Wood shed/shelter

[shortys7777]

I scored these 6ft cedar poles basically free. I have an area maybe 12-14ft x 8-10 feet. I really want to make a roof and just put pallets under it and stack my wood with some wood slat sides on 3 of the sides to allow air flow. My issue is that area of my yard is basically rock or very hard just below the surface. I suppose I could dig a hole to the rock. Pour some concrete just to level it for the post. Then drill and anchor the post into the rock? 6 inches or so? There is no way of me moving this rock out and adding a sonotube. I do have other scrap 2x4 laying around. Might need something bigger for the roof support stretching from the beams which I understand. Really looking for any ideas. I'm sick of looking at the tarps and they wear out way to fast.

 

[clancey]

How about something like this and will try to bring a picture of it on here...The picture belongs to a member on this forum called stoveliker--this is how I am going to do mine --I hope,,,clancey

 

[shortys7777]

I like that. My posts may need to rest on cinder blocks of I do it that way because of the size. Wonder if I can do it without the floor. PT is crazy money and I have unlimited access to pallets.

 

[clancey]

I at a loss here for I do not really know what PT means but you need the flooring to keep it strong for the weight of the wood--at least that's what I think and I would make your foundation as strong as you can even spending the extra money. Those special above ground concrete post holders ( I forget their name and wrote it down and can.t find the paper--lol) I prices at HD and they sell here for $16.00 each.. They also have those (I think) (2ft deep metal things that go in the ground and you can put 2x4"s in them and I have some of them in my bird fly pen outside holding up the posting to where the hard wire is attached..Because of such hard ground or rock that you have---you have a problem and cannot you hire someone or some kind of equipment to break it up where you need to put these supports in the ground. People often get angry at me for saying things like do the job so that you will not have to do it again or figure out a way to make it right even if it cost some extra money---time is valuable and in my opinion if you have to continue to worry about something and if it leaks or something you have to do it again--why waste the time---do the job the right way in the first place--at least to the best of your ability and budget..I really do not know enough about building things but one would want it safe and pretty knowing that it was done the right way..I am on a tear here--lol....enjoy thinking about you future wood shed--and just go at it,,,clancey...

 

[bholler]

I like that. My posts may need to rest on cinder blocks of I do it that way because of the size. Wonder if I can do it without the floor. PT is crazy money and I have unlimited access to pallets.

Just make sure the pallets are easily swapped out when they rot away.

 

[shortys7777]

PT is pressure treated lumber. My yard is small and fenced in plus I did sod recently in the front part. I have access to machines but this is just ledge. Id literally have to jack hammer it all up to pour. They make anchors and expoy for setting fence posts on on top of rock. Not a bad idea with those concrete posts and maybe some 2x6 as the base then setting my posts on that. I'll have to price it out.

 

[clancey]

Your sure right there on the prices and the pressured treated wood is sky high..I know exactly what you are saying because I have a small yard too but I am fortunate with a lot looser soil where i plant to put a wood shed--Gosh if I had to do it beside the house it would be really hard because "boulders" are there "underneath" the soil...I have one spot maybe I will take a picture of that looks like a cliff sticking out-lol lol...but flat to the ground...We do what we have to do but make it so you won't have to fool with it a second time because there are more important things to do like having a nice cold drink under a tree on a nice day...Maybe my rock thing is a glacier--a rock one,,lol enjoyed clancey

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, you can use those blocks to put posts up that hold up a roof of some kind, and put pallets on the ground. I believe @Highbeam has a shed like that. The only thing I wonder about (and why I went with a floor, though that added to the cost because of the weight it has to carry) is termites - pallets on the floor do provide a nice path for them into your wood. If you have it sitting for 3 years (like I will), I don't know how much gets eaten. Bottom layer only? (I don't know where other forum members live, and whether there are termites everywhere in this country. They are on LI, and I suppose in Rhode Island as well.)

Anyone working with pallets that can chime in?

Or you could use these deckblocks to put posts up for a roof, and use the classic cinder block + 2x4's to put your wood on. Like tarped racks, but now under a roof.

 

[Highbeam]

Just make sure the pallets are easily swapped out when they rot away.

If under a roof on dry ground they will last a long time, many cycles. You can also acquire foam or plastic pallets.

It’s pretty obvious when the pallets need to be replaced. It’s long before they fail to support the wood.

A few inches of gravel under the pallets helps a lot.

We’ve never had termite or bug problems in the wood stacks either before the shed or when I was just tarp covering.

I’m about to refill the half of my shed that was burned this last winter. I really really am happy to have upgraded from 11 cords of wood under tarps to 11 cords in a dry shed.

Oh and my building is built like a pole barn with posts sunk over 3 feet deep to provide lateral strength.

 

[EbS-P]

I’d just make it freestanding and set it on flat rocks or blocks to help level it. I’d screw (only 1 screw each end for now so it’s easy to level it after the other 2 sets of poles are up) 2x between the posts to make the roof pitch an and other near the bottom. Repeat for a center support and end. Stand them up screw on a back “header” so now it’s all free standing screw on the front header add some roof supports front to back and then string perlins across those for your roofing material of choice. Simple and fast. I’d just rake the snow off if I thought I’d might be to heavy. With nothing but firewood under it I think just sound enough is fine. I was going to do this with landscape timbers but I have a 5 cord stack right where I want to put it so it’s gonna wait. Maybe lumber will go back down by then.

Evan

 

[shortys7777]

Great options on here. I need to move the wood currently there to my rack near the house then start leveling it out. Thanks!

 

[BigJ273]

If under a roof on dry ground they will last a long time, many cycles. You can also acquire foam or plastic pallets.

It’s pretty obvious when the pallets need to be replaced. It’s long before they fail to support the wood.

A few inches of gravel under the pallets helps a lot.

We’ve never had termite or bug problems in the wood stacks either before the shed or when I was just tarp covering.

I’m about to refill the half of my shed that was burned this last winter. I really really am happy to have upgraded from 11 cords of wood under tarps to 11 cords in a dry shed.

Oh and my building is built like a pole barn with posts sunk over 3 feet deep to provide lateral strength.

View attachment 279324View attachment 279325View attachment 279326

Jesus. That’s beautiful

 

[clancey]

Everything looks just great...I think I will run into a water drain problem ---if I slant the roof back it goes into the neighbors back yard the water and if I slant it my way it goes on my path of walking and I wonder how to fix this problem...Maybe "a" pitch it and would that be okay? Maybe a gutter put on it and direct it another way? Just thinking here. It will be awhile but just thinking here..clancey

 

[billb3]

If the ground is really hard and dry you could sink a 4 or 5 foot length of rebar into the ground as a pin to hold the log in place. Drill a hole up the log a foot or two. If you really don't want the log touching the ground set it on top of a couple bricks or concrete pavers with the rebar in the center. If you have rocky glacial till like here you may have to make several attempts at stabbing the ground and you may have a slightly not-square building. It's a wood shed.