Plastic 2x12's???

[perchking]

Not sure if it is a good idea or not but I was given a 8x10 skid house. The issue is they have metal runners which is fine but the house sits on top of the frame and the floor height from the ice is about 20 inches off the ice. Way too high for my liking. I am going to take off the bottom metal structure and replace it with either 2x12 runners either wood or plastic, you know like the decking material. My question is do they make 2x10 or 2x12's? and most importantly is it a good idea?

PK

[Surface Tension]

I'd go with a 4x4 or 6x6. Oak if you can find it. Best bet would be small saw mill. Green treated will work, its soft but thats a small house anyway.

[perchking]

ST,

Yeah I agree but in the UP we always have alot of snow on the ice. I thought if I could get it off the ice a little bit it would move easier.

[Surface Tension]

The 2x on end attached to the sides of the house will have a tendency to cup, crack, splay, pull the rim joist from the joists or, just pull lose from the rim joist. Not only that you'll have to over lap the house to fasten it. Your not gaining anything by doing that where as a 6x6 would underneath the floor joists. The 6x will have more flotation then the 2x also.

Another option to have height when moving the house but not have that height when fishing it to make a dray or use a trailer to move the house around. Obvious down side there is it has to be loaded every time you move and I take it you move a lot.

Is this lake off limits to trucks? I've had shacks in remotes areas where a truck would never get to. I'd pack a trail with my sled, actually just traveling back and forth on a marked trail was enough. Anyway that track will setup in half a day.

[tom fellegy]

4X4, 4X6 or 3X6 white oak plastic will heat up and melt when pulling across the ice. white oak is most people use up here on mille lacs. you can use any kind of wood you want, but white oak will last the longest, except for steel.........tom fellegy

[perchking]

Thanks gentleman, I will go with 4x4's. That is why I like this site so much, I get a hair brained idea and people put me back in my place.

Thanks again.. This summer I will show before and after pick of the shack...

[dafisherking]

I would recomend going with a treated 4x6. Take it to the table saw and bevel it to a 1 inch or so point.

It will skid better and still last forever.

Good luck!

[L_Cappo]

do not use treated wood for skids.treated wood is softer and will not last long.go woth solid oak skids.i would redo the metal skids cant go wrong with metal.most of the resorts now are using metal frames and metal skids.

[Ironranger]

ST, I have 2x8's sandwiched together on end and attached to the bottom of my 10x8 house, any idea on how to remove those and fasten 6x6's? you are right, the ones on it are pretty beat up, splintered, and cupping, and pulling away from the house. thx, ironranger

[Tom7227]

Maybe I'm a bit slow but given the hassles people face getting the house pulled out of ice due to rain etc., I would think having it up high wouldn't be all that bad. I saw one last week that had what looked to be pieces of platic sewer pipe between the raised floor and the ice. They got it out of the spot pretty quickly. It would also seem to me that just about any wood is going to wear out extremely quickly if you get it onto any pavement. If you can find oak 4 x 4 or 6 x6's what are they going to cost? Final thought - can you modify the existing structure to lower it and still keep the runners in place - might take some welding but that may not cost much more than the oak wood would.

[perchking]

Tom,

that is what I might do...

[L_Cappo]

by the time im done setting up my house to fish.my floor is about 14 inches off the ice.as for the price of aok skids it varies.but its well worth the money.

[perchking]

MNHunter,

Mine is about 18 or so and I don't want it that high. For me that it way to high to re-open a frozen hole and to high to land fish.

[Bottle Fish]

My friends house sits off the ice pretty good but it doesnt really matter. He has not put it on a spot where you catch any fish yet. On the other hand if you were to catch fish it is a pain.

[L_Cappo]

then go with 4x4 oak skids.then you will only be about 10 inches off the ice.i wouldnt go any smaller than 4x4 skids unless you plan on redoing the metal skids.gotta figure your height with the blocking.