Portable shed on skids - advice needed.

Posted by on November 9, 2007, 9:10 pm

Hey everyone...

I'm building a 10 X 12 foot storage shed that I will need to move in a
year or so. I'm about done framing the floor: I'm using PT 2 x 6
lumber, 16" OC, w/ joist hangers. I plan to sheet it with 3/4 PT
plywood, screwed + subfloor adhesive.

My question is about the skids: I purchase three 4 x 6 x 12 timbers,
and placed two of them flush with the outside edges of the 12 foot rim
joists. The third skid I placed @ 5 ft O.C. (down the middle of the
floor).

However, I've been told I am doing it wrong: the side skids need to be
inset 12 inches from the rim joist. Plus, I need a fourth skid, so as
to have two supporting the middle of the structure.

It feels intuitive to place the side skids the way I have them now-
even though it is a bit more difficult to tie them into the floor
joists this way. My thinking is that the whole weight of the walls
and roof will be bearing down on the outside edges of the floor- so
why not transfer that weight directly to the skids instead of putting
the load 12 inches of unsupported floor joists? And a fourth skid?
That sounds excessive...

Can anyone help? I want to get this right the first time...

Thanks,
Donald

Posted by Glenn on November 9, 2007, 9:47 pm

You're fine just the way you are.

> Hey everyone...
> I'm building a 10 X 12 foot storage shed that I will
> need to move in a
> year or so. I'm about done framing the floor: I'm
> using PT 2 x 6
> lumber, 16" OC, w/ joist hangers. I plan to sheet it
> with 3/4 PT
> plywood, screwed + subfloor adhesive.
> My question is about the skids: I purchase three 4 x
> 6 x 12 timbers,
> and placed two of them flush with the outside edges
> of the 12 foot rim
> joists. The third skid I placed @ 5 ft O.C. (down the
> middle of the
> floor).
> However, I've been told I am doing it wrong: the side
> skids need to be
> inset 12 inches from the rim joist. Plus, I need a
> fourth skid, so as
> to have two supporting the middle of the structure.
> It feels intuitive to place the side skids the way I
> have them now-
> even though it is a bit more difficult to tie them
> into the floor
> joists this way. My thinking is that the whole
> weight of the walls
> and roof will be bearing down on the outside edges of
> the floor- so
> why not transfer that weight directly to the skids
> instead of putting
> the load 12 inches of unsupported floor joists? And
> a fourth skid?
> That sounds excessive...
> Can anyone help? I want to get this right the first
> time...
> Thanks,
> Donald
>

Posted by dpb on November 9, 2007, 9:52 pm

vzmjsmlrlikn@mailinator.com wrote:

> Hey everyone...
>
> I'm building a 10 X 12 foot storage shed that I will need to move in a
> year or so. I'm about done framing the floor: I'm using PT 2 x 6
> lumber, 16" OC, w/ joist hangers. I plan to sheet it with 3/4 PT
> plywood, screwed + subfloor adhesive.
>
> My question is about the skids: I purchase three 4 x 6 x 12 timbers,
> and placed two of them flush with the outside edges of the 12 foot rim
> joists. The third skid I placed @ 5 ft O.C. (down the middle of the
> floor).
>
> However, I've been told I am doing it wrong: the side skids need to be
> inset 12 inches from the rim joist. Plus, I need a fourth skid, so as
> to have two supporting the middle of the structure.
>
> It feels intuitive to place the side skids the way I have them now-
> even though it is a bit more difficult to tie them into the floor
> joists this way. My thinking is that the whole weight of the walls
> and roof will be bearing down on the outside edges of the floor- so
> why not transfer that weight directly to the skids instead of putting
> the load 12 inches of unsupported floor joists? And a fourth skid?
> That sounds excessive...
>
> Can anyone help? I want to get this right the first time...

Either way will work just fine. I see no reason for a fourth for
something this small, either...

--

Posted by PeterD on November 10, 2007, 8:25 am

On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:10:32 -0800, vzmjsmlrlikn@mailinator.com wrote:

>However, I've been told I am doing it wrong: the side skids need to be
>inset 12 inches from the rim joist. ...

There will *always* be someone who will tell you that "you are doing
it all wrong"... Generally most of these people don't know their right
from a wrong!

Personally, I think if you are going to want to move it, you should
put wheels on the building. Oh, and so you don't have to drag it a
motor would be nice too. Steering? Sure, And a window to see out of
while yuo are driving your shed around will be nice, so yuo don't have
to stick your head out the door to see where yuo are going!

Or, just keep what you have done (or plan to do?) and you'll be OK.

Posted by HerHusband on November 10, 2007, 10:53 am

Donald,

> I'm building a 10 X 12 foot storage shed that I will need to move in a
> year or so. I'm about done framing the floor: I'm using PT 2 x 6
> lumber, 16" OC, w/ joist hangers. I plan to sheet it with 3/4 PT
> plywood, screwed + subfloor adhesive.
> My question is about the skids: I purchase three 4 x 6 x 12 timbers,
> and placed two of them flush with the outside edges of the 12 foot rim
> joists. The third skid I placed @ 5 ft O.C. (down the middle of the
> floor).

I have an 8x12 storage shed I built on a concrete slab. Last year I
needed to move it around to the back of the house, so I unbolted it from
the slab and installed some 2x4's diagonally across the inside of the
floor to keep it from tweaking out of square. Then I jacked it up, cut
off the anchor bolts flush with the slab, and slid a couple of 2x6's
under the two outside walls (the 12' sides). I set the shed back down and
fastened the sole plates to the skids. Then I tied the two "skids"
together at each end on the outside of the building with 2x4's to keep
them from pulling together.

I was renting a Bobcat skid steer loader to do some landscaping anyway,
so I attached a couple of chains to the Bobcat bucket and the cross brace
running on the front end between the two skids. I lifted the bucket just
enough to get the front ends of the skids off the dirt, and started
backing up slowly.

I expected the whole shed to come crashing down in a pile of rubble, but
it actually transported very nicely. No creaks, no groans, no problems. I
dragged it about 60' around the house over fairly rough ground. It was
even easy to turn the shed to move around trees and whatnot. Once I had
the shed where I wanted it, I unhooked the chains, then used the bucket
of the Bobcat to "nudge" the skids one way or another to get it exactly
where I wanted it. I was surprised at how easily it moved.

We jacked the shed back up about a foot and a half off the ground, and
poured a new slab underneath it. I redrilled for the new anchor bolts,
set the shed back down on the new slab, and bolted it in place. After
repainting and new roof shingles, you can't tell it was ever moved.

By the way, for fastening all the skids and diagonal braces, I used some
heavy duty screws made by Simpson. I can't remember what they're called
now, but they're usually located with all the framing brackets in Home
Centers. They're kind of like a self drilling lag bolt, and are easy to
drive with a drill/driver. Very strong, easy to install and remove later.
I used the 3" size.

On a more humerous note, back in my not so bright younger days, I tried
to pull a "loaded" 8x12 shed I had built on two 4x6 skids once with a
small compact car (VW Rabbit). Needless to say, it weighed more than the
car did so the front wheel drive car just swung back and forth as the
tires spun in vain. So, I gave up and dismantled the shed... :) I made a
nice mailbox posted out of the skids I had bought for moving the shed.

Long story short, you really don't need all the heavy timbers to pull the
shed around, unless you have it loaded. Either way, you'll need a truck
or tractor to pull the thing around.

Good luck!

Anthony

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