Brother, humbly, I appreciate your design, however, it is a ticking time bomb to fall over. You have multiple problems which I would like to bring to your attention. The IBC Tote, full of 275 gallons, will weigh in at approximately 2425 pounds, or a little over 1 ton. That's 275x8.3=2275 135 tote weight empty. The house you built surrounding the tote must also weigh somewhere around 500 lbs or more. The four concrete pads you have are on soil only. BAD MOVE. The water tower is built into the side of a slope and the rainwater will flow downward, washing all around the footings that can cause them to sink, and/or slip out, creating an unstable, top heavy mass, that won't take much to come crashing down. Notching the 4x4's in the concrete footer blocks was a BAD IDEA. You have reduced the pressure footprint of the 4x4 and introduced splits by notching the wood. That will eventually begin to split under the weight. The 4x4's are inadequately braced, and may even be inadequate in and of themselves. Your spacing is far greater than 16" on center, which will stress the 4x4's even more and will prompt them to bow outward. The 2x4 braces you have I submit are woefully inadequate in both strength and quantity. *** A strong wind could very well topple this tower *** Humbly, the wrong screws were used for your project. They are not designed to support that weight. Hot dipped galvanized threaded bolts should have been used, with washers. Concrete footers should have been placed on the four corners, a minimum of 12 inches below the frost line. Brackets to hold the 4x4's could have been attached to the footers, as like a deck, or putting your 4x4's directly into the footers the full length. The bracing of the 4x4's should be from the inside of the 4x4's. Two, 2x4's diagonally, butting up against one another, will fit inside the edge of the 4x4. You can bolt the 2x4's together where they cross over. Adjoining them can easily be done with steel plates available at Home Depot or Lowe's, that will help support the joints. They are called SIMPSON STRONG TIES. You can see their complete line on their website. Each side should have "X" Bracing. Either top to bottom, or double "X" framed. I'm an old railroad man, and taking into account the designs of old wooden water towers, I've applied these principles to you. Look at pictures of them on the internet. I know you are not holding up 30K-65K gallons of water, but 2K of water, plus your shack up there is top heavy. I'm truly concerned about that set up coming crashing down and destroying your IBC Tote. Lord forbid anyone be around that when it comes crashing down. Please, take what I have shared with you, ponder it. If you're a praying man, pray about it. I believe the Lord had me write this because truly your set up is engineered poorly and will falter. It is only a matter of time. Water is HEAVY. I'm not trying to be hard on you. I'm genuinely concerned, because it is not a question of if, but WHEN that thing comes crashing down. I hope I haven't offended you, or placed a stumbling block before you. That is not my intent. Your safety and well being is what I am concerned about. Think on this. Best wishes. Brother Matthews
I appreciate your comments and concerns. The only one I really agree with is the fasteners. I want sure the roof would collect to make it worth while so I did it 3" wood screws which I had on hand. I've thought about adding some timber screws to make it stronger but haven't decided if I'm going to make it taller bigger or ? So it wasn't happened. To date its about 2-1/2 years old been full of water and no issues. The concrete footers are not really a concern I live in Georgia with no frost so no frozen ground movement. I scrapped the topsoil off from virgin ground and the tower is on the top of an elevation with no rain water erosion issue. I leveled the stand to minimize side loads. Searching vertical weight loads for a 4x4 (btw these are true 4x4s not 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 you get in the store) states that each one can handle 6,000 psi more if properly braced. I sawed this out of pine not oak or hickory what most of those big old railroad towers were made out of. I don't expect it to be a long time peice on our property but it has been handy and I'm sure it will be for sat least a few more years. I hope you enjoyed the design, please make your design recommendations to your tower and send me pictures. Keith
I don't think so, I used 3" long screws. the tank is full and everything looks good. That said I'm designing a 16 ft water tower which has caused me to evaluate adding lag bolts or bolt and locknut this tower later.
For some reason I didn't see this so I'm so sorry for my delay in my response. The sides are 45 inches long capped by front and back that are 41-1/2 inches long. Let me know if you need any additional info.
Honestly we have used it longer then I planned on but yes it is still up and working great. The only issue we had was is a squirrel decided it would make a nice home and the babies chewed a small hole into the plastic tank. I used a plastic welder and patched it.
@@DawnRedwoodGroves great news, I read the comments and everyone talking about screws, I’m an engineer by trade and understand that your weight is distributed correctly directly over your uprights, my concern was the uprights not being anchored into the ground especially with such a top heavy load. Glad to hear it’s still standing and all is safe!
