AU small loft help

[Lofty Pigeon]

I like the design of the loft shown on the AU site. It's 8'x6' making it two feet bigger than the Red Rose loft which I've seen and don't care for the look much. I want to get started on this loft but don't know too much about wood working. What I liked about the Red Rose site was the detailed instructions. Does anyone have any idea what kind of wood I would need for this, how many pieces of 2x4's, how many and what type of screws, how big is the aviary and such? I also thnk that for the floor you don't need that many braces do you? I think that floor is too complex for my level or wood working. I got the packet in the mail today with more detailed pictures and dimensions but without a list of tools, materials and instructions I'm still very lost. Could some of you that are handy please help me out?

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by Lofty Pigeon

I like the design of the loft shown on the AU site. It's 8'x6' making it two feet bigger than the Red Rose loft which I've seen and don't care for the look much. I want to get started on this loft but don't know too much about wood working. What I liked about the Red Rose site was the detailed instructions. Does anyone have any idea what kind of wood I would need for this, how many pieces of 2x4's, how many and what type of screws, how big is the aviary and such? I also thnk that for the floor you don't need that many braces do you? I think that floor is too complex for my level or wood working. I got the packet in the mail today with more detailed pictures and dimensions but without a list of tools, materials and instructions I'm still very lost. Could some of you that are handy please help me out?

Des, that is a very cute loft. I don't think I can help you much, cause I'm not too good at this stuff either, BUT.......if you've seen our loft, you know that my husband is. So, if no one comes on to help you, I'll get my husband to look at the picture. He can probably figure out about what you need in no time flat.
One thing I do know, is that you might want to consider an 8 X 8 instead of an 8 X 6. Reason being is that sheets of plywood come in 4 ft wide sections. So, it would take two sheets per side to do the loft. An 8 X 6 would cause you to have to cut off 2 feet of two of the sheets. Sort of a waste. If you're gonna buy the sheets, you might as well put them up and not cut them. I know that this will cause you to have to buy a few more 2 X 4's though for framing the extra two foot on the side walls.
Make sense?

[hillfamilyloft]

I would also add two feet at the back of the loft. I member of our club built the loft and it is very skinny. I would if I were building a small loft look to the design of Lovebirds widowhood loft. My loft is 16 x 16 and has four sections. I have two small sections 5' x 7' and they are a good size. Four feet is just too thin. The loft has good ventalation and a nice aviary. I would widen the thing. you could use a 4x 8 sheet of plywood for the floor and then the last two feet under the perches you could use wooden slats or metal grating to allow most of the poop to fall through to the ground.

Randy

[Lofty Pigeon]

Hey thanks for the advice. I don't mind cutting some of the boards and having scrap around. I can use it to make nest boxes for wild birds or bird feeders. Scrap wood is always good to have around. I can't have it be too big because I'll probably be moving in a few months to a year and will like to be able to break this down, stick it in a truck and move it. It is really cute though isn't it? One thing I want to change for sure is not that that much wire in the front and have little vents instead like the Red Rose. We get lots of rain especially now in hurricane season and the loft needs to stay dry. I have seen you loft and am very impressed. Once I'm done with this my next question will be for advice for designing one like yours. I can't do that now because I don't own this property I'm on. I rent from my in-laws. Luckily they are cool with the pigeons and encourage it.


I just saw your response Hillfamilyloft. Yeah I know bigger is definitely better but right now I need to keep it small because of the reasons stated above. Once I own my own property I will definitely make a whole building of a loft. But yes my wood working skill level is very low still. Lovebird, yes please, as your husband for advice on this. I really could a list of building materials or step be step directions.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by Lofty Pigeon

Hey thanks for the advice. I don't mind cutting some of the boards and having scrap around. I can use it to make nest boxes for wild birds or bird feeders. Scrap wood is always good to have around. I can't have it be too big because I'll probably be moving in a few months to a year and will like to be able to break this down, stick it in a truck and move it. It is really cute though isn't it? One thing I want to change for sure is not that that much wire in the front and have little vents instead like the Red Rose. We get lots of rain especially now in hurricane season and the loft needs to stay dry. I have seen you loft and am very impressed. Once I'm done with this my next question will be for advice for designing one like yours. I can't do that now because I don't own this property I'm on. I rent from my in-laws. Luckily they are cool with the pigeons and encourage it.


I just saw your response Hillfamilyloft. Yeah I know bigger is definitely better but right now I need to keep it small because of the reasons stated above. Once I own my own property I will definitely make a whole building of a loft. But yes my wood working skill level is very low still. Lovebird, yes please, as your husband for advice on this. I really could a list of building materials or step be step directions.

Well, I don't know about step by step..............have you ever built anything before? I'll tell you, before we built our first loft, I was clueless. TOTALLY!. Then we moved here and built two more lofts, plus a chicken coope and have helped two flyers build new lofts, so I've learned a little bit more that I knew before.
As long as you've got the basic knowledge on how to put 2 x 4's together and measure stuff correctly, it shouldn't be too bad.
Now if you've never built or been around a building being put up, that's another story!
Are you planning on haveing a wire floor? That's why theirs hasn so much material on the loft you are looking at. You can't walk on wire really, so there has to be footing for when you are in the loft. If you're putting down a wood floor, then you won't need all of those boards.

[Lofty Pigeon]

Well it doesn't have to be step by step. But definitely a list of materials would help. I've made small stuff so I know how to read a measuring tape, and make pilot holes and use a drill for screws, how to use a chop saw, but am kind of scared of the skill saw (I'll get over it). Oh and I know about liquid nails, but that's about the extent of my skill. But I love the idea of making your own stuff even buildings and I really want to give this a go then say, "I did it all by myself."

