Moving a shed

[kinigitt]

I searched but didn't find a thread devoted to this, and I asked the question in my shop planning thread but I haven't gotten any responses. So here goes...

I need to move my shed about 60 feet to make room for the shop. Being closer to the house will be a bonus in the winter too.

It's 16'x12', with 8' 2"x4" stud walls 16" O.C.

Rafter roof made of 2"x8"s

Shingled

Vinyl siding

1 hollow door (regular house door)

2 very small single pane windows. 2 feet tall by less than 1 foot wide.

A loft made of 2"x6"s, covered with OSB, measuring 16'x8'. Nothing supporting it, just screwed into the top plates and studs.

The flooring, roofing and sheathing is all OSB

Bottom level is made of 2"x8" joists, 16" O.C., no skids underneath.

I'm looking into buying sections of piping or pre-made heavy duty rollers to bolt to the floor, and pull it with my 4x4. I'm moving it about 60".

I already have it jacked onto cribbing made of 8"x8" posts I had lying around, and I have 4 16 foot lengths of 2"x4" to use as "rails"

Anybody here good at estimating building weights?

I saw these and wondered if 2 sets, 1 bolted under each corner might do the trick:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B004670WB0/?tag=atomicindus04-20

?

 

[ford fanatic]

4" PVC pipe as rollers.

 

[LXCam]

Either do the rollers or get a couple 4x6 beams to attach underneath to use as a skid. But if you drag it as is, you're going to tear it up.

 

[kd3pc]

ford fanatic has it down....50' of rope and a come along and DIY

OR rollers and 4 stout friends for 10 minutes...as they can likely pick up one end to get the rollers started.

 

[kinigitt]

Either do the rollers or get a couple 4x6 beams to attach underneath to use as a skid. But if you drag it as is, you're going to tear it up.

Alright. How do you suggest attaching these beams to the floor?

 

[kinigitt]

ford fanatic has it down....50' of rope and a come along and DIY

OR rollers and 4 stout friends for 10 minutes...as they can likely pick up one end to get the rollers started.

You'd use that rope to go round the building? I'm trying to picture the rigging you're suggesting

 

[kinigitt]

Yep, ^^^^ but your shed not having runners you will need to keep the PVC pipes perpendicular to your sheds floor joists.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=rolling+a+shed+on+pipes&qpvt=rolling+a+shed+on+pipes&view=detail&mid=28931F38AAB91F81F2BD28931F38AAB91F81F2BD&FORM=VRDGAR

Simple enough, thanks!

He's rigged to skids. I'm going to take care of that first then. I'll just rip my band joist off as it is, that's what you mean LX?

Another issue is the floor joists run parallel to the side walls (12') so I'd need sections of 4" piping at least 16 feet wide. That's alot of pipe. I called up a few local hardware stores and they don't carry longer than 12' sections. Surprisingly expensive too.

Unanimous NO on the pre-made rollers then?

 

[ford fanatic]

Simple enough, thanks!

He's rigged to skids. I'm going to take care of that first then. I'll just rip my band joist off as it is, that's what you mean LX?

Another issue is the floor joists run parallel to the side walls (12') so I'd need sections of 4" piping at least 16 feet wide. That's alot of pipe. I called up a few local hardware stores and they don't carry longer than 12' sections. Surprisingly expensive too.

Unanimous NO on the pre-made rollers then?

Use 8 footers end to end or one 12', you don't have to carry the weight all the way across. You're only going 60'. It will be easier than you think.

 

[LXCam]

Just extend the skids beyond the framing and use some simple angle brackets to attach those to the floor framing on the outside. There's no need to attach to each joist. Then you could simply drill a hole thru the skid lumber 6" + back from the leading edge and nail a piece of lumber between the skids to act as a spreader bar.

 

[kinigitt]

Just extend the skids beyond the framing and use some simple angle brackets to attach those to the floor framing on the outside. There's no need to attach to each joist. Then you could simply drill a hole thru the skid lumber 6" + back from the leading edge and nail a piece of lumber between the skids to act as a spreader bar.

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[glider]

I have moved a few sheds. i cut a old snowboard in half and put some L brackets on them. Secured L brackets on the front of the 4x4 skids. Just dragged it around with the truck. Had minimal damage to the ground.

 

[kinigitt]

I have moved a few sheds. i cut a old snowboard in half and put some L brackets on them. Secured L brackets on the front of the 4x4 skids. Just dragged it around with the truck. Had minimal damage to the ground.

