2 women are building a horse run-in, can you give a little advice?

[wcampbell47]

We use "batter boards" (spelling?) to establish the approximate corners then pull string from batter board to batter board. Where the strings cross establish the corners of the building. Batter boards are simply 3 stakes driven into the ground with lengths of 1x4 nailed to them to form a 90 degree corner. Using this method you can use the 3-4-5 and diagonal method to make sure the building is square. That might be over kill for what you are doing, but a good square building makes for easier framing.

Think ahead several years as to what water and horse urine is going to do to that board you dig down into the ground to put in. Will it be easy to change out once it rots out. If not maybe you want to rethink that. A good 4 foot level is necessary on a project like this.

It would be good to notch your upright posts to receive any member that is going to bear the weight and snow load of the roof. That will transfer the load bearing to the upright post rather than to nails or bolts. Here in hurricane territory we notch the uprights and bolt the cross members to them.

Do you have access to a tractor with a front end loader? A FEL can be used to lift and set your upright posts.

 

[ericb2400]

what way is the prevailing wind? Make sure your open end is not facing into the wind. When a storm comes through the wind will catch it and pull it out of the ground. Don't ask me how I know :ashamed:[/ATTACH]
the post were 3+ft in the ground

 

[ericb2400]

well, guess you get a picture of the swing set also. Just to the left of the swing was the view of the "barn" from the house

 

[CNC Dan]

Just had another thought:
You can lay out your posts on the ground, tack three 2X4s (zig zag style) across them to set the spacing, then dig the holes at the end of the posts. Get some help (or use a tractor) to lift the three posts up and drop them into the holes. If you do it this way be careful not to push dirt into the holes. You can use sona tube cut in half to line the holes to help prevent that.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

I'm a Licensed Carpenter, have built many barns and also 3 yrs putting up fabric covered buildings.

3' deep doesn't seem like enough, neither does the 1 foot of slope for the roof. I'd be more concerned with the slope than the depth. The 12' posts could work for the back wall but can your friend return some of them for longer for the front wall? Don't put any dirt in the hole with the post. Drill the hole, drop in the post, brace it up with a couple 2x4s, check your measurements and pour the concrete. As already mentioned, for uplift another option is to drill a couple holes at the bottom of the post and drive a short length or two of rebar thru the post to bite into the concrete. Don't fill the concrete to the top, you want it to act like a plug -- you'll want a foot or foot and half of dirt over it. Set the 4 corners first then line up the center posts with string strung between the corner posts.

Why do you want to bury the bottom board? Would it not be better to leave it up a few inches to help keep it from rotting?

As for the PT lumber, it's not the best for where the horses can chew on it. We never used it where cattle could get at it and all the horse people I know are way more picky than beef farmers. I understand hemlock is a good choice as long as you use it while it is still green -- dries out like a rock.

 

[loribt]

I would nail short (approx. 1') pieces of treated 2x4s to the bottom four sides of 4x6 up rights. They will prevent wind lift of the posts.
36" does not seem deep enough to get below the frost line, but maybe not critical for what you are building.
The slope (lack of) of the roof is what I would be most concerned about. What is your plan for roofing?
To make sure your layout is square measure diagonal across the corners. Adjust until both diagonals measure the same.
GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for your suggestions. Hoping to place 2 x 4's from front to back for the roof, then plywood and then shingle the roof to complete (still researching on that though). We were hoping the 12" difference from front to back would be enough slope (at least that's what I have been reading)....With having already bought the posts at 12 foot lengths, I hate to have to take them back and get even longer ones, I don't think we would be able to handle them without help if they are any longer. But if that is what we need to do, then we will just have to get some help with that part of the job.
We plan to carefully measure for squareness at the corners, thanks for the reminder though. Plan to use the 3-4-5 method at the corners and then also measure diagonally from corners to corners. Do you think I should I still measure (using the 3-4-5 method) or just measure corners to corners and make adjustments if needed to square it up?
Could you explain again about nailing the pieces of 2x4s to the bottom four sides of 4x6 uprights? (did I understand it right that we should nail 4 one foot pieces of treated 2x4s to the bottom of each post, all of them, or just the corner posts?) I understand the concept but can't visualize how to nail 4 of them to the bottom of each post. Also, with the entire shed being built with treated 2x8's, wouldn't the weight alone of all that treated lumber prevent a wind lift of the posts? Plus the concrete we will be putting in each hole too? I would think so, but then again, I'm new at this so open to advice...

 

[newbury]

For getting things ABSOLUTELY level on the cheap nothing beats water, a little food coloring and a transparent hose. I've used aquarium airline tubing and, when I misplaced that, regular garden hose with pieces of clear hose stuck tight into the ends. Fifty feet of tubing costs about $10, stick one end in a plastic jug, half fill jug with water and your favorite food coloring, and you have an instant horizontal level that rivals the accuracy of a laser level. Great for ensuring things are level across the corners.

And make sure your roof can handle the snow load. Either support it or let it slide off.

 

[loribt]

I like your idea, and she does have a neighbor that is using his tractor to dig the holes anyway, so he would more than likely lift the posts with the tractor and place them in the holes. What did you say we should use to line the holes to prevent dirt pushing into the holes? Thanks.

 

[loribt]

what way is the prevailing wind? Make sure your open end is not facing into the wind. When a storm comes through the wind will catch it and pull it out of the ground. Don't ask me how I know :ashamed:[/ATTACH]View attachment 329506
the post were 3+ft in the ground

Open end will not be facing the wind.....even more so now that I see what can happen....thank you.

 

[loribt]

I'm a Licensed Carpenter, have built many barns and also 3 yrs putting up fabric covered buildings.

3' deep doesn't seem like enough, neither does the 1 foot of slope for the roof. I'd be more concerned with the slope than the depth. The 12' posts could work for the back wall but can your friend return some of them for longer for the front wall? Don't put any dirt in the hole with the post. Drill the hole, drop in the post, brace it up with a couple 2x4s, check your measurements and pour the concrete. As already mentioned, for uplift another option is to drill a couple holes at the bottom of the post and drive a short length or two of rebar thru the post to bite into the concrete. Don't fill the concrete to the top, you want it to act like a plug -- you'll want a foot or foot and half of dirt over it. Set the 4 corners first then line up the center posts with string strung between the corner posts.

Why do you want to bury the bottom board? Would it not be better to leave it up a few inches to help keep it from rotting?

As for the PT lumber, it's not the best for where the horses can chew on it. We never used it where cattle could get at it and all the horse people I know are way more picky than beef farmers. I understand hemlock is a good choice as long as you use it while it is still green -- dries out like a rock.

Thanks for the response...I know, I was concerned about the 3 foot depth in front too, so maybe we should return them and get longer ones for the front wall.. then they could be buried about a foot deeper, and there would be more slope too. Only reason we wanted to partially bury the bottom board was to help prevent rain or thawing snow from running into the shed. We did that around our barn at home and it has worked for us....I will leave that up to her. If she would rather not partially bury it to prevent any rotting, then we will do whatever she wants...and the PT lumber, it's what we have had stored for a few years, previously used for corrals that we took down, never had a problem with the horses chewing on it, and she can't afford anything else. So at this time, it's that lumber to build the horse shed, or no shed at all. And thank you for the advice on the other option to prevent uplift. Driving the rebar through at the bottom of the posts makes sense.