I have looked all over the web for drawings of a typical ordinary 2 car garage from say the 1930's to just post war or so.
I'm interested in all the structural and construction details details. If anyone can find some good interior pics that would help too.
Would the historic version of Architectural Graphic Standards have this?
Thanks!
Paul
Paul,
somewhere on the Popular Mechanics archive issues site I have seen plans for a garage, maybe a single one but was definitely 1930's - will try to find it
While not specific plans there's some information here (http://books.google.com/books?id=kw09AAAAYAAJ&dq=two%20car%20garage&pg=PA178#v=onepage&q=two%20car%20garage&f=false) on building a garage - from a book pub 1922
It was Popular Science not Mechanics ...... this link may be of some help
http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=FSkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=86&query=build+your+own+garage
Try this:
http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm
Lots of plans for lots of stuff............
I have a 1942 version at the end of my driveway; brick veneer style. I can send the whole thing to you, termites and all.
Other than that they are typical stud construction with real-size 2X4. Horizontal plank walls in my neighborhood with the brick outside. The rafters are smallish, probably less than current code. The real indicator of date would be the doors. Single piece tilt up or side-by-side hinged- no overhead roll ups. My single garage is small- 10X20 feet. Hardly enough room for the Beetle, no room for the van if you want to get out of it. Two-cars can be one big door or have a post in the middle, I have seen both around here.
John
FWIW>>>
In my neck of the woods they are set on concrete foundation. full 2x6 sole plate, a 2x6 turned on edge mid way up, followed by the same at the top. Siding is vertical 2x6 T & G. rafters are 2x4, sit directly on top plate, no birds mouth...about 12" overhang, tails plumb, no facia / gutter board, opening between rafters filled with 1x to keep birds out. Rafters stick built scabed with 1x, about 4' center, 1x6 purlins over rafters and are rough cut 1 x 2,6,8 off fall cull followed by barrel corregated roll tin and cap. double door on track/made of T&G 1x, looks to be flooring material with same bracing holding assembly together. circa 1896, same as my house MAYBE seems newer. old draftee and dreary ;D
Philip
Paul,
I probably have everything you need in my library. Happy to pull it for you....is your need immediate or can I have some time...next two weeks are going to be tough, as I have some Eurotrash cycling company coming ;) ;D..and he is going to make me suffer.
What style of structure and type of exterior siding are you after on this structure....also flat roof or pitched roof...if pitched, gable or hip?...just trying to limit the search parameters (close to 200 historical arch. books and an equal number of publications)....also, two car garages were not always that commom during this period, especially on the more modest suburban homes, as the vast majority of families owned only one car.....but I am sure I can find something....and I definitely have detail drawings.
What scale will this be built in...and how much detail info do you want (whatever you want...not a problen just again need some search parameters.)
Marc
FWIW...this is nothing great, and no details,....but it was actually within arms reach of my desk.
This is from a 1920's Gordon Van Tine "Garage Circular". GVTCo. built KD/Catalog homes...so these types of garages were quite common. The text...though not too clear do to sizing for file insert, does give some basic info.
Marc
Wow thanks everyone!
Marc, thanks for the offer. I' looking for something very much like the one that can be found here:
http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm#Machinery%20and%20Supply%20Storage%20Plans
Plan # 5929 TWO CAR GARAGE. 24' x 24' FRAME CONSTRUCTION.
Need is not immediate, in fact I still have not decided on a scale, but have narrowed it to 1/2" or 1". It will not be the whole building, but a diagonal section(or so my thinking is now) As for siding..I don't know really, what would have been typical for the time in the midwest? This would have been a regular middle class neighborhood, I do want a 2 car one though.
As for detail, I would like to have all the construction details right, especially of the insides and roof structure.
Thanks again!
Paul
Paul,
The 5929 is from 1961 and butt ugly ;).....but I did go through some of my books and found you a 2-car garage design, w/ details and framing drawings...very midwesty looking, wood sided (you could use the same design and do it brick sided...which is midwesty as well...but I will have to give you some different const. details for that).....in a 1936 book. I will augment this with some other drawings/typical period details for such things as window sash construction and installatiion details, sheathing details, etc.)...and you can always ask if you need more or specifics. Note that these drawings are "general intent" and "good practice"...and they may have variations depending upon region, vernacular styles and the whim of the builder/carpenter....or due to easthetic purposes.....but if you follow the detailing, you pretty much can not go wrong, and should be able to defend against nitpicking from guys like me ;) ;D. (speaking od which, I need to also pull that French Farmhouse book for the 1/16 Shop thread.) I will try to scan these in short order.
Below as a teaser is the plan and some details. Note that the garage is 20x20...a more typical size from the period...the larger garages came into play later when the cars got bigger ;). Note also the footing detail shows the slab turning directly down into the footing...this is a normal detail, however the other common detail that occured was that there was a small 6"+ high by 6" wide "stem wall" that came up from the slab...onto which the wall was then built (the stem wall is not a seperate piece but just an added shape to the footing/slab pour)...I have both details in my 1:1 garages from the 1920's, one garage has a stem wall, the other garage does not....the one without has greater water infiltration issues, as well as the timber framing being closer to grade so more chance for rot and termites ::) :)
Note also in the plan detail that this garage has no structural sheathing...just the exterior siding (which means there would be inlet diagonal bracing)...I will show some beter detailing for both sheathed and unsheathed framing later from another source.
