Are you still working with a $300 a year budget ?
What's the cheapest way to build a small shack? (materials)
I was thinking about building a small shack (about a 12x24 foot pole barn style building) with the intent of storing certain projects out of the weather. I don't want a workshop inside, I don't need it to be airtight, nothing fancy. Just a poorly sealed wooden box with a tin roof that slopes. Also I am looking for 2 12x12 foot bays with supporting poles separating them. The front wall would be about 10 feet tall and the back would be about 8 feet, letting the tin shed water to the back. I would draw a diagram but it's a fair bit of details to put in one picture. THE MAIN QUESTION IS: what are the cheapest materials I can use for it? I was thinking about using pallet wood for the bulk of the building, and 6 by 6's for the poles. The tin is pretty easy to find used, but also, if all the water washes off the back, wouldn't that wash out the foundation? So would I need gutters? I'm just looking for some ideas to keep costs down for the building so I can put more towards projects 
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I was thinking about building a small shack (about a 12x24 foot pole barn style building) with the intent of storing certain projects out of the weather. I don't want a workshop inside, I don't need it to be airtight, nothing fancy. Just a poorly sealed wooden box with a tin roof that slopes. Also I am looking for 2 12x12 foot bays with supporting poles separating them. The front wall would be about 10 feet tall and the back would be about 8 feet, letting the tin shed water to the back. I would draw a diagram but it's a fair bit of details to put in one picture. THE MAIN QUESTION IS: what are the cheapest materials I can use for it? I was thinking about using pallet wood for the bulk of the building, and 6 by 6's for the poles. The tin is pretty easy to find used, but also, if all the water washes off the back, wouldn't that wash out the foundation? So would I need gutters? I'm just looking for some ideas to keep costs down for the building so I can put more towards projects
- Clist Free carport typically busted up from a downed tree, you take apart and haul away.
- Abandon sea container. Just ask the land owner for it. Especially if they are selling the land.
- T-posts and wood panels for side walls, then 2 to 4 cattle panels to hoop over and tarp.
- Harbor Freight $199 sale on a single car shelter.
I got an old closed nursery in town for the past 8 years. Two green hoop houses are there for free. Each is large enough for a single car garage. It's all frame and needs new covering.
Here is one option. I have several tractors stored in one of these.
If your plan is to use 6x6 poles to build, it is actually better to use 2x6 lumber. Glue & nail the boards together to make 6x6 poles. Why?? A 6x6 has a tendency to twist over time, a laminated 6x6 will never twist. One other advantage - If you are going to set the poles in the ground, you can use green treat lumber on the lower section of the pole and regular lumber for the upper portion.
Amazon.com: Marvoware 10' x 20’ x 9' ft Snow Resistant Heavy Duty Carport, Round Roof Storage Shed with Front & Rear Zipper Door for Full-Size Truck and Boat, Portable Garage Tent Shelter for Outdoor Use : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Marvoware 10' x 20’ x 9' ft Snow Resistant Heavy Duty Carport, Round Roof Storage Shed with Front & Rear Zipper Door for Full-Size Truck and Boat, Portable Garage Tent Shelter for Outdoor Use : Patio, Lawn & Garden
www.amazon.com
If your plan is to use 6x6 poles to build, it is actually better to use 2x6 lumber. Glue & nail the boards together to make 6x6 poles. Why?? A 6x6 has a tendency to twist over time, a laminated 6x6 will never twist. One other advantage - If you are going to set the poles in the ground, you can use green treat lumber on the lower section of the pole and regular lumber for the upper portion.
Well I'm also planning to store a '79 Ford F250 in this shed, which is why I wanted to build two smaller carports or something like that. I hadn't thought about a laminated 6x6, and that would be a lot cheaper. I was also planning to put concrete in the holes of the poles, so I don't know if I would need to treat the bottoms of the poles. Do you need to treat wood embedded in concrete? I dunno, I've never built any structure.Here is one option. I have several tractors stored in one of these.
Amazon.com: Marvoware 10' x 20’ x 9' ft Snow Resistant Heavy Duty Carport, Round Roof Storage Shed with Front & Rear Zipper Door for Full-Size Truck and Boat, Portable Garage Tent Shelter for Outdoor Use : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Marvoware 10' x 20’ x 9' ft Snow Resistant Heavy Duty Carport, Round Roof Storage Shed with Front & Rear Zipper Door for Full-Size Truck and Boat, Portable Garage Tent Shelter for Outdoor Use : Patio, Lawn & Gardenwww.amazon.com
If your plan is to use 6x6 poles to build, it is actually better to use 2x6 lumber. Glue & nail the boards together to make 6x6 poles. Why?? A 6x6 has a tendency to twist over time, a laminated 6x6 will never twist. One other advantage - If you are going to set the poles in the ground, you can use green treat lumber on the lower section of the pole and regular lumber for the upper portion.
(EDIT) Oh, sorry I didn't realize that it was 20 feet deep! Never mind it has all the storage I'm gonna need! I still don't know if I could afford it but if I found a used one of that size...
Wood treatment is typically done at the mill when wood is dried and it is done under pressure, thus the term "pressure treated lumber". There are topical treatments that would help, but only treat the surface and as far in as it may soak.
Assuming the shed is on flat ground it will be best to have the water run off to the side. (short dimension) This will all you to maintain the same slope, but reduce the wall height on the high side. Less height, less material, thus cheaper.
If you set posts in a hole you will want to put some free draining stone in the bottom of the hole AND seal the bottom of the post so that it will not wick moisture. This is true even if you put concrete around the top of the post.
Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 1904A Wolman (Woodlife) CopperCoat Green Wood Preservative-Below Ground, Quart : Everything Else
Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 1904A Wolman (Woodlife) CopperCoat Green Wood Preservative-Below Ground, Quart : Everything Else
www.amazon.com
Assuming the shed is on flat ground it will be best to have the water run off to the side. (short dimension) This will all you to maintain the same slope, but reduce the wall height on the high side. Less height, less material, thus cheaper.
If you set posts in a hole you will want to put some free draining stone in the bottom of the hole AND seal the bottom of the post so that it will not wick moisture. This is true even if you put concrete around the top of the post.
I know what pressure treated wood is I just though that maybe there was another type of treatment you were speaking of. Yeah I might go that route with just spreading treatment with a brush and can if I can't find any telephonic transmission posts. Speaking of which, are power poles already treated? I feel like they are, because they're left in the dirt with no surrounding support material.Wood treatment is typically done at the mill when wood is dried and it is done under pressure, thus the term "pressure treated lumber". There are topical treatments that would help, but only treat the surface and as far in as it may soak.
Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 1904A Wolman (Woodlife) CopperCoat Green Wood Preservative-Below Ground, Quart : Everything Else
Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 1904A Wolman (Woodlife) CopperCoat Green Wood Preservative-Below Ground, Quart : Everything Elsewww.amazon.com
Assuming the shed is on flat ground it will be best to have the water run off to the side. (short dimension) This will all you to maintain the same slope, but reduce the wall height on the high side. Less height, less material, thus cheaper.
If you set posts in a hole you will want to put some free draining stone in the bottom of the hole AND seal the bottom of the post so that it will not wick moisture. This is true even if you put concrete around the top of the post.
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