Garage Renovation following Lightening Strike and Fire July 21, 2025.

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

Coming back to the collective Think Tank for answers to questions. On July 21, 2025 our home in Okotoks, was struck by a massive lightening bolt at the lowest point of the garage roof which caused a fire in the garage roof. We were not home at the time, but 5 1/2 hours away. EXTREMELY QUICK ACTION action by my neighbour and the Okotoks Fire Fighters saved the house and most of the superstructure of the garage, but rendered most of my metalworking and woodworking equipment, tools, supplies and metal stock and wood inventory damaged from water and debris landing on it. Restoration began the next day and companies involved have emptied the contents to a safe location for cleaning and scrutinization. We are extremely LUCKY and THANKFULL to ALL involved in the SAVE.
Now starts the renovation project as of today, now that the garage is empty and a complete shell of its former self.
Several questions for the group:

1. I'm laying out the basic plan for my renewed shop by using the blueprints to re-position machinery (lathe, drill press, mill, tables, jointer etc.) for maximum efficiency i.e. use of the space and movement around the machinery and workbench, counters, and cabinets. I'm using cardboard cutouts of the machinery that can be saved to position them on the blueprint. Any suggestions for this process would be most welcomed.

2. The entire roof has to be replaced along with the entire truss system. I was building a gantry crane at the time of the disaster, but have another thought. I now have the opportunity to install an I-beam the width of the garage supported on 4X4 or 6X6 steel columns between the existing studs. This beam would be used as the gantry crane and because it doesn't support the roof structure, it only carries the load of whatever I'm lifting at the time. I was thinking of either a load of 2 tons to 3 tons would be the absolute maximum it would have to lift or hold. My question is, I realize there will have to be an engineer involved in the calculation of the size of this beam, but what I-beam tables or spec sheets do any of you know about that could help me get an approximate cost of this beam.

3. Any other suggestions on the renovation of this garage workshop would be welcomed from the group.

Thank you kindly for this and all of the past questions this collective Think Tank have helped me with and I will keep you informed of the progress.

To all things that produce smiles,

Tom Fitzpatrick

 

[Junque]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. A properly constructed lightening rod or rods would be something to consider including in the rebuild?

In your place I would definitely be buying salvaged I beam stock. Not only much cheaper, but quite possibly better quality pound for pound than what is being imported nowadays. In fact you might even find a crane system removed from a commercial building which you could modify and install.

I doubt any of these points is news to you or anyone else, but this is your chance to put in whatever machine foundations you need or feel you may need in future. Likewise, power supplies and connections, plumbing lines, heating and AC, evacuation/filtration/venting (paint booth etc)?

And of course this is your chance to create clean or dirty rooms for whatever purpose; media blasting .or woodworking for example?

Have fun!

 

[phaxtris]

There are a few factors on the cost of the beam, you can figure between 1-2$ a lb, the biggest factor is going to be if you can get a hold of an off cut or what length you will be able to buy

you may need to put in footings or piles to keep an engineer happy for a permanent 3t gantry

Get an idea of the size of beam you want and I can see, I may know someone with an off cut close enough that they are willing to sell

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. A properly constructed lightening rod or rods would be something to consider including in the rebuild?

In your place I would definitely be buying salvaged I beam stock. Not only much cheaper, but quite possibly better quality pound for pound than what is being imported nowadays. In fact you might even find a crane system removed from a commercial building which you could modify and install.

I doubt any of these points is news to you or anyone else, but this is your chance to put in whatever machine foundations you need or feel you may need in future. Likewise, power supplies and connections, plumbing lines, heating and AC, evacuation/filtration/venting (paint booth etc)?

And of course this is your chance to create clean or dirty rooms for whatever purpose; media blasting .or woodworking for example?

Have fun!

Great tips, Thank you - calling today for used beams.

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

There are a few factors on the cost of the beam, you can figure between 1-2$ a lb, the biggest factor is going to be if you can get a hold of an off cut or what length you will be able to buy

you may need to put in footings or piles to keep an engineer happy for a permanent 3t gantry

Get an idea of the size of beam you want and I can see, I may know someone with an off cut close enough that they are willing to sell

Thanks for the ideas, when I find out size needed, I'll reach out. We have footings along the side of the garage that are the tops of the frost walls (8" wide that go down 4-6 feet to garage footings).

 

[Lucky7]

Sorry to hear about the lightning induced damage.

