We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction. I am really needing a detached garage to park my
cars in on the cheap. I would use regular plywood on top of that then
siding to match the house.

Or it may be a dumb idea, I dont know.

We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction. I am really needing a detached garage to park my
cars in on the cheap. I would use regular plywood on top of that then
siding to match the house.

Where you live is there
1. Code inspection, Homeowners Association restricions, required
building permits, or other government control for outbuildings?
2. Snow or wind load?
...if you can answer "no" to both of these, you might be OK. Do a
search
on "free barn plans", and you'll find a bunch of .edu websites with
plans
for barns, sheds, outbuildings, etc. including the trusses.

Personally, I'd be tempted to make the structure big enough so that I
could use the rack shelving as rack shelving on either side and still
get vehicles inside (dunno if you're planning 1 or 2 car, etc.). It'd
be wicked easy at that point to add benches, etc. Since the posts are
likely set up for it, I'd either do a slab-and-sill, or at least
sonotubes, with J-bolts to mount the posts.

If you can get it cheap and get/avoid permission, it sounds like it'd
make an excellent garage...
--Glenn Lyford

On Jul 24, 11:07*am, stryped wrote:
We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction. I am really needing a detached garage to park my
cars in on the cheap. I would use regular plywood on top of that then
siding to match the house.

Or it may be a dumb idea, I dont know.

Best do something good to permenantly prevent rust
on the bottoms of the uprights.

dennis
in nca

On Jul 24, 1:48*pm, rigger wrote:
On Jul 24, 11:07*am, stryped wrote:

We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction. I am really needing a detached garage to park my
cars in on the cheap. I would use regular plywood on top of that then
siding to match the house.

Or it may be a dumb idea, I dont know.

Best do something good to permenantly prevent rust
on the bottoms of the uprights.

dennis
in nca

I live in the country, no inspections. Hoever, cost is a concern. I
cant realy afford a concrete floor right now. I am thinking 24x24 or
30????

On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:07:29 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction. I am really needing a detached garage to park my
cars in on the cheap. I would use regular plywood on top of that then
siding to match the house.

Or it may be a dumb idea, I dont know.

It could work... Problem being that an average pallet rack is 8'
wide and that's real tight for a garage. If you can get longer
cross-beams, and get 10' to 12' wide, then you can park the car and
get out, and have room to store other stuff out of the weather. Two
sets side by side gets you a two-car garage.

If you can't afford a full slab, at least dig holes and put concrete
footers under the legs. You don't want it sinking in the mud, or
rusting too fast, or blowing away in the next stiff (70-MPH) breeze.

And it's a lot easier to get a straight and plumb structure when the
foundation is straight and level.

Don't screw them up too much, and they could even be used as pallet
racks again. Bolt 2X4's to the racks, then nail or screw the siding
or roof decking to the 2X4.

-- Bruce --

On Jul 24, 3:57*pm, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:07:29 -0700 (PDT), stryped

wrote:
We have alot of old pallet racks for sale at work. COuld a person use
the verticle sections as posts and the supports as girts in a pole
barn constuction.

Much depends on what the ends are like. My pallet rack collection is
3" channel with perforated bars welded onto the ends to bolt them to
the columns. The bars are wider than the channel and don't fit well
together. I planned to bolt the sections end-to-end for sawmill track
but getting them flush, smooth and straight was too much effort, so I
sawed the end bars off and used them as lengthwise splices.

There is an 8' wide vehicle shed near here. The doors are hinged to
the side walls to maximize the opening, which makes that end unsteady,
and wind & snow loads have ripped the hinges off the doors. If you
welded the 4 corners it might be stiff enough, maybe. Upper corner
braces would help.

don't forget termites - if you are in an area with termites, it won't last
long


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

"William Noble" wrote in message
...

don't forget termites - if you are in an area with termites, it won't last
long


retraction - misread the post - it said "pallet racks", I read "pallets" -
termites don't eat metal - but they can sure chew up wood


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Or it may be a dumb idea, I dont know.

Stryped

Unless you are in love with a lot of extra work and effort get a part
time job for a while and pay for whatever you want. A nice metal
building is not that much. A concrete slab is a bundle but well worth
it. An added benefit is that a big enough building will allow you to
keep things to yourself. And if cold weather or hot weather is a
problem insulate well.

Bob AZ