Tips on Building a 24' X 45' Garage

Foundation

• Excavation and foundation work for a building of this size will require professional help, unless you are very skilled and ambitious. The foundation could be a floating slab or a concrete slab surrounded by a frost wall. Either way, excavation will need to be deep enough to go below the frost line or down to bedrock. When the slab is poured, reinforce it with ½-inch rebar crisscrossed 12 inches apart to create a grid within the slab that has high tensile strength and will help to prevent cracking in the slab. If you intend to heat the garage, consider including pipes in the slab that can be used for in-floor radiant heating.

Materials

• A garage can be framed using timber framing, dimensioned lumber or steel trusses. Most garages are sheathed using either wood or steel sheeting. Many people find wood more aesthetically pleasing, but steel sheets are faster to install and therefore will cost you less in labor. The roof can be covered in asphalt shingles or steel roofing. Alternatively, a garage can be constructed of green materials such as straw bales or cob (a mixture of soil, sand, straw and water). Sustainable materials such as these will cost less but require more time and labor. In addition, a living roof that is covered with growing plants will decrease water runoff from the garage and help to keep it cool inside in the summer.

Customizing For Use

• What you intend to use the garage for will affect how you outfit it. If you are intending to use it for a shop, you will probably want to insulate it and heat it. A garage can be insulated by installing fiberglass or mineral wool batts, or by sheathing the exterior with rigid foam sheets. If you will be using the garage for more than vehicle and tool storage, you may want to install windows as well in order to let in more natural light. If the garage will only be used for vehicle storage, construction will be less expensive and complicated, since insulation, windows and heating will probably not be required.