Poplar for building a sawmill shed

[1988mustang]

As my first post I'd just like to thank you to everyone who has posted anything in this forum.  I have been lurking in the background for about four months now gaining a wealth of knowledge from sawmill modifications to milling tricks.  I am at the crossroad where I need to join the forum to get some advice. 

I am in the process of building my sawmill shed and need some advice on beams.  I currently have the pad poured for the good old Baker to sit on.  I plan on building a modest 14 x 30 shed to keep it dry and snow free for our cold Canadian winters.  I will be using cedar logs for the posts and just have a simple slant roof. 

My question is regarding what type of wood to use for the beams.  I was thinking of just making a 30 foot laminated beam, or at least an 18 foot laminated beam for the log opening.  I was wondering if I could get away with making one out of poplar or even beech?  I seem to have a lot of that in the bush.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[WH_Conley]

Welcome to the forum. Is your poplar yellow poplar or something else?

[isawlogs]

 Of the two , take the poplar. make some lumber with the beech !  As long as you can keep it out of the weather it will be a good building material. I used poplar and helmlock for the trusses on my garage.

[paul case]

welcome to the forum. 
i cant help you on the wood choice except i have never been sorry i overbuilt something. pc

[Magicman]

First,  Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  I have sawed for complete building/sheds that were built entirely out of Poplar.  Studs, joist, rafters, flooring, and siding.  If you need to build a beam, just sandwich plywood or OSB between the Poplar.

There are 100+ year old barns and homes scattered throughout the country built entirely of Poplar.  Just keep it out of contact with the ground.

[1988mustang]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the quick responses.

After googling the different types of poplar leaves I can definitely say its not yellow poplar.  The leaves are shaped like spades and toothed around the edges similar to an aspen leaf.  I had intended to close in a couple of the sides of the shed with board and batten made of poplar.  Our 100 year old barn was done with poplar on the outside and it has stood the test of time, along with many local barns.  I'll just mill up the poplar to and keep it off the ground.  I have lots of thick plywood to sandwich in between the boards to strengthen the beam. 

Thanks again for the input and I look forward to more posts in the future.

[carykong]

The poplar in Virginia is called tulip poplar. Its very blond and light after drying. I would say lighter than yellow pine but just as strong. The poplar you describe in your neck of the woods,Canada, maybe quite different in characteristics than our tulip poplar. I will echo the forum. Tulip poplar was very common framing material in older homes in my area. It makes good dimensional lumber. I think it is a bit more prone to warp and bow than yellow pine. But you can avoid that by keeping your framing lumber a full 2" thick. Go with 2x6 over a 2x4/ and welcome to the forum. We need more Canadians posting!

[bandmiller2]

88Mustang,really the only place you need a wide unsupported opening is where you roll the logs on the mill.Like you said 18' should be OK you can cross brace the corners and get down to a 14' span very doable.If heavy snows are coming you could always prop a temp. brace in the middle to sleep better. If you have oak it would be nice for the span. Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

And welcome to the Forum 88Mustang  With the beams i have never worked with poplar in a structural situation but like Paul said it dosn't hurt to over build  What type of baker do you have Mate 

Regards Chris

[bugdust]

Tulip poplar is commonly used in outside construction, just keep it dry. Part of my shed is being built from red oak that was sawed for a customer (doctor) who never showed. Now it's good for me and bad for him. The posts and band will be oak but I will use poplar for joists and rafters. Lots of poplar in WV and customers order it for the price and availability.

[1988mustang]

Meadows Miller:

My Baker is an 18L model which pretty much is identical to the 18M model which they currently sell.

I have a tendency to over build everything.  I'll probably do a laminated beam 32 feet long now using a row of the follow:

8 foot 16 foot 8 foot
16 foot 16 foot
8 foot 16 foot 8 foot

All 2x12 with plywood in between.  Then have two 2x12 headers at the back.  2x6 rafters 16 feet long spaced every two feet to give approx a foot overhang on each end of the shed.  The posts will be of cedar with a 10" top, unless I decide to square them up.  The whole thing will be built green, so it might just be better to go with log posts.

I will have to look back on previous posts to figure what the best way to secure the beam together.  However that is just a little reading on my part. 

The only thing I really haven't decided on yet though is the height of the posts.  I was thinking maybe 10 feet from the ground at the front then have it slope back to 8 feet at the rear of the shed.

If anyone has any comments or suggestions please feel free to speak up, as I am here to learn from the wealth of knowledge floating around in this forum.  Plus I only want to build this thing once with room to add on of course.

Thanks.

Scott

[Magicman]

I will have to look back on previous posts to figure what the best way to secure the beam together.

Just nail the dog out of it.  Here is a 24' beam that we built in a church.  Three 2X12's and OSB.

[Banjo picker]

The only thing I really haven't decided on yet though is the height of the posts.  I was thinking maybe 10 feet from the ground at the front then have it slope back to 8 feet at the rear of the shed.

Scott

I would think you would do pretty good with those heights...Mine is 17 ft. to the eaves with no sides and it lets in too much sun in the morning and evening and rain blows in pretty bad if the wind is blowing.when its raining...But the shed came before the mill and I am just glad to have it..Tim

[metljakt]

A common trick in my neck of the woods is to wrap 10# roofing felt & staple it to the posts to the depth they go in the ground.  Prevents rot.

[paul case]

 nail that thing together good . not a suggestion . just how we did it. we had a neat way to fasten the rafters of dads barn to the posts that might work good on your header. we drilled the rafters and put 3/8 inch lag screws in them. used a impact wrench to put them in. pc


 cant see them in the pic very well but there are 2 lag screws in the end of each rafter.

[beenthere]

pc
How long has that shed been up? Seems a little light in the drawers for much wind or racking load. Just curious, as it may do just fine. Apparently no snow load to be worried about.
Sure has a lot of room to use out of the weather.

[paul case]

we put it up this spring. we have serveral around here built on the same plans that have been up for 20 years or more.
we do have some snow here. some winters we will have 18'' snows that seem to stay for a month. those are 2x6 rafters and 2x4 purlins all made out of oak. oak for the posts too. 14' openings. posts are on 8' centers. pc

[ljmathias]

Paul: you nailed the oak together?  Didn't have to pre-drill to make that work?  And were those full inch lumber or typical dimension lumber sizes?  Thanks.

Lj

[bandmiller2]

1988,what I like to do is notch the top of the posts drill for say 5/8 bolts or all thread through the timber.The bigger the posts the longer they'll last.Frank C.

[barbender]

Sounds like 1988Mustang is dealing with bigtooth aspen to me, same strength as quaking aspen.