I am going to build a roof over an existing sandbox which is 12'x10'. How many posts will be required for construction? I was thinking three posts on the long end and two on the short end. Is this sufficient or could I actually get by with four?
I have also seen sandbox roofs that can lower down to keep out critters, cats especially, when not in use. That would be a lot of roof to lower and raise. If they can do it here
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surely you could do a
12x10 raising and lowering roof! Think monster house. 4 steel guide posts, anchored in concrete. Cables, motor, pulley, safety setup like garage door opener has. In fact, you could probably cannibalize a couple of garage door openers to do this. I guess I way off track. Anyway, have fun and be safe.
Those 2xs, are they on 16" centers? Were you planning on parking a truck up there, or do you just like the heavy, bulky look? Will there be snow loads to contend with?
2x10 is standard for a 14' span to hold up a plywood and shingle flat roof in house construction, but there you have 4 bearing WALLS. If you want posts in the corners only, I would think about 4" pipe, buried at least 4'. You're gonna need decent size beams from corner to corner. How about picking up a roofing or framing book from the library for ideas? Unless you get an answer here from a qualified architect or engineer, you may want to think twice before building and risking children's safety.
I would have no problem building something like this, but I have also framed a 2-story addition (which has not yet fallen down :-))
What you want here is engineering advise. The missing elements from your question suggest a certain ignorance (I don't mean that in a nasty way at all). It would be afraid that a bad assumption would be made by the you (the OP) or by a replying poster or something lost in the context of a text-only message.
It's absolutely a a DIY project, but get some experienced hands-on (more than a keyboard) help.
Why are we making a mountain out of a molehill? This is not a two story addition or a parking structure. It is a simple shade structure for a sandbox! I just wanted to know what what was reccomended for the span of the
2x10 . Do I need three or could I get by with two 4x4's.
What I suggest is that you go to your local lumberyard. They will tell you what to do to meet codes. You really are asking people for information that requires local climate knowledge, engineering ability, and knowledge of local codes. Since you won't or can't give that info I sure won't suggest anything.
Respectfully. Many people here are engineers or have professional designations. If they give you bad advice it can harm them professionally... So the ones who can most help are often silent if there isn't a lot of info to work with.
Sometimes these roofs are simple -- sometimes they are not...
If the next door neighbour asked me that question I would know that it might have to carry a heavy snow load and cope with -40 + 35 temperatures and that the posts would have to be sunk at least three feet to prevent frost heaving etc.
4x4's at each corner will definitely keep it up in the air, but the lateral loading is what you need to worry about. If the posts are rigidly embedded in the ground and have some decent bracing at the top then it is certainly possible to just use 4 of them (depends on the wood species and grade) If you want 2 on each side then that would be fine too. In that case the
2x10 seems to be overkill.
In any case, checking with a local structural engineer who knows what sort of wood you are using and what sorts of design loads you need to pay attention to is a good idea. If you are incapable of figuring this out by yourself, then a visit to a professional is in order.
It sounds like a great place to create a grape arbor. Shade at the correct time of the year and the leaves disappear when it is time to worry about snow load, to say nothing for the bounty of the grapes. You might even try making wine.
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Does the sandbox stay outside all year? Wind and snow? At that size I guess you'd have to leave it out there all year, right? I'd be concerned about snow and the weight of the snow/ice and whatever else would fall on the top during the year. If you can wait a bit longer for the sun to come around to a more summer-like (hotter) angle you might get away with a slanted section of some material that would shade the sandbox for only the hottest part of the day, leaving some air and sunshine into the box to dry out rain.
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