Racing the weather for a <$600 "garage"

[deezler]

That looks great!

If that was mine I would wind up with all kinds of stuff stacked on the trailer so whenever I needed it all that stuff would have to be moved.

That’s exactly what i did, loaded all my ssqa and 3-pt implements onto the trailer, all on pallets and using my ssqa forks. It would take me 20-30 minutes to get the trailer ready for some random use. But after it sat still for 2+ years, I figured i could take that risk, haha.

 

[KennyG]

I store stuff on my trailer but only lightweight things so I can clear it in a few minutes.

 

[ning]

That’s exactly what i did, loaded all my ssqa and 3-pt implements onto the trailer, all on pallets and using my ssqa forks. It would take me 20-30 minutes to get the trailer ready for some random use. But after it sat still for 2+ years, I figured i could take that risk, haha.

2 days from now you're going to need it

 

[deezler]

2 days from now you're going to need it

Nah I'm not as cool as most of y'all, I really wanted a car-hauler, and it came in a package-deal with my tractor, but I honestly have no real need for it, so it has sat around languishing. I can't bring myself to think about selling it though. Someday I'll need to take my tractor across town again, or buy some long materials, but that will be a long-planned summer project or such.

 

[ning]

Nah I'm not as cool as most of y'all, I really wanted a car-hauler, and it came in a package-deal with my tractor, but I honestly have no real need for it, so it has sat around languishing. I can't bring myself to think about selling it though. Someday I'll need to take my tractor across town again, or buy some long materials, but that will be a long-planned summer project or such.

definitely cooler than me, i don't have one but do want one!

 

[civilian]

For those tarps needing to shed or suport snow before cleaning. I took 3/4" pvc pipe, slung it under the ridge pipe held in place with zip ties. Ends were in the branch side of 3/4" x 1 1/2" run end pipe Tees. The side opposite of the branch of the tee was cut off to allow to go over the top plate pipes. (If the size of the Tees went over the top plate pipes would work also.) The length of the pipe was such to puff up the tarp between rafters. Kind of like OP is using with the ratchet straps but the tarp starts off raised up, not flat/angled between top pate and ridge pipes. Too much snow, the added pvc rafters, might flex down, but go inside and snap them up. Had a flatter pitch tarp system 20ft long x ~12ft wide for firewood for about 30 years. Went through 3 tarps I think. Wind and degrading got the tarps. Jon

 

[shooterdon]

I have never seen a tarp last more than three years. I have considered steel containers, but prices have gone up significantly in my area.

IMO if the OP can get three years of use out of $600 that is damn good.

 

[deezler]

This cheaper and basic 10x17’ harbor freight tent shed is at least 9 years old, possibly 10-12 years (i bought used on Craigslist from a guy finishing his home build). Loads of snow, ice, rain and normal storm winds in Michigan.

https://imgur.com/LgngAWJ

Note: this is two 10x17 sheds combined into one; double tent cover, some extra poles inside, and my extra support idea via ratchet-straps. At this point I don’t even bother knocking the snow off, but I probably should. This might not look like a lot of snow, but it’s actually ice bricks and very heavy.

 

[KennyG]

How do people clear the snow from these sheds? The Shelter Logic I just put up has a 12 foot center height, so the walls are almost 10 feet and I can't reach the roof easily.

 

[MadJack]

Tips on garage tents:
1. Keep the tarp TIGHT! The wind will wear the material into wrinkles, then rain and snow will over stretch the sags.

2. Tie it down with those stupid anchors, lag-bolt it to 6x6's, Tie it to whatever you put in it! The wind has nothing better to do than BLOW all day and all night.

3. Keep the doors closed at all time.

Doing these three things will help them last longer. I have used them, lost them (completely gone!), seen many rolling through back yards, cleaned up so many of these over the last 20 years it's crazy. (salvage, resell parts, scrap, and get paid to make them go away)
The latest one I have is a 12 x 13 x 20 gothic arch model by shelter logic. I gave my daughter 150 for her frame, and found a replacement cover on marketplace for 200 (lady bought it and her husband went with metal roofing). Since I already had 6x6's milled out, I used them for a base and screwed 2x6's along both sides for alignment, before setting the tent on and lag bolting it down. I also drove oak grade stake deep in the ground and screwed them to the 6x6's.

If I can keep it tight, it'll make it til spring. It has already survived three major storms here in south central Maine, one storm recorded 63MPH gust(s) here on the home-weather-station.

 

[deezler]

How do people clear the snow from these sheds? The Shelter Logic I just put up has a 12 foot center height, so the walls are almost 10 feet and I can't reach the roof easily.

With a pole of some sort. Something non-sharp on the end. I was using a rake yesterday for mine.

Just gotta poke upwards in the middle of each unsupported cover section. A few quick prods generally convinces the snow to bounce down and over the side cross bars.

 

[Alan W.]

With a pole of some sort. Something non-sharp on the end. I was using a rake yesterday for mine.

Just gotta poke upwards in the middle of each unsupported cover section. A few quick prods generally convinces the snow to bounce down and over the side cross bars.

We have been using the backside of a push broom to cause the snow to slide off.

 

[deezler]

Oh I should have clarified: you push up from INSIDE the shed. Basically you just flap the cover up a few times in each section, and it’ll be mostly clear. It does feel a bit sketchy if there’s a foot of wet snow above your head, though.

 

[civilian]

At first I used a plastic leaf rake to remove the snow. Then I used a plastic snow rake to pull the snow off. Like deezler, sometimes I would push the tarp up from underneath.

 

[LD48750]

Oh I should have clarified: you push up from INSIDE the shed. Basically you just flap the cover up a few times in each section, and it’ll be mostly clear. It does feel a bit sketchy if there’s a foot of wet snow above your head, though.

Tried that today & ripped the tarp....

Spare in the barn, replace in the spring.

 

[bcp]

I use a common broom from underneath, using a sweeping motion toward the edge.

Bruce

 

[KennyG]

Cleared today with a push broom from inside. Worked pretty well. Ready for the freezing rain now.

 

[deezler]

Tried that today & ripped the tarp....

Spare in the barn, replace in the spring.

Crap! Sorry. I made sure to say to use a “not-sharp” thing from inside because it’s true, it can definitely cause some localized stress to do this.

 

[LD48750]

Crap! Sorry. I made sure to say to use a “not-sharp” thing from inside because it’s true, it can definitely cause some localized stress to do this.

Oh... It worked on the 10 x 10 & 11 of the 12 sections of the 10 x 20.
Ripped out the 1 section of a 3 year old tarp.
Cheap Harbor Freight tarp.

 

[lilranch2001]

When my 2nd cover wore out I decided to upgrade to a metal roof.
I purchased the material from a local metal fabricator for less than a big box store. Total for all material was around $350. The blue tarp area is now a 20ftX8X7 attached covered area for lawn mower and other stuff.

With the wind here, that would not make through half a year