I'm building a new box blind for my new lease this year, and rather than scrap together pieces etc, I'm going to buy new and build to last. My gut and years of carpentry experience is telling me to use 2x6 joists and a 3/4" plywood for the flooring, but to save weight can I get away with using 2x4 joists instead or will it not be strong enough? The box will be 4x8 and I'm considering making the base 6x8 for a 2' "porch" for the ladder (and eventual steps) to it. I haven't decided if I'm going 4, 6, or 8 up with elevator brackets, which again makes me really want to do 2x6 joists.

Also, what do most of you do for the final flooring? cheap piece of carpet to keep the floor and chairs quiet?

That type of span 2x6 with 3/4 plywood, 16" center on joist othwise get squeaks also glue and use screws. Carpet best bet on floor and come up the walls about 4 ft. Glue it on also. Go to carpet store get some used carpet, this the cheapest. Try to keep carpet tight to floor and walls keeps the hornets out.

Rubber livestock mats, over two glued & screwed layers of flooring. No noise at all with roll around office chairs.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was thinking for the joists.

I knew glued and screwed, but two layers of plywood? I was thinking one 3/4", you do two 1/2" together instead?

I did 2x6 with 3/4" blind is 5x7

Two layers of 3/4 plus the rubber mat.

You don't need two layers of 3/4 plywood

Wow that's a seriously thick floor.

I went with 2x6 on 16" centers, and one 3/4" treated plywood. It seems solid enough, plus I'll be adding horse stall matting on top of it later, for now a cheap piece of carpet.

Pics to come later...

I also like 2x6 on 16" centers with 3/4" treated plywood. Very solid floor that I too with carpet.

Probably need to clarify why we went with 2 layers 3/4 plywood followed with cow mats. It never was an issue about strength or firmness. Has more to do with acoustics and sound deadening. When you roll an office chair or drop something on the floor, a box blind responds like a drum or barrel. The larger the blind the more pronounced the reverberations. Every blind responds differently. This is what worked for ours. A better solution would have been to spray foam the underside of the floor...but that wasn't available.

I use 24x24 commercial low pile carpet squares with a rubber backing and a peach set glue

That's a great idea!

My little helper making the flooring



Some pics that evening, you can see main walls and the area I'll put boards to create a "porch" for getting off the ladder

Nate,
Is this going to be a knock down walls, put together at the site, or a complete set up? I would of used 2x2 studs on wall with mid height boards running horizontal. These walls going to be very heavy. Maybe using some type helicopter to set in place, just making an observation.

That rubber backing acts as a great sound absorption tool also

These are 2x3 walls, and I'm putting it together to build in sections (each wall is one section). I've built some just like this before, just always on the ground or a couple feet up, never 8' high like this one. I've still got to do my horizontal boards for windows and doors, and skin it (using 1/4" plywood). Then painting and details. It will be knocked down in sections and rebuilt on site hopefully this weekend.

Nate,
Yep, made mine so one person could erect in the field. 10 feet in the air gets a little squirrelly by yourself but I did, only 4x4. I used 1/2" exterior plywood with a good primer and then two coats of paint inside and out.
Good luck on yours.

I've got some guys there to help me put it up, but transporting in the back of my truck it has to come apart.

Thought I had some time to put in on it this morning, rain is keeping me inside though...

I had some more time this weekend, got it ready for priming and painting. Still need to make windows, tear it apart and reassemble at the lease, and add the roof. Then I'll foam fill the cracks.

For the flooring, I found 1/4" stall matting at Tractor Supply this weekend for $5.99 per foot. It's in 4' width and just tell them how many feet you need. They had the same in 3/4" for $7.99 per foot also, but I figured I'd try the 1/4" and see if it's quiet enough. I'll get pics of that later and post.





My little helper again... she asked if she can go see the deer with me when I go!

Daaang, some of you peeps get serious about your blinds.

Leave it open, and dump a few bags of sand to make a floor. Soft, quiet, and clean.

If using the elevators for the legs, they the outside floor framing is best 2x6. Save weight and use 2x4 for the middles. Will still be plenty strong. 2x6 on 16 centers is way overkill. We build ours 6x6 with 2x4's, including the outsides, on 24 inch centers. The actual house is 4x6 with a 2 foot porch. You aren't building a 2nd story or loading heavy furniture. Just a couple of fatasses sitting in chairs. Screw down the 3/4 inch marine grade plywood and buy remnant rolls of carpet when you find them at Home Depot or buy cheap area rugs off craigslist. Cut a living room size oriental type rug that you buy for $30 into at least 2 stands worth of carpet.