Shop Setup and Design

[xrayman]

I am second guessing my shop door design.  My original idea was to 

go with  8' X 4' Carriage doors, which will give me a 8' X 8' max. opening to drive

in plywood and lumber.  But, with the ceilings designed to be 9' I am starting to

wonder if I should make the carriage doors 7 to 7.5' high.   Although I have started to

 mill  the door frame/core parts they could easily be altered to make the doors shorter.

I am building the doors before the shop is constructed. (hopefully start on the foundation by

the end of Oct)

What are your thoughts Pro and Con on the door height?

JR

[mathisonr1]

Making your doors as tall as possible is a great idea. Making them before the door opening even exists is not such a great idea, but that's up to you.

Will you be buying pre-cut studs for your 9 foot walls (104-5/8"), or will you be cutting each and every stud?

If you are using pre-cut studs for a 9 foot wall, the height to the top of your wall including bottom and top plates will be approximately 9 foot 1-1/8". Assuming that your header will be a 2x10, you can subtract 9-1/4", plus 3" for the double top plate, for a total of 12-1/4". This leaves you with an approximate rough opening height of 96-7/8". Then you must subtract for the threshold.

I quess when you do the math it should work to build an 8' door because you might only end up trimming a little off of the bottom.

I'd still wait until the opening existed.

[xrayman]

Rick,

I am not doing the framing myself, although I am doing the contracting

myself.   I have not talked to the framing guys about the doors yet.  On your advice I'll wait to construct the doors, and get the framers to rough in the opening first.   Since we plan to use 2 X 6 studs I don't know if they come

 pre-cut around here.(not big city) also I am planing a sunken foundation on 3/4's

of the concrete in order to make a wooden floor, so that changes the lenghth of the studs.

thanks for the advice. Now If I can find some good hinges for the doors.

JR

[mathisonr1]

Use THIS type of heavy duty ball bearing hinge. If there is a commercial steel door supplier in your area they will have them. If not you can order them on line. I warn you that they are not inexpensive, but they will not fail you. These hinges are used commercially on hollow metal doors that weigh up to and over 200 pounds. I would recommend that on 8 foot tall, 4 foot wide doors that you use 4 hinges.

[xrayman]

Rick,

Thanks very much on the link for the hinges.  Those hinges are exactly

what I was looking for, I don't mind the prices I wanted ball bearing

and heavy.

Jr

[Mr-Ron]

If I were you, I would go with a 10' ceiling height. The cost won't be much more. The reason is you will have to buy 10' long 2x4's and cut them down to 9', so why waste the left over 12"; make the wall 10' high. You will also have to add a fire stop at 8' above the floor; according to code and a place for the top of a 4x8 sheet of plywood to land on.

The door I feel should be no less than 8' high. When moving sheet goods and lumber through the door, the 8' height gives you more space for maneuvering materials. I have 8x10 and a 8x12 sliding doors on my shop. Even with a 9' ceiling height, an 8' door will still work.