Would strongly support taking advantage of misfortune to add I-beams across your shop. I built my current garage/shop roughly twenty years ago with three I beams each spanning 26’. Wouldn’t want to be without.

I’m not an engineer so please do use expertise of one for your place. My 4” square columns are framed within standard 2x6 wall construction. Rigid foam between column and outside sheathing. The shop side of building uses W beams 15” web, can’t recall weight/foot. Columns here are engineered for six foot long jibs as well. They are partly made but not in use yet.

Feel free to PM me if further details needed, and if in Wpg, drop in for a look see.

 

[Susquatch]

You should get a local engineer to design your system for you.

But here is a very rough starting point based on a quick look at beam specifications and commercial 2 ton gantry cranes.

For a 2-ton gantry crane, I-beams need to be sized to span the operating distance safely. I'd guess you are looking at someplace between 8 and 25 feet for your shop.

For an 8ft span, an S8x18.4 (8" tall, 4" wide flange, 18.4 lbs/ft) I-beam is commonly used for 2-ton (4000 lbs) cranes.

For a 10ft span, an S10x25.4 beam (10" tall, 25.4 lbs/ft) will be both stiffer and safer.

For spans between 15 and 25 ft, Commercial cranes use W12 beams (12.5" tall, 6.5" wide flange, approx. 35 lbs/ft) for 2-ton systems.

That's just to get you going with costing and size needed. Again, get a local engineer to design something for you.

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

Sorry to hear about the lightning induced damage.

Would strongly support taking advantage of misfortune to add I-beams across your shop. I built my current garage/shop eamsroughly twenty years ago with three I beams each spanning 26’. Wouldn’t want to be without.

I’m not an engineer so please do use expertise of one for your place. My 4” square columns are framed within standard 2x6 wall construction. Rigid foam between column and outside sheathing. The shop side of building uses W beams 15” web, can’t recall weight/foot. Columns here are engineered for six foot long jibs as well. They are partly made but not in use yet.

Feel free to PM me if further details needed, and if in Wpg, drop in for a look see.

Thank you very much for this - do you have any pictures of your I-beams installed or being installed along with assorted mounting plates plus what they look like completed?

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

You should get a local engineer to design your system for you.

But here is a very rough starting point based on a quick look at beam specifications and commercial 2 ton gantry cranes.

For a 2-ton gantry crane, I-beams need to be sized to span the operating distance safely. I'd guess you are looking at someplace between 8 and 25 feet for your shop.

For an 8ft span, an S8x18.4 (8" tall, 4" wide flange, 18.4 lbs/ft) I-beam is commonly used for 2-ton (4000 lbs) cranes.

For a 10ft span, an S10x25.4 beam (10" tall, 25.4 lbs/ft) will be both stiffer and safer.

For spans between 15 and 25 ft, Commercial cranes use W12 beams (12.5" tall, 6.5" wide flange, approx. 35 lbs/ft) for 2-ton systems.

That's just to get you going with costing and size needed. Again, get a local engineer to design something for you.

Great details - excellent starting point. I have two possible locations - one is 20" long and the other is 26'.

 

[slow-poke]

FWIW, years ago we added another two car garage to our existing two car garage and had an I-Beam installed in the new addition to lift engines etc. I'm just going by memory but I'm guessing that I-Beam was about 8 or maybe 10" tall and perhaps 24' wide. I'm not sure how the engineer grossed up the capacity, but whatever the deflection with a 1000lbs hanging in the middle was it wasn't visible to the eye.

I placed my main toolbox adjacent to my main work bench and within 10-12' of mill, lathe and drill press. Works well.

 

[ChazzC]

Joining the others: good that things are moving along!

In addition to the beam, there will be the cost of the support columns and increased size of footings. Also consider including additional capacity for hanging other items (like an air tank on the overhead?), AC/heating equipment, etc.

I assume you have considered raising the roofline so you can get more clearance for whatever comes along?

 

[skippyelwell]

It's a drag about the fire but it also sounds kind of exciting to have a go at making your shop better the second time around.
Any damage to the concrete pad? In floor hydronic heating is a wonderful thing.

