# Need expert carpenter's advice



## chiggerbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Initial plan to build 10'x24' loft with wood floor, raised expanded metal floor with wooden drawer type trays between, i.e. Kalapati's loft.
Two of the compartments will be 5' wide and the other 3 compartments 4' wide (inside dimensions). My concern is will a 5' x 10' tray on rollers be sturdy enough or even manageable? I pm'd Kalapati, but have not had a response yet.
My next option is to build a 8'x24' loft, but I'm still looking at 5'x8' trays.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chigger


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Depends on how you build it. I would suggest that you try to keep the size smaller though. Two reasons:
1. 5x10 will be difficult to manage alone. You will need 2 people to lift it.
2. Consider 4x8 as your largest size. This is a single sheet of ply. Seams are a PITA and will be harder to clean.

As to building the tray, use a simple frame and cross method. Use 1x4 for a perimeter frame. Use 1x3 to create cross members (4' long each). Support the 1x3 with a 1/2x1 cleat as well as end tacking. Cover the frame with a sheet of 4x8 luan. 

Note that this will not support much weight, but it will hold poop just fine. The total weight should be under 30lb but the size will make it difficult to manage.


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## chiggerbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Jaysen,
That is pretty much what I was thinking. Looking at Kalapati photos, it looks as if his trays roll out level onto his deck, which would eliminate lifting. I wish I knew how well that worked if that is the case.
Chigger


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

not sure how that eliminates lifting, you still have to clean them and I would think that would not be done on the deck. 

I opted to use a 8x10 piece of 4mil plastic under our raised floors. Slide the plastic out, pull the corners together, carry to dump site (compost pile), dump. We wash them with a hose and let them dry between use. 4 sections for $16 dollars (40' roll that was 8' wide at Lowes). You can see what we have been building in the photos link below. The raised floors are in the album called "The Castle".


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

Are you going to be lifting the trays up to dump and clean them, or just rolling them out from under the section and scraping them clean? If you wanted to avoid lifting, and put them on rollers I think the 5*10 would but just fine on rollers. If you made it out of something like Laun as suggest that would be even better. There would not be much weight at all and one could easily roll them out and scrape them clean.....


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

How about making the 5' x 10' actually 2 5' x 5' linked together with a simple u plate so that one pulls the other out, but can be separated easily when 1/2 way out for cleaning ?
You would have to remember to link them before putting them back in again or the 2nd tray would be stuck.
Or dont even link them and use a pole with a hook (like bakers use for pulling trays out the back of an oven)


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

One word: "Shadybug"


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## Nomad_Lofts (Apr 12, 2011)

I am leaving mine open to the ground but I do like the Idea of laying plastic on ground 
check out my loft thread nomads loft


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Check my video out, I have pull out trays that work beautifully, I would make as many as it takes to handle them yourself.

http://youtu.be/sfv1A8xKjSk

And here's my post that shows it on page 23

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f38/sh...oft-43792.html


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## chiggerbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks for all of the responses.
Quazar, that's a very good ideal, I may try that.

Chigger


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