How much to build this?

[chickenana707]

Home Depots often have cull lumber available at 70% off the retail price. I've bought lots of lumber that way that's perfectly fine for building a coop and run. From what I've seen, Monday morning is a good time to check for cull lumber.

Oooo thank you!!

 

[Appalachickens]

Oooo thank you!!

Also, just pay attention when they are ringing up the 70% off lumber at Hone Depot - I got some last week and it scanned at full price, and I had to have the guy put in the reduced price. You definitely don't want to be paying full price for warped boards.

 

[Sefirothe]

My son who is a carpenter framed two of my coops and he insisted on using nails for framing. Something about shearing and the different strength of nails vs. screws. I used screws for everything else - putting on siding, supports for roost bars, roofing, and so on. Also, for screws, I recommend star bit screws - they don't strip and are easier to get back out if need be.

They do make framing screws these days that withstand sheer forces better.

Or with enough bracing and deck screws placed you dont have to worry as much about sheer forces.

My father took the lead on building my run, and as a retired design/build general contractor he tends to over engineer.

Of course that did add to the cost of our run, with two extra trips to pick up lumber over the initial purchase that “should be good enough to build the whole thing”.

But it’s handled everything thrown at it with out budging even our sideways rain storms with straight line winds. And there’s nothing buried in the ground nor is it actually anchored to the shed either.

 

[Appalachickens]

They do make framing screws these days that withstand sheer forces better.

Or with enough bracing and deck screws placed you dont have to worry as much about sheer forces.

View attachment 4310849

My father took the lead on building my run, and as a retired design/build general contractor he tends to over engineer.

Of course that did add to the cost of our run, with two extra trips to pick up lumber over the initial purchase that “should be good enough to build the whole thing”.

But it’s handled everything thrown at it with out budging even our sideways rain storms with straight line winds. And there’s nothing buried in the ground nor is it actually anchored to the shed either.

View attachment 4310853

My son over engineers as well - he's meticulous. After he built the platform for the first coop, he jumped up and down on it hard to make sure it was completely stable before starting on the walls. Even though it is on a hillside and up on pier blocks, that thing isn't going anywhere.