The Camel Railway Room

[rab]

Firstly,clarifying the title.

According to the saying a camel is a horse designed by a committee.

Well I’m throwing open my planned railway room to the wisdom of RM Web,

hoping I won’t end up with a railway room with humps where they shouldn't be.

 

We’ve recently moved to a 3 bed bungalow.

I managed to negotiate the small bedroom for a study,

(which will also see serve as a work room), but failed in

my attempt to have the other room for the railway room.

So thoughts turned to the garage.

 

It’s a bit unusual.

From the front it looks like this:

 

But from the side it’s like this:

 

 

The retaining wall for the path ends about 2ft (600mm) above the path.

Above that are 2 rows of screen blocks.

Mounted vertically in the wall are three 3” (75mm) dia steel tubes.

Let into the top of these tubes is a 3” x 3” (75 x 75) steel ‘T’ section,

which supports the roof.

 

So the plan is:

 

 

Remove the screen blocks in the 2 end sections

Replace with 3 courses of blocks bringing

the height approximately the same as the opposite wall.

Lay joists across these 2 end sections.

 

In the centre section, remove one course of blocks as well as

the screen blocks, leaving a 6” (150mm) app step up and creating a doorway.

 

 

2ft (600mm) app back from the wall run a longitudinal joist between the ones at the ends.

Fill in the remaining middle section with joists suspended from this ‘runner’

At the point where the runner meets the 2 full l’th joists,

insert 2 vertical posts from the floor to the underside of the joists.

Level with the base of the doorway, run 2 joists out

to these vertical posts to support a floor.

 

Here is a sectioned Isometric view

attempting to show what I’m aiming for.

 

 

I was thinking of using nominal 5 x 2 (125 x 50mm) joists.

These would actually be ok for floor joists, but I’ve checked the span tables,

and from what I can see, the difference between ceiling & floor joists

for this span is minimal.

 

I also thought about using 4 x 4 (100 x 100mm) for the vertical posts.

I’d thought of letting the joists into these to provide better support,

rather than just relying on a screwed joint.

Another option might be to have 2 lengths of 4 x 2, one full length,

and then 2 pieces screwed and glued to each leaving gaps for the joists.

For all the other joist joints I was planning using joist hangers.

 

I got a bit carried away with the blockwork. My original thought was,

as I have a 9” (225mm) wide base, to make the additional 3 courses a cavity wall, 

Then I decided putting returns at the ends might make it stronger, but that

gets complicated with inserting a damp proof barrier between inner and outer wall.

It’s probably just as well to go with a 9” (225) solid wall, or even

a single 4” (100mm)wide wall, if it will take the weight of the joists.

I was thinking not to build around the steel tubes, possibly having removable

sections (plywood?) inside and outside, so they can be checked for corrosion etc.

 

This arrangement would give me the ‘U’ shaped section I need,

for the proposed layout with a space in the middle to stand and operate it.

The difference in height between the joists, (where the layout baseboard would be),

and the floor from the doors, is about right for the height I need.

 

I’ve shown a sliding door but I don’t think that will be practical.

It only gives a 2ft opening.  I don’t want the doors opening

inwards, as it will encroach on the available space.

I think I will have to ‘negotiate’ on doors opening out onto the path!

 

So over to you guys.

Suggestions and criticisms welcomed.

 

Brian

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2018 by rab

[steve45]

Have you got space in the back garden for a shed or chalet? This may be a lot less work and retain your garage for other purposes

[cklammer]

From what I can see, the garage entrance is very narrow for modern cars (cars have become significantly wider since the millennium.

 

I'd hesitate attempting to pass through even in a Toyota Aygo or VW Lupo or some such.

 

As it is, the garage can not even be used to store (decent) bicycles or other portable items since it is open - thus no insurance coverage (to the best of my knowledge).

 

In your situation, I'd do the conversion and for storage I'd put a fully lockable shed in the garden for gardening equipment.

[rab]

Have you got space in the back garden for a shed or chalet? This may be a lot less work and retain your garage for other purposes

I agree it does seem like there's a lot of work involved,

but as cklammer points out, I have to make the garage

secure in some way, so the windows or their equivalent would have to be done anyway.

 

There is room in the garden for a shed, but I don't think the cost/work involved in putting the joists in etc would be much more than that involved in a shed.

Edited February 18, 2018 by rab

[Stubby47]

Why not fit the side windows as planned, but fit 3 , and replace the garage door with a door and window?

 

This will give you the full room to work / store things in.

[rab]

Why not fit the side windows as planned, but fit 3 , and replace the garage door with a door and window?

This will give you the full room to work / store things in.

With hindsight perhaps I have gone a bit OTT.

My thinking was the available space is enough

for the layout I have planned and it might be

easier to control temperature and humidity in

a confined space than in the existing garage

with possibly damp coming through the single

skin walls particularly the retaining wall.

Still I will go away and give it some more

thought

[cklammer]

That you will need to insulate well should you go ahead with the garage conversion goes without saying: you'll need to do the whole box (floor, roof, walls, windows and door).

 

 No cold feet during winter ....

[rab]

Having read through my original post again, I realised

it may have been a case of 'too much information'.

I've gone through and taken out some of the unnecessary stuff;

hopefully it makes easier reading now.