Quick project questions for a rookie

new2thecrew

I am looking at building a two car garage in the next few months and have a few questions........

1. What would be the most affordable framing/finish nailer combo?
2. What size compressor should I buy? Will probably use it for other small jobs around the house as well and then upgrade to a stationary unit once the garage is built.
3. Pressure treated lumber is the way to go correct?
4. Is it possible to do this without having a slab poured? Trying to save money. Only using it for project cars and such.

Please offer up any advice that you can. Thank you in advance.

oh'mike

The simplest garages us a ' thickened slab'---a footing trench is dug around the perimeter--forms set--

gravel added to the undisturbed earth--vapor barrier and then pour the slab and footings all at once.

If you wish to go floor less --you will need footings for the walls and a slab for under the roll up door--

The only pressure treated wood will be the bottom plate of the wall that will be in contact with the floor.

Roof trusses often cost less than stick framing ----

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ratherbefishing

I like the numbered questions. makes it easy to answer.

1. My Porter Cable nailers have worked great and were affordable. My friend's Bostich were good, too. Check around for lightly used, and make sure nails are easily available.
2. I'd buy a 20 or 30 gallon upright on wheels. Semi portable until you get the garage built, then semi stationary when you have the place to install it. When i went shopping, I was hoping to find a good deal on a Bel-aire or IR, but ended up with an OILED, CAST IRON Husky (made by C-H) and have been happy with it.
3. PT lumber is only needed on the bottom plate or sill.
4. If you run a course or two of block, to keep the framing and siding up from the ground, you'll have much fewer problems in the future.

Millertyme

just so you know, you do not by any means need a 20 or 30 gallon compressor to run a framing gun. There is a combo kit made by bostich which comes with a few guns for a reasonable price.

Pressure treated is only needed where wood touches concrete.

new2thecrew

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.

KevinPh

Another option instead of a slab would be a 12" bed of 1" dia. aggregate, compacted every four inches. This is the standard for driveway and
road building, and you will need something thick and strong enough to support the weight of the vehicles. For driveways, you need to compact it with a roller or a tamper, both of which you could rent for the day.

ps. you only need pressure treated lumber for any wood that is exposed to the elements.

EZHangDoor

You could do a pole building and add the concrete floor later. That would save the concrete cost of the floor for now.

new2thecrew

What exactly is a pole building?

EZHangDoor

It is a post and beam structure in which the posts act as the foundation, normally by digging a hole below the frost level and placing concrete and then the post sits on top of that. The post is back filled and beam are fastened to the posts. Your roof framing then sits on the beams. This makes the floor independent of the foundation.