8 replies to this topic

[adrian007]

So, we need a sheltered (ish) working zone, while we have no barn.

 

We have two containers, with a 6 meter gap between which is grass and seems ripe for making a sheltered place.

 

We had thought about digging out the space and putting in a hard standing, but that has stated to sound a bit much, and also may disturb the containers.

 

Thought next about decking - but is that going to be regarded as permenant?

 

And - can I just ask, our static is getting trashed with mud - a decking outside the front - will that make it 'housey' in the planning folks eyes?

 

Any ideas put forward will be recieved gratefully

 

thanks everyone

[bramblebasher]

Hardcore's your cheapest option Adrian, if you have a quarry local to you you'll get it SO much cheaper than a builders merchant of course. Go for 'clean' hardcore say 2" down as it's not quite so hard to rake level as the chunkier stuff!

 

If you don't want to get into digging out great tracts of land for the hardcore and are worried about the authorities accusing you of 'permantising' the hardstanding, put down geotextile fabric first, straight on top of the grass then put your hardcore down 4 inches deep on that then plate compact. Take photos of this process then explain to the council that you've done it this way so as not to ruin the ground and it will be re seeded after the area is no longer needed.

 

So glad you've got your power worked out, your life's gonna be much easier for it.

[j and H]

what about using a polytunnel, some say you don't need planning, yet this will give you a dry area...

 

or wood pallets, with some ply on top and a tarp across the top of the gap

[adrian007]

BB - that sounds a good plan, of course it doesn't need to be dug out for people to walk on !

 

Tarp between the containers has been tried already, with regular tarp, and after that blew away more rugged tarp...which blew away.

 

You have slopes, we have wind.... :-)  We are at a similar atitude to Bodmin... except nearer America. You could say we shelter Bodmin from the bad stuff!

 

Polytunnels = we've got 2 in our PD - can't plead innocence on a 3rd!

 

All good so far, many thnaks

[bramblebasher]

Adrian, you are going to struggle to cover the whole 6 m span, what you could do is set up a pergola style construction made from 2x6" timbers off the side of one of your containers, you'll easily cover 3.6m wide which may be enough? You'll need a 2x6 'nailplate' along the side of your container fixed at the top (just metail bit drill through the timber and into the container to give yourself a pilot hole for a 3" screw, fix your 2x6 then you will need posts say 4x4's 3.2m away from the nail plate to give you something to fix another parallel nail plate to, between these at 90 degrees to the plates you then add your 3.6m 2x6's. 

 

If you set it up like this, slope it forward with a 4 inch fall, tack your tarps down to the 2x6's then lath on top of them to catch it all in really solid. 

 

This will work, it's a days work to do it properly and probably 300 quid in timber, if you keep all the timbers in their original lengths you can then salvage everything for stud framing within the barn once you have your roof up.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[j and H]

i think i would build a shed, at least this could be made mobile and could be used for future use, spend once , 

[Cornish Gems]

Our first 'shelter' was a field shelter and it has been worth its weight in gold. We can move it whenever and wherever we want to and it is very handy for storing bales of straw and haylage close to where we need them next.

[shepie]

We made a frame out of 4"x2" and covered it in tyvek supro membrane then screwed roof batting over get joins
It's been in the corner if the field for nearly 3 years and the timber is still in perfect condition
We still use it for storage

[billie]

You could use scaffold tubes and monarflex sheeting if you can get your hands on some, you could easily span 5 metres and if you buy second hand galvanised tube you will not lose money if you sell later. { monarflex is reinforced polythene sheeting with eyelets designed fo cladding buildings to keep them watertight}, You must have a good run on the roof though.