Looking for hangar interior ideas

Congratulations on your hangar!

Be sure that anything you install can be moved/removed/modified without major problems. Even with the best pre-planning, you’ll find that this pipe or that wire invariably can only go THERE, right behind that immovable object.

I used a lot of gray PVC electrical conduit in my hangar and did NOT glue the junctions. There’s no need for waterproofing inside the building and friction plus clamps holds everything together very well. If I have to change/add/modify something (and yes, this has happened a few times), it is easy instead of impossible.

I’ve got a lot of things on cheap Harbor Freight dollies and on pallets so I can re-arrange things (also needed several times) without too much effort. It also makes them easier to get out of the way if I have to work above them.

Put your lights in FIRST!!!! Once you fill the hangar with “stuff”, everything will be in your way and you won’t be able to place the ladders or lifts to do the “upper” work. Add your facilities working from the roof downward, lights, wires, pipes, shelves, etc., because if you work from the floor upward everything will be in your way all the time.

Don’t make irrevocable decisions about where things are going to fit. Lets see if I put the compressor here, then the wing rack can go here and the workbench here, except now there isn’t clearance to get the airplane into the hangar . . .

Remember to leave room for service access to stuff like compressors. Just because it will fit into a space 1/16″ wider than the device is not going to help you much if it needs service later – and it will.

Use 3/4″ conduit instead of 1/2″. The cost is only slightly more and if you need to add a circuit later, you’ll have room for it.

I’d also suggest surface mounted conduit and plumbing. There’s no need to hide this stuff, this isn’t your living room (well, not officially) and if you ever need or just want to add an outlet or a faucet you won’t have to destroy the wall to do it.

Use CFL lights in the hangar. I use eight of them to illuminate a 30 by 50 foot area (front third of my hangar). They draw 42 watts each and are equivalent to 150 watts each in light output. For 336 watts (drawing under 3 amps) I get 1,200 watts of light (equivalent draw 10 amps) which also meant I could safely use #12 wire instead of the much more expensive #8 or #10. They also don’t make much heat, incandescents make a lot.

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman
Florida

I am an Architect for hangers, hanger houses and apartments.
Work completed in Georgia and Michigan.Would like to save you from mistakes.
Ph-1-404-303-1308