Need help designing an irregular-shaped covered run

[DobieLover]

Thanks guys. I'll do the math and see what's cheaper - 2x6's with no center supports, or 2x4's with center supports.

What do you think about using this concrete block anchor for the center posts? (the posts on the main frame will be sunk into the ground and cemented). I've seen people use them for center posts...

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Use proper sized lumber for the roof and you won't need the added expense and time of a center beam.
I also saw you planned on setting your posts IN concrete. I strongly advise against that. When I get to working on my dad's house today, I will post a picture of the ultimate outcome of that decision. I now have to fix it.

 

[K0k0shka]

You will not need central supports for an 11' span if you use 2x6 lumber for rafters. You can use 1x3s for purlins for the corrugated roofing.
You could use 2x4 lumber for the roofing if they were properly designed trusses but it's just easier to use 2x6 rafters.
I spanned my 12' run with 14' 2x6s that allowed for good over hang at the rear.

Thanks! How important is the overhang on the run given that there are no vents to protect or anything to keep fully dry like with a coop? The roof will help keep the run drier than no roof, but I don't expect it to stay fully dry... rain will blow in from the sides anyway, but it will be big enough that the chickens can still find shelter under it, and it won't be a total muddy mess like with no roof. Just not sure what purpose the overhang serves there. If the run span is 11 feet and I get 12-foot rafters, I'll still have some overhang. Trying to keep price/weight down and wondering how much the overhang actually matters (getting 12-foot boards vs. 14-foot boards will make quite the difference when you add it up, both in price and weight for handling).

 

[K0k0shka]

Use proper sized lumber for the roof and you won't need the added expense and time of a center beam.
I also saw you planned on setting your posts IN concrete. I strongly advise against that. When I get to working on my dad's house today, I will post a picture of the ultimate outcome of that decision. I now have to fix it.

Uh oh... What do you mean? I have no proper construction training so I'm actually not sure if there are different ways to do it and what you mean. I was going to dig a hole with an 8-inch auger, set the post down inside of it (do I need anything on the bottom first?), then pour the concrete around it.

 

[DobieLover]

Thanks! How important is the overhang on the run given that there are no vents to protect or anything to keep fully dry like with a coop? The roof will help keep the run drier than no roof, but I don't expect it to stay fully dry... rain will blow in from the sides anyway, but it will be big enough that the chickens can still find shelter under it, and it won't be a total muddy mess like with no roof. Just not sure what purpose the overhang serves there. If the run span is 11 feet and I get 12-foot rafters, I'll still have some overhang. Trying to keep price/weight down and wondering how much the overhang actually matters (getting 12-foot boards vs. 14-foot boards will make quite the difference when you add it up, both in price and weight for handling).

I did the long rafter tails for an outside area of shade. You don't have to.
Also, I used KD lumber for the inner rafters and PT lumber for the end rafters then used 5/4 deck boards for fascia to protect the KD lumber. That will save money.

 

[DobieLover]

Uh oh... What do you mean? I have no proper construction training so I'm actually not sure if there are different ways to do it and what you mean. I was going to dig a hole with an 8-inch auger, set the post down inside of it (do I need anything on the bottom first?), then pour the concrete around it.

Dig the hole, pour the concrete, set the bolt. You obviously have to have all your string lines drawn so you can place your bolt as close to center of the eventual location of the post as possible. Once the concrete sets about 24 hours, you can attach the adjustable post base. I again draw out a taught string and carefully mark it before tightening the nut on the bolt to secure the post base.
Setting posts directly in concrete will cause them to eventually rot.

 

[K0k0shka]

I did the long rafter tails for an outside area of shade. You don't have to.
Also, I used KD lumber for the inner rafters and PT lumber for the end rafters then used 5/4 deck boards for fascia to protect the KD lumber. That will save money.

Oh! That's a very good idea about the inner rafters being KD, thanks! And thanks for the clarification on the overhangs. My entire run will be in the shade of the big tree, so no need for more. I can leave the overhangs at whatever size they end up when using the 12-foot boards. The roofing comes in 6-foot lengths so I'll just use two with a bit of overlap, and cut the 12-foot boards to fit with the roofing. Whatever is left will be as much overhang as I'll have.

 

[K0k0shka]

Dig the hole, pour the concrete, set the bolt. You obviously have to have all your string lines drawn so you can place your bolt as close to center of the eventual location of the post as possible. Once the concrete sets about 24 hours, you can attach the adjustable post base. I again draw out a taught string and carefully mark it before tightening the nut on the bolt to secure the post base.
Setting posts directly in concrete will cause them to eventually rot.

OH.... Well... Seems like there's more to it! I'll need to look this up further so I can visualize it better. Not sure what that bolt is, or the adjustable post base... Do you have any pictures, or a link to a trusty tutorial? I'm finding a lot of how-tos that put the post directly in the ground (on a bed of gravel at the bottom of the hole) and pour the concrete right in around it...

 

[aart]

OH.... Well... Seems like there's more to it! I'll need to look this up further so I can visualize it better. Not sure what that bolt is, or the adjustable post base... Do you have any pictures, or a link to a trusty tutorial? I'm finding a lot of how-tos that put the post directly in the ground (on a bed of gravel at the bottom of the hole) and pour the concrete right in around it...

Google it
I used them for a porch kinda lousy pic, but:

 

[K0k0shka]

Ah, I found more information! Still not sure how to put the bolt in the concrete first... the videos I'm finding all show people drilling through already-set concrete to put the bolt in through the base... How do you attach the base if the bolt is already in the concrete?

This post base thing is a genius idea by the way. I love learning new things on this forum! In addition to preventing the posts from rotting on the bottom, this method will also save me several feet of length on each post, so, less money and less weight Thank you for the tip!!!

 

[ColoradoPip]

I believe you are trying to find information on deck footings: https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...hUKEwiWw93kgOvnAhUXHzQIHd5NDdYQ4dUDCAs&uact=5

The first video looks exactly what I was thinking:

I was calling these caissons but it appears those are for bridges and are different in structure