' Tractor Sheds '

[jeepfreak4x4]

Funny that you say that, but I get the same red square/X too.
Maybe I didnt upload the picture correctly, but it asked for a URL, and I sent the path to a pic I have on my MSN profile. If you can offer advice on that, I would be grateful.

Thanks

 

[Cowboy]

The only way I know how to post a pic is By using the reply button Then going down to manage attachments & upload it from my computer . Hopefully someone else will give You more info as how its done like your talking about . Looking forward to seeing the pics . Bob

 

[Doc]

Hmmm, I don't see the red x or the url or I would fix it for you. Please try again and go to manage attachment (underneath the submit post button) and submit the url there.
Or if you have the pic saved on your pc simply point to it in the browse window under manage attachments, once all the pics are selected click the upload button. Once uploaded close that window and click the submit button.
Good luck.

 

[EastTexFrank]

This is a great thread guys. You sure do live on some pretty places.

The reason it is so interesting is that my wife has been on my case for the last couple of years to build a place to store my "stuff". I think it's because she is tired of having her bridge playing buddies climb over bits and pieces every time they arrive at the house for one of their sessions. Doesn't upset me a bit.

My problem is that the only place flat enough to build a barn, without major dirt work, is where "my" garden is at present and I'm not ready to give up my garden even for a new barn. Actually, I can grow all the vegetables the two of us need in the little garden but it's just the idea of giving up my garden after I've spent years refining it to the point where it's almost a "no work" garden.

I've been doing research and working on a plan. I've even talked to a friend who has got out of the home building business and now specializes in building barns and farm buildings. So, seeing what you guys have got and what has worked for you is a great help because I only want to do this once and I need to get it right the first time. Keep the photos and ideas coming.

 

[bczoom]

Frank,

How about you skim the top foot or 2 out of where your garden and move it (and the garden) elsewhere? You then have the area dug out for stone/concrete for your building.

If you take your "stuff" and use that to determine the size of your building, here's something you should do. Take the sq/ft you "think you need" and then multiply by 4.
When I put my first one in (32x48'), I thought it was huge and that I had spare space forever. Two years later, I built another building. 3 years later, yet another. This year, I'm using a 4th.
I guess my conditions may be different than yours but that's what happened here. Winter and kids are the driving forces for me. I put everything (except trailers) inside during the winter months (lawn furniture, tables, lawn rollers...). Kids stuff adds up quick as well. Bicycles, toys, ATV's... adds up.
I just added it up and I'm currently using 3,100 sq/ft for the outdoor "stuff".

 

[EastTexFrank]

Frank,

I just added it up and I'm currently using 3,100 sq/ft for the outdoor "stuff".

Darn Zoomer, you're my hero.

My provisional plan was for something along the lines of 45' x 60', set on an oversized concrete pad to give space at the front for washing off equipment and along one side for compressor, back-up generator, fuel tank and things. I was going to take the back 15' or so and turn it into an office, casual living quarters. That would give me about 2,000sq ft of storage & workshop area and about 700 sq ft of man space to hideout in.

The problem that I'm wrestling with at the moment is whether I build it on our present place where we've been for 12 years or build it at my M-I-L's farm where we'll probably end up in a few years time. I'm kind of leaning towards building some sort of pole barn/cover here to get equipment out of the weather and save the major construction until such time as we move to the farm to help my S-I-L to work the place. Or, I could just bite the bullet and do both. At least that way the building at the farm would be ready to move into when required. The dilemma is that I'm Scottish and we don't like spending money until we really, really, really have to. Decisions, decisions.

 

[bczoom]

Frank,
Something I considered but didn't do (and have since regretted) was putting on a gable roof instead of a gambrel. If I used a gambrel, I would have had a decent 2nd story area for both storage (of smaller items) as well as a "man room". That would have freed-up the entire first floor for the bigger pieces of equipment.

Something to consider...

 

[x595]

Darn Zoomer, you're my hero.

DITTO !!!

3,100 sq/ft , that's a lot of space ...

Later,x595

 

[Doc]

WOW! 3100 square feet. Dang. That would sure be nice.
I have a 70 x 28 pole barn and thought I had a lot of space (1960 square ft)....and I keep 3 boats in there with my tractors and other outside stuff that needs stored. I even squeezed in my 6x12' trailer this year. I hate how the weather ages it when it's left outside.
You must have a lot of outside stuff BC. Care to show pics of the inside of yours BC? Mine is crammed so tight with stuff it looks a mess.

