What Ceiling Height Should You Go With For Your New Shop?

Ever wonder how tall your ceiling height should be for your shop?

We get this question all the time — especially from folks building on farms or acreages. And the go-to recommendation for most of those builds is to go with a 16-foot ceiling. That height gives you enough room for 14-foot overhead doors, which will clear pretty much any road-legal piece of equipment. It’s a solid, do-everything kind of setup.

Now — if you’ve got something taller on the farm that you want to pull inside (think combines with big hopper extensions or custom equipment), you might want to look at going higher. An 18- or even 20-foot ceiling with 16-foot or taller doors gives you extra breathing room.

On the flip side, sometimes your hands are tied by zoning rules. If you’re building on a town lot or inside city limits, there’s often a restriction on overall building height. Some spots only allow 16 to 24 feet at the peak — which means you might need to drop down to a 12- or 14-foot ceiling, depending on the width of your shop.

Even a 12-foot ceiling can work well. That still gives you room for a car hoist, and you can usually get a 10-foot overhead door in without issue. Great for working on vehicles or storing equipment — all while staying within zoning limits.

Bottom line? If you’re not limited by height rules, 16-foot ceilings are the sweet spot for most people. But if you’re dealing with tall gear or tight bylaws, we can help you design something that fits just right.