# Building a run in shed? Plans?



## ericp502

Here is a good how-to on building run in sheds. Run-in Shelter - stablemanagement.com


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## lilruffian

Thanks!!


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## Misty'sGirl

I don't think I have any pics of mine but we built ours out of second hand materials so it was much cheaper, and my uncle is a builder so he helped us out! It was almost ten years ago we built ours.

Ours has a roof that slopes down towards the back so when it rains the water drains away out to the back BUT the ground would become so soggy that it ended up flooding the shed so we had to attach a gutter and bought a water tank to attach the gutter to. That way we were actually saving the water, attached a hose to the tank and used the rainwater to water the garden 

The other thing to be aware of is be VERY careful that you frequently monitor for exposed nails. Misty had a perfect ability to tell the time and if I was half an hour late feeding her she would stand in there and kick the walls as loud as she could... Mares!

Oh, we didn't have any extra flooring in ours, just the dirt and we live in a rocky area so every few months we actually had to top up the soil because it got "walked away" and rocks became a big problem.

I think that's all I've got worth mentioning haha.


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## Chevaux

I think your planned size would work well for two horses.

I`ve got four horses. My run in shed is 16 ft deep, 32 ft long and 8 ft high at the back (about 10 ft at the front or open end) - pole construction. I like the 8 ft height as it gives the horses a bit of head room for when they are in there `horsing around`with each other. 

The material we used for it consisted of 4x8 ft OSB sheets for the sides and roof; 6x6 inch pressure treated posts (you really need pressure treated if you`re putting them in the ground); and a combination of 2x6 and 2x4 boards for the roof, sides and finishing touches. The roof is shingled with ordinary house shingles. The OSB was the cheapest material we could find and has held up well for us given the shed is over 20 years old now. We hope this year to put metal siding on the outside walls (over the existing OSB) as I`m tired of having to paint it all the time. We chose the dimensions we did to accommodate all the horses using it at once plus reduce the amount of cutting we`d have to do. It went up fairly fast (it was just my husband and I building it) and doing it ourselves made it easy on the wallet. Our prevailing winds are from the north or northwest so we have it opening to the south - quite cozy in there on a cold winters day with the sun shining. 

With regard to metal siding, if you choose to use it and don`t put a buffer under it (ie the OSB in our case), it gets really, really noisy inside when the rain or snow hits it and the horses might not want to go in there. This is especially true of the roof. Therefore I would suggest at least for the roof, you either use OSB (or whatever your preferred wood is) and shingles or OSB with metal sheeting on top.

I`m glad we have ours. It`s well used by the horses and ìt`s comforting to know they have access to shelter whenever they need it.


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## Saskia

Really consider your flooring too. 

My mum and I once built one (it was really dodgy though) but basically we just sunk some posts and then built a simple wood frame, then attached sheet metal to it. It would have been much better if we hadn't skimped on the materials. The floor there was alright. 

But most recently I was at an agistment place with a run in shed and it would get horribly muddy and damp in there and the horse hated it. The water would soak in but it wouldn't get the sun and would never dry out. It would have been much better if they had put concrete down or something. 

So I guess just consider that and positioning - as the main things.


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## lilruffian

Thanks you guys for all the good tips!
I'm definitely going to put a floor in it, probably out of sand and i really like the gutter idea.
The sides wont be metal i dont think but the roof will


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## Corporal

One more thing: If you don't know how to build get a builder to help you. You'd feel terrible if the thing collapsed on your horse!


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## Palomine

Just did this last November, and the dimensions are 20x10, so smaller.

I wanted to be able to move it, so didn't make it as deep as really wanted.

Are you planning on this being permanent, or are you going to ever move it?

For the wood that touches ground, you need to get pressure treated lumber, of course.

If you are wanting 24 foot long, make sure your lumber yard has 5x5's that long, or whatever type you want.

And one thing I did not take into consideration? Is that if I wanted interior size of stalls to be 10x10? (Which I did) I should have gotten 12 foot side boards, so when joined, the interior would be size wanted. AND the front/back boards should have been 22 feet long, so could cut down all four bottom boards to leave me inside of 10x10.

