How To Move A Shed With A Tractor

Dismantling a shed is a difficult and time-consuming process that doesn’t always go well. Losing small screws and nails in your yard that you may step on later is only one of many reasons this is a sub-par idea.

Damaged wood and bent metal are virtually always an issue. Plus, you’ll still have to reassemble it later. I will show you how to move a shed in one piece with a tractor.

How To Move A Small Shed With A Tractor

Before you can begin moving a shed with a tractor, there are things you need to do to prepare it for the actual move.

This is not a one-person job. You will need extra hands for some steps. I’ve provided an easy list of steps below, so you don’t miss anything crucial.

Before You Move Anything

First, ensure that your tractor is in good operating condition, check for gas, working brakes, and decent tires. If you’ve hired a professional driver, you can leave this to them.

You will also need to clear the path that the tractor will take, removing any obstructions, including large rocks. This will help you get the shed there in one piece.

To move your shed with a tractor, you will need; two helpers, a shovel, wood for bracing the shed, sturdy rope, a hammer, and some nails.

You may also want some cardboard, duct tape, and moving blankets if you can’t remove glass windows. Follow the steps below to get your small shed moved.

1. Find and Prepare a Location

Hopefully, you’ve already made a place to set up your shed. Clearing and leveling the land is essential for a clean move.

If you set your shed at a bad angle, it will damage the walls and roof. In many cases, you will also need to pour a concrete slab.

Ensure that there is enough time for the slab to dry if this is the case for you.

2. Clean Out the Shed

Remove anything inside of your shed to a temporary storage area. Since the move will be quick with a tractor, and you don’t have to worry about reassembly, you’ll likely be able o put things back inside it the same day.

Still, depending on where you live, what you store, and the weather, you may need to set up an area away from sources of moisture.

3. Disconnect the Power

If your shed was connected to electricity, you also need to disconnect the power lines. I recommend having a professional handle electrical issues.

Likewise, you may need to run a new line to the sot you plan to place the shed. While you’re at it, check for any overhead powerlines or trees that might get in the way of the shed.

4. Braces Prevent Damage

You can’t ‘just drag’ a shed around the yard. First, attach wooden braces to the studs. If you can remove glass windows, do so now and set them aside.

If you were unable to remove windows, use cardboard and moving blankets to brace them. Shifting the building will crack the glass if the walls shift too much.

Even careful drivers can hit a rock and bump the building around, shattering windows.

Finally, place cross braces in the windows and doorway. Always do the door last and from the outside. It may seem too obvious to mention, but it happens all the time, like painting or mopping yourself into a corner.

As Secrets of Shed Building points out, taking the time to brace your shed for a move will save you a lot of potential damage and help keep the frame square.

5. Lift One Side

You will need at least two strong assistants to help you with this part. Pass some webbing or a rope beneath your shed and lift one side.

With two people holding it up, you can check below to verify that the underside of your shed is in good condition. Stop and brace the floor or make repairs as necessary.

6. Lift

This step is fairly straightforward. you need to make space for the tractor’s forks to slide under the shed. You can use jacks or have your assistants lift. The process is not difficult, but you generally need three people.

7. Time to Move

You can now lift and move the shed to its new location. Take your time for this step. You don’t want the shed to fall off the forks, nor do you want to have a last-minute whoopsie because you got excited and dropped it too hard.

How To Move A Large Shed With A Tractor

Moving a large shed with a tractor is a little bit different. You can’t just pick up the whole shed, so that you will need all the supplies listed above, plus jacks, rollers, and sturdy cables instead of rope.

Additionally, you may want to attach temporary skis to the bottom of your larger shed to help it roll smoothly, but that step is optional.

A long, solid board at least an inch thick is your best option if you make the skis.

Differences When Moving A Large Shed

The initial steps are the same. Prepare your machine, your new location, path, and shed for the move.

Next, remove anything inside, disconnect electricity, remove the windows, and use bracers to stabilize the shed. The difference begins when you lift the shed.

1. Use Jacks To Lift

You will need to place a solid block on each side of the shed to go under the jacks and then lever it up several inches.

Remember to work evenly with a friend to ensure you don’t put too much stress on the shed. Larger, heavier sheds aren’t something you can lever up with a buddy and slip a rope under.

As the Daily Mail shows us, it is technically possible to lift a large shed or barn using only humans, but it’s going to take a lot more people. Your jacks and tractor are much faster and more efficient.

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2. Inspect and Add Optional Skis

You always want to take a close look at the underside of your shed before you move it. Regrettably, damage like rotting boards can weaken the overall structural integrity, and it’s crucial to fix damage before you move the shed.

If you plan to attach skis for easier movement, do so after you inspect and repair.

Lever one side at a time, and nail these long, temporary pieces of wood to the bottom, ensuring that you set them straight from the front to the back or side to side depending on which direction you’re moving.

If you angle the skis in or out instead of exactly perpendicular, they will make it harder to roll your shed smoothly.

3. Time to Roll

Place long rollers under the shed and in front of it every few feet. Space them so the shed can move smoothly from one to the next without hitting the ground.

You have to stop when rollers are too far apart, jack up the entire shed, and set rollers under it again.

You don’t need very many rollers to be successful; four to six should do as long as they are wider than your shed.

As the shed rolls off the one at the rear, you will move it to the front so you can move your shed like the ancient Egyptians moved massive multi-to quarried stones.

Secure your cables around the shed. Always double-check your knots, cinches, and cables to avoid breakage. When cables are pulled taut, a snap can crack like a massive whip as the energy is released.

Attach the other end of your cables to the tractor and very slowly pull the shed along on the rollers. You can avoid accidents when you take your time, and your shed will be in its new home shortly.

Then you can replace the windows, remove the braces, connect the electric back up and put things inside the shed again.

Helpful Tips To Know About Moving A Shed With A Tractor

Moving a shed with a tractor doesn’t need to be a headache. Like any large piece of equipment designed to handle the serious weight, you can easily apply the machine’s strength to other tasks like pulling.

Here are more helpful tips to know about moving a shed with a tractor.

• Some people suggest pushing instead of pulling, but this will result in the tractor fighting the rollers for space at the rear of the shed. You want each roller to come out in turn so you can move it to the front of the row and keep moving.

• You need to clear obstacles and flatten out the path for your tractor and shed as much as possible. However, in a pinch, you can set down long, large boards overlapping one another for the rollers to use like an unsecured train track. This method will help you over uneven ground or small dips in the path.

• Know when to stop. If something doesn’t seem right, or you hear boards cracking instead of creaking, it’s time to stop. Take the time to figure out what has gone wrong and adjust. Add braces if necessary. Losing an expensive shed because you were impatient is just a waste.

Final Thoughts

Moving both large and small sheds with your tractor is possible. However, it’s not as simple as lifting it and rolling away. You need to prepare the new site and path first.

Even a little shed is going to need to be emptied, disconnected from electricity, and braced. It’s important to get the windows out if at all possible because the glass is likely to crack or shatter in transit.

With good planning and a couple of friends or assistants, you can accomplish a shed move with your tractor in a day.