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Garage storage options for a quonset garage

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Tractor-Holic 
#1 ·
Decisions,decisions...:dunno: which way to go..

As many of you here know,I have a quonset garage,and lately,I have been frustrated about lack of space to store things,without taking up floor space..
I have 4 garden tractors in it at the moment,and this leaves not enough room to park my truck inside it--especially if the plow is on it..

I know many of you have the same dilema--garages never seem to be big enough,no matter what size you have..

Building is 20 x 40 feet,but inside dimensions between the foundation walls is more like 18'10"...


I have two 10 foot x 8 foot pallet racks in there,one on each side,one is closer to the center of the building,the other is almost butted against the rear wall on the opposite side...for what room they take up,you cant really put that much on their shelves,which are 2' wide..and I put the shelves at a height tall enough so I can walk under them without fracturing my skull,so things on the floor will fit under them..

I have a few benches in there too,on one side,that were intended to be work benches--but usually end up being piled up with various objects,instead of a clean work surface..I removed one and put it outside to gain some room,but it wasn't enough..
Since the quonset arches curve inward after the 4 foot level,its not possible to hang things on pegboard unless I did some creative framing--there is no real access to the walls with "stuff" in front of them anyways..

I took some photos of the inside and outside of the rear wall of the building,they aren't the best though--excuse the mess & clutter,I had to move everything around to SEE the back wall!....but it should give some idea of what I've pondered about doing to increase storage space..



One idea I thought about was making a "loft" like the one pictured in this book I have..

The only problem with a loft is there is a small room on the right rear corner of the building,and a loft that stuck out more than 3 feet from the rear wall will block the sliding door to that room.(You can see the door,it has a flag on it,next to the ladder).....which wont be enough to provide much storage area..but that might be wide enough to allow one of the workbenches to be moved up onto the loft,instead of taking up floor space...
Also a loft would not allow a back door to be installed,or repairs to the wall be done as easily..since the yard behind the garage is often "mushy" certain times of the year,I never bothered to make the garage a "drive through"..a car or truck would likely get stuck easily..

The next idea was to take off the plywood I put over the 9x9 foot rear door opening I framed,but never did get a door for,and build an extension onto the rear of the building,9x9 feet wide,and at least 8 feet deep,maybe even longer--this however,will likely result in my property taxes going up...but might be worth the extra money,to gain more storage space..
Something like what is pictured below..


Third option is to forget doing anything to the garage,and just make another small shed,large enough for a tractor or two--as long as it is less than 100 square feet there is no taxes on a shed.....problem there is despite having a large yard,there is not really any good spots to put another shed ,that wont get "plowed in" or become difficult or impossible to access after a foot of snow falls..(this is why my 2 existing sheds 75 feet from the driveway behind the garage are practically useless in the winter--anything put back there is there until spring,or the snow melts ,and the ground is often mushy there too..)

I could clean out my house garage,and store some stuff in there,but not any tractors--I cant have anything that has gasoline in the house garage,the oil furnace is in the next room...dont need fumes or potential fire hazards..

I do plan on getting rid of some things I no longer use or can use ,but they aren't all that big,so ditching them wont increase the space in the garage much...

Anyone have any ideas,or solutions you have used to get more room in your garages ?...especially a quonset garage ...?..
 

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#2 ·
Greetings, FMOM!

I am sorry to hear about the lack of natural light in your quonset hut. I googled "dormers on quonset hut" and got many ideas from the images area.

A dormer might mean you could build shelves, add a door or just put your recliner in the sun. Certainly adding a dormer or two couldn't raise your taxes??

Best of luck,

Tom
 
#3 ·
I passed on using any of the cheesy fiberglass "skylights" the building company offered--after seeing a few larger quonsets collapse after heavy snowfalls that had those skylights,I wanted mine to be 100% steel,and live with the fact I'd need to have a light on inside all the time,unless the overhead door was open..

To add a dormer would require major re-working of the steel arches (unless you meant to add them to the rear endwall)-- and I am not that skilled at carpentry,so that idea wouldn't be an ideal solution...

But I do appreciate your feedback,and welcome any other comments or advice ..

I'm not sure I'll do this or not..just paid my first 1/4 of property taxes yesterday--$1,167.31 and that may go up more after the next payment in May..that is why I'm trying to avoid adding any more "value" to the building or property..

