# Building a Deerblind - Need your Ideas



## seeing reds (May 17, 2005)

I am building a 4X6 box blind to go ontop of about a 8' stand.

Here is what I am thinking. 

I was going to run 4 - 8 foot pieces of 1 5/8" galvanized unistrut across the bottom. Attaching 1/2" plywood for the floor. 

The additional ~ 2' would be covered with expanded metal for a small porch. To make it easier to climb into.

I need to keep it as light as possible to keep it easy to lift up.

Considering using 2X2s as opposed to 2X4s...

I was thinking of using a tin roof...

Any other suggestions. Things you wish you would have done on your blind if you had thought of it at the time...

Your ideas are greatly appreciated. I want to build it right and once!

Thanks!


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## onyourlimit (Jun 30, 2006)

I prefab mine. I build the floor, sides and roof at home. Take it to the lease and screw it all together where I want to set it up. I use 2x2's by the way to keep the weight down.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

seeing reds said:


> I am building a 4X6 box blind to go ontop of about a 8' stand.
> 
> Here is what I am thinking.
> 
> ...


I split the difference and used 2x3's. Extremely sturdy - Still a little on the heavy side but durability is not compromised.

These have tin roofs as well. Buy plenty of Great Stuff foam insulation and hit every joint from the inside to minimize critter / moisture entry.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

As posted above use 2X2's and build all at home from the floor to roof. Assemble it where ever you want. I do mine on top of a base about 10 to 12 feet in the air. Base, sides, and roof all separate. Secure your base to whatever and then began to put the sides up by screwing them down to the base and also to one another. Leave one side open and install roof and last install the last side and your done. They last many years as long as you keep them painted. 3/8 plywood for sides screwed and glued to the 2X2's All for a little over $100 bucks. Tin roof is the best and you could spend some money finding that priced right.

Charlie


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## KIKO (Oct 24, 2006)

Need plywood? save $ see classifieds at hunting stuff.

Kiko


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Find a nice chair(s) right now and start working on them. Check for squeaks when sitting swiveling and rolling. Believe me, there is nothing louder than a chair that sounds like a cat fight at early dark:30 opening morning. Also find some scrap carpet. Commercial type lo-pile is better. Easier to roll the chair(s) on. Glue some up the walls also . It's a great sound deadener and you will thank yourself later. No feet sliding noises, no "thunnkk!!!" noises when your favorite venison blaster slides over to the corner of the stand from where you had it by your side. While your busy glassing Mr. Muy Grande coming over the hilltop, little Miss Muy Grandette won't bust you before he get's there. Good luck







,,,Jim


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

onyourlimit said:


> I prefab mine. I build the floor, sides and roof at home. Take it to the lease and screw it all together where I want to set it up. I use 2x2's by the way to keep the weight down.


Right on all accounts. Buy a battery power screwgun/drill. Worth every penny. Use deck screws for final assembly at deer lease.

Plus , as a Realtor I'll add....LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION!!


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

I have built many deer blinds.....4x4 and 4x6.
Last year I built two 5x5 deer blinds.
I couldnt believe how much more leg room there was (is).
No more 4x6 blinds for me.
It was a little different with the odd number but still worked out fine on material.
All framed in 2x2 except for the floor. 2x6's there.
And screws is the only way to go as well. 
Quit using nails many blinds ago.....


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## sharkbait-tx70 (Jun 28, 2009)

I also build and have built a mess of blinds prefabbing at home and putting together at your hunting place if it is up hi is the only way to go unless you have means of lifting there,ie tractor with forks...I take it one step farther i build all my blind out of 1 1/5'' metal studs they cost a little more but I have some blinds that were built almost 15 yrs ago and besides being a lil faded they are still solid...All the guys I hunt with replace their wood blinds every three to four yrs and mine are still air and water tight. Oh buy the way the meyal studs weigh a quater of what the wood framing does and last alot longer...


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

Slant the roof two inches so water drains off easy. I like to make the door in the 6 foot side and also this side 2 inches taller. That way a standard 6 foot piece of metal roof will extend one foot past the walls giving a nice overhang to help keep rain away from windows.


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## seeing reds (May 17, 2005)

*Great Ideas so far*

Thanks for the input so far. What do yall think about these windows?

http://www.boedeker.com/ezglide.htm

Someone else posted info about them recently.


