Ceiling height requirement for lift storage | FerrariChat

Ceiling height requirement for lift storage

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by J. Salmon, Nov 7, 2005.

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  1. J. Salmon

    J. Salmon F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Aug 27, 2005
    4,363
    VA
    We are planning to build a new house, and the garage is MY domain. Anybody know how much unobstructed height is required in the garage to put in a lift and clear another car? Of course it depends on what you are parking under it, but I was just curious if anyone had a sorta rule of thumb. It'll be hard to change the ceiling height later.
     
  2. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
    12,887
    Cumming, Georgia
    Full Name:
    Franklin E. Parker
    My garage is 11 feet high and I park my BB512i on top of my BMW M5 and have room to spare.
     
  3. Modenafan

    Modenafan F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 19, 2004
    12,069
    Moorpark
    Full Name:
    Jon
    I'm also building a new garage and the height is going to be 10'. I checked with the lift company I'm going to use and they said it wasn't a problem, based on my cars. If I was putting an SUV in there, I would have an issue.
     
  4. Dopplemax

    Dopplemax Formula 3

    I've been going through the same thing but with an existing 10 foot ceiling that means the garage door track is even lower, etc. It depends on what combo of cars you are going to park, and what locking heights are available of your lift that give you the needed clearance for the bottom car. If you are building from scratch, keep it 12 feet or more. IMO
     
  5. F328 BobD

    F328 BobD Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2001
    2,327
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    BobD
    Since you're in the building and planning stages, have you considered going out rather than up? Will your lot support a larger garage... 4 or 5 bay?
     
  6. bigbaddad

    bigbaddad Karting

    Oct 31, 2003
    135
    Arizona
    Full Name:
    John Roberts
    Our ceiling is 9' 6" in our garage. I've done the calculations, and techinically we SHOULD be able to stack two of our smaller cars on a 4 post with that height. But, does anyone here have a 4-post with a ceiling as low as ours? If so, what cars can you/do you stack on it?

    Thanks!

    -John
     
  7. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    I've been a building contractor for some time. I wholeheartedly recommend the 12' suggestion above. Also,

    1) If you are building new, go over in detail with your contractor what you need/want to do.
    2) Is there a glu-lam or iron beam overhead? Lights?
    3) The garage will need to be deep enough to accomodate the length of the elevated car plus the length of the overhead door (if used). In other words, if your elevated car is 14' long and you've got an 8' tall overhead door, that's 22', tight. Then, add about 3' for the door opener, that's 25'. Then add a couple of feet for a safety factor/clearance, that's 27', minimum required depth from garage door to the back of the garage. If you are going to want a workbench at the back wall, say 2 1/2' deep, add that, too. Pretty close to 30 feet, dependent on the above assumptions.
    4) I would also consider the floor loads. I'm no civil engineer, but I think I would want to thicken the concrete floor in the area where the legs of the hoist--particularly the 2-leg models--will land, especially if you are in earthquake country. Nothing would be more heartbreaking than to discover your really expensive car sitting on top of your just plain expensive driver after a temblor.
    5) For those building new (lucky dogs! I'm having to remodel/terrorize my place next year), use insulated glass and insulate the walls; Run a heat duct to the garage with a good damper in case you want to turn it off; pre-wire for intercom/phone/computer/tv. Don't skimp on overhead lights--you are not getting younger--light is everything when you turn 50. If you think you will ever want a compressor or welder, discuss this with your electrician, as you may want to add several dedicated 20 amp/110v circuits, as well as a 30-60 amp 220v circuit (in addition to whatever the hoists power requirements are).
    6) If you've got the means and the space, consider a toilet/sink. Nothing will send you running to the local diamond merchant more quickly than leaving a greasy footprint or two on the Berber.
     