Intriguing. I'm going to sister my 16 footer 2x4"s into 4x4" skids, and bolt them to the floor joists, to start.

 

[Moose97]

I've moved several sheds this size with a 16' trailer with side rails. Jack up the front of the building, tie a heavy duty ratchet strap (or two) around the building, attach a come-along to the front of the trailer and the strap, un-hitch trailer from vehicle and begin ratcheting come-along. Pipes (2) under trailer as it moves up the rails. This is a very simple way to move them. I have done this a dozen times over the years.

Reading this sounds really redneck but I assure you it works like a champ and is relatively easy to do.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I only moved mine a few feet but I used old galvanized fence posts I had as rollers. Bolted Eye bolts through the outside of the floor joists and used big heavy washers behind so they couldn't pull through. Then dragged away with my truck. Pretty easy actually.

 

[Heel2toe]

I paid a guy to move a shed for me from my buddies house to mine. I don't have a truck or trailer so it was worth the money for me.

Anyway, one thing led to the next and I ended up being his second hand man when the farm jack handle swung back and clipped his helper in the eye lid.

Let that be a warning that those things are dangerous and can inflict damage and pain when you least expect it.

Now back to the topic at hand. If youre doing an in yard move I wouldnt over think it.

How flat is your yard? You mentioned you already have the thing up in the air...as others have mentioned all you need is a few PVC pipes to use as rollers and a couple buddies.

The shed will be very heavy but youd be surprised how easy they move on the pipes. Its the same method the Egyptians use to move those massive blocks of stone.

Of course apply common sense in regards to being perpendicular to the floor joists. Other than that its pretty straight forward.

 

[TractorJeff]

I thought you stated it is currently on 8x8 posts?
So put your rollers between those and the 16 foot 2x4's.

 

[Marctrees]

This ---- Daddy knows-----


Appliance rollers with tiny wheels??

They will sink flush into the ground in a heartbeat.

If you have no like MINIMUMMM 2" pipe available, BUY 4" sch40 pvc pipes.

Figure it as a cost of living.

Or , MAYBE, FIRST TRY skid rails (even just 2x4s) but grease the tops w anything, If you want to save $ but do not mind experimenting.

Or even, smaller pipes ON ungreased skids.

Mostly, no matter skids or rollers, wrap the rope AROUND the whole building just above the floor.

DO NOT pull JUST one side.

Or, find an oldddd Egyptian guy in your area. Marc

 

[kinigitt]

I thought you stated it is currently on 8x8 posts?
So put your rollers between those and the 16 foot 2x4's.

Those are just blocking I set up when I jacked it up off of the concrete mini-piers it was resting on. It's now resting roughly a foot above grade, sitting on the blocking.

I sistered the 2x4's together into 2 16 foot long "4x4s" and attached them to the floor joists with carriage bolts. There is about 2 feet sticking out on each side now. Connections are solid but I'm going to get some metal bracing on them so they don't shift side to side. Next up: to ski or roll?

So I should attach ratchet straps around the building, not to eye bolts threaded to the skids?

Thanks for the tips everyone, lots to think about.

 

[kinigitt]

I paid a guy to move a shed for me from my buddies house to mine. I don't have a truck or trailer so it was worth the money for me.

Anyway, one thing led to the next and I ended up being his second hand man when the farm jack handle swung back and clipped his helper in the eye lid.

Let that be a warning that those things are dangerous and can inflict damage and pain when you least expect it.

Now back to the topic at hand. If youre doing an in yard move I wouldnt over think it.

How flat is your yard? You mentioned you already have the thing up in the air...as others have mentioned all you need is a few PVC pipes to use as rollers and a couple buddies.

The shed will be very heavy but youd be surprised how easy they move on the pipes. Its the same method the Egyptians use to move those massive blocks of stone.

Of course apply common sense in regards to being perpendicular to the floor joists. Other than that its pretty straight forward.

Ya, I initially borrowed a farm jack from a buddy. But after watching how tos and reading up on em, I ditched the idea. I used 2 cheapo 2 ton trolley jacks on scrap 2x10" boards to jack up one side at a side. Nice and steady.

The farm jack was janky as hell.

 

[TractorJeff]

If you put those homemade 4x4's under it to move with it, then you need to pull on them!
If you hook to the building, it will try to slide on them as the friction coefficient between wood to wood is lower than wood to grass.

