also have to have egress windows to the outside in any bedroom space and an probably an exterior door. Interior door to the shop will have to be fire rated so will any windows into the shop space. BTW fire rated windows are NOT cheap.

You can gain some space if you don't mind the ceiling in the apt. being lower at the outside eaves. Again 7'6" is usually the min allowed but you might be able to get away with a shorter ceiling ht at the wall then have it slope up. Again check your codes. My house has a sloped ceiling in the 2nd floor bed rooms 6'9" at the wall but it slopes to 8' high 3' out from the wall.


Check with your building inspector/ code enforcement officer about what you want to do. This will be the final word on what they will let you get away with. Your Fire marshal may also require sprinklers either in the shop and or apt also.

All of the information above came from generaly available sources. I take no responicbility for any of the load information or it's suitability for your use.
 
#4 ·
The comment of 'planning on 7' ceiling heights upstairs and downstairs... I'd really recommend 8' minimum.

If you had the apartment downstairs, then a 7' loft area for storage is very reasonable. Since you want the apartment upstairs, I'd stick with 8' down stairs. Tools, Machines, stacking sheets of plywood is much easier with 8' downstairs. My downstairs walls are 7' 10" height. Building has 14' side walls, so I wanted to keep SOME room up in the loft area... hindsight, should have gone with a 16' side wall for head room in the loft area.

With two story, plan out how you'll run A/C, air ducts, water heater, plumbing. If you put the HVAC stuff up top, the pitch of the roof will give you some room... but you need to plan ahead to be able to move around up there.

Check pricing difference for 16' vs 20' side walls. If you really need to keep to a budget, put the apartment down stairs with an open storage loft above. Living/working area's.... 8' loft. With 7' even adding lighting, work area, etc is a little cramped.

Most overlooked in shop planning.... storage areas. Never enough room to store all that stuff... I really wish I had gone 40' x 60' for my building.... as 30' x 50' is fine... until the clutter arrives. :flipoff2:
 
#5 ·
Most overlooked in shop planning.... storage areas. Never enough room to store all that stuff... I really wish I had gone 40' x 60' for my building.... as 30' x 50' is fine... until the clutter arrives. :flipoff2:

I dont care how big you build it....You will always wish ya went just a little bigger :laughing::laughing:...I could have gone another 10ft and made it 30 x 70 ...with the boat in I have to turn the car sideways to get it in the garage :shaking:...... next shop will be at a min of 200ft x 400ft with 20ft eves and 15ft doors :grinpimp: that will happen on the third tuesday of next week :laughing:
 
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