 

[canuck750]

As others have stated contact a structural engineer to design the beam and supports. The steel shop you contact may have a couple engineers they could recommend for such a small project (small for the engineer)
You did not note the span of the beam, I am a retired architectural tech, most structural steel bay spacings are 20~25 feet, and common depths of beams are W360, W400 and W460, web thickness varies upon loading. Column sizes would likely be HSS 102 x 102-10~13mm wall or 152 x 152-10~13mm wall thickness with a base plate of 125x250x13 or 175x300x13. I would bet a 102 square HSS would suffice for the loads you are contemplating.
An all bolted design would be preferable and Hilti Hit (epoxy set) anchors drilled into the existing concrete foundation. Lateral bracing of the columns on each end of the beam will be required, the columns might be restrained by the wall stud and sheathing, again an engineer will need to review.
If you can live with a much lighter load capacity, up to 800 lbs, two rows of barn door track suspended across the underside of reinforced roof trusses works well (say at 8 get on center) then a matching double row ‘crane’ trolly of barn door track ( say at 24” on center) gives you unlimited movement of the hook point in the X and Y travel across your shop with a footprint of 8 feet x the length of your garage. This is what I am going to install in the new garage and shop I am building this winter.
In my current commercial building where my shop situated I have a heavy overhead crane suspended from a pair of W460 beams and a trolley beam of W200 with a crane trolley running the length of the W200, approximately 16 feet. From this I lift up to 1400 lbs. I really only ever need to lift 800 lbs (large size motorcycle and typically do not exceed 600 lbs)

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

As others have stated contact a structural engineer to design the beam and supports. The steel shop you contact may have a couple engineers they could recommend for such a small project (small for the engineer)
You did not note the span of the beam, I am a retired architectural tech, most structural steel bay spacings are 20~25 feet, and common depths of beams are W360, W400 and W460, web thickness varies upon loading. Column sizes would likely be HSS 102 x 102-10~13mm wall or 152 x 152-10~13mm wall thickness with a base plate of 125x250x13 or 175x300x13. I would bet a 102 square HSS would suffice for the loads you are contemplating.
An all bolted design would be preferable and Hilti Hit (epoxy set) anchors drilled into the existing concrete foundation. Lateral bracing of the columns on each end of the beam will be required, the columns might be restrained by the wall stud and sheathing, again an engineer will need to review.
If you can live with a much lighter load capacity, up to 800 lbs, two rows of barn door track suspended across the underside of reinforced roof trusses works well (say at 8 get on center) then a matching double row ‘crane’ trolly of barn door track ( say at 24” on center) gives you unlimited movement of the hook point in the X and Y travel across your shop with a footprint of 8 feet x the length of your garage. This is what I am going to install in the new garage and shop I am building this winter.
In my current commercial building where my shop situated I have a heavy overhead crane suspended from a pair of W460 beams and a trolley beam of W200 with a crane trolley running the length of the W200, approximately 16 feet. From this I lift up to 1400 lbs. I really only ever need to lift 800 lbs (large size motorcycle and typically do not exceed 600 lbs)

OMG, this is so helpful - Thank you - engineer coming tomorrow to assess further as re-building permit has been issued and we need him to assess our update with the beam. I have two options - one, the span is 20-21 feet and the other is 26-27 feet. Consulting on line engineering tables shows that a W8 X 18 (D - 8.18" & 18 lbs/foot) I-beam would be allowable for a 4000 lb. load. In your estimation does this sound right?

 

[Tom Fitzpatrick]

It's a drag about the fire but it also sounds kind of exciting to have a go at making your shop better the second time around.
Any damage to the concrete pad? In floor hydronic heating is a wonderful thing.

The floor does have hydronic heating controlled via a Slant-Fin boiler in our basement.

 

[Susquatch]

Consulting on line engineering tables shows that a W8 X 18 (D - 8.18" & 18 lbs/foot) I-beam would be allowable for a 4000 lb. load. In your estimation does this sound right?

I doubt it. I think you have forgotten about the required safety factor for cranes. Your engineer will decide what you need.

 

[Lucky7]

Looking for the drawings for my shop last night (unsuccessfully so far) and remembering the thinking that went into it- would recommend engineer design in capacity for jibs to be bolted to columns. Costs so little extra now, but gives more reach for lifts (in my case of 500lbs from the jib at six feet) in the jibs radius in addition to whatever you put directly under the beam. Obviously a built in beam doesn’t move like a rolling gantry crane.

Damn, I’ve got to finish my own jibs now.

FWIW, my engineer spec’ed a larger beam than W8-18 for 4000lb 26’ span. Agree w Susquatch.

 

[canuck750]

An 8” deep wide flange spanning 21 feet and supporting a 4000 lb load sounds very light to me.
I would be surprised to see anything less than 16” deep for that load but I am not an engineer.