So about 8-9 years ago I decided to build a lean-to type shed onto the side of my garage to store my loaded 1/2 cord wood racks for the heating season...but these racks required me to borrow a large off-road type forklift to put the loaded racks in the shed...which was do-able, but a bit of a PITA...and I had to make sure I got them in before wet weather hit as I didn't want to be cutting ruts in the yard. I still had to bring in the wood for each day using 2 canvas wood carriers...and I found that the 3 sides of the shed being open (to the N, S, and E) there was still a good amount of rain and snow would blow in...so I put up a tarp to block the south side...which lasted 1 season...so did the next one. I changed my tarp attachment method, which helped it last a little longer, but still a PITA...and I was surprised how much rain/snow still came in! After getting a small forklift of my own, I decided to make 1/3 cord racks that could be taken into the attached garage, placed on a HD 4 wheel cart, and from there wheeled right into the basement furnace room (basement is walkout into attached garage) That turned out to be the first and last rack that went into the basement, due to bugs galore! So now I just leave the rack out in the attached (unheated) garage, which has worked out well. So I decided to get one of those metal carports to put over the turnaround area going back to my detached garage so I could put the new 1/3 cord racks in there for the winter...that solved my issue of having to go "off-roading" with the lil forklift that I now own to get another rack when the ground is not frozen (each rack lasts me about 2 weeks, give or take, depending on the weather) I managed to find a good deal on a nice carport that had basically been turned into a garage, it was cheap enough to satisfy my tightwad ways, but turned out to be a ton of work to haul home in one piece, then modified to fit my needs, then put into place...it did however work out pretty well for its intended purpose...until summer came and it slowly became full of other stuff...my projects, the kids outdoor toys. (trikes, bikes, the toy Gator, etc) So the last couple years I just had my racks sitting off to the side of the back driveway and covered with a piece of EPDM rubber...which worked ok, but I want my full width driveway back. Late this summer I am looking at the newly opened up spot on the old turnaround area that was created by selling my seldom used dump trailer...I got the idea to do a pallet shed/lean-to onto the south side of the carport shed...we'll see how long this one remains doing its intended job The plan is to have the south side of the roof supported by (3) 4x4's and then just attached to the carport on the north side...open sides except for easily removable pallet walls for the winter...my thinking is that the pallet slats (inner and outer) will keep most of the rain off the wood, and still allow some wind through, which might stop the wind whipping leaves, snow, etc around the corner into the shed, which is what I had going on with the previous 2 sheds, especially the first one. 2 of the 4x4's will just be lagged into the existing concrete, the third will have to be buried due to the concrete is not quite wide enough at the back to accommodate my plans...I think I will disguise the buried post to look like it is also lagged down, so the the county auditor might think the whole structure is "portable/temporary" just like they do the metal carports...taxed at a lower rate n all. Enough chatter, here we go...oh, and y'all have mat60 to thank for this thread...I mentioned in passing that I was thinking about doing this some weeks back and he suggested taking pics (which I usually forget to take while I'm in the midst of a project) and then doing a build thread. Step 1: Attach ledger board to metal carport. I decided to reinforce the wood with steel (1/4" wall 2x4" rectangular tubing cut in half so it "wraps" the wood) since there are only 4 metal support posts that I can lag to on the carport shed...don't want the wood splitting out under wind or snow load. To get the height I needed for roof slope I had to start up where the carport goes from vertical to about a 30* angle as it goes from wall, to roof...that angle and the ribs in the metal roofing/siding caused me some "workaround" though...
Oh...and this is a budget build...all the wood was scrounged...only for the fasteners, (4) bags of Quickcrete, and the preowned metal roofing was there any actual cash laid out...and I scored the metal roofing cheap! Edit: And (1) PT 4x4...decided to go brandy new for the one that got planted.
Well, looks like we have at least one member than has actually read my novel! What I'm talking about here is that horizontal 2x4 running the length of the carport...it is attached only by (3) lag bolts in (4) spots...but it will have roof load all along it's length (shed roof joist attached every 20")...I was worried that a major wet snow event could overload it and the 2x4 would just split/splinter horizontally, starting at the fasteners. That's why I did the steel "wrap", so it was supported underneath (utilize the whole 2x4) and also keep the bolt heads from just pulling through the wood. After I had the 2x4 up I realized that is nowhere near big enough to carry one side of a 11'x16' roof, so that's when I added the 2x8 ledger board underneath the 2x4...took some time to make it all fit together right, but I firmly believe it was the right choice.
Hey now I read it; just understood what you meant. I did similar off back of garage was given 8x16 pressure treated deck frame as deck boards rotted.. I would not use as deck, as under built 2x6. Made a great lean to roof 5 dry cord under it now.. went with new metal after looking for used for 2 years
Glad you was able to salvage your materials, we just finished a lean to shed for our all terrain vehicles. I had put it off for a year and a half due the cost of materials due to the pandemic. Roofing tin is over $4.00 a linear foot in my area. You have done well.
Thank you...and yes, metal roofing is I have no idea why this guy sold it so cheap...I almost felt bad...I did give him an extra $10 for helping me load it though!
Circling back to the "reclaimed" wood used for this shed...my brother hooked me up with one of his customers that makes large commercial windows and their glass comes in these heavy duty crates made of 2x6's...pretty long too, most have been running 13'6" to 17'6" long here of late...nice too, probably better lumber than what you find at Home Depot most of the time! Anyways, they were paying to have these crates hauled to the dump until my brother offered to take them as OWB fuel (win/win) then one week he asked me to go with him to pick these things up and when I seen them I said you need to be keeping some of them for lumber...he said go for it! So I have been picking up 4-6 crates almost every week most of the year, which yields 8-12 long 2x6's and 8-12 shorter ones (like 4.5-5' long) My initial thinking was that I would save up a bunch to frame up the roof on my block garage addition next year...but late this summer it became apparent that I already had way more wood than I needed to frame the garage addition roof, and it was still coming! We have friends that are adding on to their small house and after realizing that I had more lumber than I needed, I asked them if they could use some free lumber...so they took a load (50 IIRC) then I used 16 (I think) on this shed, will also use about the same amount on a woodshed for my sister, and I think there will still be enough to do my garage next year...especially if I continue to get more lumber (although the window shop is in a temporary slow period right now, so things have kinda dried up until probably close to end of the year...their business seems to tend to be cyclical like this)
Yup, you guys had a pretty epic build thread there a year or so ago too! And the vacation one here recently
So here is how I attached the roof joists...where the (3) 4x4 support posts are I put a lower joist in too (seen here) so to make a truss of sorts...and where they sit out on the header, I notched the top one to the outside, and the bottom one to the inside so that there is some lateral strength there beyond just relying on the screws to hold it (see 3rd pic) should help stiffen the carport shed up too, as if you push hard, you can get those to flex side to side a little (at least mine you can...it still feels pretty solid though, just not "unmovable" like we are used to on most buildings) 1st and 2cnd pic: The joist are attached to the ledger board(s) by "toenailing" some screws in, and screwing through to that block too...overall its pretty solid, I was actually kinda surprised how solid it felt. (before attaching to the header out on the other end)
Ahhh...pictures!! I am sure it may not need these, but I would put some Simpson Hurricane ties at the joist to ledger connection. Probably less than a dollar a piece. If you feel like taking a drive I am sure I have extras somewhere in the barn. Nice woodworking on those let-in connections.
Looks like an ambitious undertaking. Will water still run down where you have two by bolted? Future rot issues? I did read the "novel" with a bathroom then coffee break while doing so!