  8. coachi

    coachi Formula 3

    May 1, 2002
    2,108
    SC USA
    if you need any questions or suggestions...i just built an 8 car garage, with exposed ceiling trusses...etc...I have an 11 1/2 foot clearance which is plenty tall enough for my lift, SUV and all. I learned quite a bit building this garage as i designed it as a free standing building..be glad to answer any pm's
     
  9. BJS

    BJS Formula Junior

    Jan 18, 2004
    287
    Central FL and SW MI
    Full Name:
    Brad Stephenson
    Pretty simple:
    1. Check out your lift's maximum locking height (mine was 64"). Use that as a base number.
    2. Add 2-3" for lifting beyond the lock point to let the lock bars snap into position
    3. Add 4-6", depending on the thickness of your lift's ramps
    4. Add the height of the vehicle you plan to put on the lift

    Since you'll be looking at new construction, you should tell your garage-opener installer to tuck the opener/rails tight to the ceiling. Otherwise you'll need to determine if either the rails or the opener will interfere.

    Don't forget the top of the garage door will also be at the height of the rails, even if you can fit the lift between the rails!. It's a PITA to lower the car every time you want to open the garage door...
     
  10. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    In my previous post I neglected to discuss rodent proofing. Not that any of us have ever had that problem.
    The most effective solution I've discovered is a vinyl seal that is usually offered as an option for overhead door installations. It's about 3" wide and installs on the finished garage door casing. Make sure the carpenters install the casing very close (1/8" or so) to the concrete floor, then have the overhead door guy run the gasket in contact with the floor.
    I lived near a large dairy for years and this was bullet-proof.
     
  11. Challenge

    Challenge Formula 3

    Sep 27, 2002
    1,933
    PA
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    quartermaster -
    What about existing gaps between the flexible vinyl seal (around a garage door) and the ground? I just moved into a new house and one of the garage door's seal stops about 3/8-1/2" shy of the ground. I'm worried that if I attempt to splice in a piece it may interfere with the up/down action of the door.

    Sorry to hijack...
     
  12. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 26, 2001
    14,096
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Newman
    A hoist im considering buying says the height requirement is your 2 cars + 9 inches.
     
  13. carlrose

    carlrose Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2003
    321
    Putting dual 4-post lifts in 122" ceiling on 19-20th. Liftmaster makes a nifty garage door opener mounts on front wall alonside door to eliminate overhead rails. Email me at [email protected] if you need me to snap a picture.

    Coachi, how've you been? 8-cars...I am so envious...!

    :) Carl
     
  14. Modenafan

    Modenafan F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 19, 2004
    12,069
    Moorpark
    Full Name:
    Jon
    I'm going to run my garage track to the ceiling instead of the normal position, this should give me almost the entire 10' which is enough for my cars.
     
  15. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    BJS,
    Don't take this wrong, please (!), but consider:
    Using your suggestion puts the elevated car occupying the space roughly between 6' and 10' (using 48" as o.a. elevated car height). Most residential garage doors are 7' (minimum) to whatever the customer wants/ceiling height allows. ABOVE the height of the door (IF we are talking the 'overhead sectional' kind), goes the track (about 6"); above the track goes the spring bar (also about 6"); above the spring bar goes the rail (another 6"). This yields 8 1/2' (if we have a 7' tall garage door, give or take a few inches. This number is right in the middle of the space the elevated car will occupy, and will NOT work unless the elevated car is deep enough into the garage.
    I am aware that there are many, many styles of garage doors available. I've only used the sectional o.h. door as my experience is that it is far and away the most commonly used. Other styles of door (my disclaimer begins) may allow other considerations, and Mr. Salmon needs to explore all options.
    My point is that, if you do not have sufficient depth of garage for the elevated car to clear the door and its operator horizontally, it will not work; and if you do not have sufficient vertical clearance, it won't work either.
    Mr. Salmon needs to discuss his 'hoist' hopes with his architect and builder to be certain his needs are met. This is not a 'Sounds-great!-Just-go-buy-it-and-put-it-in' idea.
    If I'm mistaken, I want to hear about it--you can teach an old dog new tricks.
    Best to all
     
  16. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    I just PM'd you.
     
  17. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    Newman-
    It's not just height. Gotta get the elevated car deep enough into the garage to clear horizontally, too.

    Carlrose-
    Got photos/website of vendor? No rail? Where does the door GO? It would kind of make sense if all it eliminated was the 2-3' horizontal space the standard operator occupies...any details?
    Keith
     
  18. RWDOMKR

    RWDOMKR Karting

    Aug 18, 2004
    97
    Stockton, CA USA
    Full Name:
    RWDOMKR
    John - my garage ceiling height is 9'2". I stack my '84 Alfa Spider on top with the soft top up and my '75 GT4 below...no problems.
     
