Shed and Wood Storage Structure

[mass_burner]

So after a recent reassessment and hike in real estate taxes, I am determined to utilize every inch of my modest .53 acre lot. I already moved all the brush and tree lines back to within inches of adjoining properties. The last unused area is at the NW side, so I have cleared that area and restored the original grade which was designed to carry around the house foundation and into the front yard where the grade is sloped significantly toward the street. Now I want to build a 10 x 8 shed to house the tractor and yard tools.

I'd like to have a door on one end that i can pull down and drive the tractor in. Is there piano hinge type hardware strong enough to hold a 6 x 8 3/4" door? Or should I just use many regular hinges?

 

[maple1]

How about a permanent ramp, and a sliding door? Or maybe two smaller sliding doors that meet in the middle. Or pocket doors doing that.

If I get what I think you are saying, access will be a bear in the winter time - if that's a consideration. But if not, you could likely do what you want - I think I would use a couple of beefy strap type hinges. Keep in mind too that dirt and 'stuff' will like to accumulate along the bottom edge and might bind up the door when you go to close it.

 

[mass_burner]

How about a permanent ramp, and a sliding door? Or maybe two smaller sliding doors that meet in the middle. Or pocket doors doing that.

If I get what I think you are saying, access will be a bear in the winter time - if that's a consideration. But if not, you could likely do what you want - I think I would use a couple of beefy strap type hinges. Keep in mind too that dirt and 'stuff' will like to accumulate along the bottom edge and might bind up the door when you go to close it.

I want a simple shed. Pocket doors too complicated. Permanent ramp will disturb the grade. By winter, I assume you mean snow, not an issue as no tractor use in snow. Good point about the bottom edge.

 

[Boiler74]

I think I'd just build conventional doors and use ramps. You can buy brackets for 2x stock or buy metal ones. No need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[infinitymike]

You could use this.
(broken link removed to http://www.hardwaresource.com/hinges/SPECIALTY+HINGES/Heavy+Duty+Hinges/Heavy+Duty+Gate+Hinges/Heavy+Duty+Bolt-On+Hinges%2C+Stainless+Steel)

Right now the picture shows the two plates parallel to each other, thru bolt the left plate to the shed framing and turn the right plate up 90* and thru bolt it to the bottom edge of the door.

I assume it is 6 feet wide by 8 feet tall and 3/4" thick?
I would make a 2x4 frame on the flat (1.5" thick) and then skin it with 3/4" plywood on both sides.
So the total thickness would be 3".
Looks like those hinges are 1.5" x7" so the 1.5" hinge plate will line right up with the 1.5" edge of the 2x4 frame.

 

[infinitymike]

Like this

 

[Charlie2]

Mass, A door that big would be very heavy, it would require a very solid structure to hold it, which wouldn't be cost effective. As said above, sliding or double doors is what I'd do. 8 foot wide would allow a four foot door to slide. Lots of cheap ways to make it easy to slide.

 

[infinitymike]

I drew that wrong, sorry.
You wont see 2 bolts on the plate mounted to the floor because the are in line and centered.
It should look like the part that is mounted to the door frame.


Also with this hinge and mounting detail you won't have to worry about dirt binding the door buit you will have a 3.5" gap between the door and the floor when the door is opened

 

[Soundchasm]

I didn't follow the shed's exact location, but I ran into very frustrating zoning laws when contemplating a structure here. No fences or sheds are allowed here in front of the house, only a garage at the side. So this "garage" was technically behind the house, but it turned out that there's an imaginary line at the back of my deck that constitutes the back of the house, so my structure had to be built as a garage with a poured floor, block foundation and increased expense.

But I guess my point is that I'm really happy with the bottom of the barrel manual garage door, and in the words of Frank Zappa, be careful where you put that thing!

 

[maple1]

I want a simple shed. Pocket doors too complicated. Permanent ramp will disturb the grade. By winter, I assume you mean snow, not an issue as no tractor use in snow. Good point about the bottom edge.

I guess when I said pocket door, I didn't necessarily mean a 'real' pocket door. I think some use pocket door hardware to make doors that operate like pocket doors, but they're not enclosed like pocket doors. Should be a relatively easy build. Also, a permanent ramp won't necessarily have to disturb the grade - it could be made of a built up ramp of gravel or whatever, or it could be made of wood which would replicate what a swing down door would do when it is down but would let water flow around & under it so as to not interrupt drainage things. If it's a drainage thing. I've got an 8x10 shed, I just graded up to the lip of the factory door & used a PT 2x6 on its flat for a kind of transition piece. Terrains may differ though.

 

[mass_burner]

Soundchasm, the shed will be on one side of the house. The opposite side faces the street. I think 8 x 8 will suffice, only trying to get the lawn tractor and garden tools out of the garage.

 

[mass_burner]

View attachment 135023 Like this

hmm, definitely an option. 1000 lb capacity. So you think an 8x8 ramp would be too heavy to "walkup" into place?

 

[Soundchasm]

hmm, definitely an option. 1000 lb capacity. So you think an 8x8 ramp would be too heavy to "walkup" into place?

My tiny little 4x6 enclosed trailer has a drop-down ramp. It's got two cables attached to springs and a buddy of mine adjusted it so it's balanced nearly perfectly and only takes a finger to operate. Probably not feasible in your case but food for thought.

 

[mass_burner]

I think 8 x 8 will suffice, only trying to get the lawn tractor and garden tools out of the garage.

I'm thinking 8x6 would even work. Every time I start to draw it up, I shudder at all the materials I would need. Maybe I'll just put down a deck and put on of these on it.

http://www.southcoastshelters.com/Wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/70403.pdf