Floor support

[Anny]

ok...so if I'm using 1/2 inch thick composite board for the flooring in my 4X4 chicken coop, that will be raised off the ground with cement blocks....how far apart should the supports in the floor be??


Is that question clear...or should I re-word it?

 

[dacjohns]

Are you using floor joists? It makes a bit of difference for the answer.

 

[flip9109]

the whole floor is 48in X 48in?

 

[Anny]

To be honest with you...I know NOTHING about building, let alone what a floor joint is.

I haven't started building it yet. I'm planing on the floor being 4 feet by 4 foot with the coop being 4 feet tall.

The coop is going to be inside my garage. I was wondering about making the base....how do I do it....does anyone have any pictures.

Do I just screw 4 2x4's together in a square...or do I need another one in the middle for support??

 

[dacjohns]

Go to the nearest lumber yard, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, whatever is near you. They should have someone there that can help you.

I could try but it is hard for me to explain without the use of diagrams, etc. You can also check out the chicken coop section of BYC for ideas and how to do it.

 

[dixygirl]

these are floor joists. They are the boards nailed up and down inside a frame. If your floor is only 4x4 and will not be walked on a lot you could get away with just 2.
Honestly you might be better off to just get a few bags of paver base grit and pour it on the ground instead of using a floor if it is for chickens. Where poop is going to sink onto the product it will just make more of a nasty mess to mop, keep disinfected. With paver base which is the very coarse gritty sand they put under pavers, you just scoop it like kitty litter and dont worry about sweeping, mopping and using disinfecting products. Also paver base sand comes in different pretty colors like red, brown, white, etc. Also it is very absorbant and wont harbor odor as much. Copying as much from their natural habitat as possible is the better route when it comes to clean up after animals imo.
As humans we like to humanize our animal's habitats though. :|

Since you have the shed lifted up off the ground on supports, I guess you will have to put in the floor joists and all that though. You could nail about 3 2x6s at least or 2x12s even. Then put your flooring on top. Adding 3 inside the frame of the shed should be more than enough for a coop.

 

[LynneP]

Since rodents and other predators can thew through a wood floor, you could really enhance it by undercover of 1/2" hardware cloth, brought up and carefully fastened. You will need some floor joists, which should be framed in on solid supports and a frame, first!

This is so WORTH the trouble in terms of safety and ease of maintenance.

 

[fullhouse]

Do you have a basement? If so, go down there and look up.

PS Lowes has several very good books on sheds that can explain the basics of foundations and framing.

 

[cthrash1]

I took the lazy way out and put pallets on cinder blocks and screwed OSB on the top of them for the floor. Made it good and sturdy.

 

[flip9109]

take it easy everybody, this thing is a 4ft cube. she is keeping it in her garage. it dosn't have to be built to code.

Anny I PM'ed you