How do I move this thing?

[Woodworkerman]

I have this large gazebo that sits next to my pool. My wife would like it moved to the other side of of our front yard. (Naturally ) It's fairly level ground and most of it will be pavement. Any ideas on how I could move this thing without breaking it into pieces? Keep in mind that I do not yet own a tractor. I have a 650 4x4 ATV with a winch and a pick-up truck that I can use but nothing else as of yet. I'm looking at a Kioti DK45S and might be buying it, or something similar, in the near future. So if you have any suggestions on how I can get this thing across the property with my existing equipment or with a tractor please feel free to help me out. Thanks.

(Thats my seven year old in the pic for size reference.)

 

[Defective]

That's not so big...

Looks like 10 or 12 feet across.

Jack it up & run some 6x6s under it. Screw the skirt to the 6x6s. Hook on a chain & drag it across the yard. Get some round poles or large PVC pipe as rollers if you want to be gentle about it.

 

[Eagleview]

I would ad that an old car/truck hood could be used under the leading edge of the skids to act as a sled . I have used one before for dragging boulders across our lawn . The curved front edge of the hood works a treat .

 

[davitk]

This shed has been moved twice. First 30+ years ago my dad put wood planks under it and pulled it five miles down the highway with his truck Second move was a little more legal....

Your gazebo would be light enough to lift a corner using a long plank for a lever, have someone slide a skid of some sort under one side, then repeat on the opposite side. Bevel the leading edge of the skids, bolt a board across the front of the skids tying them together, and pull (attach to the skids, not the gazebo). Like my mexican buddy used to say, "piece of pie, man, piece of pie!"

 

[Woodworkerman]

Defective: I agree that it isn't that big, but it sure is heavy. I put my winch cable around a tree and connected it to the base and I couldn't even get it to move a little. Also, I see where your going with the 6x6's but I'm not sure a PVC pipe would be able to hold the weight. Baybe some 3 or 4 inch steel tubing?

Iron Horse: good Idea, but I don't have a hood I can use.

Dav: thats the best idea so far

thanks everyone!

 

[Gizmo2]

I had a similar issue a couple weeks ago moving the kids play fort. Got a bigger tractor!
Yeah I know, I'm no help.

 

[campman63]

woodworkerman we used chain link fence post under the skids and moved them almost any place with winch or truck skids will work better if you cut the end of them at a angle .from top to bottom

 

[T_HedMF1533]

I'm looking at a Kioti DK45S and might be buying it

Tell your wife you can't move it without the tractor and a set of pallet forks.


This is your chance to justify the purchase Don't let the oppourtunity slip past!
Seriously though if you try to drag it, you will tear up the landscape no matter how careful you are. IMO

Good Luck


J

 

[davitk]

Tell your wife you can't move it without the tractor and a set of pallet forks.


This is your chance to justify the purchase Don't let the oppourtunity slip past!
Seriously though if you try to drag it, you will tear up the landscape no matter how careful you are. IMO

Good Luck


J

Drag it just far enough to really mess things up, then tearfully go the wife pleading about your inadequate equipment (no pun intended ) Tell her your friends on TBN say a Kioti DK45S with pallet forks would be just the right size....

 

[Woodworkerman]

Tell your wife you can't move it without the tractor and a set of pallet forks.


This is your chance to justify the purchase Don't let the oppourtunity slip past!
Seriously though if you try to drag it, you will tear up the landscape no matter how careful you are. IMO

Good Luck


J

YEP! This is what I should be thinking about....not how to move it, but how to move myself into a position of overwhelming need for a tractor capable of moving it for me! If I move it about 25 feet it will be completely blocking our driveway. That's where it needs to go.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Willl]

Total blockage would look to obvious, I'd go a partial block.

 

[Defective]

You'd be surprised at what PVC will take. On the other hand, with any luck, the pipe will flatten out on you just as you start across the driveway. Then you can get tears of frustration going & tell the wife it'd already be moved if you had a tractor.

 

[Lasgambler]

I agree with Defective. Jack it up, put it on skids. I have used 4 inch abs to roll large Glulams weighing several hundred pounds. I think before moving it, you should screw some 2x4's for X bracing to keep it all together. Good Luck.

 

[RonMar]

Pipe rollers or disassemble it... We had someone give us a cedar one a little larger than that and it came apart pretty easy for transport. The bottom was triangles joined at the center and around the edge, and the sides were a series of panels. The top is another series of triangles that lean against each other at the top/center. the shingles covering the panel junctions came right off in a long strip and went right back on later. The only tricky part was getting the last two roof panels off, but a carefull support of one piece with a 2X4 to the ground while the other piece is removed makes this pretty easy. My wife, son and I disassembled it in about 2 hours, and we put it back up in an afternoon. Assembling the base in place also allows you the chance to get the base supports good and level.

I don't know how strong yours is, but I would not even contemplate jacking and rolling mine. I don't think it is structurally strong enough to handle the flexing that would result. The deck panels on yours are probably only held together by 2 screws on each side, one at the point and one at each base corner of the triangular panels. Since it has open walls, the sides don't have the shear resistance that a skinned shed wall will have. That roof section is probably nearly as heavy as the base platform so if things get tweeked to much, watch out...

 

[ampsucker]

wrap the whole thing in shrink wrap, push it over, and roll it wherever you want it to go!

seriously, my vote is for beefing it up a bit and putting skids under it, then dragging or pushing it using pipe for rollers under the skids.

amp

 

[CurlyDave]

If you are worried about the strength of PVC pipe, try using the peeler cores that the box stores sell for fence posts.

Very nice round posts about 8' long, usually treated so they are green color.

Pointy on one end like a giant pencil, but make great rollers.

 

[mjncad]

Iron Horse: good Idea, but I don't have a hood I can use.

That's what junk yards are for.

 

[RedDirt]

I agree with all the suggestions for using various rollers and skids under the building. I have moved much, much larger structures than that with the same principle. To make it even easier to roll get four 2x4's or 2x6's and place a pair of them between the ground and the rollers (like railroad tracks). "leap-frog" the ground boards as the building moves. On level ground you could push that gazebo by hand. The ground 2x's will also protect your yard.

 

[wedge40]

I agree with all the suggestions for using various rollers and skids under the building. I have moved much, much larger structures than that with the same principle. To make it even easier to roll get four 2x4's or 2x6's and place a pair of them between the ground and the rollers (like railroad tracks). "leap-frog" the ground boards as the building moves. On level ground you could push that gazebo by hand. The ground 2x's will also protect your yard.

From experience if you put some water on the board that are sliding across each other, these will be pretty slick and make it that much easier to move.

Wedge

 

[browns40]

Maybe this is what people mean by skids...

I would make a "sled" for it if it is not a real robust deck jacking (3) 6x6 perpendicular (front middle & back), fastening it to those, then (2) 6x6 parallel outside the corners of the gazebo with a sloped front (like a bow) fastened to the parallel ones.

Then just pull the sled where you want it.

I am always amazed at people's ability to move intact structures without them going to pieces, but people do it all the time with no problems. Good luck with yours!