anyone use tent shelters?

Bought a 12 x 24 "Shelter Logic" garage type shelter from Tractor Supply. I put it up & spread 8 yards of good gravel for a base. My trouble is, now that we've gotten cold weather, as soon as the sun comes up, I get a massive amount of condinsation. I've got 2 A's, an H & a Cub in there & they are subjected to more moisture than if I just leave them outside. I've got the vents, but, the only thing I can do to avoid the problem is to leave both end doors open....anyone else have this trouble? Anyone find a solution??

Leaving both ends open is not such a bad solution if you do not mind being cold. Putting 6 mil plastic under the gravel would have helped. The moisture is comming up from the soil underneath.

I have been kicking the idea around. However, the ones I have been looking at have sides and of course, the roof. No ends. I am also considering the ones with no sides.

Interested in keeping the rain and snow off. If some snow blows in, I am not too concerned about that.

I picked up a used 12 X 20 "Round-Top" for $100. It's came with OSB sheeting to lay on the ground. No moisture problems at all here in Wisconsin. Snow and leaves get in depending on the wind but it works great for what I need it for, at least until I build my garage.

Good Luck,
Bill

LMack is correct, I would buy a roll of 6Mil visqueen (or equal) dig a trench in the gravel at one end of the shelter, about three feet wide. I would roll out the plastic, and make a roll that was the shelter width, to fit the length, and then rolled up like a carpet. Then I would place it in the trench and roll out the plastic as I dug the gravel forward burying the plastic and rolling it out as I progressed. The last of the trench gets the gravel from the beginning. Good luck, it is the issue. JimN

I get a massive amount of condinsation, is something perhaps others have missed in your post. In cold climates you get that on certian days. EVERY METAL building will do that as well. Note, I said every metal building. Real bad when you have cold nights and then warming no wind, sunny mornings. On a metal building we place very thin insulation just under the steel on the roof to make the metal temperture change real slow. Sparrows love it !!! With your type of building, a cross ventalation is a good option MOST of the time, but there will be certian days in the spring and fall that it just plain rains inside them, and equipment is better off outside. Ever notice how many machine shed doors are left open on certian days? You will notice that on windy days this condensation probably isn't so bad. Just like your windshield on windy days isn't real bad about frosting up. Turn your car heater on (Floor vent) and your windows often fog up till you turn it on defrost and blow air across... either hot or cold... with the FAN.

Anyone thinking I'm crazy? just take a chunk of dry steel and place it in your deep freeze for five hrs and then set it on your kitchen table. With ten rolls of visqueen under it if you like. It will still sweat as the warm air hits it.

A insulated and heated building is best, but we all can't afford to heat our homes, much less a machine shed. I understand how diappointing your situation can be as we travel this same road much too often in my construction job. Sorry, No cheap solution offered that I know of.

North East IA

Seems you missed the subject line....He has a tent shleter, not much more than a heavy duty canapoy on poles. Why anyone would think these are viable alternatives for a properly built shleter is beyond me, but I understand the need to have them. (Note: Im not knocking the guy, or you, one bit, but I see those things a a waste of money for storage)

Seems you missed the subject line....He has a tent shleter, not much more than a heavy duty canapoy on poles. Why anyone would think these are viable alternatives for a properly built shleter is beyond me, but I understand the need to have them. (Note: Im not knocking the guy, or you, one bit, but I see those things a a waste of money for storage)

Lmack and Jim are right on. Even in my old drafty barn, when the conditions are right, I don"t get dripping ceilings but the dirt floor is absolutely soaked wet.

we use them at work for storeing boats in the winter, we set them on 12in blocks for more heigth. Only last a couple years. Very, very little condensation good air flow. And don"t need permits to put up. Work great for are situation.