Skid Foundation

Started by waggin, January 20, 2010, 11:32:33 PM

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waggin

Has anyone ever built a shed/cabin on a skid foundation?  I'm designing my 12' x 12' cabin with loft, either gable roof with 8:12 or greater pitch, or a single pitch shed roof.  The plan is to have two skids with a 10' centerline separation.  I am trying to figure out sizing for the skids.  I found pre-built sheds around 10'w x 16' long using 6" x 6" skids, but it sounds like those are going to be stationary.  I may need to move mine at a later date, as I have a very small building envelope, and I haven't fully planned my site yet.  In other words, the skids will probably be used as skids at some point, rather than just as a foundation.  Obviosly, I am concerned about them being stout enough to avoid screwing up stuff like doors & windows when it's moved over uneven ground.  I figure I want at least 6" wide to resist twisting while being moved, especially if it needs to be turned/rotated.  As far as height, what do people think?  Is 6" x 6" adequate, or should I go 6" x 8" or larger?  Thanks in advance...
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. (Red Green)

Whitlock

Use 6x8 and make sure it is tough.
Make Peace With Your Past So It Won't Screw Up The Present


Redoverfarm

Whitlock you took the words right out of my mouth. 6 X 8 would be the minimum IMO.  In addition I would drill a 3/4" hole in both beams on each end.  That will allow you later to use a pin to hook up to in case you want to moved it.  It is easier to drill in the construction stage than crawl under it later.

rwanders

If you are looking for some insurance for rigidity during a move you could bolt a piece of 2 or 3" angle iron along each skid with some additional angle or square tube for cross bracing (weld to the angles). May be a little over the top but, if you really want stout____
Rwanders lived in Southcentral Alaska since 1967
Now lives in St Augustine, Florida

Don_P

Our 8x12 needed to be moved, I had built it with 2x12 rims and 2x6 joists so it had narrow "skids". I sawed them at an angle and hitched it to the tractor... big wheelie. Moving forward in time we tried the egyptian log rolling method. Let me tell ya, they had plenty of slaves and logs handy. We had firewood, seemed like a good idea at the time. A piece of firewood kicked up underneath and tore out several joists. Time to move forward in time again, I routed large plywood wheels, stacked them about 4" thick and made wooden bearings and axles. Hit a rock, broke an axle, trailer dropped to the ground. That had taken 2 weekends to that point. We had it broken down into panels, moved, and reassembled by dark the next day. It can be done but it isn't as easy as it might at first seem. We could probably write a book with that title  ;D.


Freeholdfarm

When we were in Alaska, we spent one winter at my Dad's place and I built a 12' X 16' goat shed while we were there.  I put it on 2X6 skids.  We were able to haul it down a mile of gravel road back to our place in the spring, and then later after we left Alaska one of my brothers took it to his house, about four miles away.  It had a door but no windows, and had diagonal bracing underneath (and plywood sheathing).  It made both trips in good shape; any wracking was easily adjusted.  With windows, I'd either plan to remove them before moving the shed, or screw sheets of plywood over them to keep them from shifting in transit.

Kathleen

waggin

Thank you everybody for the input & voices of experience.  Pine Cone also gave me some tips on using rollers.  Since my land was logged in 1998, I've got a whole bunch of small diamerter, new growth alders, great raw material for rollers. 

After posting, I spoke with an architect who also felt 6"x8" would be the minimum for skid size.  She's willing to work for beer  ;D  Taller is better, but that puts more twisting potential into them.  I love the angle material idea to keep things from rolling over & tearing rwanders.  Not sure if you're talking on bottom of skids or at skid to floor joist connection.  My thought is to have it between skids & floor joists and incorporate that with some steel or wood cross bracing between skids.  I figure I'll bore holes about one foot back from the ends, put a piece of steel tubing/pipe through the skids as a hard eyelet, then put a pin through each one & tow it with the truck and/or come-along.  The come-along I'd use is a More Power Puller, and if you exceed safe rating, the handle bends...sort of a shear pin safety factor.

Another idea I had was to grab a junk trailer with a 5k# or greater rated axle and build with skids and have the axle & part of the frame underneath.  Somewhere I started calculating what this thing would roughly weigh, and I think I'd be ok with 5k# rated.  It would only have to go about 200' absolute worst case.  Put it in place & block it for support/leveling.  That would have the added advantage of my being able to "park" it closer than buildings are allowed to my steep slope area and move it easily when I have to have people out for permitting stuff down the road.  It's not a structure; it's a trailer!

If I can figure out a location where the structure can stay, that would be great, but I think I'm going to want it where it will have to be moved later, unfortunately. 
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. (Red Green)

firefox

#7
Note: key between f and h is broken so I used j instead. >:(
Here is an idea. Find a surplus metals place and jet two pieces of small I beam. 6" h by 3" wide and maybe a 3/8" web.
2 pieces of 2" pipe  to jo between the two I beams and 2 lenjths of 1 "
pipe for x bracinj.
2 2" pipe flanjes.
some laj bolts.
and last but not least, enoujh chain link fence to make two pieces
2' wide by 200 ft lonj.

I will try to post a diajram .

Build the skid and then roll out the two lenjths of fencinj.
it will tow across the fencinj pretty easily.

Bruce & Robbie
MVPA 23824