 

[kinigitt]

If you put those homemade 4x4's under it to move with it, then you need to pull on them!
If you hook to the building, it will try to slide on them as the friction coefficient between wood to wood is lower than wood to grass.

Gotcha. I have some 3/8" eye bolts I was gonna hook a tow strap to. I'll use LX's spreader bar idea as well.

I think I'm going to attempt the ski Idea. I have an old skateboard I can use instead of a snowboard. I've got 4 low and a crabgrass infestation. I wanted to reseed before winter anyhow.

Worth a shot.

 

[Marctrees]

Well , eye bolts to the skids, are pressure/ pull wise on the building the same as putting the pull like on the WHOLE building as I said above, because the skids are attached at both sides of the building.

Secondly, just fine, other than the eye "bolts"/ or screws pulling out, a totally secondary separate issue.

Just picture the stresses in your head. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Skateboard ??

It seems you don't realize you are moving this on a lawn or dirt, not on a concrete slab.

I gotta say "WTF???" , but I'll be polite, and assume I'm not understanding you about the skateboard use. Marc

 

[kinigitt]

Skateboard ??

It seems you don't realize you are moving this on a lawn or dirt, not on a concrete slab.

I gotta say "WTF???" , but I'll be polite, and assume I'm not understanding you about the skateboard use. Marc

It's a skateboard deck that I took the wheels off of, and sawed in half. Both ends curve upward and have a smooth finish.

So I'll get some heavy duty ratchet straps or appropriate sized ropes and put em around the building. That's why I'm asking you guys. More experience/knowledge than me.

They are bolts, not screws. With fat washers. Still I can see the bolts bending or opening up and sending my tow strap hook through one of my windows, so I'll do as you suggested, and wrap the lower part of the building with a sturdy rope or strap.

 

[Marctrees]

4 low??

Good for you !!

Great - But you're not pulling a tree stump, although just fine to use for this, , but not THE main issue.

Main issues are - Distribution of pull not to tear apart the structure, AND reducing the pull force to not damage ANYTHING used for the job, attachments, pull "rope" or whatever, etc., the pull force needed w grease, rollers, or whatever. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

skateboard with no wheels. just like a snowboard. but smaller. curved upward, and slick. cut in half. one on each skid.

So I'll get some heavy duty ratchet straps or appropriate sized ropes and put em around the building. That's why I'm asking you guys. More experience/knowledge than me.

OK, sounds much better, we were typing at same time.

Sounds much better. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Excellent idea - Cut skateboard in half to male two skid ski "tips"

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Hows this - The skateboard halves as you said, 2x4x on lawn, grease to make a bearing surface "track"

Helper adjusts 2x4s w sledgehammer left/ right as you slowly pull.

Even better, wider than 4"s, have more slop, not as likely for skateboard to slide off.

Spreader of some sort on side closest to your pulling vehicle, full width of building to minimize "squeezing" of the shed sidewalls.

Again, visualize the stresses in your mind.

Ya, sounds good to me, no need to spend $ on pipe rollers, if you don't have already. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

The cheapest grease you can find, even store brand "Crisco" from grocery store.

Seriously.

I would try that, open to opinions. Marc

 

[bczygan]

Rollers are always better than the friction generated by having two things with large surfaces try to slide past each other.

I built a heavy house construction shed with board walls 6x12 and easily pushed it by hand on small pipe rollers on a 2x4 runway.

Bill

 

[Fishn1]

I just went through this. Have apprx. 14x34 had to move sideways 20 yards. By the time I got the pipe,2x4s to roll on etc, I would have as much money as paying a professional shed mover. He charged me 175.00 and was done in about 30 minutes.

 

[kinigitt]

I have moved a few sheds. i cut a old snowboard in half and put some L brackets on them. Secured L brackets on the front of the 4x4 skids. Just dragged it around with the truck. Had minimal damage to the ground.

This is the original idea that I'm going with. In case anyone is wondering.

Skateboard halves will be bolted onto front of the 4x4 skids.

Skids are secured to bottom of the shed with carriage bolts and some metal brackets. Spaced 10 feet apart.

I have a tow strap with 1 big hook on either end, 1 10000lb shackle, and an assortment of ropes and ratchet straps.

The ground is flat and even. I had it slightly graded away from the house and I cleared out stones this spring, in order to seed it with grass. If it drags too much, no biggie, I'll go out and buy some piping and slip it under the skids, do it "egyptian style".

Again, thanks for all the tips. Even if you were pulling my leg.

