# Pool equipment lean-to



## georges

I'm planning to add a small lean-to to protect my pool equipment from the sun/rain. Project is in Hawaii so no snow but lots of rain.

The equipment sits on a concrete slab and is next to garage. Garage siding is solid wood with vertical decorative trims. There is a 4' eve overhead.

I've been looking around for ideas and I have some questions regarding the design. My plan is to have this match the look of the garage, including roofing with shingles. The footprint is going to be something like 5'x6' and about 6' from the ground so I can easily access equipment.

1) I'm planning to use 2 4x4 posts, attach them in concrete slab with strong ties and have a 4x4 beam on top of it. Is that enough?

2) What size lumber should I use for the rafters? I was hoping 2x4. 2x6 seems overkill.

3) Planning to attach the rafters to ledger board with angled strong ties. Could not find 2x4 size tho. Do they exist? Can I use 2x4 as ledger board?

4) Wha's the best way to attach the ledger board to siding? I've seen design that bolt it and leave some space behind it. I'm concern about flashing this properly. What's the best approach?

5) Facia boards. Do they have any purpose other than decorative?

Thanks for any tips, advice, suggestions.


----------



## nealtw

You did not include the height of the wall of the garage you are joining to. A picture would be helpful. 
If the joint between the roof and the wall of the garage is low enough to be effected by rain, the siding in that area should be cut and removed so that after the roof is installed a flashing can be placed behind the house wrap and the siding replaced.
A 4x4 used as a beam is likely going to sag, better would be a 4 x 6 or just 2 2x6s nailed together crown up

2x4s are fine for rafters, a 2x4 ledger is fine and it just needs to be nailed to the studs in the wall.

Hangers on the high end are not needed and the old fashioned trick used before hangers is a pressure block, a 2x4 fit between rafters against the wall when a ledger is not used.

Hurricane  hangers  at the bottom end to tie the rafters to the beam and flat straps joining the beam to the posts are a good idea. As well as gluing the post saddles to the concrete if you are drilling in a rebar type.

The ends of the rafters hanging out over the beam need a liner, 2x4, to keep them in place and something solid to nail the sheeting to. A gutter will hide the 2x4. Or if you would like you could use a better grade of limber to hide the liner or instead of the liner.


----------



## georges

Thanks Neal, really appreciate the pro tips.

Unfortunately I don't have measurement or pics. I'm on holiday travel, taking the opportunity to be noodling on this project for when I return in the new year, ah!

I think the ledger will be high up enough under the eve. I was trying to avoid cutting the siding. It's the solid wood panel kind and I'm not sure how I would cut and replace it. Any tricks on flashing against an existing wall? I was thinking a Z flashing and then caulking/gluing the portion against the wall.


----------



## Snoonyb

Regarding the post bases, if you do not know the route of the equipment plumbing you need to be very careful drilling the slab to anchor the simpson connectors.

If your wood siding is horizontal boards you can slip a flashing under the board. If it is Plyscore or T-111, you can use an upside-down "J" metal, caulked, and a flashing.

If the aesthetics are critical, you can determine the garage roof pitch and match the equip. roof too it, IE, if the garage is a 4:12 and the roof is 5' away from the garage, the equip. roof will rise 20", less about 1/2" for the rafter seat cut, so you won't need blocking between the rafters at the header.

Knowing the rise and the projection you can then determine the header height.

A 4X4 is sufficient for a header and the post do not have to occur at the header ends, but closer together, and knee braces for shear and another aesthetic element.

Nail the 2X4 ledger through the siding to the studs and toe nail the rafters, the roof sheating nailing will hold it all together.


----------



## Speedbump

I'm no carpenter, but when building this; keep in mind that someone has to work in there and be able to access all the plumbing in the future for repairs and replacement of equipment.


----------



## georges

Thanks for the thoughtful answers. Really appreciate it.

Access is top of mind, because I'm the one who's going to maintain that equipment 

Siding is simple plywood. How would the J flashing go? Could the same thing be accomplished with a Z flashing where wide edge would be caulked on the siding?


----------



## nealtw

Cutting away some plywood is not rocket science but if you can get up close to the eaves, you can just flash it and then cover that with a trim board, or work into and extend the garage roof.


----------



## Snoonyb

The "J" Is upside-down and the "L" or roof flashing tuck up into the pocket of the "J".

"Z" bar sits atop of a 1X, or requires the siding to be pulled or pushed out to be able to slide it behind and the siding renailed, or, is nailed above the "Z", where the "J" is nailed below and is than behind the roof flashing.


----------



## slownsteady

Having worked with a pool maintenance guy, I have to echo - and put an exclamation point - on Speedbump's comment: clearance on all sides is important. Be sure that you have marked all lines coming and going to the pool before digging or drilling into the ground. Since you are in Hawaii, do you even need to put walls up? A roof with open sides may be all that is necessary. If you go with walls, be sure to have a light source, and if your pool is heated (not sure if that happens in HI) provide ventilation for the unit.

Speaking of Hawaii, why would you go on holiday travel anywhere else??? Sheesh!!! Just proves it's a strange world:banana:


----------



## havasu

I bet if you offered this job to some of us on the forum, we'd be happy to build this for you, for the small price of airfare.


----------



## slownsteady

havasu said:


> I bet if you offered this job to some of us on the forum, we'd be happy to build this for you, for the small price of airfare.


Yeah, I can see twenty of us all trying to build a 6x8 shed


----------



## oldognewtrick

A camel is s horse designed by committee.


----------



## slownsteady

I'd walk a mile for a camel


----------



## nealtw

Ride the camel and have a smoke.


----------



## Chris

I'll take the smoke


----------

