GPintheMitten
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2009
- Messages
- 3,336
- Location
- Flushing, Michigan
- Tractor
- Kubota B2620 with BH65 backhoe, Ford 2N
My BIL and I are going to build a stand alone bedroom, guest "shed" at our family's cabin site next spring. We're making plans for a 12 x 16 one story room to be built on 4x6 treated runners a little ways away from the cabin.
The reason we are putting it on treated runners instead of a fixed foundation is that we don't need a building permit for structures that are movable below 200 sq ft. We probably won't ever move it, but just in case we must move it some day, we want to make sure we can move it without tearing it apart.
I've moved small out buildings before and I know they need to be reinforced for such. The largest one was 14x21 garage.
We have already removed a few trees and the stumps and leveled the ground. We are letting it sit over winter and will re-level as necessary in spring from any settling. The ground is very sandy with good natural drainage.
So here's my plan for the "foundation". It will consist of four 4x6 treated posts 16' long, spaced 4 feet on centers to make a 12' grid. Each 4x6 will be placed on solid concrete blocks 2"x8"x16" laid flat. We'll excavate about 6 inches under each place a block goes and put in gravel up to the normal soil level. The blocks will be placed 4' on centers for each runner and all made level.
Then the plan is to build a floor system using treated 12' 2x4's, 16" on centers for floor joists. The joists are only spanning 4'. Then glue and screw t&g 3/4 OSB . We'll probably build the floor in 2 sections and move them into place. The reason being, we want to be able to move the floor system before we place it on and fasten it to the 4x6 runners. We want to insulate the floor cavity and fasten hardware cloth on the underside to keep critters from making nests etc.
We will use a loader tractor to help with the heavy lifting. After fastening the osb to the 2x4's we will lift it or turn it over, insulate it, staple the hardware cloth, Then lift it again, turning it back over on top of the runners right side up. The we will fasten the floor system to the runners by drilling long screws through the floor through the 2x4's into the 4x6's.
I hope that is understandable. My concern is that if we later connect chains to the runners, that we can move it without it coming apart. I have thought about screwing 2x4 in the spaces between the runners at angles to brace them and make them more rigid.
So what do you think?
The reason we are putting it on treated runners instead of a fixed foundation is that we don't need a building permit for structures that are movable below 200 sq ft. We probably won't ever move it, but just in case we must move it some day, we want to make sure we can move it without tearing it apart.
I've moved small out buildings before and I know they need to be reinforced for such. The largest one was 14x21 garage.
We have already removed a few trees and the stumps and leveled the ground. We are letting it sit over winter and will re-level as necessary in spring from any settling. The ground is very sandy with good natural drainage.
So here's my plan for the "foundation". It will consist of four 4x6 treated posts 16' long, spaced 4 feet on centers to make a 12' grid. Each 4x6 will be placed on solid concrete blocks 2"x8"x16" laid flat. We'll excavate about 6 inches under each place a block goes and put in gravel up to the normal soil level. The blocks will be placed 4' on centers for each runner and all made level.
Then the plan is to build a floor system using treated 12' 2x4's, 16" on centers for floor joists. The joists are only spanning 4'. Then glue and screw t&g 3/4 OSB . We'll probably build the floor in 2 sections and move them into place. The reason being, we want to be able to move the floor system before we place it on and fasten it to the 4x6 runners. We want to insulate the floor cavity and fasten hardware cloth on the underside to keep critters from making nests etc.
We will use a loader tractor to help with the heavy lifting. After fastening the osb to the 2x4's we will lift it or turn it over, insulate it, staple the hardware cloth, Then lift it again, turning it back over on top of the runners right side up. The we will fasten the floor system to the runners by drilling long screws through the floor through the 2x4's into the 4x6's.
I hope that is understandable. My concern is that if we later connect chains to the runners, that we can move it without it coming apart. I have thought about screwing 2x4 in the spaces between the runners at angles to brace them and make them more rigid.
So what do you think?