Hope this is what you sort of want....
Marc
Here is the side elevation, with some framing, and trim info. I strongly disagree with two aspects of the framing. The drawing shows only a single 2x4 top plate....I have never seen this in 35 years in the business...it's always 2 top plates. The other issue is the single horizontal header at the window....this may work for a cheesy construction, or sheds, but it is not the norm (even for the period...and again, at least not for what I have encountered). This should be a double header placed vertically (I will scan a detail for this later).
Note also the barge board trim at the eaves (shown as a 1x3)...this is a design choice option for whoever drew this. In other cases Some people might leave this off, and if so they may or may not radius the lower rafter tail corner.....or they might do a barge board that is the full height of the rafter ends...or they might shlightly clip the bottom corner of the rafter tail sit is parallel to the ground plane..and then do a barge board the height of the remaining face...also the depth of the overhang........all design decisions. (I am happy to answer any questions, provide options or discuss this type of stuff once you get to that point.)
Note that the roof sheathing is shown as a continuous surface.....you have a choice on this for the period, either contiguous 1x boards, or spaced 1x boards....when spaced they would be done so as to land where the shingle nailing points would occur. Also note that the roof sheathing ends flush with the face of the rafters....not really a good detail; the sheathing should extend out over the top of the facia trim and the bottom edge of the sheathing should be flush with the outside facia face...or portrude maybe a slight bit (1/2"?) beyond (the latter being a design choice).
Another thing to look at on the framing elevation is the lack of staggered or angled blocking between the studs at about midway up; I think this is an omission or error here, and should definitely be added.
Marc
And...interestingly the same book cotradicts itself some 24 pages later. The window set-up on the left is as noted the correct one....however, I don't know if I would do so mich room around the window jamb and use a "frame stiffener"...I would likely keep the framing within 1/2" of the window jamb, and just use shims for stiffening and setting.
Marc
OK...front elevation and front wall framing. (ignore the detail for the overhead garage door at lower left....yuor garage has hinged outswing doors.)
Note that the framing opening for the garage door is done for 8'-0" doors.....this is a design option....7'-0" or 7'-6" doors would also be completely acceptable and correct...just what works best for your needs and design aesthetic.
Marc
Lastly, the roof framing plan for this thing. IMO the suggestion of 2x4's for the Hip Rafters is too small...it is not something I would personally do. Firstly, because when you cut 2x4 rafters at an angle the cut face is greater than the 4" side face of the hip rafter, thus not the entire rafter will be bearing on the hip; and secondly, simply because of load and deflection concerns...I would use a 2x6, then notch and thin it to a 2x4 wher it hits the sil plate and extends to the exterior (so it matches the appearance of the 2x4's at the eaves. (doing the latter is far more complicated and not necessary). It was often the case that garage structures were not designed with the same details or integrity that the main house was....so there is the chance for lighter lumber and less attention to anything but basic structural integrity.
BIG NOTE!: my comments and input re. any structural, construction and design details are all in context with the time period...and have nothing to do with current building and structural practices and codes....so anyone running out to look at their tract house, home on wheels or post 1940's home, and suggesting that theirs is different from what I am showing....NO DUH!....and thus it also has nothing to do with the time frame and methods in question.
Marc
If you decide that you really want an overhead garage door instead of the swinging doors, here is the data from the 3rd Edition Architectural Graphic Standards (1941).
Marc
...here some car data from the same AGS.
Marc
Also from the same AGS, some "Recommended" garage sizes for private garages.
Marc
Paul,
Hopefully this will give you a start. Feel free to ask if you need more, or anything else/different.
Marc
Holy garages! Thanks Marc this will certainly get me going! Because of this info I'm starting to rethink the project a bit...I might include a bit more than I had planned.
Just to clarify...the dimensioned lumber from then would be ACTUAL sizes, ie a 2x4 was 2" x 4"?
Thanks again!
Paul
Based on personal experience, that's a tricky question...and I could only give a very non definitive...."yes and no" as an answer. I have run into both conditions....and there is no defining reason or rule of thumb...I have seen small rickety bungalows built with actual size lumber...and large estates built with nominal lumber all during the same time period or year. And I have also found that this may vary regionally as well....ie a 1930's home in Tucson AZ, using nominal.....a home in the redwood forests of Northern CA, w/ actual size.....my 1926 home uses nominal sizes.....I have even had the rate case where it was mixed....the exterior and structural walls were actual size....while non-bearing interior walls and decorative construction was nominal..
.....and I have no idea how it was in the Midwest or east...I have not had any projects there.
For ease of construction using exist. wood sizes I think you would be okay going with actual sized lumber.....if you get flak you can defend by saying the builder wanted a quality garage.....or much more basic...that though your scene is set in the thirties, the house/garage was built in the twenties or teens.
Marc
My experience matches Marc's. When I was doing historic preservation work in Kansas in the early 90s we found both nominal and actual sized lumber used at various points in the past. It seemed to be related to wood species. The hardwoods were still actual size, and rough sawn, while softwoods like pine tended to be nominal dimensions and planed.