  19. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    RWDOMKR-
    What is the depth of your garage? How far forward from the garage door is the front of the elevated car? What is the o.a. length of your elevated car? What type of garage door do you have, and how tall is it?
    I'm anxious to learn something, here. I'm reading too many posts that make the 'hoist' idea sound too easy but, obviously, people are doing it.
    I've got a garage that is 24 feet deep (inside). My garage door (overhead sectional) is 7' 6" tall. The distance from my back wall to the ceiling-mounted door opener is about 12 feet. That is the maximum allowable length for a vehicle in the elevated position--using no deduction for a margin of comfort (bumper to wall at one end, and bumper to opener at the other), and not allowing for work bench/storage at the back wall.
    Am I missing something?
    Keith
     
  20. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 26, 2001
    14,096
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Newman
    Quartermaster, what are you talking about? Height is height, anybody should have the brains to figure out if the car will hit anything while planning it out. I gave the info I was given, havent bought one yet but after looking in my garage and eyeballing it all, my 2 cars will fit - horizontally clear of anything as well as vertically.
     
  21. J. Salmon

    J. Salmon F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Aug 27, 2005
    4,363
    VA
    This is great stuff, thanks. I am meeting with the architect again on Thursday. It is a lot to think about up front. I am leaning towards two separate structures so that I can keep the nice things away from the usual traffic. We have a 2 year old, a 6 year old, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. The picture of the cat on the 355 spider is priceless - that has happened many times here! Of course, the lift may be just what they (the cats) are looking for. One way or another, I am going to want a lift for working. May not need it for storage. But just like the wife says about closets - can you ever have too much garage space?

    No.
     
  22. Challenge

    Challenge Formula 3

    Sep 27, 2002
    1,933
    PA
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    I didn't receive it (?)
     
  23. bigbaddad

    bigbaddad Karting

    Oct 31, 2003
    135
    Arizona
    Full Name:
    John Roberts
    Thanks, that is VERY promising for me. What brand lift do you have?

    -John
     
  24. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    Newman, then you have either: sufficient depth of garage to keep the 'elevated' car clear of the door in the 'opened' position, or sufficient door/ceiling height to get your opened door above the 'elevated' car. My posts and concerns were based on the two critical issues relating to hoists, i.e. height AND depth; and were focused on the assumption that the garage had a sectional overhead door which, when in the 'open' position, changes its height (vertical) into depth (horizontal) as it rises and travels across the track suspended from the ceiling, PLUS clearance allowances for the garage door opener and some additional room for safety/or possibly room for a workbench at the back wall of the garage.
    I'm disapointed in myself that I haven't been clear--I'm not trying to foment conflict--I generally hate that.
    It is easy to read a vendors brochure and think "I can do/have that". That is called effective marketing, and I say 'caveat emptor'.
    Let me use my own garage as an example: It is 24' deep (inside to inside), has a 7 1/2' high door, and has a 10' ceiling.
    When the door is opened it occupies--horizontally--7' 6" PLUS about 3' for the opener and ancillaries. Roughly 10' 6" combined door and opener horizontal requirement (depth)
    With 24' of horizontal depth of garage to begin with, we MINUS the horizontal depth of the door and opener (10' 6") and arrive at a horizontal length for the ELEVATED vehicle of 13' 6", maximum, IF we shove the bumper of the soon to be elevated vehicle right up against the framing of the back wall before hoisting it. If we want 6" clearance/margin of safety at EACH end, then we are limited to a hoisted vehicle length of 12' 6", which might suffice.
    I feel like I'm trying to write some passages in a textbook here, and failing at it.
    Perhaps some will read and understand that the 'hoist' issue is not just about ceiling height, but garage depth, as well.
     
  25. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    It's 10 pm and I just pm'd again. If you didn't get it, try pm'ing me, and let me know by post. If that doesn't work, we'll resort to e-mail.
    It's bedtime, here.
    Keith
     

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