How Should I Build A Drying Shed?

[820wards]

Guys,
I have been given the opportunity to build a drying shed on my friends ranch. He has a pile of 8x8x17' beams that came off a dismantled RR trestle that were stored in barn for years. He has moved them to his ranch and is willing to let me build a drying shed for wood that I mill.

I have no clue as to how I can build something using these large beams. He has a tractor/bull dosser, so moving them is not an issue, and he has a huge post hole auger if we decide to bury the posts in the ground. Can anyone give me some ideas, suggestions or maybe does someone have a site I can check out for such a project.

These beams are covered in creosote and it also looks like tar.

jerry-

Here is a picture of the beams and also a piece from a crane I can use for what ever... In the background is one of the hills sides I varmint hunt, it's awesome!

This picture is of an old Redwood water trough on the ranch that was build by my friends, wife's grandfather right after WWI. The side boards are one piece of redwood and the ends are two pieces. Very old redwood! It was used many years.

 

[kr5258]

Look up how to build a pole barn. If they are creosote soaked, they are probably railroad ties and will make good foundation posts. Gonna need more lumber for the trusses.

 

[820wards]

Look up how to build a pole barn. If they are creosote soaked, they are probably railroad ties and will make good foundation posts. Gonna need more lumber for the trusses.

KR,

Thanks, I'll do some homework. We were also thinking of building a solar kiln on one side. He is solar powered on his ranch, so we can tie into his grid for any electrical needs. It gets very hot where the ranch is during the summer months so we figure all we will be needing is to run fans to keep the air flow while drying the wood.

jerry-

 

[twoclones]

For a similar project...

I used 20' long hops poles to build a small hay barn {3 ton capacity / 16' x 8' roof}. I buried them 3' in the ground, which is deep for here, then cut the tops to height after using a home-made water level to mark them. There's a 1' drop from front to back and 3 support posts in the back. Front was left open for loading.

The poles for the top and for under the floor are milled parallel. Since this photo, I covered 2 sides with my 3/4" x 8" cottonwood boards which I millled specifically to use as siding. I think this design would make a good shed for air drying but for my own hardwood I made a solar kiln.

The haybarn before siding or steel roofing.
View attachment 213330

Cottonwood siding with solar kiln in background.
View attachment 213334

 

[820wards]

Twoclones,

After seeing your pole shed, I think I will build something similar. I built a firewood pole shed up at our cabin on a smaller scale using redwood 4x4's. I will also enclose the shed and add doors. Thanks for posting the pictures, they help.

Thanks
jerry-

Here is the pole woodshed I built at our cabin.

 

[billstuewe]

You could do something like this and speed the drying up a bit--this works real nice. In the summer it gets over 160°F.
Solar Kiln by Bill Stuewe

 

[820wards]

You could do something like this and speed the drying up a bit--this works real nice. In the summer it gets over 160°F.
Solar Kiln by Bill Stuewe

Bill,

Looked at your kiln build. I like how you have built your system. Seeing that you are from Texas, I'm sure you have the dry heat which make your system perfect. Where I will build this kiln here in CA it gets well over 100 degrees during the summer months and it is very dry, so I'm thinking your style kiln should work. I will send your build link to my rancher friend and see where where can install a kiln. I do have the timbers to use as my raised floor. With 6K acres, I'm sure I can find the right location.

Did you angle the pitched roof in the direction of the most daylight sun?

Thanks
jerry-

 

[billstuewe]

The slope of the building should be your latitude and it should face due North. My latitude is 30° so that is the slope of the roof for my location.

 

[820wards]

The slope of the building should be your latitude and it should face due North. My latitude is 30° so that is the slope of the roof for my location.

Bill,

Talked with my friend and we decided where the timbers are sitting would be a good spot. Just to the right of the stack would be facing North. Something we will plan to do in the spring.

Thanks so much for the information.
jerry-