Another idea a friend mentioned has merit--buy another truck box like the 12 foot one I use as a shed in the backyard I found locally for 300 bucks,and place it against the rear endwall,put some cribbing under it for support,and cut out the opening in the plywood,and seal up around it with some flashing and lumber..and call it "temporary" ,they cant tax it then,as long as it can be moved,and isn't mounted to a foundation.....that would save the work of building something too...
I rather like that idea !..
 
#4 ·
if you do not mind taxes get a set of 48"interlake pallet racks with a 10' span and make a pallet stack rack on the back of the unit and box it in with plywood , or if you build a shed use a green driveway solution to make a road to it Grass Surfaced Parking Systems ? Green Driveway
they make several version of it and its strong and the brick style ones are nice , but the plastic grid ones are undetectable and no maintance other than mowing ..
 
#5 ·
If you can't go out, ya gotta go up. Or under.

At the rear of the building build a heavy duty bench 6 feet deep? Wide as you can go.
Push 2 tractors up on the bench and 2 under the bench? Summer tractors on the bench in winter?
Maybe put other things under bench, keep winter tractors out where you can get at them easier.

Make curved ramps, with plywood sides, for tractors with decks. Sides up a couple inches over the top of the ramp would keep the tires on the ramps. Make them so you can move along the bench. Pull the 2 (or 3?) tractors on top of bench with simple 2 pulley block and tackle with tractor power? Be a little dicey getting them started down again. But I know you have the know how to stay safe.

It looks like you have a concrete floor. Get everything you can on dolly wheels.
I have one work bench, every large tool, and my storage cabinets on wheels. Pick up the sets of wheels used where ever I can. New are too expensive.
Best if you get a set of 4 steerable wheels, but 2 straight wheels and 2 steerable wheels work also.
4 straight wheels work for pulling straight out and straight back again.

I have 2 pallet sized platforms I made out of 2 X 6 lumber laid flat. Put 4 wheels under them. Easy to stack stuff up on it and roll under a bench. Stuff on wheels is easy to move around inside or outside when I need to. Even my two large 30 gal garbage cans are on wheels. As are my work light stands.
I have also purchased moving dollies when I found them for a reasonable price. Can extend the size with a piece of plywood screwed down on top. Nice to put larger stuff on top of them.

You could do that with stuff to be pushed under the bench. Or under the existing pallet racking. Roll it out when you need any of it.

I can roll enough stuff over to the other side of the garage in order to get room to move my truck in and work on it in the winter. And have a narrow path to the front door.

I have a 24' x 26' concrete apron in front of the garage. I once brought in 8 pallets of equipment in the winter time and in order to get room in the shop I rolled everything on wheels outside and covered with tarps for a week while I broke all the equipment down, reconfigured it, and repacked it, for shipment to other places. It was still like a Chinese puzzle in there finding room to work. I also have a pallet jack to help with moving pallets. I keep that in a separate out building and bring it out when I need it.
 
#6 ·
Most of the things in the garage do have wheels,like the table saw,other things that don't,like workbenches, ,I move around with a hand truck..or drag them out with a tractor..!.The pallet racks would have to be either taken apart to be moved,or all the stuff on them taken off,then dragged,to move them around..

Your first paragraph is pretty much what I had in mind--"store" the tractors above or below ,depending on the seasons,whatever ones you need stay on the floor,the others can go above...or,if I put a work bench on the loft platform,and some of the other stuff cluttering up the floor (table saw,drill press,engines,etc-)-that would gain me at least 6-10 feet on the floor,which is big enough to park a tractor in..

The picture I posted of the "loft" idea is something like I thought about doing--I do have some long 6x6 and 4x6 timbers (approx. 14') that I could make a super heavy duty "table" out of,high enough to allow tractors to fit under it,and strong enough to store a couple on top of it too,(I could hoist them up onto it using my engine crane or the crane on my pickup truck-)--but the fact it'll at least partly block access to the room with the sliding door makes it rather impractical...there is a barrel stove in that room that would be impossible to remove,if a platform was built closer than 2 feet to the door..

If I leave 3 feet of open space between the sliding door on that room,that would leave only about 10 feet of "width" for the loft--but I suppose a set of stairs or a ladder could be put there to climb up onto the loft..


So far the truck body idea seems the most appealing to me....no "construction",just getting it in position and put up on blocks,and close enough to the rear wall to allow me to "enclose" around it to keep air and critters out,would be the quickest and easiest way to add storage space..removing the plywood I put over the rear wall overhead door opening would be the hardest part..