Flooring is actually my next question. I want it to be a wood floor so I can walk in there and service the birds. I also don't mind putting all the birds in the aviary in the morning and hosing out all the poops. I used to do that when I worked at the zoo so it's not a problem for me. I just don't know if I should go with the all wood hosing method or wood with powder like Natural White and play scooper instead then hose everything out in a week or so. What do you recommend?

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by Lofty Pigeon

Well it doesn't have to be step by step. But definitely a list of materials would help. I'm made small stuff so I know how to read a measuring tape, and make pilot holes and use a drill for screws. Oh and I know about liquid nails, but that's about the extent of my skill. But I love the idea of making your own stuff even buildings and I really want to give this a go then say, "I did it all by myself."

Flooring is actually my next question. I want it to be a wood floor so I can walk in there and service the birds. I also don't mind putting all the birds in the aviary in the morning and hosing out all the poops. I used to do that when I worked at the zoo so it's not a problem for me. I just don't know if I should go with the all wood hosing method or wood with powder like Natural White and play scooper instead then hose everything out in a week or so. What do you recommend?

Well, we have wood floors in both of our lofts and we scrape them every single morning. Can't really hose down wood and it will warp and bow.
I personally don't like the wire floors and my main reason is that you can't watch the birds droppings. That's one of the first things to do when a bird gets sick and if it's droppings are falling through the wire and you can see them, then things could get out of control before you realize there's a problem.
So, hubby looked at the pictures of the loft you want to build. He said, (my mistake) that you don't waste the material if you go with a 8 X 6. The two foot that you cut off goes on goes on one side or the other along with the 4 foot piece to make your six feet. SEE?? Told you. He just thinks these things through.
We'll see what we can do. Gotta go fix something for dinner. Later.

[Lofty Pigeon]

Arg, warping. Yeah that's not good then. Hum, well I can do scraping though there's got to be a way to treat the wood so it can be washed from time to time. I have pet birds so I know about the importance of seeing their poops. That's a good thing I hadn't thought of. I didn't want wire floors because I'm afraid to fall through and that would be a very bad accident.

Ah good so nothing is wasted. Well have a good dinner and I look forward to hearing what he has to say.

[Lovebirds]

Well, we did put a couple of coats of paint on our floors. I get out there at least twice a year, on hands and knees and scrub the floor with bleach water. That's fun. I've never taken a hose though and just washed it down.

[learning]

Lofty Pigeon,

Speaking as a guy that is in the middle of a two year project building his loft, here are a few suggestions that might make things a little easier. The first thing I did was admit that I had no previous skills in construction (that's hard to do being a guy and admitting ineptitude in construction!). The next thing I did was go to home depot and buy the cheapest book they had on shed and garage construction. I think it was like $8 or something like that. In this book they showed you how to estimate materials, showed roofing suggestions, how to frame a wall, suggested tools, etc., etc.

The best tool purchase I have made was a table saw with two way mitre capability and a laser cut guide. That sounds complicated but I think it was around $150. If that is too much you might have luck seeing if your local tool rental store would have one to rent. This sure made angle cuts a breeze.

As long as you are patient with yourself, understand that you will make mistakes, and know that any mistake you make can be fixed, you can do this no problem. Just be willing to read and ask questions. If you want to follow my saga that I am working on you can check the thread marked "Loft Advice" under the loft design tab. The later pages have pictures of what it looks like.

Anyway, I hope this helps some.

Dan

[hillfamilyloft]

Learning
You are a senior bird wow. I can remember when you were a hatchling. Good to see you giving advice. Cant wait to see your done.

Randy

[learning]

Randy,

The only thing the "Senior Bird" means is that I like to talk a lot! Don't know about the quality of the advice, but I guess the quantity is there!

Dan

[Lofty Pigeon]

Thanks Dan. Yeah I can admit that basically what I know is nothing. But I'm willing to learn. I actually do have a book called Guide to building Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings that I bought from Barnes and Nobel. It has nice pictures and explains things well. I must not be on the chapter for figuring out how much material I need yet. I did go through and look at your thread. None of the attachments work but the last two pictures did show up so I was able to see what you've done so far. That really is amazing. I'll have to respond to your thread.

[learning]

Yea, sorry about the pictures early in the thread. I ran out of space on the site for attachments so I had to delete the early ones off the server. It basically chronicles the building from clearing the trees, to digging the post holes, to framing the platform, to framing the walls and roof, to installing the roofing itself. I have kept pictures all along the way so when it's over I will have a pictorial record of the process.

Don't be overwhelmed by the final project, just look at it one step at a time. After completing each part, step back and admire your progress. Then move on to the next. Pretty soon you will have the finished product.

Dan

[Lovebirds]

Des, Everett (hubby) said that without plans for the loft (he thought the plans were on the AU web site) that he can't really come up with a list of materials. Just don't use treated lumber inside the loft. Only use that for the floor decking. I'll have to get you the link to the paint we put on our floor. It came from Lowes. It also looks like they put wire up before putting on the siding? It appears that way in the pictures. We're not sure what that's about or why they did that, IF they did.
I guess you know that we'll all want to see pictures of this loft as it goes along. We're just picture crazy. I don't think it really matters what the pictures are!! LOL
Also, if you plan to move this loft, you might want to do something on the roof besides shingles.
We recently moved an 8 X 8 loft that my husband built and the roof was so heavy, we wound up cutting it in half to move it. THAT was a job.
Good luck!!