Canadian Ice Shack Build (the sequel).

Muckin_Slusher

Muckin_Slusher

Digging the same hole for 19 years.
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
53
Messages
2,680
Loc
Abitibi
Haven't built one since 2008. Canadian Ice Shack Build

Working on building a guest house, since I've got guests every weekend, and my kids are near "girlfriend" age...

This is what I've got so far.

Standard twin bed is 75x39. If I stack like shown, I can make the upper one foldable, and gain more living space.

Shooting for a 7x10 footprint, and ability to sleep 4 people (2 sets of "friends").



grizz shack.jpg
 
The upper bunk will partially fold up (and probably be like this 99% of the time).

The red is wood stove, the green is propane ventless heater.
 
Thinking it'll be a shed style roof, eave above the door (but will add eavestrough for obvious reasons...).

All numbers are in inches and interior measurements.

Interested in suggestions for exterior sheathing and interior sheathing as those are usually the heaviest parts of an ice shack.

Structure will be conventional wood and foil faced foam board insulation.
 
Picked up some materials today. Everything is expensive.

2x10 PT for the runners. Did a nice curve that I can hopefully bend the 5/8 PT ply without scoring. You need a nice shallow angle to make these things slide nice.

Don't know how many times I've seen people miter their runners. **** just digs in and the plastic breaks off (usually they're cut at the miters).

I'll be continuing the plastic past the runner and up the wall some (under the steel siding). This does two things, first it's a bulletproof way to attach the runners to the shack so they won't pull off when jacking the thing out of frozen in ice. Second is that it's flashing that will keep rain water from getting in the runners and pooling and rotting in there.

Runners will be 16 inches wide, spanned with plywood, then skinned with cattle walkway plastic.

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I'm also going to add some 2x4 material to span the 16 inches and support the plywood. Usually these are just held in with nails/screws through the 2x10, but that has no strength (how easy is it to kick out a stud----nails either bend, or the stud splinters).

I'm routing in pockets to capture the 2x4s. Pockets are 3/4 inch deep (half the depth of the 2x10).

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gunracer1 said:
why 7', that just a waste of material, go 8' for the same money and less cuts.
Click to expand...
It's not set in stone (yet) but the narrower shacks are easier to maneuver on shore (between trees and other shacks). Trying to make this one lighter and easier to haul. I'll possibly use this one summertime camping (or fall camping) so trying to limit width and height.

7 is the minimum to have a bed sideways (and not have to stuff the mattress in there. I'm using a real actual mattress for good rest, instead of the ****ty 3 inch foam that lots of people use.

We've already got the big shack for socializing and cooking, this one will mostly be for sleeping (and mostly for just one guy).


I do understand what you mean about waste. Last shed I built I left the studs full length and just added strips of plywood on the outside (leaving me with a shed that had near 10 feet to the peak of the ceiling.
 
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I'll be trying to bend the plywood onto the runners tomorrow. The plywood will have had about 18 hours to soak water and soften up?

Plan is to go slow and use my heat gun to further soften the plywood.

I predict splintering and failure.
 
I really should finger out a way to bend like this (use steel for tension to constrain the wood and force the inner wood to crush instead of the outer wood splintering).

I wonder if I could use duct-work tin as the tension member?

 
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Muckin_Slusher said:
I really should finger out a way to bend like this (use steel for tension to constrain the wood and force the inner wood to crush instead of the outer wood splintering).

I wonder if I could use duct-work tin as the tension member?

Click to expand...

Probably could , it should work.
 
The door I would like to use was salvaged from somewhere (no idea). It's like a camper door, aluminum skin over rigid insulation. It's thin, but heavy with a nice sliding window.

It's too thin for standard door latch. I'm thinking about making a magnetic door latch instead. Kits can be bought for fullsize doors, but are designed for interior use. I'd need something strong enough to keep the wind from blowing the door open...
 
Muckin_Slusher said:
I really should finger out a way to bend like this (use steel for tension to constrain the wood and force the inner wood to crush instead of the outer wood splintering).

I wonder if I could use duct-work tin as the tension member?

Click to expand...

If it were me I'd try taking sheets of 2-ply that you can easily bend into the needed shape and laminate them together with wood glue.
 
gbiddlec said:
Why not just use an RV style latch?

Pretty cheap on Amazon:
Click to expand...
Good suggestion.

My experience with those types of latches are that you cannot slam the door closed, you have to lift the latch every time. Something about the steep angle of the little part that sticks out.

Not ideal in a fish house, as you usually end up running out the door to the lines.
 
Is the door thin enough for a screen door catch to work? Just keep adding them to the frame until it has the force you want. :laughing:
 
arse_sidewards said:
Is the door thin enough for a screen door catch to work? Just keep adding them to the frame until it has the force you want. :laughing:
Click to expand...
force? what kind of screen door catch are you talking about?

Edit: Oh, you mean the spring loaded double roller doohicky ones.

If you mean this kind (see pic) then that's brilliant. Readily available at the dump for free! Nice because they attach on the face of the door.

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Muckin_Slusher said:
Edit: Oh, you mean the spring loaded double roller doohicky ones.
Click to expand...
Yeah those. Just throw a big handle on the outside and a push plate on the inside. I assume you'll need 2-3 to keep the door from opening from the wind on the lake. But they do a lot to take the slam out of the door which I think you'll benefit from.

Muckin_Slusher said:
If you mean this kind (see pic) then that's brilliant. Readily available at the dump for free! Nice because they attach on the face of the door.
Click to expand...
Not a fan of those if hard use is involved. Maybe someone makes a good one but I've never seen it.
 
arse_sidewards said:
Yeah those. Just throw a big handle on the outside and a push plate on the inside. I assume you'll need 2-3 to keep the door from opening from the wind on the lake. But they do a lot to take the slam out of the door which I think you'll benefit from.


Not a fan of those if hard use is involved. Maybe someone makes a good one but I've never seen it.
Click to expand...
Maybe if you could find an old school one from a storm door. I remember my grandparents having a solid brass deal on the storm door on their house, probably circa 1950s or so. Something like that would probably be perfect.
 
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