Building A Shade House In SE Florida
 

I have finished the shade house and most of the ground work. I won't put any plants in it for a couple weeks to let the Thompson's Waterproofer leech off the beams.

Here is a photo to shortcut the lengthy build process:

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSC01209.jpg

The roof beams, without the shadecloth.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...house/roof.jpg


Here's how I got started..



After Wilma destroyed most of the flowering trees in my yard, I am working on the 'Uglies'. My neighbor's ugly fence, an ugly view from my patio, and primarily this ugly corner of my yard. I had some hybrid Heliconias growing in this corner. Wilma and the two hard-freeze winters recently took me out of the Heliconia mood. I also have a large Myrmecophila (Schomburgkia) Tibicinis (Thank you Nat !) that I want to thin out some, and plank up.

So, I decided to build a shade house in my ugly corner.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...orner001-1.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner002.jpg

First, I looked at all the pics that Google had on 'corner arbors' and shade houses. Over many beers and sheets of paper, I penciled out a design. I decided to use the 90-degree corner and go out 8 feet on both sides, and across the hypotenuse, about 11 feet. I am using PT 4X4's for the uprights, planted in cement. I will use 2X6 headers across the hypotenuse, and for a second set of joists in the back.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ketches007.jpg

The roof is undecided, but will be a wood frame of some sort with shade cloth.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ketches002.jpg

I will use 2X8 PT for the decking. I will have three rows of shelves on each leg. I will make a potting area on the middle shelf in the corner. The upper shelf I want to hang from the trusses. The bottom two shelves will be PT 2X8's and 2X6's, staggered for light and watering. I will have storage under the lowest shelf. The upper shelf.. I want to be frame & wire, and hanging. Am looking for something recycled/modified.. Cool looking.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ketches001.jpg



Ready.. Fire.. AIM ! Off to the shovel I went.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner003.jpg

I set the back corner post to start with. and worked out from that to both legs. I kept it under 8 feet to 'value-engineer' the lumber; Fat chance ! All the 8 foot stuff is crooked and wet. I wound up buying mostly 10 and 12 foot wood that had dried on the racks, and was straight & true.

The challenges were many: Setting a floor grade was first & foremost. I wanted 6'2 head room inside. Plus the 5.5" joists, and inch of pitch in the floor, back-to-front. Then I figured what was left to bury and cement-in, less the subfloor; More beers, more sheets of paper, and more trips to Lowe's. Seemed like each trip was 53 to 57 dollars.. I must be OCD as well. My mantra aloud was "Measure twice, cut once." I set the corner posts and worked off of them to set the middle pair for the back header. OCD all the way: Plumb and level.. plumb and level. Quikrete is a lie, BTW. It needs to be mixed in the ground...

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner014.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner010.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner015.jpg

After all the obsessive behavior, pulled stringlines, measuring, and digging, I checked my seven posts' dimensions. Crisis !! I was an inch longer on one leg.. Oh well...

Next I pulled the lines on the legs to transfer the floor level to all the post. Luckily, my OCD/double-check mentality divulged that my line level was off.. Fixed the marks and popped the chalklines for the subfloor. More digging. Then to Lowe's for a crap-ton of deck screws and stain. ($56 trip). Being anal as well, I sealed up the bases of the posts with some spray undercoating. So much water will run down these posts and joints.. Gotta stave off the rot for ten years anyway.. I am also caulking every joint below deck with roofing bull.. That's a messy chore, but necessary for the anal/OCD voices in my head.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner026.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...yCorner029.jpg


Back into the dirt for subfloor work.. Cut the wood, fit it, then stain & seal twice in the sun.. then mount. Repeat, and rinse... Connect all the lines and Voila ! I did get carried away with the concrete on two posts.. Poured it too high and got in the way of the 5.5" I needed for the subfloor beams.. I cut the beams and set them on the concrete.. Extra sealing coats..

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ubfloor002.jpg

I framed up all the subfloor and formed water channels to run off the water away from the posts. I treated the soil and cut in two layers of 6 mil Visqueen.


http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ckedout004.jpg

I am using 2X10's as valences for the top sides. I cut a little feature on the ends and stained them up. Two coats on everything and a coat of waterproofer when dry.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ubfloor006.jpg

I didn't wait long enough, and these things were heavy and slippery to mount. Took a whack on the head in the process, but I got them hung. I used 4.5" ledger bolts on every post.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ubfloor007.jpg

I stained the two 2X6X12' joists and cut them to fit. I bolted them up to the front posts and they fit perfectly.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ckedout011.jpg

Now to work the decking: I used 2X8's for the primary standing area, and 2X6's to the edges. I started in the middle and worked out. I butted them tight as they will shrink on their own. Again, everything two coats of stain, pre-drill every hole and seal up all screws..

