Wood Used for Car Wash Framing ... thoughts-opinions-experience?

[mjwalsh]

There is brand new car wash being built in our area. Keep in mind I have never been against healthy competition ... in case someone questions my motives for posting the below picture during the early stages of development of the self service. I personally am biased in favor of lightweight masonry block for a car wash main structure. That may be partially because I was the mortar mixer for the block bricklayers' back in 1968 when our much smaller car wash first phase was done.

 

[washnshine]

There is brand new car wash being built in our area. Keep in mind I have never been against healthy competition ... in case someone questions my motives for posting the below picture during the early stages of development of the self service. I personally am biased in favor of lightweight masonry block for a car wash main structure. That may be partially because I was the mortar mixer for the block bricklayers' back in 1968 when our much smaller car wash first phase was done.


View attachment 9335

Is the bay on the end for an automatic? And if so, are they going to be washing tractor trailers?

 

[mjwalsh]

2 automatics. 1 for cars. 1 for maximum height vehicles. Not likely for semi trailers.

 

[Randy]

When was this picture taken? It looks like there is snow on the ground

 

[mjwalsh]

It could have been March-April 2023 because we had a very long-lasting continuous below freezing winter which meant very little snow melt. I did not take this picture. The main point of this post is to get thoughts on using wood framing for a car wash???

 

[Earl Weiss]

Interesting the building codes allow combustible materials for commercial buildings for vehicles to be inside of. One car fire could destroy the building.. Insurance rates will be affected as well.

 

[Axxlrod]

I'd never build a car wash out of wood.

 

[MEP001]

I'd never build a car wash out of wood.

A lot of coastal car washes here are made of wood frames to prevent rust.

 

[Waxman]

When I remodeled my automatic bay I reframed inside the bay with wood. I have a metal Kirby building so one wall is concrete 4' up and the rest is metal skin over metal inner structure.

I wanted to make new walls and a ceiling and cover it with Extrutech. I reframed my door openings smaller, too.

I used plastic wood for the bottom plate of the walls.

 

[Waxman]

Interesting the building codes allow combustible materials for commercial buildings for vehicles to be inside of. One car fire could destroy the building.. Insurance rates will be affected as well.

are you kidding me? I'd say probably 80 to 90% of the small garages that do mechanical work etc. around me are stick built. It's very common in New England.

 

[Randy]

They just built a car wash here in back of a new gas station "C" store it's all stick built. The walls look like they are covered with extrutech paneling or something similar.

 

[mjwalsh]

Interesting the building codes allow combustible materials for commercial buildings for vehicles to be inside of. One car fire could destroy the building.. Insurance rates will be affected as well.

I am not sure about that very possible FIRE CODE but first hand when we added a attic truss back in 1985 to our formerly flat laundromat roof. I remember our insurance agent lamenting that the added wood would increase our rates because of the "stick" factor.

BTW... the 600 sq ft usable 2nd story room made that specific project worthwhile.

Another thing to consider is alphalt shingles &/or metal covering required. I like the idea that our hollow core concrete flat roof on our car wash uses a membrane to seal it. If we need to penetrate &/or repair that membrane for whatever reason ... with our special heat gun & with our scrap membrane ... it tends to be more of a DIY project than other roofs based on actual experience.

 

[mjwalsh]

I'd never build a car wash out of wood.

I am thinking that you are right. Maybe not in the short term but eventually it seems like it stick-built also be a lot more vulnerable to moisture. The hoping the pro-stick car wash developers would provide more long term examples of having zero problems. I would think some possible unforeseen insect infestation could even blindside the owner of the building.

 

[MEP001]

I'd never build a car wash out of wood.

I am thinking that you are right.

Let me get this straight... you're thinking that he's right that he'd never build a car wash out of wood? I just want to be sure I understand what you're saying.

 

[Earl Weiss]

are you kidding me? I'd say probably 80 to 90% of the small garages that do mechanical work etc. around me are stick built. It's very common in New England.

What is the age of the Buildings? Somewhat common here until they changed the codes in 1960's.
Had a recent City inspector complain in my all Masonry / Concrete Tunnel that Pipe penetrations from my Equipment room to the tunnel were not sealed and fire could get thru there. . I said "I have an all masonry building full of water - what fire?" He said you have gasoline in there. I said What Gasoline? He said in the cars going through. Had a tuckpointing crew come in to seal all openings.

 

[Earl Weiss]

They just built a car wash here in back of a new gas station "C" store it's all stick built. The walls look like they are covered with extrutech paneling or something similar.

What area of the country?

 

[washnshine]

Had a recent City inspector complain in my all Masonry / Concrete Tunnel that Pipe penetrations from my Equipment room to the tunnel were not sealed and fire could get thru there. .

Copper/water pipe penetrations -sure, that will help. But if that inspector was on you about PVC pipes for detergent, air, hydraulic lines etc., they are open ended anyway and can have fire traveling through the pipe, and will probably melt the pipe anyway. I know you know that- it’s just funny what some inspectors get on when other blatant and inherent problems exist. I guess their job is to minimize all potential hazards as much as they can.

 

[Waxman]

What is the age of the Buildings? Somewhat common here until they changed the codes in 1960's.
Had a recent City inspector complain in my all Masonry / Concrete Tunnel that Pipe penetrations from my Equipment room to the tunnel were not sealed and fire could get thru there. . I said "I have an all masonry building full of water - what fire?" He said you have gasoline in there. I said What Gasoline? He said in the cars going through. Had a tuckpointing crew come in to seal all openings.

My detail shop is made from dimensional lumber and was built in the 2000's.