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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / What needs to be improved on the Tuff Shed TR 1600?
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WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:33
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So i'm still at the drawing board going through pros/cons of different cabin designs. One i want to consider is a traditional 2 story platform build. I found a shed made by Tuff Shed called the TR1600 which is basically what I was thinking and it comes in a 16x24 format. I'm using this as an example because i can find pictures of how it's built, allowing me to easily calculate what it might cost me to build something identical.

This YouTube video does a good job showing you the inside for reference.

I called Tuff Shed to find out if there were any built ones close to me so that i could take the wife and see what she thinks about the sizing. Anyways, came to find out that they can't sell this shed anymore in any states that boarder Canada as they are not sufficient for the snow load. The rep didn't go into much detail.

So, i'm wondering, besides making sure the trusses can handle the snow load, what else would need to be changed to make it a stonger structure? Just going from 2x4 to 2x6? Everything else looks like it's built properly.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 09:42
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Tuff sheds are really just cheap sheds with a good marketing department and and prices available online. I would contact a local shed company or even a contractor to get a shed built on site. 16x24 and single story is not to difficult to build. The widest shed I could find listed at the place I got mine from was 12ft wide. A 12x30 was about $5k. These are rough cut sheds and only have plywood as the sub floor.

I believe the price for the shed you linked is $25k? That's prety price for a shed with no foundation, plumbing, electrical, insulation and possibly not even double pane windows.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:11
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That thing looked to have the second story floor joists spaced at 24” of course the floor felt “spongy”

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:28
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Check 'garage packages' in your build area?

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:45
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Again, i don't intend to buy a prebuilt or build on site shed/cabin. Just using this as a reference for my scenario of copying it and knowing what would need to beefed up so i can estimate cost for building.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 12:13
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That's a poor example of what to look at. You would have to modify so much stuff you should just draw your own plans if the town allows this.

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 12:16
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Quoting: Brettny
you should just draw your own plans if the town allows this.

This is my plan. I'm just using this as a starting point. So upgrading the 2x4's to 2x6's, make sure trusses are designed to required loads and make sure 2nd floor joist have proper spacing/sizing. Anything else?

ICC
Member
# Posted: 16 Feb 2021 14:03 - Edited by: ICC
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It's not the stud size that makes it impossible for them to sell that shed where snow loads are higher. It is the truss design. That is my opinion.

The trusses used in that shed in the video are called scissors trusses. A scissors truss still produces an outward horizontal force. This is true of any truss design that does not have a full-width bottom chord, like a rafter tie that sits on the top plate of the wall. This is where an engineer earns his money. They decide by calculating all the forces that will be generated by a certain snow load. The engineer decides if the truss design, for the building width, etc. will be okay or not.

You can build a wood-framed two-story building using 2x4 wall construction with the wall studs 16" OC with a maximum structure width of 32 feet. That is structurally sound, except for some locations that may have other earthquake, hurricane requirements. But in many places it is fine.

However, a 2x4 framed wall will present a challenge to easily, cheaply, get the insulation R-value high enough for best energy efficiency.

Walls built with 2x6 studs could be used 16" or 24" OC. The 24" spacing will reduce the number of sticks needed. There are other trade-offs when going to 24" OC, but that is another discussion.

Then there is the roof. The easiest way to build a strong roof is either (a) standard rafters with the proper rafter ties on the top plate of the walls, or (b) factory-made trusses of the conventional full bottom chord type. Whenever you get into some other design geometry there are trade-offs and possible code restrictions.

I seem to recall that your building department has some loose views on what a strict following of the IRC says is okay. When it comes to the sections of the IRC that cover the structure I prefer to follow the code or go better unless the changes are signed off by an engineer. Inspectors are not engineers. Inspectors do have some leeway in what they will approve on a plan. They can be less stringent than the IRC. That does not always mean it is a good idea.

For all the other details the minimums listed in the IRC should result in a building that could provide a long life when maintained. Go better than the minimums for lumber sizes for floors and roofs and the building will be more solid. Ditto for headers above doors and windows. Use the size, type and number of fasteners as listed in the IRC. Follow the best practices for flashing doors and windows. Etc. Those details are all in the IRC with an eye to making a building that is structurally sound. Read the footnotes.


Home-built gambrel trusses are one of the types of constructions that present grey areas for strength. Even those factory-made Tuff Shed gambrel trusses would have trouble being approved by an engineer. The same issues can be found with foundations that are not prescribed in the IRC.

Of course it must be good if it is on YouTube.

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