Funky Picnic Shelter Design

[biologyben]

Ok, so I'm looking through various picnic shelter designs - all are about the same - 4 sides, roof, etc.

Then I find THIS.

Someone talk me out of this design!

I love the look, but i'm not sure about the durability of the roof (2 layers of tempered hardboard strips covered in stabilized asphalt - Hardboard outside and exposed?)

Also, not sure if it would function well for keeping kids out of the weather and how much useable space it would have - it shows a 40'x40'x40' covered area (~700 sqft), but with just three poles 20' apart (~175 sqft)

The primary use is for a shelter for a day trips for 25-50 youth - they would start and end their day here - lunches too. We would expect it to be more of a shade element than a storm shelter, but if the need arose...

Oh, and snowloads would be less than 20 PSF. Winds typically do not exceed 40 mph but is 70MPH for engineering - These would also be less due to the heavily wooded location we would construct this.

[woodturner]

Someone talk me out of this design!
...
Oh, and snowloads would be less than 20 PSF. Winds typically do not exceed 40 mph but is 70MPH for engineering

Think you answered your own question. A roof with an "airfoil" shape that is open will tend to blow off more readily. In addition, the roof is low slope and likely will not properly shed snow.

If you get a 20 psf snow load, I'd go with a more conventional design with a pretty steep roof to shed the snow.

[Hellrazor]

I would use the KISS method. That thing is going to be a PITA to build.

[Pappy]

Try searching for gazebo designs. You will find variations other than the simple rectangular shape without getting into overly complicated designs.

[biologyben]

I actually didn't think this wouldn't be too hard to construct. Consider that this would only need these few boards for the structure.

• 3 - 10" x 12' posts,
• 6 - 2x8 16'
• 6 - 2x8 21'

Granted - long beams, but ones that we could have cut to spec with our trees. Of course, this doesn't include the 72 4x8 sheets of 1/4 hardboard or perhaps plywood for the roof system. I think we'd be in for under $1500.

I thought it looked easier than my second choice, which was timberframing with site-milled lumber.

Also remember - we're looking for a large enough shelter for 50 some odd kids.

[tfischer]

I say go for it - mostly for the selfish reasons that I'd love to see the progress pics and watch as you build it

[capncarl]

Talk you out of it? have you considered cost / sf compared to conventional metal building? This structure calculates to about 692 sf, add 1 more column with conventional construction and increase the sf to 1600 sf.

[biologyben]

Talk you out of it? have you considered cost / sf compared to conventional metal building? This structure calculates to about 692 sf, add 1 more column with conventional construction and increase the sf to 1600 sf.

This type of logic would be more likely to sway me...I am concerned this would not provide enough space for the groups - I was planning to use wood construction as we have plenty on the property, but I wouldn't rule out metal. However, a 40x40' shelter with just 4 posts would have quite large beams I would think - standard pole barns at this size are ~$9,000 and not exactly attractive or unique.

In reality, the strongest traditional plan is probably this pavilion & kitchen But it needs 8- 5" top diam poles and lots of money in the roof for about the same sqft. I could see framing this in at some point to have a cabin...

The biggest holdback is thinking of the maintenance on that thin roof - It is supposed to be mopped with asphalt every 2 years - I'm not sure I want to be walking around on hardboard every 2 years until I fall through...

[capncarl]

Hardboard should be reserved for building childrens toy boxes.

[tfischer]

So the roof is only 1/4" thick? That seems odd.

I didn't even use hardboard to build my kid's toy box

[Stytooner]

About the only good use for hardboard would be pegboard or cabinet backs and drawer bottoms. Maybe a few jig parts. Certainly not meant as an exterior material. Maybe good for one season. I would use canvas instead.

[capncarl]

I am in the process building a new top for my 12x12 garden gazebo, the tent material does not last but a couple of years at best in this Ga. sun. I aquired a 100' x 56" roll of white single ply roofing for this job. This material looks like the stuff that you see on the high peak pole tents at car dealerships and trade shows. I believe this material would be well suited for a building of this sort.

[Stytooner]

I agree. Even the tarp topped temp. garage I bought at HF only lasted a couple of years. Those are replaceable though. I wound up just selling the frame complete for as is $5. He dismantled it, so he needed no instructions on how to put it back up.

[tfischer]

Our boys' playground has a tarp-type roof over it. Been up for almost 8 years now and it's looking pretty ratty. I always intended to build a wood roof over it but it never happened, and our boys are aging quickly (youngest turns 7 this summer)

[capncarl]

The tarp material that comes with the eazy-ups and gazebos is getting cheaper mfg'd by the minute. The replacement I recieved @$150+ shipping came in shoe box and weighed probably 2 lbs. My gazebo frame is 12'x12' exactly and the replacement is 11'8x11'8. No way it will stretch that far, the mfg says that is the one for this model. It is going back as soon as I figure a way to put in back in the box. This single ply roofing I bought to make the cover is 32 mil Fibertite brand and carries a 15 yr warranty when installed by a approved installer. I know for a fact it lasts that long in the Ga. sun. At a roofing trade show a few years ago the mfg had a piece this roof membrane attached on 2 sides above the show entrance with a new Cadilllac setting on it like a swing.