Did I mess up?

[Cetawin]

You can take them back or just screw two 1 x 2's together and get the same affect and strength of the 2 x 2.

Nice looking design.

 

[antiquebuff]

I love that coop and run!

 

[joustinghill]

Quote:
Would you be willing to share? I really want to build that same system since I saw it on ebay. I figured I'd have to reverse-engineer it myself though.

-Trish

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

I think you can use 1 x 2s. I built my run on wheels with a door with 1 x 2s, except for around the door and corners. I used 2 x 2s on each corner to give it some stability and the 1 x 3 on the front to frame the door. Here are some pics. It's a 4 wide by 4 high x 8 foot long run. I put the wheels on the end (left side in the photo) and it's really easy to lift it up and drag it to a new spot on the grass.

Let me know if this helps you. I don't have plans, but I can walk you through what I did to build it. I have a small dog carrier in there serving as a 'hopeful' nest box until I finish decorating their 'real' coop (the garden shed in the background).

Also to add: What I like about this is that I can walk into the run to get the chickies if I need to. I did this as my first wood project, without DHs help...I'm proud of myself, but after seeing others' designs this looks like chopped liver LOL...

 

[silkiechicken]

2x2's will be sturdier. I'd just keep the 1x2's for bracing and other little projects.

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

I think if I had to do it over again I would use sturdier wood, but then it will also make it heavier, which is why I went with the 1 x 2s. If you aren't going to make it moveable, then I agree with silkie - get the sturdier wood. It will make the job a LOT easier!

 

[patandchickens]

I would not use 1x2s for the crucial parts of the pen -- the part that lies on the ground, or the corner uprights. You could quite likely get away with GOOD QUALITY 1x2s for the rest of the pen, making sure to orient it the correct direction for each part so that it has maximum strength. However the result will be weaker (a problem if, like, a dog starts jumpin' up and down on it, or it gets blown over, or you bash it into something while moving it) and rot will be more of a problem sooner.

The smaller the mesh (and heavier the gauge of wire) you use, the better it will brace the structure and to some extent compensate for a weaker frame.

Remember though that the extra weakness of a 1x2 frame is not just because of the thinner wood -- it is in large part because your screws or other fasteners are not 'biting into' very much wood in a 1x2. Thus it is much easier for them to split out and things break apart.

Doubling 1x2s to make a de facto 2x2 is possible but probably not a good idea since real 2x2s are so easily available -- the result is not quite as strong, and definitely not as rot resistant as a real 2x2.

You will never regret having some spare 1x2s sitting around -- so personally I would not return them, just go get more 2x2s, unless money is *really really* tight.

 

[bluey]

That is a sweet looking coop and I agree...I wouldn't build with 1x2's, heck I don't even like using 2x2's but I don't build runs. I'm sure a 2x2 is the preferred size for runs...