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## Texas Roach (May 29, 2009)

Redfisher is right, I built a 5x5 a couple years back and I love it! It sits two people great and has tons of leg room. I made mine 7ft tall with about a two inch slope on the roof, this made plenty of room for a 6ft tall door (which is a must) and I put shelving up top to keep stuff off the floor and out of my way (water, propane heater, toilet paper, magazines, ect..). The carpet on the walls really helps on the noise, and I also tinted my windows. -Roach


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## Texas Roach (May 29, 2009)

If you end up building an air tight blind usually the most common place critters get in is around windows and doors. Buy about 4 stanley bar latches from home depot they are really cheap. Space them evenly around the top bottom and side of your door they will keep it pulled snug. They might look cheesy and take a little time opening in the dark but I promise they work just make sure you shoot a little primer over them once you install them and they will last forever.


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## seeing reds (May 17, 2005)

*5X5*

So if you build it 5X5 dont you end up scabbing every wall together?


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## Texas Roach (May 29, 2009)

You will only need one more piece of plywood cut into 1ft pieces, if you frame it out of 2x2's all you need to do is turn one 2x4 sideways where you will seam the two pieces of plywood (this gives you plenty on room to screw to) then just caulk the vertical seam from the outside. I built mine that way and have no problems with the seam.


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## TUNNEL HAND (Aug 5, 2009)

*HARDI-PLANK*

We have a lot of problems in McMullen County with Woodpeckers pecking holes in our plywood stands. This year I build a 4x4 stand using 2x2's and hardi-plank siding. Its a heavy sucker but the woodpeckers are in for a heck of a surprise.:spineyes:
T-Hand


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## Jock Ewing (Mar 26, 2006)

Lessons I have learned from building a few blinds:

Buy screws that have the square inside the phillips head. It won't slip or strip. The kind I buy comes with the attachment for your drill.

Invest in a lithium ion drill. Much more power. Recharges quickly. Runs at full speed until the battery goes out.

2x2's is the way to go. Buy treated 2x2's -- Lowes usually has them while Home Depot near me only has non-treated. They are straighter and won't crack as much. Also, never put a screw within 2 inches of the end of a 2x2 as it is pretty likely to crack. they cost an extra dollar, but it is worth it for the treated ones.

I build mine at home modular style so I can put it together on a 10 or 12 foot platform (like Charlie stated). I build platforms using an 8 foot piece of 3/4" plywood and use the Shadow Hunter blind elevators (around $60 on Sportsmansguide.com) to attach the 4x4 legs to the base. I use 5 pieces of 2x4 under the 3/4 plywood floor -- I want it strong and the extra weight does not matter so much when raising the platform.

I use a tin roof braced with 2x2's. Buy self tapping screws with the rubber gasket to screw the tin to the 2x2's.

I just use wood windows -- the wood cut out for the window is my window. Then, I cut out about a 10 inch wide by 6" wide piece from the window cutout and take a piece of plexi glass that is slightly bigger than the cutout and screw it to the wood window. It works well and is easy. 

I like my windows to fold up on the inside of the blind when raised.

I am adding a shooting bench below the front window in each of my blinds. Basically, I am taking a piece of 2x11 and screwing it to the 2x2 braces on the inside of the side walls at the level of the window. That will help provide a sturdier shooting platform and is a nice place to rest/steady your arms while holding binoculars. One added benefit is that I bought a small tripod for my video camera. I can put it on the rail instead of schlepping my large tripod. Also is a nice place to put binocs, spotting scope, video camera, sandbags for shooting, etc.

I buy an auger with double disks to tie the blind down. The ones I buy have two slotted bolts where you slide in galvanized steel strapping. I run the strapping over the middle 2x4 under the floor and through the bolts. Then you tighten the bolts with a ratchet. This is an awesome (and inexpensive way) to anchor a blind. I prefer it over cable as it is easier to install and, unlike cable, the galvanized strap does not stretch.

One other thing I do that makes my blinds rock solid is run 2x4 legs off the 4x4's. On each side of the base I take two 8 to 12 foot 2x4's, lay them on their side, and screw them through the side into the 4x4. So you have two legs running perpendicular to the 4x4 on the ground (and you take another 8 foot 2x4 and use it as bracing -- a 45 degree angle from the middle of your 4x4 leg to the 2x4 leg running on the ground). 2 on each side equals 8 legs total and it makes the blind very sturdy. 

