Is this doable?

[madicakes]

We deconstructed my daughter’s wooden swingset/fort combo intending to use as much of the wood as we can to build the chicken coop. We have a LOT of treated 4x4s that I wanted to try to use. We are building an 8’ x 7’ shed, which will be elevated approximately 2’ off the ground. We are using the 4 x 4s as posts, sitting in concrete supports, but will have enough 4 x 4’s left to use as the floor frame and joists. I would LOVE to do this but am at a loss as to how to connect all of them together, without having to drill holes through them and use bolts. I was thinking some kind of metal plates/braces? Is that even doable? Do they make such things? I’ve been trying to search, but the only things I can find are more for connecting 2 x 4s to 4 x 4s. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

(In case you can’t read the writing on the sketch….All boards would be 4 x 4’s and the posts (marked in black) can be either on the underside, or on the inside, or wherever, of the main frame…whichever would work)

 

[azelgin]

The make 4" wide hangers for what you need to do. Home Depot, or, Lowes, or, some other building supply will have them. For a chicken coop, I'd probably just toe nail four 16d nails at each end of your floor joists.
I'm probably going to get flack for this method, but I can look up the engineering for it, to prove it works. (UBC tables for standard capacities of wood fasteners)

 

[Belott]

I bought mine at Lowes to connect the 4X4's to my 4X6 skids for my coop I am building. They were between $8-$9 each. Worked real well for that.

David

 

[madicakes]

Thanks to both of you! It's great knowing it can be done

 

[Ridgerunner]

Another thought. I haven’t done it with 4x4’s but have with smaller lumber. If you have the equipment and know-how, notch the ends of the 4x4’s so you can connect them. Cut a notch 2” x 4” on the ends of the 4x4’s so you can put them together by nailing or screwing through 2” to form a corner.

The 2” deep cut would probably be pretty easy but the 4” could be a bear. I don’t have a saw that could do it. I’d have to use a hammer and wood chisel for that cut.

Just a thought in case the hardware costs start to mount up.

 

[madicakes]

Well, I had a friend (actually my ex-husband...lol) that was going to give us some 2x4s that he had laying around. Hubby went to get them this morning and it turns out that they were 2 x 6s, and just enough to make the floor/joists for our coop! So, worrying about how to connect the 4 x 4s is not an issue anymore Might use them for the corner braces on the run to make that a bit more secure