Racing the weather for a <$600 "garage"

[Alan W.]

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.

That is my plan also. I figure the cover will maybe last a year then I will purchase the metal to replace it.
We are lucky that there is 3 metal panel manufacturers within 30 minutes of us and they are way cheaper than the box stores.

 

[KennyG]

My friends with those type of shelters generally get one or two years before the covers start to fail. I spent more and went with a ShelterLogic with the heavy duty (10 year warranty) cover. Not sure if it's worth it (I spent a LOT more than you) but I didn't want to replace it. The metal is a good idea.

I have very stable soil so I just went with a little crushed concrete fill and treated 4x4's for a base and it seems to be working well. The ShelterLogic square tube metal frame is way stronger than the round tube structures.

 

[deezler]

Thanks for everyone’s contributions to the thread, great pics of your own setups.

Gotta get suited up and go check on mine at some point today, winds have been howling all night here. Probably need to tighten up all the ratchet straps in it.

 

[bmaverick]

Thanks for everyone’s contributions to the thread, great pics of your own setups.

Gotta get suited up and go check on mine at some point today, winds have been howling all night here. Probably need to tighten up all the ratchet straps in it.

I hear you about the winds. Mine is tucked between a barn and a wood shed. Still the tarp gets ripped over the winter season. There are so many spots with duct tape, I could be a guest on the Green Red show if it was still on the air today.

I'm hoping to go with a 8x20 sea container in the Summer. No more pesky critters eating wires and making nests in the machines. ~$1,500 delivered. Price wise, I can't even get a 1-car garage build for under $16,000. And an enclosed carport neither!

The 8x20 is 160sqft, so it's under most county, township and city 200sqft requirements needing a permit and paying more in property taxes. Plus, the weight of the container exceeds the small shed requirements to have corner posts into the ground below the frost line by 2ft.

A few members posted their 8x20 containers on TBN too.

 

[bmaverick]

oh, and right now is the worse time for the tarped shelters. The negative temps and the whipping winds do all the ripping damage. I try not to even touch the tarps by hand at temps below single digits as they can crease and then rip. Nope, nada, don't do it no matter what. Else in the Spring, you'll pull out a roll or two of duct tape.

RED GREEN knows it best.

 

[Handloader109]

Nice tarped sheds. Wouldn't last a month around here, any month. We always have several days of sustained 25 to 30mph winds in almost every month with 10 to 15 days over 15. 55 to 60 the other day from 2 storms back to back. Shreds tarps

 

[deezler]

Bmav, you’re definitely right about that. Ultra cold plus stress = broken/ripped plastic. Did everyone see Mahomes’ helmet last night?

So i went out to my shed yesterday morning and it was not in great shape . As expected, the main cover had loosened up considerably. To the point that the ratchet straps worked themselves completely free on one end. Thus the cover sagged badly under the 4” of slushy snow that was actually a huge amount of water weight (it basically turned into 2” of solid ice).

https://imgur.com/cRioCH5

The cover was reeeeally close to coming over the ends and dumping its snow inside the shed. Thankfully yesterday it was in the high 20s out, so i felt ok about reefing on it to retighten all the straps and ratchets.

Then i had to jet into town to help celebrate with my Michigan Wolverines! I missed the parade but sis-in-law snapped this one.

https://imgur.com/yIXv9tx

I went to Crisler arena for the pep-rally thing. Pretty euphoric atmosphere.

https://imgur.com/xag0t9p

GO BLUE!!

Looks nice today, but it was 3° and windy.

https://imgur.com/13pHWr6

 

[two_bit_score]

So i went out to my shed yesterday morning and it was not in great shape . As expected, the main cover had loosened up considerably.

Looks like it's holding up pretty well under the circumstances. In any event, it's temporary as you said and now you have made progress.

 

[deezler]

Looks like it's holding up pretty well under the circumstances. In any event, it's temporary as you said and now you have made progress.

Actually no, others may have said temporary but i am hoping for a very long life here for mine - I’ll always need the covered storage. The metal roof conversions as shown by others looks like a smart way to extend the life though!

 

[bmaverick]

Actually no, others may have said temporary but i am hoping for a very long life here for mine - I’ll always need the covered storage. The metal roof conversions as shown by others looks like a smart way to extend the life though!

As I had prior mentioned, I'm going on 6 years with my made tarp shed. And every 3 years replacing the tarp. It takes a half day replacing the tarp. And tarp prices keep going up. You can only duct tap for so long. And in some instances, aluminum foil tape when the rip is so narally to just strands of fibers.

My tarped enclosure was to be for a few years only. Not this long.