My Best Night Box Design Yet

TommyZ

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Heather, Right now I'm using two 4x8' boxes and two 4x4' boxes.

TommyZ, How will you keep rain out with your lid like that?

I have roof shingles im going to have hanging over the ledge. That, plus a plastic over hang.
 

Tom

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I have roof shingles im going to have hanging over the ledge. That, plus a plastic over hang.

That'll work. Show pics when you are done please. I'm always looking for ways to improve and I've considered the roofing shingles many times. I've opted not to do it that way to save weight, but please share your experience with it when you are all done. I might reconsider.
 

TommyZ

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That'll work. Show pics when you are done please. I'm always looking for ways to improve and I've considered the roofing shingles many times. I've opted not to do it that way to save weight, but please share your experience with it when you are all done. I might reconsider.


We get quite a bit of rain here in NJ. I was going to copy yours exactly, but my buddy that helped me suggested covering the top with shingles/plastic sheeting to keep the water off the wood totally.

I did use treated wood though in case we have some wetness and i need to adjust.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Doesn't the roof have to be angled for the roof shingles to be effective?

I have shingled 4 un heated tort houses but I always had the roof angled back so water would run off the overlapping shingles.
 

prettysure

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Hey Tom, sorry if this is a dumb question, but how exactly did you get the roof to hang over like that? That part is somehow not making sense to me.
Any chance you have a lumber list from this project?
 

TommyZ

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I just made mine, i opted for shingles on the roof instead of an over hang. Im thinking though Toms design is better, but im ok being the beta test. Ill have pics in a week. As for s lumber list: one 3/4" plywood for floor, two 1/2" plywood pieces for sides, one 1/2" plywood for lid, and 11 pieces 8' 2x4 for beams..... not too bad, all in all i paid less then 150$ for all materials. Treated wood too.
 

TommyZ

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Doesn't the roof have to be angled for the roof shingles to be effective?

I have shingled 4 un heated tort houses but I always had the roof angled back so water would run off the overlapping shingles.


Yep, I plan to just shim the back so it pitches slightly so it runs down snd off. This is all experimental for me though, so well see.
 

Dizisdalife

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Hey Tom, sorry if this is a dumb question, but how exactly did you get the roof to hang over like that? That part is somehow not making sense to me.
Any chance you have a lumber list from this project?

I built a box using Tom's design. Works great, by the way. The top is a full-size sheet of plywood, a 48"x96" sheet. The actual box is is smaller so that the top, or lid, fits over it. Mine measures about 44" wide x 92" long. You could make it a little more snug than I did. The first piece that I built were the top and the bottom so that I was sure that everything built up from the bottom, or base, would fit under that top.
 

TommyZ

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I built 2 boxes like this. My lid fit perfectly on top of the box, so I added a 2x4 around the lid to keep rain out. It works perfectly.


You mind throwing a pic or two up for reference? Thanks ;)
 

Levi the Leopard

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sure...
The 2'x2' box lid before the 2x4 frame...
730baf.jpg


With the 2x4 frame, unpainted, caulk filling the gap between the lid and 2x4...
fvbwva.jpg


Painted but before the door lock...
lcnt3.jpg


The 4'x2' box with the 2x4 already added to the lid.. I don't have any photos of the lid alone..
x0wk03.jpg


This box is also caulked and painted...
2aivro.jpg


The underside of the lid. The lid itself is fully insulated, caulked and sits on weather stripping where it meets the walls. The 2x4 purely serves a cosmetic/rain protection purpose...
11vi5p5.jpg


Hope this helps...

(I had to use tinypic...TFO kept giving me an error when I tried to upload the photos directly)
 

TommyZ

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sure...
The 2'x2' box lid before the 2x4 frame...
730baf.jpg


With the 2x4 frame, unpainted, caulk filling the gap between the lid and 2x4...
fvbwva.jpg


Painted but before the door lock...
lcnt3.jpg


The 4'x2' box with the 2x4 already added to the lid.. I don't have any photos of the lid alone..
x0wk03.jpg


This box is also caulked and painted...
2aivro.jpg


The underside of the lid. The lid itself is fully insulated, caulked and sits on weather stripping where it meets the walls. The 2x4 purely serves a cosmetic/rain protection purpose...
11vi5p5.jpg


Hope this helps...

(I had to use tinypic...TFO kept giving me an error when I tried to upload the photos directly)


^5 Thanks a bunch that does indeed help. For the sake of it ill play guinea pig and try the shingles thing and well reconvene in a few weeks and see what we all think. Im leaning towards yours (and Toms) lid, but well see. Thanks again :)
 

Levi the Leopard

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Even my shingled roofs over lap the walls by 2-3" on each side.

For the sake of it ill play guinea pig
Perfect :) We all need to do this from time to time. It really helps.

I've been playing guinea pig with increasing the humidity in these houses. I added vinyl flooring (for moisture protection) and coco coir substrate to keep humidity in the high 60s-high 70s range. So far so good but it'll take time before I see results.
 

TommyZ

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Here is some updated pics of the (almost) finished box. I say almost finished because I have not been able to run power out to it yet, damn building code.

I opted to water seal the box as opposed to painting it as i figured itll be less likely to chip. However, im rethinking that decision.

Im still in experiment mode,but so far so good.
 

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TommyZ

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Aparently the torts LOVE the box, because they wont come out now! All winter theyre stuck inside, so they decide its best to hide out inside.. *smh*
 

Hallbomber

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Although I'm doing well with insulated dog house that contains a heat pad and a radiant heat panel it is tough to clean easily.
 

Jtort

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Do you guys treat the bottom with anything special (primer, etc)?

And do you sit it directly on the dirt or do you lift it a bit with something?

Thanks in advance!
 
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