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Farmers have long used corncribs to store feed for their livestock in a dry place with good air circulation. So what better form to mimic for a storage bin in the backyard? The open sides made of lath make it perfect for storing pool toys, cushions, life jackets, and lawn chairs that might mildew without air circulation, and taking things in and out is as easy as raising the roof. This project can be built on a smaller scale as a perfect toy bin for young children; at its present scale, it works well for the kayaking enthusiast or for pool toys.
Materials:
One 2"x 4"x 12' cedar board
One 2"x 4"x 8' cedar board
Four 2"x 4"x 10' cedar boards
One 4"x 4"x 28" cedar board
Nine 5 ½"x 10' cedar clapboards
Three 1"x 6"x 10' cedar boards
Four 1"x 6"x 8' cedar boards
8"x 8"x ¾" rubber matting
1 ½" stainless steel 4d shake nails
2 ½" stainless steel screws
Galvanized poultry staples
2'6"x 4" piece of 14-gauge vinyl-coated wire, preferably with one-inch squares
Two 2"x ¾" stainless steel butt hinges
Exterior wood glue
Tools:
Pencil
Tape measure
Table saw
Miter saw
Hammer
1" wood chisel
Level
Drill
6 countersink drill bit
Screw bit or screw gun
Wire cutters
Utility knife
Notes: To preserve the cedar, apply a coat of water sealant or other exterior-grade finish of choice or allow it to weather to a natural silver.
Directions:
1. Using table saw, rip down all six 2x4s to a finished dimension of 1 ½"x 1 ½". These will be used as the framing studs for the corncrib.
2. Construct the floor, which will have a finished dimension of 30"x 48". Take one ripped-down 8" stud and cut down to 2 equal 48" lengths. Take 2 ripped-down 10' studs and cut down into two 28 ½" and three 26 ¾" lengths. Save remainder. At either end of the 48" pieces, create a rabbet joint that will accept the 28 ½" lengths. The joint depth should be ¾" so that when the 28 ½" piece sits in joint, the finished length of either side is 30". Next, attach three 26 ¾" pieces evenly apart within frame to create floor supports. All framing is attached with wood glue and stainless steel screws.
3. Cut down 4x4 post to four 7" lengths. Set posts on a workbench and rest floor frame on top of 4 posts. With each post lined up at the corners, trace out the frame corner onto each post. Remove this material to a depth of 1 ½" with the table saw and a wood chisel. This notch will accept the frame corner so that top of post and each outer side sits flush with floor frame. Secure each post to frame with glue and stainless steel screws. Flop the base upside down and attach the feet by using the utility knife to cut out the rubber mat to size of each post bottom. Attach feet to post with stainless steel screws. Be sure to countersink screws below surface of rubber feet.
4. Next, begin construction of lower half of 4 side walls. Using two 10' ripped-down studs, cut 6 pieces to a length of 28". With the miter saw, cut each piece at a 10-degree angle on both ends. The miter cuts at both ends of stud should be parallel to each other. Attach 4 of these posts to the 4 corners so the angles tilt the posts out on 48" sides of floor frame (the posts will sit flush with 30" sides). Form an additional two 10' ripped-down studs, and cut a 39 ½" length piece from each. With glue and screws, fasten these pieces on corner posts so that the short sides of frame are attached across the top. Using two 8' ripped-down studs, cut a 45" length from each. Then, connect the long sides of frame together, attaching these pieces so that they sit flush inside top framing of the sidewalls. Next, attach remaining 28" angled pieces on center of each of the long side walls. Using leftover studs from floor construction, cut out two 27 ½" pieces and attach one on center in each of short side walls.
5. With wire cutters, cut the 14-gauge wire to size for floor base. Set trimmed wire on base and hammer in galvanized poultry staples.
6. Build two ridge beam supports. From two new 10' ripped-down studs, cut two 17 ½" lengths and attach them vertically on top of shorter side walls, aligning them on center with the center studs of short walls. From remaining stick of 8' stud, cut one 49 ½" length to be used as the ridge beam. Set table saw blade at 40 degrees, align the fence ¾" out from blade, and rip a 40-degree bevel down length of both sides of ridge beam. The slope of the roof will be 40 degrees. Attach the ridge beam on top of the two 17 ½" pieces so that there is a ¾" overhang on both ends.
7. From one of the remaining 10' studs cut out four 19" lengths. Cut one end of each piece to have 40-degree miter cut. With the screws, attach each of these pieces to the top of the framing of side walls so that 90-degree side butts up to the bottom of the 17 ½" center stud on short wall and the 40-degree miter side matches slope of roof peak. Next, cut out two 22" lengths for front side roof trusses from remainder of 10' stud. One side will have a miter cut of 40 degrees, the other will have a miter cut of 50 degrees. Note that these cuts are not parallel on either end; they run opposite each other. The 22" measurement is based on the longer side of the miter cuts. Attach 40-degree mitered edge of truss 1 ½" below top of 17 ½" stud and fasten other end to top of 19" piece.
8. Next, cut out three 29 ½" lengths for roof trusses, making a miter cut of 40-degrees at one end of each of these. Use the screws to attach each of these trusses on opposite side of roof flush with the ridge beam, just below the bevel. Place a truss on either end, and one on center. The bottom of these trusses will overhang the wall frame by several inches. From another 10' stud cut out two 21 ¾" pieces and attach them at the bottom of the trusses, in between the ends.
9. With remaining stud stock, construct door frame. Cut out one 45" length, one 47 ¾" length, one 26 ¼" length, and two 29" lengths. The two 29" lengths will have a 40-degree miter cut on one end. With the 29" lengths lying flat with the miter cut side facing down, screw in the 45" length between the two 29" pieces. Each end of the 45" length should be set back just past the miter cut. Next, attach the 47 ¾" length to the opposite end. Then add the 26 ¼" length on center between the 2 longer lengths.
10. Position door frame on top of front side of corncrib and mark out location for the 2 butt hinges. They should be placed approximately 6" in from either end. Remove door and fasten a small block 1 ½"x 1 ½"x 4" fashioned from leftover material beneath the ridge beam where the hinges will fasten. These blocks will allow the hinges to remain securely fastened. Attach hinges to door and ridge beam.
11. Apply exterior sheathing . Each side of the roof will require 9 clapboards cut to a length of 51". For our project we set each course 3 ½" apart. Attach the clapboards using 4d shake nails.
12. Rip down all seven 1x6 cedar boards to a width of 1 ½" slats. Each board will produce 3 widths of 1 ½" slats. From the 8' lengths cut 20 lengths to 48" long. Attach 10 of these to either side with screws, setting the spacing at 1 ½" apart. Attach each of these slats with 4d nails and wood glue. Repeat process for other 2 narrower walls, cutting each of these slats to size to match angle of walls. Ten degree mitered cuts will be required on either end of the lower half of the slats, and 40-degree mitered cuts will be required on the upper half of side walls. The ends of these slats should also overlap the adjacent side slats already in place.
13. Using leftover material, create prop stick and cradles to use for holding the door open. Cut a leftover slat to a length of 23 inches and drill a hole close to one end of the slat, slightly larger than the screw or nail. This hole will allow you to hang the stick from a screw or nail on the inside of the corncrib. Next, cut a 4" length of scrap stud and notch out a groove at 90 degrees to the block to allow the stick to sit inside. Attach this block to the side wall at a height just below where the roof truss begins. From a second block, notch out a piece at a 45-degree angle to the block to accept the other end of the stick. Attach this block to the top right corner of the door frame, just underneath the clapboard.