 

[maxpower_hd]

For further explanation of what I did, I had 4x6's laying underneath. I was able to jack mine with a standard floor jack and a bottle jack. Slid the 4x6's underneath the same direction as the joists. Then the fence posts the opposite direction. I was originally worried about the eye bolts pulling through so I just did a light tug to see how hard it would be and it started moving. No stress at all on the structure. It rolled quite easily in fact. I didn't even need 4x4 on grass. I would recommend going very slowly. Yours could be heavier than mine. Mine is 8x12 built with PT, 2x8 floor and 2x4 walls 16 OC. 3/4 ply for the floor, 1/2 for the walls and roof. Also vinyl sided. I moved it alone. No help at all. It was more work getting it ready to move than it was to move it.

 

[warren57]

I used sheet metal, laid it under and turned the front edge up, similar to what you did with the snow board. The sheet metal rolled up in front is slick and slides over the ground, small rocks and junk, yet doesn't dig in when you drag it...

 

[Heel2toe]

Rollers are always better than the friction generated by having two things with large surfaces try to slide past each other.

Bill

^This!

There is a reason that people who move sheds for a living either use rollers or have a dedicated self propelled moving machine. All this nonsense about bolting on skis and **** like that is silly.

There is so much less friction generated from rollers as the surfaces are rolling on one another vs being dragged. The skis may work but the second the ground is soft its going to dig in and anchor itself.

But hey I guess this is a classic case of ask on a forum for feedback, receive sound advice and then just go about doing it however you planned on doing it in the first place.

The only scenario skis would be the right approach is if the ground is covered in snow. Then its a matter of distributing the weight so it doesnt sink in but thats a totally different concept.

 

[kinigitt]

^This!

There is a reason that people who move sheds for a living either use rollers or have a dedicated self propelled moving machine. All this nonsense about bolting on skis and **** like that is silly.

There is so much less friction generated from rollers as the surfaces are rolling on one another vs being dragged. The skis may work but the second the ground is soft its going to dig in and anchor itself.

But hey I guess this is a classic case of ask on a forum for feedback, receive sound advice and then just go about doing it however you planned on doing it in the first place.

The only scenario skis would be the right approach is if the ground is covered in snow. Then its a matter of distributing the weight so it doesnt sink in but thats a totally different concept.

Meeeow !

I got the ski idea here. I was going to go with pipe or rollers on tracks in the first place, if you read the first post.

I get your point. Its all perfectly logical. It is a safer way to do it. No need to be rude.

The fact of the matter is this is a one time operation. I'm not starting a shed moving business. I don't have lengths of right sized pipe lying around. If I can save a few bucks while not harming the shed , what's the problem?

 

[Heel2toe]

Meoowww haha!

Not trying to be rude. I just looked back and it seems your original roller idea idea was bolting on wheels to the bottom. What Im talking about in regards to rollers is PVC piping not actually attached to the shed.

This is the original idea that I'm going with. In case anyone is wondering.

I saw this above and that's why I assumed it was your original thought....my apologies Im not trying to attack you or come across as rude. I can understand trying to save a few bucks but I never saw a few sticks of PVC pipe as expensive. What is expensive is damaging the shed or your yard or even worse injuring yourself. Im not one to preach safety but bolting things on under the shed vs simply plopping the thing down on some pipe leave a lot of opportunity for things to go wrong.

So to answer your question as to what's the problem...well, I suppose there isn't a problem right meow. And I certainly hope you dont run into any issues during the move. Personally, I'd prefer to go with a tried and true method which is known to work well save time and is safer to boot. Good luck with whatever method you use, don't rush and keep an eye on your fingers!

 

[kinigitt]

Good luck with whatever method you use, don't rush and keep an eye on your fingers!

Thanks man! It's probably my poor grammar at fault here. This is from the first post, emphasis added:

"I'm looking into buying sections of piping or pre-made heavy duty rollers to bolt to the floor, and pull it with my 4x4"

Anyway, I'll give this silly idea a shot, and if it's too much of a strain, I'll run out to get that piping. Local stores want close to 25$ for 8 feet of 4" pipe.

 

[TractorJeff]

The 4x4 skids will slide just fine as soon as they break loose from the ground!
GOOGLE "StoneBoat" to see the variations of ways Farmers moved HEAVY Weights!
We had one similar to this when I was growing up. It was 4x6 feet with 2x6 inch runners. We hauled lots of heavy weight across fields, roads and the lawn grass with it.
Picture attached moves on two "Ski's".

 

[bczygan]