Helppp need to reinforce coop foundation!

[aart]

Might just be that one rim joist...others look 'flat'?
Why did you not use 2x6's for stiffeners?
How are joists attached to posts?

 

[Ted Brown]

Now that I see the construction technique definitely add the cross beam!!! It will stiffen the floor and add stability to the whole building.

 

[cambridgezowie]

That’s just a bad board. The construction is fine. You don’t need a beam in the middle. Unless ya want to pull a 4 wheeler up on it. You can lift that side of the shed all ya want. That board is still going to have that hook in it.

Bad crown.etc. Probably a little wider than your other 2x6s I would also bet..

No biggie nice job I may add. Like the fence Pickett’s idea.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Knowing nothing about construction, I just wanted to say, this coop is going to look quite lovely when you are finished!

 

[kmpcfp]

Now that I see the construction technique definitely add the cross beam!!! It will stiffen the floor and add stability to the whole building.

Yea, I will do that. It looks pretty bad.

Might just be that one rim joist...others look 'flat'?
Why did you not use 2x6's for stiffeners?
How are joists attached to posts?

I happen to have extra 10' 2x4s on hand and I was trying to keep the costs down. Joists are attached to posts via lag bolts on the diagonal supports and some of those z type hurricane ties. (Not ideal, I know) I was going to notch the posts, but they weren't perfectly square and the one corner was too close to the ground to notch.

 

[TheRealWitwiki]

I started building a coop without plans and when I built the posts and flush beams/joints I wasn't thinking clearly as to where the weight of the walls/roof would be. Nor was I initially planning on putting in the weight of osb/shingles (initially was going to do purlins/tin).

Anyway, the outer 2x6 joists are sagging as that is where the majority of the weight of the walls/roof is. I ordered adjustable crawlspace jacks, I just need to figure out what I need to do to fix the sag.

One side the posts (4x4) are on the corners, the other side they are cantilevered out 2 feet as I initially thought I would make a 6x10. I changed it to an 8x10.
The cantilevered side I am most worried about.

I am thinking of sistering 2 2x6 for a central skid and digging two concrete block footings in the center of each of the outer joists, then using the crawlspace jacks to hopefully fix the sag, or atleast prevent any future sag.

Suggestions? Thanks.
View attachment 1750352 View attachment 1750354

Hey lots of good advice from everyone. I won't critique what you have done because you're out there putting in the hard work. We sometimes don't think things through completely and that's fine it's life. I have a coop very similar to yours and I can only tell you what I did and maybe suggest what I would do. My boss always says if you're going to build something to over engineer it. It annoys me but he's right. My coop was existing and needed work. Still needs work. The floor was not level and leaned to the right when you walked in. The railroad tie supports in the back had rotted over the years. So I used a few bottle jacks and lifted the back end up a few inches off the ties and removed everything. Then I leveled the dirt and put the good ones back and shimmed the bad side with wood I had lying around. Set it back in place and put some nails in. It's not pretty but I haven't had any problems in a year and a half. I don't know what yours looks like underneath, but some cross bracing couldn't hurt and maybe a 6x6 across all the floor joice setting on a few footers if you can get them in. I did it in the crawl space of my 154 yr old house you can do it on a coop!

 

[Ted Brown]

Yea, I will do that. It looks pretty bad.

View attachment 1751095.... My boss always says if you're going to build something to over engineer it. It annoys me but he's right.

I 2nd what @TheRealWitwiki says - no critiques about the person doing the hard work. Bravo with what has been accomplished.

Given that you are on such a slope I might move the cross beam toward the back maybe six inches. This will give support in case those tall posts ever slip or the ground falls away where the posts are; much easier to put back in place if the building is still where it should be rather than down on one side or both.

Contrary to what some might say I would take my time and get the center beam in place and well situated "just in case". Over engineer this and you may well have things still working well for a decade or two. If you have them multiple 2"by 6"s nailed/glued together will work better than a 4" by 4" post for the beam.

 

[archeryrob]

View attachment 1750941

I am going to have to agree that you need a full center beam after seeing this picture. You have an entire 24" span of floor totally unsupported. Another 4x4 in the corner wouldn't hurt at all. I'd probably go at least 2x10 and maybe 2x12 or a double 2x10. I used 2 2x10 to support a 7' span on a load bearing wall in the garage and its been fine 12 years with heavy snows.

Also, is that back 2x6 using the tree stump as a footer, or is that just an illusion? If so, jack it and put a block under it.

 

[Ted Brown]

@archeryrob

If @kmpcfp lifts the corner on the tree stump then everything goes off level so a whole bunch more work. What is your concern with the stump corner?

Your worry about the unsupported corner is what convinced me about a center beam. As to size of beam it is only for chickens and 1 person at a time so much bigger beams probably not necessary???

I am guessing that the plan was to put roosts, etc. towards the back end. I would be cautious of adding too much more weight on that end which is why I suggested moving the beam back and off center.

Whatever, the time to get this sorted is now rather than when something goes amiss.

 

[archeryrob]

The tree stump will rot, even if not in the rain the ground will be wet. The stump looks cut on an angle and at closer look it might not be supporting it. Raising it two inches and back down an inch on a block wont hurt level much and the chicken won't notice.

Yea, 1 2x10 should hold it fine. I tend to think of building a deck, or a house. Any center support is better than as it sits now. One center beam will make that floor 4 times stronger easily. I'd say even a 2x6 with ends and center support would work. That house 8' wide? If so a span of 4' for a 2x6 can carry a lot of weight.