[AT] Talking about shops/sheds (hot water heat)

Tue Feb 15 04:13:45 PST 2011

If you build, consider hot water (in floor heat).  Yes, extra expense, but unless you are getting younger the warmth is constant, the temp recovers quickly, and snow melts of equipment overnight, and YOUR feet are warm on concrete.  

My building went up 3 months after my two century old barn built in the 1860's went down in the wind.  It is 48 by 88, has a 32 by 48 shop with 16 ft ceiling (too low now), and a 16 by 14 insulated overhead door (to little now).

Plan, plan and plan.  Get some graph paper and then cut out the equip. size, shop tools, work benches and storage and move the cutouts all over the shop as you plan.   Find a jib hoist somewhere and build the shop around it or even some steel out of an old factory and go to an overhead hoist, but do either of these first then build.

Even if u have to only build the heated shop part first, with deep concrete, insulated under it and the the heated pipe (antifreez) (sealed system).  Use lots of rebar and a 6 bag fiber mix.  (my floor has never cracked in ten years).  But took a yr of heat in the floor to get it Not to look like a holstein with spots!

If you are a farmer/and/or have access to wood and want to heat your home along with the shop, an outdoor wood furnace is a must (unless u have free gas).

Just my thoughts about a building and yes, i did plan and plan, but plans change too.  Oh, plan for expansion....trust me the heated shop will save u money, cause you can disappear whenever to a place that your wrenches are still where u left them and (no snow on them).

I would be glad to share any thing else if anybody is interested (after I get back from the National Farm Machinery show in Louisville, Ky.)

> From: jerry38 at windstream.net
> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:39:04 -0500
> Subject: Re: [AT] Talking about shops/sheds
> 
> Al, just helped a friend finish out a 30x60 here in NW Ohio, $15,700 for 
> the polebarn with a 16x14 slider, a 16x14 overhead door, he has 14' eves, 
> one walk door and 2 windows.
> 
> He floored 30x30 with hotwater piping, inside wall has a 16x14 slider 
> between the shop area and the storage area.
> Concret is about $90 a yd or about $5 sq ft for finished floor, $4500
> 
> Check around your area and see what is being put up, talk to the owners, if 
> you see a new one going up stop and talk with the builder, it's the best way 
> to see what is going on in your area, I'd bet you will not see any block 
> one, hope this helps
> 
> Jerry NW Ohio
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Al Jones" <farmallsupera at earthlink.net>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 6:59 PM
> Subject: [AT] Talking about shops/sheds
> 
> 
> > Not to go into too much detail, my wife and I hope to build a house soon.
> >
> > Along with it, I want a real, concrete floored, maybe with a woodstove, 
> > place to work on my relics out of the rain, shop. A good friend/colleague 
> > and I were talking today, he's a licensed electrician and has done 
> > masonry/construction most of his life before he started teaching. We got 
> > on the subject of shops and I asked him what was the "best" in terms of 
> > cost.
> >
> > He's a big fan of cinderblock construction. I have always leaned towards 
> > pole barns, mostly from all of those beautiful Morton Buildings ads in 
> > Successful Farming magazine I have looked at since I was a kid....he said 
> > by the time I bought the metal for the siding, I could spend about the 
> > same amount for cinderblocks.
> >
> > So I know this has been hashed and re-hashed in some way or another, but 
> > what's the "best?" Pole barn, masonry, or what? I want this to be my 
> > "forever" shop, and want it to last. I know it won't be big enough, etc. 
> > etc. etc. BTW I'm thinking about something like a 30x50 or 30x60, with 
> > part of it being bona-fide shop and the rest storage/machinery parking. I 
> > want at least a 12' high door, for "real" farm equipment as well as 
> > antiques, 14' if I can afford it. What kind of cost/square foot to build, 
> > etc?
> >
> > One thing I am thinking on is pouring the floor only for the actual 
> > "shop," (about 30x30)and having a wall separating the rest from the "shop" 
> > and then gravel for the rest of the floor as a way to cut costs. 
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > This is a bit rambling I know, but I'd like to get some thoughts and 
> > Ideas. The #1 consideration is cost, but the building must be durable. 
> > The whole thing may be a pipe dream but if we build a home as we plan, 
> > this may be my only chance....
> >
> > Have at it,
> > Al
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at 
> 
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