I could even put an axle under it and call it a trailer too,that will negate any additional taxes if they considered it part of the building,if I had just left it sitting on cinder blocks or cribbing..and I'd only need a short ramp to be able to drive a tractor into the truck box..

The only problem is finding one cheap,and getting it hauled here--I have a friend with a roll back ramp truck,so thats not a big deal,but finding a used truck box cheap might be..once in a while I see one being given away on craigslist..
I see many old camping trailers being given away too..but I'd rather not have it look too fugly ,so neighbors wont complain..

I could also "build" a wooden box out of the 2 walls I already have, and set it up as above,but I'd have to scrounge up or buy more plywood and lumber to make it a "box"..trying to avoid spending very much on this project..
 
#7 ·
I agree, need to keep the neighbors happy or they start to complain.

My experience with lofts is that once it goes into the loft, it seldom comes down if it is a hassle to get it up there and back down.

Trailer, may have to keep plates and tabs current. Some places won't let you keep a trailer, truck or car on the property if it is not currently licensed.
Each community is different. One place I lived they had to be kept current AND moved at least once a month. I had 1 busy body neighbor that kept close tabs on my pickup truck.

All things considered it may be best to watch for a good sized truck box and put it on skids.
There are a few posts on MTF about folks doing that.

My Dad lived on a lake in WI and could not get a permit to build a garage. They said he lived in a flood zone. So he built a 1 & 1/2 story, one car garage on 14" x 14" x 24 foot timbers with ends shaped like sled runners front and rear. Made a heavy duty steel hitch plate between the 2 timbers, front and rear.
Put a 12" x 12" hole through the floor, with hinged covers, in each corner and called it a fish house.
Bought a fish house license for it every year. Before he was finished with it, he had a neighbor come over that winter with a small cat and pull it out on to the lake. Had plenty of ice that year. Took pictures of it sitting a 100 feet from shore, and a bunch of us sitting out side of it looking like we were fishing. Complete with campfire and a picnic table. Then pulled it back into place. Only had to do a little adjusting to level it back out. Any time a new tax assessor brought up that it was too big for a fish house, he showed them the pictures. Drove the tax guys crazy.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I would loft the back half with the bottom of the joists 2-3" above the top of your pick up bed ( provided you do not have a cap ) and then you can back your truck under it and still have 6'-8' at the front of the building in front of the truck if needed ( or your plow and 4')
a 8' span with a 9" I joist on 16" center with 3/4 underlay will support a good deal of weight and the area below on the sides you should be able to push a tractor or 2 under ( if your really flexable ride it under it ) as for the side door whats it for? if its a shop then make a set of collapsable stairs/ramp to get to it .

its a little hard imagine what to do with out seeing it in person or a floor plan

I do know a few guys around here who use the temporary building clause to fight taxes , and know of a few "sheds -trailers " that are not because the inspector doesn't get close enough to look at them one is basically the side of a trailer bolted to the building with milk crates stacked under the open edges .. " one had to make sure there was no visable connection between the two otherwise they would say it was a addition from overhead photos ( thats how they nail people out here ) one has a box like you say and put the roll up door against the back of the garage with a roll up door on the garage side , and a concrete apron between . and a canvas roll tarp to cover the gap in the winter , his neighbors are not as fussy as yours as you stated in another thread . but he has had visitors from the county and its not permanent ( not fixed to a concrete, sonoform or set post ) base ,
 
#9 · (Edited)
Well,I did some snooping on the town's website yesterday,regarding building permits and restrictions on using things like temporary "tent" garages---..

I saw a bylaw dated 2009 stating "the use of any type of travel,tractor or camping trailer designed to travel on highways with rubber tired wheels for storage,is strictly prohibited"...
"This shall not include "temporary" storage containers for temporary storage of household materials during major renovations or prior to or during relocation,sometimes referred to as "POD" containers.."

:mad:....So it appears the 12 foot truck reefer body I've had out back for 25 years is now "illegal"...??...no one has ever said boo about it,even when the town tax asessors came to view my property when I applied for a tax reduction a few years back, and measured the buildings AND the truck body,and the lean to I built off of it (and I'm sure I get taxed on them too,the limit on non taxable shed sizes here are 120 sq.ft..the lean to alone is 10' x 24'..they added 8 grand of value to the property for the garage,and "other buildings")..

