How to Build Your Own RV Garage

A garage for a recreational vehicle is similar to any other garage, except for some of the dimensions. Large recreational vehicles require large garages for shelter. These buildings can be built using traditional construction techniques using stud walls or pole building techniques using posts and perlings. Each technique will produce a building taller, wider and longer than a normal garage.

Things You'll Need

• Cement slab
• 2x 6 inch lumber studs and rafters
• Plywood roof sheathing
• Siding
• Shingles
• Garage door
• Walk in doors
• Windows

Instructions

1. Determine the size of the garage appropriate for your recreational vehicle. Class A motor homes, the largest and usually most luxurious of the recreational vehicles, often have an exterior height of more than 12 feet, including air conditioners and other roof-top mounted accessories. These vehicles can be as long as 40 feet, although the width will be similar to any standard vehicle. The garage will have to be sized to accommodate the owner’s recreational vehicle.

2. Pour a cement slab for the garage. A 5- or 6-inch thick slab may be required to support a vehicle that can weigh up to 13 tons. Remove the sod from the ground and build forms from 2x6 inch lumber around the planned perimeter of the garage. Pour the cement slab and screed the cement off level with the top of the forms. Trowel the cement to create a smooth finish.

3. Build 12 foot high side walls. This exceeds the normal garage side wall of just less than eight feet. Use 2x6 inch lumber for the studs to provide extra strength for the tall walls. Build an opening allowing for an overhead door that has a usable clearance of at least 13 feet.

4. Add rafters to the roof. A steeper roof may create more usable space in the garage. Fasten 1/2-inch plywood to the rafters with eight penny nails. Shingle the roof.

5. Cover the exterior of the walls with sheathing or siding, depending on the design of the recreational vehicle garage. Install windows and doors including the large overhead door. This large a door may not be available at home improvement stores but instead could be acquired from door professionals or builders specializing in commercial buildings such as truck stops.

Tips & Warnings

• Include additional width on the driver’s side of the recreational vehicle. This allows easy access to the walk in doors of the RV. If the RV has slide outs, and the owner desires to extend them into the garage, allow space for them in the width of the garage.

• Building an RV garage to fit a smaller camper may be short sighted. If the owner moves up to a larger recreational vehicle in the future the garage may not be large enough. A garage that only fits smaller RVs may limit the value of the building if the property is sold later.

References

• Cool House Plans: RV Garage
• McMahon RV: Hurricaine Specifications