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Revision date: 05.13.10
Prepare and Square the Building Site
PREPARE THE BUILDING SITE
A level site is required to accurately and safely construct
the building. Consult the services of a qualified contractor
to properly grade and prepare the site.
Site should slope away from the building to allow water to
properly drain away from the assembled building.
After the site is prepared, mark the location of the frame
corners to square the frame during assembly. Taking
these steps
before
assembling the shelter saves time and
ensures that the structure is square and positioned as
desired.
The following procedures are suggested methods.
Their use depends on the size of the shelter, shelter
application, the footings (if applicable), and the method
used to anchor the shelter.
When in doubt, consult the services of a qualified
contractor experienced with the construction of similar
structures.
Rafter Mounting Feet
If your frame includes mounting feet, prepare the site and
anchor the feet to the site before assembling the frame.
Use a baseboard placed under the feet to support the foot
base. Read the information on the next page and use the
diagram to layout the position of your building. Once the
string lines are set to mark the location, continue with the
Mounting Feet section.
Do not dig holes if your building is equipped with rafter
mounting feet!
Ground Posts
If the frame includes ground posts, set all ground posts
as described within this manual. Width of the shelter
is measured from the center of one ground post to the
center of the remaining ground post. Length is also
measured center-to-center. If your building includes
ground posts, continue with the Setting Ground Post
section.
SQUARE THE SITE: GENERAL STEPS
Identify a corner where a building rafter will be
1.
positioned, drive in a stake, and string a line the exact
width of the building and stake in place. (Width of the
rafter is measured from center-to-center of the rafter
legs.)
After the first corner stake is in place, string a line the
2.
width of the building (center-to-center) and drive the
second corner stake into the ground.
String a line at least as long as the building 90° from
3.
the line between the first and second stakes.
NOTE:
A transit can be used to ensure an accurate
90° angle, or the 3-4-5 rule can be used. Refer to
diagram. Using multiples of 3-4-5 such as 6-8-10 or
12-16-20 helps to maintain an accurate 90° angle.
After squaring the position of the building, measure
4.
the length and drive the third corner stake.
Repeat the same step for the last corner stake.
5.
NOTE:
The distance measured diagonally between
corner stakes must be equal for the building to be
square.
