kewald's Workshop

Since our homestead didn’t come with a garage, I decided it needed a workshop instead. Bought the metal building parts from a neighbor who had decided not to build his own building.

Did all of the excavation with a rented Bobcat skid loader, removing up to two feet of solid limestone rock in the process. Wanted the grade of the land lower so the main entrance to the shop could accomodate a pickup truck height loading dock.

Sub-contracted the concrete slab work. Erected the steel shell with the help of a friend until he got hurt (not on my project – at home). Then figured out how to do it single handedly. Built 6 inch conventional wood framed walls for the ends. Erected them with the help of a come-along. Framed up the office, water system closet, utility room and spray painting/storage room. Did all of the electrical work in conduit and dust proof plate covers. Moved the pressure tank for our well into the water system closet and plummed everything. Hung 6” special batt insulation using plastic pins and caps that screw to the ends of the bolts that join the steel panels. Insulated the end walls with 6 inch batt fibreglass. Sheet rocked, taped and floated, and painted the interior walls. Installed HardiPanel on the exterior of the end walls. Trimmed the doors and windows and painted the exterior. Constructed a wooden deck/dock at the front. Trenched around the high side of the building and installed a french drain system.

All of the interior rooms have storage space above them.

The windows are vinyl/wood framed with dual pane low emisivity window panes.

Wanted plenty of room to move stuff through the doors. The double front door is 5 feet wide. The other doors are all 42” wide.

My wife, Beverly helped all along, especially with the finish out. My best friend, Jerry, helped erect much of the steel.

-- Always do the Right Thing the Right Way the First Time - if you can figure out what that is! Ken, Spring Branch, TX