# Building a field shelter - best way to do it?



## samlf (6 November 2013)

As title suggests I think I'll be building a field shelter shortly. It will need to be a mobile field shelter so cant be concreted in or anything.

I have done a bit of investigation into materials and I think it'll cost me about £350 - £400 for the shiplap at most, but I don't know if there are any other materials that are suitable/better/cheaper?

Roof wise I am not sure what is best? I know some people use tin which you can get second hand cheaply, but it rusts. I did see these http://www.wickes.co.uk/clear-pvcu-corrugated-sheet-24m/invt/240152/ but again not sure how suitable they are.

Obviously I'll need to build a frame aswell, although I have no idea what type of wood is required or how much.

I have googled and googled but there doesn't seem to be any website anywhere that gives a description of how best to build a mobile field shelter and which materials are suitable. 

If anyone has any suggestions or experiences they would be appreciated. I am really looking to spend £700 max, so not able to buy a ready made shelter (nor would I want to if I can build something of similar quality), to build a 24 x 12 shelter.


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## WelshD (6 November 2013)

I have no experience in this but I do use those plastic sheets as roofs on my avaries and they do come away or split even if fixed down with the appropriate fixings unless the structure is very very sheltered

When they split and blow away they leave shards of plastic everywhere too

Onduline may be worth a look, it needs a pretty good structure to be attached to if its not to sag but properly fitted its excellent, I have a bank of avaries with this roofing (structure below the sheets is a frame with struts like a ladder to prevent sagging) they are in an exposed position but the roofing hasnt budged at all


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## Tiddlypom (6 November 2013)

Good luck in trying to build a truly mobile field shelter of that size on that budget. If your construction materials and design are not optimal it will disintegrate as you move it.

A fixed field shelter can be a bit less robustly made.


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## samlf (6 November 2013)

Okay maybe 'mobile' was not the correct term - non-permanent so as not to contravene planning regulations. As I said I have already contacted a company and can get the shiplap at a max of £400. I thought another £300 would be realistic for wood and roofing considering I should be able to get some second hand.

Thanks WelshD, I did wonder if that may be the case. Will look at the material suggested.


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## Adopter (6 November 2013)

Can you put down concrete flags which would be moveable to make it less muddy.

We are in a very exposed place so all our sheds/open shelters are on wooden frames which are dug into the ground, but could be dismantled if necessary.  The best shelter was using old telegraph poles which are treated not to rot, onto to this we fixed metal sheeting that is normally used for agricultural buildings.

I think you might need more substantial boarding than shiplap, which might be easy for afoot to go through if a horse kicked out at it.

My OHbuilds all our shelters sheds and you can get real bargains if you look round, try reclaim yards for materials.


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## pennyturner (6 November 2013)

Bargain basement shed / shelter kit...

If you can get hold of 6' pallets (the type that plasterboard comes on), this makes excellent structural walls and is light enough to use as roof trusses too.  3" posts slide into them (used fence posts), allowing them to be joined together like lego.  When you've got a basic shape, clad with ply or chipboard inside, to withstand kicks, and featherboard or similar outside.

I got hold of some rubberised tarpaulin sheeting for roofing over the pallets.  I think it was army surplus.  Much more durable than roofing felt, but not very pretty.  However, I would always buy tin sheets rather than onduline, which just blows away the first chance it gets.


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## samlf (6 November 2013)

Thanks, really helpful replies. I think my friend mentioned you can possibly get concrete slabs from council when they take old ones up or some get broken so will contact them, but if not I can get road planings down, or get council playground matting, that's not too much of a problem. 

Good idea about the telegraph poles - interestingly was discussing these with the farmer today and he said they're now like gold dust!

I'm surprised you say that about shiplap, as all the websites I've looked on for shelters to buy are made from shiplap!

PT - I'm not sure what you mean about the pallets, who could I contact to get hold of any?


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## Tiddlypom (6 November 2013)

We have a hay barn built cheaply of reclaimed wood and second hand galvanised roof sheets that has lasted over 25 years. To look at it, you would think it would it would make a decent field shelter but because we used lightweight materials, it would never have stood up to that job. Horses have an annoying habit of leaning on, itching their bums on, kicking out at, chewing etc your carefully constructed building!

