Plywood thickness for a tractor

[Uzuri]

Now I know, I know, before I even ask anything, the thinner, the lighter. That much I have a handle on

What I'm more interested in is how thin you can go before predators start punching through it like it's not there. I'm not talking bears here (though we get them once in a blue moon; usually only long enough for the cops to shoot them), just your typical Ohio stuff, coons, dogs, coyote, foxes, and 'possums.

My thoughts are that it's wise to not go less than 1/2", but if people have experience with 1/4" being OK, or nightmare stories about coons chewing through 6 inches of electrified steel

I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks! I know I'm full of questions, but you folks haven't seemed to have run out of answers yet

 

[Chicken Fruit]

we use quarter inch sub flooring- its like ply wood only thinner and lighter because of the middle layer

 

[azelgin]

The little tractor I built actually uses no plywood. I've posted this pic. a few times before. It's all metal, with 2 x 2 and 2 x 3 framing. No floor and weighs about 150#.

 

[PurpleChicken]

I think the latest 1/2" is actually 7/16". I'd use 3/8" on a tractort without
any worry. There are also some thin Texture111 knockoffs I've seen at
Lowes for under $10 a sheet.

 

[patandchickens]

My uncle along the PA/NY border had a raccoon rip apart 3/8" plywood. Admittedly it was not brand spankin' new plywood but it was not rotting or anything.

Personally I might entertain the notion of 3/8" if I felt lucky, but I would be "chicken" to use 1/4". Although it depends somewhat on whether a critter could get at the edge of the sheet and pry. If not, thinner becomes less dangerous, relatively speaking.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Uzuri]

Pat -- I've entertained the idea of metal, at least for anywhere that I don't have to frame up a door. What do you use to secure it? That's the thing about metal that I've never gotten a real handle on.

 

[patandchickens]

You don't want metal if this will be used in winter anywhere that gets cool temperatures, it'll be a mess of condensation unless insulated and the insulation covered (after which you'd'a been better just using plywood straight off). Well, a metal roof is tolerable if it's high enough you don't have to peckproof the insulation.

You just screw the metal to a frame of (my preference) 2x2s. Generally it should'nt go more than 2' between pieces of wood, although you can stretch the point for small walls if need be.

Use proper, gasketed metal roofing screws. (For the walls, for sure you screw through the flat part of the metal; for roofs, I was taught to screw through the ribs and that's customary professional-construction practice up here, but some people on this forum who are in the construction industry argue vigorously that you should still screw through the flat part, my conclusion is you can probably do either without catastrophe

)

Pat

 

[LauraM]

Our tractor has 1/2" plywood, really just because we built it from scrap that was left in our wood shed from the previous owners. I can move it by myself. I just use the handles on the top to move one end and the other. It takes very little effort.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
I totaly agree. I use the metal tractor for only Bob ( he lacks social skills). It's well ventilated (because the coop portion has no door) and we have very low humidity (less than 15% most winters).

Use proper, gasketed metal roofing screws. (For the walls, for sure you screw through the flat part of the metal; for roofs, I was taught to screw through the ribs and that's customary professional-construction practice up here, but some people on this forum who are in the construction industry argue vigorously that you should still screw through the flat part, my conclusion is you can probably do either without catastrophe

)

Pat

Gee Pat, whom might you be talking about?

 

[Uzuri]

Quote:
So true of so many things in life

Thanks for the details. Looks like that won't work for my walls, since it'll be cold here, but since I'm planning to have my roof out of their reach behind wire (basically flat wire roof covered by canted solid roof with open space on either end for ventilation), it might work well for a roof.

Thanks again to everyone