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Design questions

I'm going to enclose a 23 x 28 foot slab of concrete with vertical walls. The walls will be framed like a shop with opening doors. At the top of an eight foot wall, I want to put a 45 degree angle return so as to make the wind flow over it. And then, I will put in a 70% custom made sunscreen for shade.

Have you done this, and am I making something that is going to be baking hot in the summer? Should I make the walls with door like sections that can be opened for ventilation in the summer?

I need to close it off to the wind when I want to weld, but have it flexible so that I can open it or close it depending on the weather.

I was also going to make a portion of the roof weathertight so that I would have a place to put equipment so that it could not be rained on.

Any experience or pointers appreciated.

I was going to build a shop, but unless some money comes down the pipeline soon, or I hit the SuperLotto, that ain't gonna happen.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB
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Is this an existing slab? Point being if the slab is new, or you have access around all four edges, start off by trenching around the slab and pouring a proper footing that will be needed for the eventual "Shop", with anchor bolts for the walls and the shear truss panels that you will need. Don't forget the stub-outs in the footing for power, phone, water and waste.

Find out what the Code in your area calls for - if you have "expansive soil" you might have to go down 36" and have a broad T base profile at the bottom. And if your area allows permits to be left open for long periods, get a permit and get the footing signed off.

(Even if they close the permit as "Incomplete" after a year save the paperwork - there are AH inspectors that will want you to jack it all out and start over without proof it's deep enough and done right.)

For starters, bolt down the pressure-treated lumber baseplates to the footings, and then you can build a light frame on top of them to hold the shade cloth and the windbreak tarp.

And when you get a few more bucks together and you put up walls, you build them as they would be needed for your shop, with double headers at the top, and headers over all the door and window openings, and shear plywood on the outside, and all the Simpson straps holding it all together...

And eventually you can order a dozen roof trusses and a bunch of sheathing and shingles, put a roof on it, and suddenly It's A Shop!

You can always jack out the old patio slab inside last, and pour a real level and smooth-troweled floor slab with a vapor barrier.

Remember Johnny Cash: One piece at a time.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

Concrete is a selective heat absorber/radiator. That is it will reflect the heat from the sun and radiate the langer wave length heat. You can enhance this by making your sun screen so it can be retracted in the evening and let the heat radiate to the sky at night. Then put the sun screen back to slow the heating during the day.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

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