Parking tractor in shed

[Mean Jean]

I'm planning on buying a shed to house many things including my Kubota L1801 tractor.
I need to know if the flooring will support the weight of my tractor. Weighs in at roughly 1600lbs plus another 400lbs for the loader.
Floor will be 3/4" pressure treated plywood on 12" centers.
Will this floor hold up?

I could always put down a pair of 2x10 "runners" to park on so as to evenly distribute the weight.
Would like the option of parking a vehicle in there should the need arise.

Thanks in advance for the replies gents.

 

[tman1020]

It should be ok when new if all seams are supported. Typically 3/4 treated plywood is not T&G. Even with treated All bets are off if it repeatedly gets exposed to moisture. A better option would be 2"T&G treated center match. Best option would be concrete.

 

[Mean Jean]

Concrete would certainly be best but I don't plan on going down that road.
16x40 shed is roughly $8000 and that the initial plan.
Won't go that way though if it can't support the tractor.

 

[s219]

You didn't say what size lumber is on 12" centers, but I'd say it should be 2x6 at a minimum. I would also suggest doubling the plywood, running the top layer 90 degrees to the lower layer. When I used to build sheds for a summer job, 2x6 floors and double 3/4" T&G plywood were strong enough to hold cars.

Of course, the 2x6 framing needs adequate support from below (4x4 skids and blocks for instance).

 

[Mean Jean]

You didn't say what size lumber is on 12" centers, but I'd say it should be 2x6 at a minimum. I would also suggest doubling the plywood, running the top layer 90 degrees to the lower layer. When I used to build sheds for a summer job, 2x6 floors and double 3/4" T&G plywood were strong enough to hold cars.

Of course, the 2x6 framing needs adequate support from below (4x4 skids and blocks for instance).

2x6 treated floor joists on 4x4 treated skids.
Double the flooring is a really good idea.
Great to know it can support cars.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Mean Jean]

You didn't say what size lumber is on 12" centers, but I'd say it should be 2x6 at a minimum. I would also suggest doubling the plywood, running the top layer 90 degrees to the lower layer. When I used to build sheds for a summer job, 2x6 floors and double 3/4" T&G plywood were strong enough to hold cars.

Of course, the 2x6 framing needs adequate support from below (4x4 skids and blocks for instance).

Does it have to be T&G or will regular sheets be fine?

 

[s219]

Does it have to be T&G or will regular sheets be fine?

I would use T&G for sure. We used pressure treated framing with standard 3/4" T&G plywood, and that should be fine (and it's better for any metal objects stored on the floor, since pressure treated plywood would create a corrosion issue for anything it comes in contact with). For a moisture barrier, you can put roofing felt under the first layer of plywood -- just staple it to the joists before the plywood goes down.

 

[Looking4new]

What I am going to do this spring is 4x4's laid the length of the shed in the direction the tractor will be parked. Single along the edges of the shed and doubled with a foot of space between them on the track lines. 2x8'''s laid across the 4x4's at right angles with an inch of space between them for snow melt. Two shorter 4x4's on top of the floor front and back for the implements to rest on. My Jeep TJ has been sitting on that same setup and has been for the past three years with no signs of sag. The only mistake with the Jeep garage/shed was not enough spacing between the 2x8's.

 

[EddieWalker]

In all probability, over time you will find that the plywood will become soft or begin to sag on you between the joists. Depending on how far the joists are spanning, and the size of the joists, this might happen with them too.

If you are committed to spending $8,000 on a shed and not building a barn that would be stronger and last longer for the same money, but without a floor, then I would make sure that when they build or install it, you get solid concrete blocks placed under the joists where the tractor will sit. I would also lay down some 2x6's or 2x8's on the flat over the plywood where your tires will travel across the floor. I would screw those boards into the joists.

But of course, I would spend a lot of time pricing pole barns with gravel floors before I did anything.

Eddie

 

[Mean Jean]

I chatted with the owner of the local hardware store earlier today.
I inquired about pole barns and he advised against it. He says The extreme cold weather we have here wreaks havoc on the posts forcing them up and out of the ground crom the frost.

His material price on a 16 x 24 garage kit was $3000 taxes in.
I may end up going with the stick building after all

 

[newbury]

Whatever you do with plywood make sure it's a good grade plywood. I bought a few sheets of 3/4" PT and 1/2" PT last summer from Lowes and the voids were such that it basically was worthless. The skin layers looked ok w/ few holes but the interior layers had voids the size of a sheet of paper. And these became apparent only after cutting them. Virtually no voids on the edges, but a couple of inches in and NOTHING might be there.

 

[timswi]

I chatted with the owner of the local hardware store earlier today.
I inquired about pole barns and he advised against it. He says The extreme cold weather we have here wreaks havoc on the posts forcing them up and out of the ground crom the frost.

His material price on a 16 x 24 garage kit was $3000 taxes in.
I may end up going with the stick building after all

Don't know where MB is, but that's the first I've heard of that. If the posts are properly installed and well below the frost line, there should be no problem.. I've had PB's my entire adult life and never had one heave, ever.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm guessing Manitoba. I'm also thinking that if I lived there and was looking into building a space to store my tractor and other stuff, I would talk to some builders and neighbors to see what they have done. If a fence post will stay in the ground, then a pole barn will easily.

Eddie

 

[Gary Fowler]

He could have a 13 foot frost line if in Canada so properly installing any post would be critical.

 

[s219]

I chatted with the owner of the local hardware store earlier today.
I inquired about pole barns and he advised against it. He says The extreme cold weather we have here wreaks havoc on the posts forcing them up and out of the ground crom the frost.

If you put the footings down below the frost line, it won't be a problem. Pole barns are used in a lot of varied climates, including very cold ones.

 

[Mean Jean]

Manitoba is correct.
Parts of Winnipeg, MB last winter experienced frost as deep as 8 feet.
It's nutty how cold our winters can be.

 

[Mean Jean]

I built fences for a summer.
Posts which didn't get minimum 4 feet deep would eventually heave.
It helped to cut the bottom of the post in a 45 degree angle.

The gent I was chatting with said all the commercial buildings were pole barn at one time but he's since upgraded to stick building.

 

[Mean Jean]

I'm guessing Manitoba. I'm also thinking that if I lived there and was looking into building a space to store my tractor and other stuff, I would talk to some builders and neighbors to see what they have done. If a fence post will stay in the ground, then a pole barn will easily.

Eddie

Great suggestion.
I've been chatting with my neighbors re options.
Seems there's a little bit of every thing around here including pole barns, and stick building.