June 19, 2017

Dan's Workshop: Carport

It's been awhile since I gave you an update on Dan's workshop. In the last one, I showed you how Dan added the girders to the main structure.

So here's the workshop with our home-milled lumber
in front of that, and the carport slab under the lumber.

His next step was to frame out the attached carport.

For the piers, Dan used pre-fabbed ones leftover
from another project, rather than making his own.

Three posts and a beam were needed to support the roof. The beam was 17.5 feet, about the length of the carport. Even though the timbers had been curing for about a year, it was still very heavy. Here's how he moved it one-man fashion.

Using a strap and two short logs. You can see two
of the carport posts on the ground at the right.

Close-up. As the beam is moved the logs must be repositioned.

He attached the posts to the beam on the ground.





But the kneebraces pushed the posts farther apart than the piers were set. So Dan used the ratchet and strap pull them together and added some weight in hopes of correcting that problem.


The following weekend we were ready to raise the bent. First a final inspection.


He used the tractor the same way he raised the other bents.


To make sure it didn't move around too much on us when we got it on the piers, he first paced a slice of a 4x4 in the center of each of the piers.


In the center of those blocks he sank a piece of rebar (missed photos for that one), and then measured and drilled a hole in the bottom of each of the posts. Happily the posts slipped easily into place.

With flashing, because the posts are untreated

And here it is.


The last step was to remove the straps and brace the bent. Next - second thoughts.

Dan's Workshop: Carport © June 2017 by

33 comments:

Melody A. said...

Congratulations on the progress, I know this is hard work but wow, so rewarding in the end. Take care from Iowa

Judy said...

Lookin' good! Every once in a while, you have to do some 'fudging' to make it work no matter what the medium/media you are working in. ;>)

Leigh said...

Thanks! It's especially fun because we're using our own homegrown lumber!

Leigh said...

Thanks! It's those "creative" moments that keep things interesting. :)

kymber said...

Leigh - Dan is nothing short of a creative, artistic genius! jambaloney is very impressed with using your own lumber! dan's workshop and carport are going to be gorgeous when finished and jambaloney says thanks for all of the tips because he will use them when he adds a sort-of carport on the end of one of our sheds for the tractor-port. great craftsmanship and ingenuity are appreciated by both of us!

sending much love! your friends,
kymber and jambaloney

Theresa said...

The structure looks awesome! I'm wondering if there is something that can be used to treat those wood posts in place along with the flashing?

Ed said...

I am always amazed at one person can accomplish when we put our minds to it. I used to read a blog of a fellow who was building an entire house by himself. Some of his solutions for his shortage of hands at various points were very elegant.

Leigh said...

Kymber, you and Jam are always so encouraging! I love having friends like you on the internet. :)

Leigh said...

Theresa, good question. I do have the ingredients for a boric acid mixture to keep termites at bay, but it's water soluble and would wash off in the rain. Since we've gotten a lot of that lately, I will wait a bit until everything is under cover!

Leigh said...

So true, Ed. Dan finds a lot of his solutions and ideas on YouTube. Where there's a need or a problem, someone has probably already figured it out!

Kev Alviti said...

Great job. I'd love a structure like that here. Oak framed garage after I've finished the extension!

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I like big wood like that, you know it will be around a while plus you can use a beam to pull a motor if you have to.

Theresa said...

Is there something in the tar family or does that accelerate rotting of wood?

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Your finished project will be extra special. Whoever inherits your farm later in life will be one lucky person. Lots of work but yous must experience great satisfaction! Nancy

The Stay @ Home-Gardener said...

Coo-oh! :)

Fran in Aus said...

Dan is doing a simply beautiful job on that structure. Wonderful construction techniques that are a joy to see still being used.

Chris said...

How are you guys finding, working in the heat? It looks terrific however. It looks like you're making good progress, and should have it mostly done, before winter.

Leigh said...

He has used tar in the past, which seems to work pretty well. We've used paint too, which works. It might be up to paint this time too.

Leigh said...

Oak! That would be lovely, if not heavy to work with!

Leigh said...

I hadn't thought about that but that's very true!

Leigh said...

Very high on the satisfaction list! Dan's only lament is that he has to go to work which means less time to work on it.

Leigh said...

:)

Leigh said...

It's been a great experience so far, and learning the skills and techniques is part of it. Plus knowing all the lumber came from our own land. That's the icing on the cake.

Leigh said...

Dan seems to tolerate it more than me - I stick to morning and evening hours or things that need to be done in the shade. I think he pushes himself too much, but mostly he works in the evening after work, or Saturday, I will mention that so far our summer heat is tolerable, thanks to all the cloudy days and rain!

Rain said...

Great progress. Your man is in good shape to do all that physical work. I melt after a few minutes when it's so hot out, though today we have a little break in the humidity. The carport looks great! Can't wait to see the roof!

Donna OShaughnessy said...

We are right behind you guys, getting started on our new barn/workshop/milkhouse this week. Hot days here in Illinois and Keith and I are getting very dark in the sun. Your Dan, my Keith, a couple of rare guys who still know how to use real tools. Your workshop is going to be fantastic!!!!!

Cassandra said...

Looks great!

Mama Pea said...

So impressive! Just goes to show where there's a will, there's a way! You two are experiencing awesome accomplishments.

Leigh said...

Let's just say we try to stay in shape! Things do slow down as we get older, and like you, I try to take frequent breaks when it's hot and humid. Still, slow but steady, as they say. :)

Leigh said...

This kind of progress is exciting stuff! The heat is not so exciting, but I agree about being able to use those old-fashioned skills. :)

Leigh said...

Thanks!

Leigh said...

A will and a lean pocketbook, LOL. But you're right, Mama Pea, it is an awesome experience to learn to build this way. :)

m said...

Be glad you live sans busy bodies or in stead of building you might be begging for permits from shakedown artists or trying to unload useless albatros