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ckedout010.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ckedout009.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...ckedout008.jpg

I am not partial to the heavy, dark stain color, but the wife is in charge of fashion/colors. She has a yard plan..
Deck is all done and trimmed out. I am working on the shelves now.

I got stain on all the posts and finished the lower shelf for plants..

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Bench1001.jpg

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Bench1004.jpg

Add the roof beams, some ground work, and I will be close !!

Latest photo..

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSC01179.jpg


BTW, I am new to orchids and shadehouses.. If you have any ideas for me as I progress, please share..
Woodsie

Great way to make use of an 'ugly corner'. I put a greenhouse in mine and it really made me like that part of the garden in stead of avoid it.

Looking forward to seeing more!!!

N2FL, you're gonna be pissed at me, but I didn't see this sooner....

I could've saved you a big headache, and maybe left more time for beer...:biggrin:

When I build structures like this, I measure the post layout, and make it a few inches smaller. If the bean across was to be 11 feet, I would have made it just under a standard 12 footer, like, 11' 10". You can always cut wood down, but if you make it too big, you can't make it grow.

Secondly, I set the posts and don't worry about height. Why? I come back later and mark all the posts with a Transit. Once the posts are marked, I just measure the mark to the top of the posts, find the shortest post, mark all the rest of the posts to that mark, and cut the tops off level.

On 4"x4" posts, I cut with a 8 1/4" circular saw, anything bigger (like 6"x6") I use a chainsaw.

Now, if you are putting a deck underneath, again use your marks from the Transit. Even putting a pitch is easy.

Here is a couple of structures I made...
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1.../pergola01.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1.../pergola03.jpg


Wind Vane/House Marker
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...s/Monument.jpg
Building it...
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a168/gotants/Post.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1.../Installed.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ousemarker.jpg
Long Wei at top
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ts/Longwei.jpg

Very Nice work ! Love the dragon !!
No, I brought the corners in so that 12 foot wood would work on the hypotenuse. I have two fences (fixed points) to work off of, and frankly needed all the depth on the posts. It wasn't difficult to work the top height off the batter board stringlines. I am pitching the 'roof' up 2 inches and the decking down an inch, both to the front.

I am thinking about using PT 2X4s for the roof beams. I want to be able to lay them down in the summer to get 3.5" of shade, but only 1.5" in the winter. I would use a capture board across the top to hold them down. Take the beams off in a hurricane warning, and lash them to the benches.. Keeping them straight is the rub.

Now, if this monsoon would quit here....
Thanks for the help !!
N2FL

New photos added to the original post.. I will keep the progress posted there to make it an easier read..
N2FL

Very cool. I'm looking into constructing a special lath house for my orchids to live outside from spring to fall. I can't wait to see your dedicated space as well.

N2FL, It looks great!

The only thing I can add at this point, is you need to decide if you are going to have an open roof (w/shadecloth) , or a sealed in roof?

Besides controlling sun, you may want to consider control rain. Its not as daunting as it sounds. The local hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes) sell the corrugated plastic, and you simply frame it out so you can over-lap it when you secure it down.

Some people use clear and add shade cloth as needed, others use the tinted panels.

If you do choose to go without the cover, then you need to consider how you will be planting your orchids,,ie; mounted so they dry out faster.

The property I work on has a shade house open to the rain. We are going to have it dried in with galvy poles, rounded over and plastic sheeting over the top. We had a hard time with the rain this fall. Lost some plants to black rot, and didn't fertilize due to the need to get the potted plants to dry out.

Hope this helps you, regards, Brady

Here is a small structure I built for a lady, with the corrugated plastic in the middle. During heavy rains, she can move her orchids inside that area....

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...s/Sandra01.jpg

Another view, prior to installing the shade cloth on the sides...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...s/Sandra02.jpg

I'm jealous. I wish I had the space for a nice shade house. It looks like you're doing a great job. Congratulations.