How to Build a Picking Shed
A picking shed, otherwise known as a packing shed, does not have to be fancy. It is a building in which farm produce is prepared for shipping and packed into crates or boxes. A simple pole shed will usually suffice for this purpose. The roof can be sloping with metal or fiberglass roofing and siding. Build permanent pole work tables along the sides or erect folding tables after the shed is built. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 4X6 pressurized lumber or poles for uprights
- 2x6 lumber for beams
- 2x4 lumber for rafters and framing
- Roofing sheets - metal or fiberglass
- Siding sheets
- Table top planks or boards
- Windows
- Door
- Shovels
- Wheelbarrow
- Hammer
- Nails, bolts and screws (galvanized)
- Saw
- Tape measure
- Plumb line, chalk line
- Concrete
- Stepladder
Instructions
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Draw a plan of the proposed shed in its location, with dimensions and a list of the components. Contact your local city or county zoning and building authority to apply for a permit if necessary. There may be code specifications for all new buildings and you could be fined for not conforming to those rules. If you are on a farm you may not need a permit.
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Clear and level the building site with a Bobcat or shovels. Make certain the shed will be in a location where it will not be flooded when it rains. Dig or auger holes for the poles or posts, at least 18 inches deep. Posts should be no further than eight feet apart along the long side of the shed. If you plan to build tables around the edge of the interior, dig holes for the table legs or supports.
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Place the posts in the holes and get them vertical and horizontally lined up using a plumb line and a chalk or string line. Brace them with scrap wood nailed at an angle. If your floor is to be made of concrete, set the forms and spread scrap metal around inside them to strengthen the concrete. Mix the concrete and pour it into the floor forms and in the holes around the posts. Remove the interior braces and leave to dry for at least 48 hours. If you are in a very dry climate, spray water onto the concrete while it is setting to help prevent cracking.
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Cut the tops of the posts to create a sloping roof with at least a one inch drop for every 12 inches. Attach the 2x6 cross beams with galvanized bolts. Install the rafters across the beams to hold the roofing material. These should not be more than 16 inches apart if it snows where you live. Your shed can drain to the back or the front or even the sides.
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Hammer the roofing sheets one at a time onto the roof using galvanized roofing nails. Make certain the channels slope downwards and will drain when it rains or the snow melts.
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Use 2x4's to frame the building for the siding, windows and doors. Remove the exterior braces from the posts. Install the windows and secure into the framing with screws or nails. Frame the building to fit the siding material and hammer the siding around the exterior of the shed. Clear fiberglass will provide more light. Attach the door frame and the door.
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Build the tables. Nail 2x4 cross pieces onto the tops of the table legs then spread particle board or OSB board or 2x10 planks across the table frames. If electric wiring is required, it is best left to a professional or you can run a temporary lead light into the shed when needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear safety boots and goggles at all times.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
