Free storage structure!

What you need is a big obsolete commercial satellite dish. Upside down, one piece prefab roof. Probably not laying around all over the place though.

I thought I'd give a follow up on this project.

It's taken me on and off all summer working on this thing. I gave up on it for awhile. I just can't work in this 95+ degree heat and humidity like I used to. And the rain.

I got some sawmill lumber. 16 foot long poplar 2X4s for about $4.50 a piece.

I acquired some galvanized roofing tin that came from an old tobacco warehouse for $300 and I still have plenty left over for another project. Most of it was 17 feet long and some pieces were shorter. So I just overlapped the shorter pieces over the long pieces pointed down hill. I only had to cut a couple of pieces.

Here is where I made my mistake. My father who has built a barn told me to run some 2X6s across the 2X4s to nail the tin to. I thought my measurements were spot on so I placed these 2X4s 36" apart. Well that didn't line up too well. Some of it was due to the fact this lumber is not kiln dried so it warped.

However the roof structure is sturdy enough for me to walk on top of it so it should be OK in case we get a snowstorm.

I covered up any prior nail holes with aluminum tape from the inside then sprayed some expandable foam between the gaps where the tin overlap on the inside and sprayed rubberized undercoating over top of it.

I used some landscape edging to make a skirt to go around where the 2X4s, tin and fiberglass panels meet. This was not worth the effort but may help some of the rain from blowing in.

Now to wait for a hard rain and check for leaks. I'm sure there are going to be some leaks but I'm going to try to shoot some more expandable foam wherever I see a leak. I may have to resort to laying some plastic over my lawnmowers and toys but I think it should be 99% leak free.

The only three things left to do is fabricate a door, run a power cord for some lights and outlet so I can connect my trickle chargers too it and "round off" the tin. Using a reciprocating saw proved too difficult so I'm going to see about getting a metal cutting blade that will go on my Skill saw.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably would have had a building built but I got probably $600 in this structure and it's about 400 square feet.

It doesn't look as nice as I had hoped but this was my first structure I ever built. I'm used to working this metal and cars and stuff.

Here's some photos:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AVox6kIMd0vYIXHJ9WYe_P9ikLbDm1sH

I hate to say this but you will lose that roof the first time you get a 4" snow storm. I am being nice on the 4" part. Snow puts thousands of pounds on a roof. 2x8 would be the smallest I would ever make a roof but on a flat roof, it would be 2x10 with no more than an 8' unsupported span. Also, you never lay the boards flat. It is always on end. 2" pointing to ground and sky. Good luck with it. I pray I am wrong.

BlazNT said:

I hate to say this but you will lose that roof the first time you get a 4" snow storm. I am being nice on the 4" part. Snow puts thousands of pounds on a roof. 2x8 would be the smallest I would ever make a roof but on a flat roof, it would be 2x10 with no more than an 8' unsupported span. Also, you never lay the boards flat. It is always on end. 2" pointing to ground and sky. Good luck with it. I pray I am wrong.

Click to expand...

I totally agree with BlazNt about the roof support boards, should have placed wide part of boards VERTICALLY !!

I agree also with the 2 by's standing up.... You could have bought connectors to tapcon them to the outside walls and then throw a support beam or 2 to attach them to......

300 bux for used tin.... You could have bought new #2 M panel brand new for cheaper than that.... I also have built many houses turnkey in my time... And yes Boo Boo a few fake outhouses also.... For decoration and tool storage in yards........

But you might be on a no money / low investment type storage unit so you did OK on your project..... I have a very good friend that lives in Kentucky and he don't get that much snow neither...


Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!

Boudreaux In Eunice La. said:

I agree also with the 2 by's standing up.... You could have bought connectors to tapcon them to the outside walls and then throw a support beam or 2 to attach them to......

300 bux for used tin.... You could have bought new #2 M panel brand new for cheaper than that.... I also have built many houses turnkey in my time... And yes Boo Boo a few fake outhouses also.... For decoration and tool storage in yards........

But you might be on a no money / low investment type storage unit so you did OK on your project..... I have a very good friend that lives in Kentucky and he don't get that much snow neither...


Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!

Click to expand...

I know when Bou builds an out-house he goes .. ALL-OUT !! ... :thumbsup:...:laughing:

...

So far this building has survived two wind storms and several inches of rain. I have walked on top of it so I'm hoping the roof structure is strong enough to survive any potential snowstorms. When I say "potential" I mean as in snow where I live is no guarantee. 6" of snow is a considered a major snowstorm where I live and that usually happens just once a winter. Then the next week it's in the 60s.

I've started piling it up with my mowers and toys.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1607RhQnYqytqGrSgJwnBX96Xfl-XrrF4

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WN-B_ZiseymZ79Y9S5VPVdxn_uw1IDHF

All I got left to do is properly run an electrical cord to my lights and trickle chargers and finish the framework on the right hand door and notch out the metal for a locking mechanism. Since the building is not on level perfectly ground (and other factors), the right hand door is a bit crooked on the hinge side. But I have a fix for this. I just need my father to lean up against it while I run a second vertical 2X4 to have something to screw the tin into. And two short horizontal 2X4s across the top and bottom so the door is not flimsy:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UBFtTA7xLY4_sOSVMkwxA4KqjJnMLgda

Looking good. Are you thinking about spread gravel or something on the floor as that grass will die off then everything will turn to mud?
Tom

It would be best to have several emergency roof posts cut to length and stashed in case it does threaten to snow. That could save your roof and equipment.

Hope the OP will posted the finish product.