Advice on building a tractor shed?

[nogaltractorguy]

You have Too Much Stuff!!!
Downsize.

You got that right. But I need my stuff. The new garage will also store my next purchase which is a mini excavator.

 

[sunandsand]

Update on rebar . . . interesting!

A number of companies are now selling basalt fiber rebar. A 3/8" diameter basalt fiber rebar is as strong as a 1/2" steel rebar. Basalt doesn't corrode and has the same coefficient of expansion as concrete. A 500 foot roll of 3/8" basalt rebar weighs about 44 pounds. Only thing to be careful of is it is springy, so be prepared when you unpack it.

(You can get samples, they look like sticks of beef jerky, but be warned, you'll lose teeth if you try biting them! Basalt is rock!)

Basalt fiber was originally developed in the USSR for use in missile nose cones. After the USSR went away, the factories suddenly discovered they needed actual paying customers for their products. There are a couple of companies in Florida selling this stuff and a few in Texas - I think it is now made here, so there are no embargo problems. A company I've worked with which builds seawalls uses it and likes it. Basalt fiber is impervious to salt water so is idea for this application.

It is only slightly more expensive than steel (but steel suddenly has unpredictable tariffs, and a lot of rebar comes from Mexico) but now might be more economically competitive. Structurally, it appears to be superior to steel rebars.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[repete]

I have multiple sheds for various uses. All are pole type using PT 6x6's. I build forms so that I can pour 18" to 24" concrete walls surrounding three sides. Three side walls are 2x4 with metal exterior over concrete stem walls. I use rebar in the concrete through holes drilled in the 6x6's.
I then pour a concrete floor with no weeds coming under the walls and solid (bumpers) at the wall. With a concrete floor much of my stuff is on pallets and a pallet jack makes organizing very convenient.

 

[nogaltractorguy]

I have multiple sheds for various uses. All are pole type using PT 6x6's. I build forms so that I can pour 18" to 24" concrete walls surrounding three sides. Three side walls are 2x4 with metal exterior over concrete stem walls. I use rebar in the concrete through holes drilled in the 6x6's.
I then pour a concrete floor with no weeds coming under the walls and solid (bumpers) at the wall. With a concrete floor much of my stuff is on pallets and a pallet jack makes organizing very convenient.

I wish I could pour a slab for the 3rd garage, but we also have a recreational pond that we want to build. We have deer and elk that come to our property and eat everything we plant. Our plan is to enclose an area with a nice decorative deer fence for the pond and garden area. The mini ex and tractor will come in handy with this project. The pond should be around 20'L x 10-12'W with a waterfall, sitting area and garden area. I retired at 52 and now 54 I want to tackle as many projects as I can while I am still middle age young.

 

[repete]

I wish I could pour a slab for the 3rd garage, but we also have a recreational pond that we want to build. We have deer and elk that come to our property and eat everything we plant. Our plan is to enclose an area with a nice decorative deer fence for the pond and garden area. The mini ex and tractor will come in handy with this project. The pond should be around 20'L x 10-12'W with a waterfall, sitting area and garden area. I retired at 52 and now 54 I want to tackle as many projects as I can while I am still middle age young.

Deer and elk. I play that game as well having hundreds of square miles of Weyerhaeuser and other timber companies surrounding our narrow valley. Throw in an occasional bear and cougar for spice.
My retirement age was 53. 71 now. Whittle away at stuff but remember along the way to build what you will want in your 70's when the body says no a tad more frequently.
If I had it all to do again, the 40 aces of pasture I would have had professionally graded and compacted to level. They are not terrible, but could have been better. Mowing gets less fun the older you get. Having been here for 25 years, adding even four additional hours to mowing (very conservative number) ultimately cost me over 100 hours of labor. Looking back, I would gladly have spend $1000 having it groomed 25 years ago.
Have fun with projects, but do not forget to think about tomorrow as it will be here sooner than you think. Develop what you can handle in the future. Make life easy by design.

 

[RayIN]

I wish I could pour a slab for the 3rd garage, but we also have a recreational pond that we want to build. We have deer and elk that come to our property and eat everything we plant. Our plan is to enclose an area with a nice decorative deer fence for the pond and garden area. The mini ex and tractor will come in handy with this project. The pond should be around 20'L x 10-12'W with a waterfall, sitting area and garden area. I retired at 52 and now 54 I want to tackle as many projects as I can while I am still middle age young.

Good luck with a deer fence; I watched a doe walk up to a 6' woven-wire fence, rear up, then spring over the fence easily.(this was uphill too) She then walked to the neighbors garden for lunch.

 

[nogaltractorguy]

Deer and elk. I play that game as well having hundreds of square miles of Weyerhaeuser and other timber companies surrounding our narrow valley. Throw in an occasional bear and cougar for spice.
My retirement age was 53. 71 now. Whittle away at stuff but remember along the way to build what you will want in your 70's when the body says no a tad more frequently.
If I had it all to do again, the 40 aces of pasture I would have had professionally graded and compacted to level. They are not terrible, but could have been better. Mowing gets less fun the older you get. Having been here for 25 years, adding even four additional hours to mowing (very conservative number) ultimately cost me over 100 hours of labor. Looking back, I would gladly have spend $1000 having it groomed 25 years ago.
Have fun with projects, but do not forget to think about tomorrow as it will be here sooner than you think. Develop what you can handle in the future. Make life easy by design.

That’s the idea. We like to keep our acreage mostly in a natural state. I have a flail mower for my tractor but haven’t used it in two years since we like the flowering plants and grasses that grow yearly. They feed the local animals and birds. Our two driveways are long, one being 1/4 mile long. I grade them a few times a year. We just finished our guest cabin. Waiting on final inspection. The last picture is the guest house.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have good luck with a 6’ tall woven wire fence with a cable running at 8’ post to post.

The fence shown looks nice too.

 

[nogaltractorguy]

Good luck with a deer fence; I watched a doe walk up to a 6' woven-wire fence, rear up, then spring over the fence easily.(this was uphill too) She then walked to the neighbors garden for lunch.

I’m planning on building it at 8 feet tall including the upper board. Hopefully it will stop Elk too.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, with out reading everything, I'll give you my plan, for pretty similar use.

I want/wanted a 24x36; but wife basically said, build what you Need, so now 16x24. With over hangs, that will keep 90% of the weather off. 3 bays at 8 ft wide; although going to 10 or 12 wide bays only marginal increase cost. I considered 12 ft clearance height, but likely going 10 ft. The cost of 16 ft 6x6 is pretty steep; and 12 ft are more reasonable. Can't find 14 ft ones locally. Likely doing shed style; with prefab metal trusses. I like 26 ga metal much more than 29 ga. So; with all that said; likely going to do 16x30; 3 10 ft bays; using 6x6x12; 26 ga; metal shed roof trusses; 24" over hangs; and likely the end walls closed. I may or may not close the back wall; but right now, plan is open front wall.