Not the bikes, but a small shed to cover them. Kids bikes have been languishing in the back yard since we moved into the new house. We have a slightly larger garage, but still just two car with a bit of extra room.
The elements have not been kind, but luckily the bikes were cheap. With the kids getting bigger we need new bikes, and the wife insisted we have something to cover them. I had been resisting as I did not like her initial suggestion - plastic shed.
I do not like the small plastic sheds you can buy at Lowe’s / Home Depot. I’m always worried about a fully enclosed space becoming a home for rodents (I include squirrels and possums in that category), so I wanted something more open.
After some careful negotiation, we agreed on the design above and my dad and I built it Saturday afternoon.
It is not yet complete, the open side closest in the picture will be covered with fence pickets. It is freestanding, so we can move it around a bit if desired. Simple 4x4 posts with 2x4 supporting beams, 3/4" plywood roof with rolled roofing material screwed on. Leftover plywood on the back so I can build in some hooks for helmets.
The open side is about 4 feet from the side of the house, so with protection on the three other sides it should keep all but the most intense rain off the bikes, and direct sun off them as well.
Everything is screwed together, because we don’t use nails in my family. I think my dad had a bad experience building something as a kid, because I can’t ever remember him fixing or building anything with nails. It generally takes longer, but at this point in my life I don’t know any different.
Took a little longer than I thought, mostly due to the natural slope the ground has towards the french drain. So keeping the posts level while building it in place was a challenge.
Also was able to use wood recovered from a few past projects for everything except the roof, so that was nice.