 

[bczoom]

You must have a lot of outside stuff BC. Care to show pics of the inside of yours BC? Mine is crammed so tight with stuff it looks a mess.

OK, here 'ya go. Mess or no mess, here's how it looks today.

I may post one picture per post as I may have comment and I'm not good at inserting several pictures with text mingled throughout. It's also good for my post count...

OK, first picture shows building placement. Since they're in the "yard" area, I wanted them set back and off to the side so the main part of the yard is open The "wood" area (2nd pic) is for the most part, too steep to build on and requires crossing a small creek.

 

[bczoom]

OK, a little closer.

The larger building is 32x48. Off the back of that is a 28x16. If you look to the right of the picture, in the woods is another and it's 10x50. On the larger building, the white stripe at the top of the wall is translucent fiberglass so I get light during the day.

We're going to call those 2 brown doors the "front" of the building.

 

[bczoom]

OK, if you opened the front, right side door, here's what you get. This room is 16x27. Man door, closet, workbench, fridge, heater and A/C are on the right side.

RTV sits in the middle.

Left side is shelves and toolboxes.

The 2nd pic is looking in front of the RTV.

EDIT: On the floor are those heavy black rubber stall mats. They're much easier on the knees when working at ground level and much warmer than concrete in the winter.

 

[bczoom]

OK, the left door when looking from the front of the building is where my truck goes.
First pic is looking from the back, towards that door. Shelving is on both sides. Make note of that thing hanging from the ceiling over the truck.
Second pic is some of the shelving for small stuff (nuts, bolts...).

 

[bczoom]

OK, in that same room where my truck lives...

Once I pull my truck out, the floor area is obviously wide open...

So, it's a great place for the kids to hang-out when I need to work in the other bay. Not so much now since they're a bit older and can be outside or in the house but when they were smaller, I'd want them in the same building but not "under foot".

So, voila.
First picture. Look behind the light. There's an 8' projection TV screen.
Second pic. I flick a switch on the wall and the screen powers down.
Remember that thing hanging over the truck in the earlier post? That's a projection TV/DVD player. I just put out a couple chairs, turn on the heat (the Reznor heater, left side of picture) and let them pick a DVD

 

[bczoom]

OK, those front 2 bays go back 27'. Here's the remaining area. (19x32). Entrance is from the side of the building (right side of the green chairs in post 51).

First pic
Looking down the left side when you walk in. Mainly shelving except where the doors go into the front bays.

Second pic is looking down the middle. This is normally a LOT worse, but the summer stuff (kids ATV's, pressure washers...) aren't here. The tractor will move to this area once the snow starts flying.

Third pic is down the right side. This is shelves for larger things. Generator, ZTR, quads... go underneath the shelves.

 

[bczoom]

OK, here's that 16x28 that's attached to the back of the main building.

Right now it houses the tractor and a bunch of crap... err I mean "stuff". There's shelves across the right side and the rear. Kids toys, and my less used stuff (totes of ele boxes, PVC connectors, spare tires, trailer wiring harness'/lights, ATV parts...) goes on the shelves. Oh, the shelves are isles of shelving taken out of a department store. I just split the vertical upright of the isle in 1/2 and lag-bolted to the wall.

 

[bczoom]

OK, here's the next building. 10x50. It was supposed to be for holding 3-point hitch attachments and firewood but got filled with other crap... err, I mean "stuff" before that happened.

You need to cross the creek to get to it and I was only wearing sneakers so no picture of the inside today. In here, I keep fertilizer, spare lumber (and other building materials), steel for projects, spare tin and shingle roofing, spare set of tires for the tractor, kids winter stuff (sleds, toboggan...), fencing & posts and who knows what else.

BTW, being somewhat in the woods and the color it is, this building blends in (almost disappears) from more than 50' away.

 

[bczoom]

OK, I forgot my camera when I went to the bunker... I'll try to remember it next time. Anyway, that's where the other 700 or so sq/ft is being used. That's where most of the stuff that's not normally used in the winter ended up. This includes a few ATV's, all the outdoor furniture, half-a-dozen or so bikes, pressure washers, basketball hoop, toy boxes, paints (and other things you don't want to freeze). With the exception of the ATV's (as I don't want the fumes), the kids use that (the bunker) for a play area for bikes, skateboards, basketball, soccer, dodge-ball, etc.

OK, since no picture of that, I'll just throw in a wood shed and the little (not) hill I get my wood from.

 

[bczoom]

OK, one more pic since I just ran into it.

Here's looking down towards the buildings. The pic was shot from the top of the stand for the zip-line.

 

[OhioTC18]

Wow, very nice