What size hangar is enough?

[Toobuilder]

Originally Posted by Mike S

Biggest you can afford.

Never heard anybody say "Gee, I sure wish I did not have such a big hangar"

Absolutely. The biggest I could go (afford) was 60 x 70.

...Not big enough!

[eric_marsh]

Originally Posted by jrs14855

RE: bifold hangar door. Buy a good mig welder and make your own door. 40' is a lot more managable for a bifold. maybe 20% of the cost of a commercial bifold.

20%? I could do that - and if 30' is too short then I'll go 40'.

Those are the kind of things that it's good to know.

[Toobuilder]

BTW,

I also designed and built my own door - 50 x 14. It's built much like a bi-fold, but has its own unique method of articulation - anyway, when all is said and done I'm not sure that I saved much money over a commercial product. Pretty simple to do a quick bill of materials and see how it compares to the commercial offering. Actual fabrication is not all that tough, but the overhung loads need some careful analysis to ensure you don't peel the front of the building off.

[JonJay]

Many counties limit the size of hangars depending on code, available fire service, type of property, attached to home or free standing, etc...

I am building a new 3000sqft bldg (largest allowed). They limited me to 2000sqft of airplane hangar requiring me to put in a fire wall to separate the 1000sqft shop.
This new hangar is in addition to the 2400sqft hangar I already filled up. So, like others say, go BIG as you can. Get involved with whomever is going to permit your project early so you know the rules.

I have helped to build some "roll your own" hangar doors.
Be Careful! A friend of mine just installed a well known manufacturers door but did not have the exisiting building engineered. Fortunately, the building started to show signs of coming apart before it actually did. Very extensive modifications where required. He was lucky to catch it before it was a disaster.
When you buy a manufactured door, you are paying for the engineering already done by them. You might be able to build one cheaper, just be careful you understand what the loads on the door and building really are.

We tried to push my new hangar through plan review at the county based on specifications. They would not buy off on it without a completely engineered set of plans, including the engineering for the door.

Your county and rules may vary.

[Mel]

If you can find the time to come visit, I can show you my 2 hangars and the advantages & disadvantages of various things. I built one of my hangar doors, 40 X 12, for less than $1000 (including electrics) in 1990.

972-784-7544
Short Stop Airfield (8TA5)
Farmersville, TX

[hydroguy2]

50x50 is a good size for a recreational hangar. We had my RV-7, a Rans S-19 & 2 Rans S-6(high wing) in a 50x48. No problem working around all of them. The front 2 could come and go without moving the others.

Position it on your slab so you have 10' out the back for a enclosed living quarters or screened in porch. this leaves about 20' out front as a place to park or work on the concrete. Things like doing a run up outside on solid surface is nicer then picked up grass and rocks with your new prop.

[Ironflight]

As others have said - the bigger the better! Ours is 40x50, and one airplane is always behind the other. It's manageable, of course, but when we build our next one, we'll have a wider front door and more space.

We also have a nice little 12x20 apartment/office in one corner, and that REALLY takes up space that would be useful for airplanes. If it wasn't there, then we'd easily have the floorspace we need for the new -3.....as it is, we'll have to get creative. So if you want "office space", you might bump that out separately.

Paul

[yakdriver]

I have two hangers. One is 40x40 and is where I keep the RV7 or whatever I am flying at the time. It is not insulated well so gets a little cold in the winter. My shop/hanger is 40x32. It has an 11' ceiling and is fully insulated. It is just the right size for building and maintenance and doesn't cost an arm and a leg to heat all winter. Also have a window A/C for the hot summer months. In the future I am going to build 16' out the back for a bathroom and room for a shear, brake and other tools. Also will put a Hydroswing door on when I can afford it. Don

[RV Wannabe]

Anyone out there use, or see a structural concrete floor?

I got invited to see a guy's hangar build a year or so ago. It is a little hard to describe.

When we pulled up the the house in progress all you could see was the foundation and hangar floor (there were no walls yet) next to the house. We entered the house and took a tour (it was still just studded out) he never mentioned anything. As we went through the basement we ended up in a short, dark concrete hallway. This opened up into a 3000' room. It took us a while to realize we were under the hangar floor!

He built a detached from the house (although it was attached through the basement) 50x60 hangar with a basement. He used structural concrete (he called it "bridge concrete") for the hangar floor with stairs down into the basement. He also had a "hole in the floor" where the garage portion was. He was going to put a lift in the basement so he could drop cars, or projects into the basement. In the basement there was some steel because the concrete seams ran down the middle, and around the "hole". The basement floor was not poured yet, he was still working on the radian heat.

I walked away amazed, and quite jelous! I have absolutely no idea about costs involved, and have not seen it finished. Anyone else out there seen anything like this?

Mark

[yakdriver]

One other thing I would have in a new hanger is a heated floor. If you live in the cold country it is not that expensive to install when you pour the floor and a water heater works great for the heat source. Another friend put a 6" PVC pipe 8' deep all the way around the perimeter of his shop. Has a small fan on one end that draws the air through the pipe and provides 55 degree air to the shop. Costs him a couple bucks a month to keep the shop 55degrees winter and summer. He has it hooked to a thermostat so it doesn't get too cold in the summer. Don