Build a strong frame, clad it with substantial boarding, line it with decent kick boards and it will last you well. Otherwise, unless your horses are total angels, it will fail and will cause you and them a few headaches.

Second hand slabs are easy to lay on sharp sand and can be lifted and reused elsewhere. Good luck!


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## meesha (6 November 2013)

My roof is box profile tin, cheap and easy to put up, plastic coated so doesn't rust, remember you will need guttering or rain will pour off roof and flood area around.  Mine is built on sleepers so not really moveable but bought from chap in frome .... 12x24 with roof/screws included for around 700, just add sleepers and guttering.  He is on eBay but think you need to collect, he supplies all materials except guttering and base then you put up, you request whatever opening(s) you want.


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## Dry Rot (6 November 2013)

Not moveable, but you can see how I constructed my field shelter here (scroll down below the stables):

http://www.morrichhighlandponies.co.uk/newprojects.htm

If you can't get telegraph poles, you might be able to get larch from a forestry estate or the Forestry Commission. Anyway, there are telegraph poles and telegraph poles. Some are rejects because they have "heart rot", i.e. they are rotten in the middle.


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## Buddy'sMum (6 November 2013)

Just worth pointing out that if you put flags or planings or crush etc down in the shelter that might make it a permanent structure in the eyes of the planning authority. There was an article in H&H last year I think about a man who was prosecuted for contravening planning law because he put his mobile shelter on a base of river stone. 

Re best roofing material - mine has an onduline roof and I'm very pleased with it and it has stood up to the elements very well so far but it wasn't cheap, also you need to use loads of special roof nails and they cost a fortune. I'd worry that tin would be very noisy in heavy rain which might put horses off using it but then again they might get used to it?

My shelter is also bolted together rather than nailed (a) so that we can dismantle it  easily and take it with us if we ever move and (b) so it's very obviously not a permanent structure should the planning authority ever decide to pay a visit (it's also on steel skids).


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## Buddy'sMum (6 November 2013)

Dry Rot said:



			Not moveable, but you can see how I constructed my field shelter here (scroll down below the stables):

http://www.morrichhighlandponies.co.uk/newprojects.htm

If you can't get telegraph poles, you might be able to get larch from a forestry estate or the Forestry Commission. Anyway, there are telegraph poles and telegraph poles. Some are rejects because they have "heart rot", i.e. they are rotten in the middle.
		
Click to expand...

Your shelter is fab but I'm officially in love with your stalllion!!


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## mandwhy (6 November 2013)

My dad has some scaffold poles that we are going to use for a frame. I think it will be similar to that of a greenhouse with an apex roof and slightly slanted sides (he says this is more stable against winds) and we will be using those corrugated bitumen sheets for the roof. 

I guess we need to drive them into the ground but was thinking about digging trenches, laying poles and attaching the frame to those. Even though it becomes a bit less mobile then no one can really argue it is a building!

For the sides I will clad it with something especially if any bare poles around leg height but otherwise I don't really mind it being open sided or may use mesh type material for wind flow. I mainly want them to have a roof as the trees in winter don't provide much cover, although we do have good thick hedgerows which shelter from wind.


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## Dry Rot (6 November 2013)

Buddy'sMum said:



			Your shelter is fab but I'm officially in love with your stalllion!! 

Click to expand...

You wouldn't be if you saw him today. 

The bloody foals have eaten his tail!:mad3:


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## Dry Rot (6 November 2013)

A couple of points. With an open fronted building, it is important to have somewhere for the wind to escape or it becomes a hang glider waiting to take off. A gap around the eaves is sufficient.

Tin roofing, of whatever type, will drip badly in misty weather. Put up a false ceiling using plastic sheeting under the tin and that will stop it.

I am not a fan of Onduline which is basically bitumen impregnated cardboard and doesn't last. At least, that's been my experience. Unless you are very fussy, you can sometimes get slightly damaged box section or sheets an odd length a bit cheaper. It is worth the extra.


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## pennyturner (7 November 2013)

OP, Plasterboard and other sheet material comes on longer than standard pallets.  Just like ordinary pallets, but 6' long.  We got them from a local joiner.


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