@@jeffreynewton4463 my undergrad is ME also. I didn't anchor it to the ground mainly because it is only a 16 ft^2 wall, I'm in Georgia we don't get very strong winds plus it's in the middle of a forest so any wind is diffused by all the trees. Again being in Georgia the ground doesn't freeze so we don't have the ground heaving from frost aiding in the unbalancing loads. I'm more concerned that I made it out of untreated pine that I made with my sawmill and being out in the elements how long will it last. My initial goal was to capture rainwater to help establish the orchard we started. Those trees have a few years in them and don't require as much babying them to keep them alive. Water is usually only used in the hot summer if we get a long dry spell.
@@DawnRedwoodGroves I just completed mine recently, wish there was a way I could attach a pic here ( I raise gsds, mine is for the purpose of getting water to all of em with minimal effort) also, we’re neighbors, South Carolina!
I’m not sure how much water will be stored here but that seems like a lot of trust in those screws. They’re essentially responsible for holding up the weight of the water and screws aren’t designed for shearing forces. If you’re going to build a tower like this it would be more secure and long lasting if you notched the posts and rested the top frame on them…or used metal hardware. Even if lag bolts replaced the screws and assuming their shear strength is greater than the compression strength of the braced 4x4, the weight may still provide enough force focused to small areas, where the bolts pass through and provide upward support of the top frame, that the wood yields to the shearing force of bolt. Now I’m rambling as I lie in bed, but def. notch the posts…
I hear your comments and should add some lag bolts for added strength. That said the weight is transferred down directly into the 4x4s. The cross supports are helping with angular (side) loads. When I built this I wasn't sure how well it would work to capture and hold rain water but to date its working great. I've changed the rain gutters to real gutters and added a walk around support to clean out the gutters which seem to always need it from all the pine needles.
Brother, humbly, I appreciate your design, however, it is a ticking time bomb to fall over. You have multiple problems which I would like to bring to your attention.
The IBC Tote, full of 275 gallons, will weigh in at approximately 2425 pounds, or a little over 1 ton. That's 275x8.3=2275 135 tote weight empty.
The house you built surrounding the tote must also weigh somewhere around 500 lbs or more.
The four concrete pads you have are on soil only. BAD MOVE. The water tower is built into the side of a slope and the rainwater will flow downward, washing all around the footings that can cause them to sink, and/or slip out, creating an unstable, top heavy mass, that won't take much to come crashing down.
Notching the 4x4's in the concrete footer blocks was a BAD IDEA. You have reduced the pressure footprint of the 4x4 and introduced splits by notching the wood. That will eventually begin to split under the weight.
The 4x4's are inadequately braced, and may even be inadequate in and of themselves. Your spacing is far greater than 16" on center, which will stress the 4x4's even more and will prompt them to bow outward.
The 2x4 braces you have I submit are woefully inadequate in both strength and quantity.
*** A strong wind could very well topple this tower ***
Humbly, the wrong screws were used for your project. They are not designed to support that weight. Hot dipped galvanized threaded bolts should have been used, with washers.
Concrete footers should have been placed on the four corners, a minimum of 12 inches below the frost line. Brackets to hold the 4x4's could have been attached to the footers, as like a deck, or putting your 4x4's directly into the footers the full length.
The bracing of the 4x4's should be from the inside of the 4x4's. Two, 2x4's diagonally, butting up against one another, will fit inside the edge of the 4x4. You can bolt the 2x4's together where they cross over. Adjoining them can easily be done with steel plates available at Home Depot or Lowe's, that will help support the joints. They are called SIMPSON STRONG TIES. You can see their complete line on their website.
Each side should have "X" Bracing. Either top to bottom, or double "X" framed.
I'm an old railroad man, and taking into account the designs of old wooden water towers, I've applied these principles to you. Look at pictures of them on the internet. I know you are not holding up 30K-65K gallons of water, but 2K of water, plus your shack up there is top heavy. I'm truly concerned about that set up coming crashing down and destroying your IBC Tote. Lord forbid anyone be around that when it comes crashing down.
Please, take what I have shared with you, ponder it. If you're a praying man, pray about it. I believe the Lord had me write this because truly your set up is engineered poorly and will falter. It is only a matter of time. Water is HEAVY.
I'm not trying to be hard on you. I'm genuinely concerned, because it is not a question of if, but WHEN that thing comes crashing down.
I hope I haven't offended you, or placed a stumbling block before you. That is not my intent. Your safety and well being is what I am concerned about. Think on this.
Best wishes.
