Shed for lawn tractor, nailed to dirt hillside

[Sodo]

What do you think of this?
I know you value the shelter, as will My Deere….
I pounded rebar spikes into the dirt and welded a steel bracket on.
Then bolted a cedar board to the bracket.
Its cantilevered.
It doesn't snow like the old days.
We got 9” of snow last winter. Got just 2 inches this winter.
I suppose if its going to snow I hope to remember to prop it up ahead of time.

Bracket welded to rebar spikes.
They’re 5/8” rebar, 4feet long,
Splayed out like the roots of a steel stump.

Thats a 120v electric demolition hammer.
It cost less than $200.
Unlikely that I will ever have to use it all day long so I think it will last (for me).
Pounding the spikes in with a 5 lb hammer was laborious but like butter with the demo hammer.

OK one rafter down, one to go.
That’s how far along I am at the moment.
Gotta do it one more time then put some purlins on

 

[Doofy]

Interesting project and concept. I sure hope it works.

 

[Sodo]

yes I hope it works too.
Probably gonna use clear polycarbonate corrugated roof.
Its not heavy.

Sharpened the rebar with my (new!) plasma cutter.

This is how big the Rebar “stumps” are. Probably kind of hard to pull them out of the dirt.
I hope.
I’ve always been suprised how hard it is to pull a T-post after years in the dirt.
It's like the rust makes a 'glue'.

 

[Doofy]

yes I hope it works too.
Probably gonna use clear polycarbonate corrugated roof.
Its not heavy.

View attachment 737956
Sharpened the rebar with my (new!) plasma cutter.

Good idea. I'll need to commit that little trick to my memory bank.

 

[3Ts]

I like your idea but I have 2 concerns with it. First the rebar isn't a good ground anchor even though they are splayed out. They depend on the friction between the dirt and rebar to keep from pulling out. Water is a lubricant so if you have moist soil I would not expect them to stay in long. Instead (in addition to what you already have) use ground anchors that screw in like these:
Ground anchors

The second item is that it looks like you might have used drywall screws to hold the column to the steel. If so, don't expect them to last long. Also, drywall screws are designed for the heads to snap off so it easier to repair drywall. Use actual exterior screws designed for attaching columns to steel plates.

 

[Sodo]

The 1/4” thick steel channel is drilled for 3/8” thru-bolts.

Thanks for the link and for putting your thoughts to my project It helps a lot to see where other experiences lead.

Heres the anchors.

Ground anchors are good if you don’t hit a rock and I have rocks in my dirt. Plus If you can move it any old place & try again that’s fine but I have a very specific location (right adjacent to my bracket within welding distance) and kinda need minimal soil disturbance too. That screw might soften up the hillside where I want it undisturbed.

I’m driving these spikes in 4 feet
5/8” steel Welded to 1/4”….. they don’t bend.

Putting the post into the bracket I can tell how secure it’s gonna be and it’s real good. 5/8” rebar, welded is a stiff little “stump”. I think its gonna work.

 

[Sodo]

OK here is is as the sun is going down.

Here is a horizontal bracket nailed into the slope.
Itellya it ain't goin' nowhere.
Those fat rebars are 4 feet long.
Much more secure than a concrete lump glued to the dirt.

I suppose a guy could pour a concrete abutment around it for the counter-weight.

Purlins screwed on every 30 inches.

It's square, deadnuts.
Vertical and level.
I'll watch it like a hawk - if it EVER goes off deadnuts I'll know it! (fingers crossed anyway)
I’ll add some braces too.


Headed to the store to get clear PVC before they close 9:00PM.
PVC is a little cheaper than polycarbonate and I think it remains 'clearer' over its lifetime but not sure of this.
If anyone knows something bad about clear PVC, please reply before I screw it on (tomorrow AM).

 

[Doofy]

That little Miller puts out some decent looking welds. Nice job.

 

[Sodo]

Thanks Doofy, 120v has only been legal for a few years now.
(Big Barn remembers the oid days....)

The Miller Multimatic 200 is 120v/240v but I'm 90 feet from the house and I don't have that much 240v cord.
So had to use 120v.

 

[gstrom99]

I think it'll be fine. On my (ex) hunting land in Indiana, I just made a 4 post cover using fiberglass roof panels. Kept the garden tractor (used for trail maint) out of the elements. The 4x4 posts just sat on the ground, but the contraption was up against (and strapped to) the camper trailer there. Was never an issue.