Adding a lean-to

[rambler]

Soundguy> Not trying to be obtuse here.. but the second thing to think about in engineering is cost vs risk ratio. ( first being safety and
fit to purpose. ) -Anyone- can design a correct structure.. or overdesign it. But sometimes we just need to design for the
'job at hand'. We don't need to build a 10k$ roof over a water-well pump.. when all it needs is something decorative...


Soundguy, you usually have good advise around here, but I don't understand this one.

You live in Florida. I live in Minnesota. I think you don't know much about snow loads!!!!! It can really ruin a person's day.

We have a north-facing roof on an old shed here that is pretty shallow a lot better than the original plan here, but still shallow. I've had to shovel the 3' of snow off it 8 times in the past 20 years. And it is supported with internal posts less than 16' apart - and real wood from 50-70 years ago, not that weak brittle knotty stuff they sell today. The problem is that the snow will melt some but not slide off. Then the next snow comes. And the next... If I leave it, it would collapse.

You just DON'T want to mess with snow load. You don't want to ignore it. Maybe in Florida that's fine. But not up in Ohio.

As to the water well pump house, you do realize how well that has to be built to withstand 33 degrees below F???? I've lived through that temprature. If the pump house freezes, what happens to my livestock? What happens to me? Who wants to work on the busted pipes at that temprature? All of a sudden, $10,000 doesn't look like it's so over-built....

--->Paul

 

[yooperdave]

Good points Paul.

Locality of the situation is critical.

Yooper Dave

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think you don't know much about snow loads
)</font>

I know enough to be able to read a chart.

Again...my message specifically stated.. (-twice now-) that in my original message I wasn't taking into account specific geography.. i.e. being built to handle a standing load. etc.. I've said this ad-tedium.

I'll see ya'll in another thread.

Soundguy

 

[Molerj]

Today, I talked to a friend of mine that is a home builder. I got some good suggestions from him. One was to go with 2X10 rafters. Then I visited a farmer that has a lean to on his barn & another friend that has one also. Both lean-to's extend 16' with steel roofing. The first one has been there for about 30 yrs. It has about a 3' drop, maybe even less. It has 2X6 rafters on 24" centers & is facing the east. Next lean-to is also a farmer friend but my age. He just built it this summer. He has a lean-to on each side of his barn. One facing east & the other west. Both are made with 2x6 rafters on 24" centers & extend 16'. His drop is about 2'. So, now I am leaning to 2x8's on either 16 or 24 centers with a drop of 3'. I didn't have the camera with me or I would have snapped a few pics. Tomorrow sounds like a washout so it may take a few days. I guess ultimately it is going to come down to using all the information provided & build what I will feel comfortable with. Thanks for the help & feel free to continue the discussion. I will update as to my progress.

 

[Molerj]

I finally started on the lean-to last Tuesday. I have it all framed up & ready to start putting the steel roof on. I have a few pictures & will post them when I get a chance. (at work now).

 

[Molerj]

Here's one not so good pic.

 

[Molerj]

Another. I was planning on putting up the roofing tomorrow but it looks like rain for the next two days.

 

[Molerj]

Thanks Spiker, that's one heck of a nice looking barn you have there. The dump trailer looks darn good too. I envy the flat ground that you have.

 

[gerard]

One suggestion - It looks like you used a single joist running between your posts. Over time you'll likley get some sag in the middle (looks like 2x 8's?) Add another one on the inside of the post the whole length of the lean too, then add a few vertical pieces that will run between the two joists and attach to the rafter. Maybe every third one. Ties everything together and helps reduce the side force on the posts. (Apologies in advance if you planned on doing that and just haven't gotten that far yet!!!)

 

[Molerj]

Thanks Gerard, I did think of adding an inside board but wasn' t sure if I needed it. Really not a lot of weight with the steel roofing but it would be a good idea. The outside board is a 2X8 (probably should have went with a 2X10). I have a few 2X6X16 leftover from another job & thought of using that on the inside. The vertical supports never entered my mind. Thanks again. Now if it would just quit raining so I can start putting the roof on.