I found it actually cheaper to use metal on sides too, no painting, and no eating of it by horses. I got roll of insulating deal, that was silver one side/white other, that is too keep heat out better, cold out too. Ended up with whole roll when all needed was just the top length/width.
So put it on inside of stalls too, as well as roof. Covered the inside of it with plywood 8 feet high.

And where you are wanting to have two stalls? Put another 12 foot or so length in middle to divide. Figure out what you will be dividing with, boards, gate, solid wall, if you are going to make two stalls that is.

I found when I had smaller one made of wood? One horse would keep other out, with two separate stalls? Each can get in. And of course with Kola, I have to be able to keep him separate.

I made the wall in back 8 foot high, and the top is 12 feet, with overhang.

I will try to post picture...but don't know if can.

Honestly, after all the headache AND the cost of materials and labor? I would have come out much cheaper by having lumber yard build it and bring it to me.


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## Palomine

*Not the best picture..*

I can get a better one Wednesday.

You can see the inside here, and I have pelleted shavings down in it. I had it made by Amishman and I just could have done it SO much easier and cheaper having King City Lumber do it and haul it in.

But this is insulated well, we divided it because Kola is crippled, and Baby Huey is such a bully.

Both of them will have to be up in summer, as Kola is photosensitive and Baby Huey sunburns badly.


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## Palomine

Here is a little different view, Baby Huey thinks if you are over there, it is to take picture of him...or to feed.

100_1215.jpg (34.5 KB)


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## lilruffian

Thankyou 
Yes i am thinking of something similar. I don't think i want it to be permanent, just in case there ever arises a need to move it. My dad is going to pick up the supplies and come down to help me build it so i wanted to get an idea of what i need first before making a trip to the hardware store.
All of your guys' tips are proving really helpful!


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## Palomine

Draw it out first, to show where need to place everything. And also help to be able to count out what need.

I will try to draw a diagram of what Adam did on mine, for bracing, and how made later.

I know for one we did, (and this will be dependent on if you can find your supporting pieces in one long length too), we had the following, or pretty closely.

For 10x20 foot shed.

2 5x5x20 lengths of pressure treated wood. These are front/back. 6x6 would be even better to move with I think.

3 5x5x10 lengths of pressure treated wood. 2 sides/1 center.
3 4x4x8 lengths, regular wood, for back corner posts and center one.
3 4x4x12 lengths, pressure treated, for front uprights PT as exposed.
1 4x4x10 length, regular wood, for post that is in between stalls.

These are guesstimates?

3 2x6x20 regular wood. For front and back length of building, these are what joists went on, third one was on front, lower down about foot, for stability.

6 2x6x12 regular wood. Four were for the sides at top and bottom, 2 were in the middle of sides, for bracing strength.
11 2x6x12 reg wd. For roof joists, (think that is what called?) but to lay the roof on top of.

8 2x4x20 OR double that if you are not able to get long lengths, as Adam had to overlay/splice 10 foot lengths for mine.

8 2x4x8 lengths, reg wd, Adam used these to brace walls on back/sides, on an angle.

Some 8 foot 2x4's, for uprights, to put interior plywood up against on the back on the inside.

Some 10 and some 12 2x4's, to go on sides for plywood inside.

For mine, I also had to have 2x6's of 10 foot lengths to put up to divide stalls.

Insulation roll for under roof metal. *also had WAY too much, so used it on sides and back too, which will help with heat this summer.

Assorted screws, nails, and metal screws of various sizes and type.

Joining plates? Flat pieces about 3x6 or so? Has holes in it, and when you butt one piece of wood up against another, you nail this down, 1/2 on each piece of wood to make it stronger than just nailing into it at angle.

Metal for building.

Anchors.. these are must have items. I have 2. And #9 wire.

If going to move it, could get hook/bolts to screw into one end of building at bottom boards.

I will take some interior shots this morning if can, as am taking Adam out there to get my trailer for other projects, and will be over there.

But if you can, go see if any lumber yard makes these up, as I could have gotten one for much less than building one cost me. Of course that one didn't have stall divider, but could have just had it delivered and done that one little bit too.


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## Palomine

Finally got pictures.


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## Palomine

Can't get the rest to load...

PM me your e-mail and will send them that way.


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## lilruffian

Awesome! Thank you for all the great advice!


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