Brother Matthews
I appreciate your comments and concerns. The only one I really agree with is the fasteners. I want sure the roof would collect to make it worth while so I did it 3" wood screws which I had on hand. I've thought about adding some timber screws to make it stronger but haven't decided if I'm going to make it taller bigger or ? So it wasn't happened. To date its about 2-1/2 years old been full of water and no issues.
The concrete footers are not really a concern I live in Georgia with no frost so no frozen ground movement. I scrapped the topsoil off from virgin ground and the tower is on the top of an elevation with no rain water erosion issue.
I leveled the stand to minimize side loads. Searching vertical weight loads for a 4x4 (btw these are true 4x4s not 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 you get in the store) states that each one can handle 6,000 psi more if properly braced. I sawed this out of pine not oak or hickory what most of those big old railroad towers were made out of. I don't expect it to be a long time peice on our property but it has been handy and I'm sure it will be for sat least a few more years.
I hope you enjoyed the design, please make your design recommendations to your tower and send me pictures.
Keith
nice analysis
Thanks
@brothermatthews1300...we ALL needed to know this! Ty!!!
Thank you brother Mathews, you probably saved some lives out here.
Cool.im doin the same job !!!
Cool
aren't the screws too small?
I don't think so, I used 3" long screws. the tank is full and everything looks good. That said I'm designing a 16 ft water tower which has caused me to evaluate adding lag bolts or bolt and locknut this tower later.
Looks cool. Ive got cattle and burros that love rubbing against the posts so I've gotta bury these 4` deep
lol at least that deep.
Yep...these cattle are 600lbs of beef the size of a Volkswagen rubbing up on my posts knocking them over.
I understand I grew up on a 60+ milking farm. cows can really test walls any anything else they can lean on
Do you by chance remember the measurements on your 2x8 peices? I need to build one of these for my off grid cabin. Any help would be appreciated.
For some reason I didn't see this so I'm so sorry for my delay in my response. The sides are 45 inches long capped by front and back that are 41-1/2 inches long. Let me know if you need any additional info.
I'm doin the same thing.
Cool, I'm designing a 12-16 ft look out/water tower over by the green house. This one works great for watering the trees and chickens
Has this fell over yet? Respectfully, I really hope y’all stay safe around this time bomb
Honestly we have used it longer then I planned on but yes it is still up and working great. The only issue we had was is a squirrel decided it would make a nice home and the babies chewed a small hole into the plastic tank. I used a plastic welder and patched it.
@@DawnRedwoodGroves great news, I read the comments and everyone talking about screws, I’m an engineer by trade and understand that your weight is distributed correctly directly over your uprights, my concern was the uprights not being anchored into the ground especially with such a top heavy load. Glad to hear it’s still standing and all is safe!
@@jeffreynewton4463 my undergrad is ME also. I didn't anchor it to the ground mainly because it is only a 16 ft^2 wall, I'm in Georgia we don't get very strong winds plus it's in the middle of a forest so any wind is diffused by all the trees. Again being in Georgia the ground doesn't freeze so we don't have the ground heaving from frost aiding in the unbalancing loads.
I'm more concerned that I made it out of untreated pine that I made with my sawmill and being out in the elements how long will it last. My initial goal was to capture rainwater to help establish the orchard we started. Those trees have a few years in them and don't require as much babying them to keep them alive. Water is usually only used in the hot summer if we get a long dry spell.
@@DawnRedwoodGroves I just completed mine recently, wish there was a way I could attach a pic here ( I raise gsds, mine is for the purpose of getting water to all of em with minimal effort) also, we’re neighbors, South Carolina!
I’m not sure how much water will be stored here but that seems like a lot of trust in those screws. They’re essentially responsible for holding up the weight of the water and screws aren’t designed for shearing forces. If you’re going to build a tower like this it would be more secure and long lasting if you notched the posts and rested the top frame on them…or used metal hardware. Even if lag bolts replaced the screws and assuming their shear strength is greater than the compression strength of the braced 4x4, the weight may still provide enough force focused to small areas, where the bolts pass through and provide upward support of the top frame, that the wood yields to the shearing force of bolt. Now I’m rambling as I lie in bed, but def. notch the posts…
I hear your comments and should add some lag bolts for added strength. That said the weight is transferred down directly into the 4x4s. The cross supports are helping with angular (side) loads. When I built this I wasn't sure how well it would work to capture and hold rain water but to date its working great. I've changed the rain gutters to real gutters and added a walk around support to clean out the gutters which seem to always need it from all the pine needles.