Coal Bin Pictures and Designs

Sketch of my in-garage coal bin: approx. 1.2 tons pea coal.

Sketch of knife valve which allows gravity feed of coal into scuttle. NO MORE SHOVELING!! At least until coal is 2/3 gone.

JerseyCoal wrote:Sketch of knife valve which allows gravity feed of coal into scuttle.

So that's a scuttle... see you learn something new every day here.

25 years ago, I called it a COAL HOD When I bought the new one last year, the merchant called it a COAL SCUTTLE. Either way, it carries the coal.

very nice, should probably post that in the "how-to" forum as well.

Ok I started with a idea of putting a shed next to my garage. Maybe 6'x6'
Well it grew to 12.5' x 6'. All the block was free, my Step Dad had a few laying around his farm. We dug the footer and paid a guy to lay five courses of block than a 4" cement floor. Before the floor was put in we threw a lot of junk, stone to build up the inside to four inches below the top of the block. I finally ordered 20 ton of crusher waste and filled leveled off the floor and used the rest of the stone for my driveway. Than my step Dad and I put up the walls, roof and a door. Its a little overkill but I have room for coal an some extra storage.
Total cost about $1100.00 including 300.00 labor to do the block and floor .
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I would like to see more coal bin pictures and designs. I am getting ready to build a bin in my basement and want to make sure I get all the good ideas. Thanks

Yesterday was a good day to build my bin for my 1st upcoming season of coal burning.

Its an 8'x8' all around and 4 feet high. Used six 4'x8' panels eight 2x4's and five 4"x4"x8' beams for floor support. Used all treated lumber.

The "door way" will have three vertical sliding panels, Each panel will be a foot tall with a handle attached. As the coal goes down, I'll remove the top panel until the coal goes down enough to remove all three panels. Then I'll be able to work my way inward.

Transport from by bin to my house will be a 2 wheeled, wheel barrel. I'll be filling my coal bucket from the wheel barrel for stove loading.

Now all I need is the coal

Rex wrote:Yesterday was a good day to build my bin for my 1st upcoming season of coal burning.

Its an 8'x8' all around and 4 feet high. Used six 4'x8' panels eight 2x4's and five 4"x4"x8' beams for floor support. Used all treated lumber.

I am certainly no expert on designing coal bins but from the picture I would be concerned that the lateral forces from the coal will push the walls out at the top because there is no connection at the top of the bin. I would think the problem would be particularly acute on the side with the doorway.

Bob wrote:

Rex wrote:Yesterday was a good day to build my bin for my 1st upcoming season of coal burning.

Its an 8'x8' all around and 4 feet high. Used six 4'x8' panels eight 2x4's and five 4"x4"x8' beams for floor support. Used all treated lumber.

I am certainly no expert on designing coal bins but from the picture I would be concerned that the lateral forces from the coal will push the walls out at the top because there is no connection at the top of the bin. I would think the problem would be particularly acute on the side with the doorway.

I have taken this in consideration. The top corners are connected with galvanized L straps and all 2x4's have 3" galvanized angle connections at the bottom. I doubt the coal bin will be 100% "topped" off but even at 90% full, the weight distribution will be equal on all side. All the sides pull on each other as weight is applied outward. As I pull coal out from the front, I anticipate the coal to slowly come forward because of gravity, thus taking weight off all sides equally. The doorway is not finished and will have some extra work yet to come.

Thanks for the comment.

Nice bin, I would add a 2x4 across the top on all 4 sides, for the extra $10 it is good insurance.

I would recommend glueing and screwing that perimeter 2x4 to the plywood. You won't believe the side-loads that coal puts on it's enclosure.

You are better off over-building it now rather than having the sides blow out and dump your coal on the ground.

Hope this helps, Greg L

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LsFarm wrote:I would recommend glueing and screwing that perimeter 2x4 to the plywood. You won't believe the side-loads that coal puts on it's enclosure.

You are better off over-building it now rather than having the sides blow out and dump your coal on the ground.

Hope this helps, Greg L

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Thanks Greg,

All 2x4's are fastened with four 3" screws and eight galvanized 1 1/2 nails fastened to angle connectors (not shown in picture).

I can stand anyplace inside the bin and push with all my power outward with very little outward movement. Keep in mind when doing this, this is a single point of force where as a fully loaded bin filled with coal will distribute load on all four sides. All four corners pull onto each other when force is applied outward. I could install L brackets in the middle of my outer corners making corners a bit stronger. Connecting the middle 2x4 with the corners is a possibility.

Again thanks for the tips.

Just remember as you start to use the coal, at some point you will not have equal force on all four sides. I think also you may want to add something in the middle of the corners, I think it is going to bow a little and you may be some leakage. Just my 2 cents.

As far as the forces go on the top every coal bin that I have ever seen break has always broken on the bottom, probably due to rotting more than anything. Having said that I would add some 2x4's to the top or near the top of that bin. You need at least one some support or it's going to bow out, the plywood itself is not enough even if you fill half wa. Get a couple of eyehooks and cheap ratchet straps to go from one side to the other inside the bin, two or three will be more than enough. You can use cable too but the ratchet straps are really easy to remove.

Consider this, you can fit about 6 tons plus in that bin. that's 12,000 pounds or approximately 4 mid size cars. Most of the weight is transferred directly to the ground but you till have a large amount of force pushing out.