 

[accordionman]

SIR,
you should install flashing on the ends of the boards
that would be exposed to the weather. these are thin
metal that is bent at a 90 degree angle, the bottom is
installed first, and then the top. this prevents any water
from going onto the exposed wood. this should be installed
before the metal sheets are put on the roof.
one question, are your post strong enough? they look like
4x4s. my leanto has 6x6 post. good luck with your project.
accordionman
wlbrown
wright city, mo.

 

[gerard]

Guess I'd always rather tend to overbuild a little, especially when doing things myself since the labor isn't much of an issue and the materials cost isn't usually too bad. Just the weight of the joists over time over a ten foot span will cause some bellying in the center if using a 2x 8, especially with snow load. That seemed to be a pretty shallow pitch so it isn't going to be shedding snow too easily - you get one good heavy storm with that wet snow and you'll be having quite a bit of weight up there. The verticals are also a good idea for wind problems. You probably toe nailed the rafters into the joists and that's the only thing holding the roof down except for gravity. You get a really good windstorm and you can get a surprising amount of upforce, espceially if you have a 12 inch over hang. I just used some of the scrap lumber I had left so all it cost was the time to cut and nail. If you used 4x4 posts use 2x4 pieces, they will fit snugly between the two joists. (I didn't put in the second joist on my lean to until I was up there running the purlins for the metal roof, then I realized how springy it was and decided to go with the second joist and I was only spanning about 10 feet, not 16. Good luck with the rain!!!

 

[Molerj]

I got 6 sheets put up before I had to come to work yesterday. Today I'm working 16 hrs. & the weather is nasty so no work today. The exposed wood will be covered with trim pieces. That has all been bought. The one side is going to be sided. The other side will be squared up, so you don't see the lean, if you know what I mean. At this time I will leave the lower side open. I have enough steel to enclose it, but I will wait on that. The rafters are toe-nailed along with having hurricane tie downs or whatever simpson calls them. The drop is about 2 1/2 feet. After looking at other lean-to's around here, I think I will be ok. One side note, the steel comes from the steel mill that I work at. It is distributed around the country. Being an employee, I am able to buy it direct from the mill along with the trim. WPSC

 

[SPIKER]

RON:

how did you're do with all that WIND? I lost one 10' piece of alum trim fomr the very peek, it wasn't nailed well enough is why, I saw the guy putting it up with a 24' extension ladder, and the peek is about 28' It didn't dawn on me that they would LEAVE the top 4' un-nailed! oh well, I'll have to get the shop ladder out and FIX it now. not sure if i can locate a NEW section of trim that is right with out going all way back into appelcreek abotu 40 miles away... anyhow I haven't made it into the woods to see fi I lost more trees yet. this spring I lost about 6 big ones to that heavy NW wind.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Molerj]

Hi Mark, I didn't lose anything with the wind. I sure get my share of it tho. When the wind is howling you can pretty much forget about working outside. Today it settled down & I was able to finish the roof & started putting the back side steel on before I came to work. The weather is supposed to be pretty good for the week-end so I should be able to about finish it up. Have to quit early Saturday to watch the Buckeyes at 3:30 tho. The people in New Philly look like they got hit pretty hard. Sure is a shame to work so hard & then have everything destroyed in a few minutes.

 

[SPIKER]

moljer:

we had ours turn into a tornado here, it went past my place (dirrectly over) and hit WOOSTER downtown pretty good. about 8 miles or 15 min away!!! it was moving straight down US 30, (my place is on old 30-A and is at the top of the county as far as sea level goes. it was dieing down as it hit the high point of county and the hill I live on pushed the wind up and created a wind shear as it came down againe which started rotating and turned into the tornado... a geographical thing I guess. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif anyhow I still haven't found a replacement fasia yet... need to get it in today or as soon as possalbe! couple people locally lost roofs to the wind though one was in the process of replaceing his and the wind helpped him remove the old stuff... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mark M

 

[Molerj]

Here's a few pictures of how things turned out. First is putting the sheeting on the roof.

 

[Molerj]

Putting the endwall flashing in. This was a little tough. I cut the wall siding with a Metabo. I had to take a row of screws out above the cut to get enough room to slide the flashing in. I probably should have made the cut wider.

 

[Molerj]

The backside that I put siding on. The other two sides I left open for now.