Evidently they either do not enforce this "law" unless someone complains--and what about all the contractors in my area who have enclosed trailers they store tools and supplies in ,who live in the la-ti-da areas with 1M dollar homes ?...no one squawks about them..are those "illegal" too-?-maybe not,because they are registered..

I dont see why I couldn't park a registered trailer behind the garage,I would not mind the fees,it would be cheaper than what an addition will cost in materials and more taxes..

This irks me, because I see dozens of trailer truck bodies and box truck boxes used as sheds everywhere,including on my street just a few houses up from mine--the guy has a quonset garage like mine,surrounded by a dozen or more partly dismantled vehicles,and he has farm tractors,huge piles of logs,etc,place looks like a junkyard..but I suspect he's related to the cops that own the 2 plots on each side of him,and that gains him "immunity"...he may have his place zoned as "agricultural"too though,even though he grows nothing,and the rules are much less strict if its not zoned "residential"...

So I suppose if I did get a truck box,the town would probably send some inspector to come tell me I cant use it,and the one I have already is "illegal"...and might make me get rid of it!..

I planned to apply for another abatement on my property taxes,they raised the land value by 4 grand for no reason this year,but they will likely want to come snooping around and see whats in the yard if I apply for an abatement..

I have three vehicles that aren't registered ,one was my late mom's Caravan,and though I plan to dispose of that soon,that leaves two more ,and I'm allowed only one unregistered vehicle--but again,I see dozens of yards with several cars & trucks sitting unregistered,so its probably the same deal--if no one complains,they look the other way...I could stash one in the lean to out back,to satisfy that requirement..

I guess this will limit my choices to re-arranging the inside of the garage,which was not my first choice of action...unless I buy or make an enclosed trailer and register it..
Kind of sucks,when you have to pay so much in taxes--yet still cant really do as you please on your own property..:mad:..

If I did build a loft I would only be able to drive my pickup in nose first--ditto for the chevy Suburban,the truck has a crane on the back that sticks up as high as the cab,and the rear of the Suburban is about 6' off the ground..

I cant put a loft up too high because the "ceiling" is only 13' high,and the arch shape will limit headroom along one side..

So I would likely store the tractors under the loft--I too feel once I put something "up" on the loft,it'll likely be there for the long run..

Getting a tractor up & down off it would be a chore I'd be less able to do in the future--I would lean towards putting my work bench,drill press,table saw and some other floor space wasters up there on the loft instead,and that would free up enough floor space to park a tractor or two along side of the wall..
 

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#10 ·
I'm not a lawyer so this point may be moot. But generally when they say "the use of any type of travel,tractor or camping trailer designed to travel on highways with rubber tired wheels for storage,is strictly prohibited"... they are talking about a vehicle with tires, wheels or axles still attached.
You might want to consider a cargo container. Basically a seagoing, waterproof steel box, like a truck trailer without wheels. [URL="http://www.iport.com/storage_container.html"]http://www.iport.com/storage_container.html That was just a sample site.[/URL] This is one 4 miles from me that comes out to be about $1850, delivered and set in place. They are 20 X 8 X8 ft. Just a thought. Companies like this are all over the place. My son has one that a local salvage yard cut off the back of a truck that is only 10 ft long. Uses it for a delivery drop off from his suppliers of truck parts. They have a key and just roll up the door, deliver and lock it up.
MikeC
 
#11 ·
Yes,I know about those containers,there are lots of places renting & selling them locally..

I dont have 2 grand to buy one though--may as well just add onto the building for that much money,the materials wouldn't cost much,and put the rest of the money aside towards paying the additional taxes..(again,IF I had the cash!).

I suppose the only way to find out just how "illegal" it is to use a truck box or shipping container for a shed is to ask the building inspector,or whoever is in charge of such things--but to do so will likely alert them to my intentions--the first thing they will ask me is "what is your address " ?..

Either that,or just get one, and put it in place,and see how long it takes for them to fine me or tell me to get rid of it --or else..--..rather not have that happen..
I can probably find a "box truck" body like the one I have in my back yard for around 300 bucks.
The same amount for lumber would build a shed under the taxable limit size too though..or build a loft inside the garage..


Seems like no matter which way you go,your going to have to grease the palm of the town officials..:tango_face_sad:
 

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