Put the blind together on the base at home (don't need to raise the base with 4x4's). This ensures that everything fits. Much easier to fix at home at your leisure than at the lease when you have a 100 things to do.

Paint all the wood before you cut. It's so easy to lay out your plywood and paint it on the ground with a roller. Just takes seconds.

I cut my windows with a circular saw using the plunge method (you pull back the guard and plunge the saw into the window pattern).

Buy one of those 4 foot framing rulers. The ones that are shaped like an L. The have a lip on them so when you are drawing your cut lines it will be level if you keep the lip flush. Makes it so much easier.

Wear eye and ear protection when using the saw.

If you have a buddy with a miter/chop saw, borrow it. It makes cutting the 2x2's and 2x4's short work.

You can make your cuts with the saw (windows and other cuts) on more than one sheet at a time. Screw the boards together so that they are flush. My last blind was a 4x4 blind built out of 3/16 inch Eucaboard (which is a test for me -- will see how it holds up -- it is nice and light). In a 4x4 blind 3 of the walls are identical. So I screwed the three together and knocked out three birds with one stone. With 7/16 plywood or OSB, I would probably only do 2 at a time.

Watch your window height. Between 36 and 40 inches is about right. I use old office chairs in my blinds so different sized people can hunt comfortably by adjusting the chairs.

I am also going to install some sort of drapes in all my blinds. I saw that at some blinds at the hunting show and it looks easy to do. Good way to kill the silhouette.

Just some random stuff that I have learned from building my own blinds. I can tell you I sure butchered the first one. It was a double blind that was not built to come apart and framed with 2x4's. I bet I spent 10x the man hours on that thing than it takes me now. And boy was it heavy.


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## durbin64 (Dec 11, 2007)

just get your dad to do because you know he is just going to take the project over anyhow................make sure you leave a hole in the bottom so I can spit my chaw through it or else you will have a mess on the floor of your blind........deer love the smell of fresh spit


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## seeing reds (May 17, 2005)

Jock Ewing said:


> Lessons I have learned from building a few blinds:
> 
> Buy screws that have the square inside the phillips head. It won't slip or strip. The kind I buy comes with the attachment for your drill.
> 
> ...


Great Info Jock! It is coming together in my mind! Heck i even see myself sitting in there...


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## Sometimer (Nov 2, 2006)

There ain't much to add, except when I built one a few years ago, I bought the 8 ft long metal roofing, cut 2 ft off of the length, and added awnings over each window. It sure helps keep the sun out of your eyes! With the 6 ft pieces that are left, you run them length-wise across the 4 ft width and you still have 1 ft of over-hang on each side.
Now mind you, I only built mine on my own land, so they were built permanently. 16 ft 4 X 4's in the ground, porch, etc. I cross-braced the 4 X 4's with 2 X 4's for stability, as was mentioned, then built the platform deck. Then, instead of a ladder, I built stairs which made it much easier for two people to carry the walls up. Before I made any of the walls, I took the chair I knew I'd be using up to the deck with a tape measure and measured about how high I'd want the bottom of the windows. I hate shooting out of windows that are too high or too low. That's how you get "idiot rings". I used Lexan for the windows. It can be drilled or machined, so I could just mount the hinges and latches directly onto it. Oh, and the awnings help keep the sun off of the windows, making them last longer, too.


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## Jock Ewing (Mar 26, 2006)

Also, when you set up your base, make sure you spend the extra few minutes it takes to level it out. Use one of those long levels. If the base is level, then everything will fit much easier.

You can use a shovel to move the dirt under the legs as needed to get it level.


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## Jock Ewing (Mar 26, 2006)

Yes, you definitely want to cross brace the 4x4's. I use 2x4's for this since they are cheap.

Also, I leave the floor/base 4x8 so I can have a nice porch (porch will be 4 feet for a single blind and 2 feet for a standard 6' wide double blind)

One more thing, I am not a fan of 8 foot wide blinds if you choose to go with a double. Six is plenty wide. I typically sit in the stand alone (we have so many spots we need all guns hunting or videoing) and an 8' wide blind is harder for me to hunt out of. I really prefer a 4' wide single. But a 6' wide double is not hard to hunt out of when you're hunting alone.


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## sea ray (Mar 15, 2006)

Just a suggestion for the floor on a tower stand, I like to use 2X12 s for floor as they can be raised one at a time and make a solid base to screw wall sections to . They can be covered with scrap carpet for warmth and quiteness.


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