Floor for outside coal bin???

I was going to have coal delivered by having 2 ton dropped in my back yard. It will be dumped over a fence. The coal can't be chuted into my basement, my porch is in the way. Can't get enough pitch for it to flow. I don't want it directly dumped onto the ground. What would be an inexpensive floor(tarp maybe) to dump it on. I would be putting 3/4" plywood for the sides to contain the coal. Thanks!!!

I guess I'd just buy a blue tarp & dump onto that. You'll be glad you didn't just dump it on the grass as you'd lose some to the Earth, or spend hours picking it out. Two ton will cover an area 8' by 10' if one foot deep.

What size coal, how wide is the porch and I'm assuming there is access to window under the porch?

If you're getting it delivered via a regular high lift coal truck you may be surprised, one of the benefits of regular coal truck is you get velocity on the coal because you can raise it way up. If it's a short distance under the porch like 4 or 5 feet and they can get even a little pitch on a chute laying flat you can put the main chute coming off the truck onto the chute laying flat if that makes any sense. If you post some pics I could probably tell you if it will work or not.

Another option is to cut a trap door in the porch.

Other than that a tarp is fine.

If you are allready buying plywood, why not buy one more sheet? It would help hold the bin together on the bottom Scott

I concurr, it will be a pain trying to shovel the coal up off a tarp and you'll ruin it. Better to use the tarp for just a cover and it will last for years.

Depends, tarps a pain to shovel off of the bottom but if dig into the pile itself you can lift it up as you're going keeping it all in nice neat pile. Personally if I was going to put it on tarp 2 tons is not enough to worry about making any sides.

I would agree that if delivered in a high lift it would probobly work. I don't know where your from, but if your not in coal country its unlikely to be delivered in one of these. Found a pic of on on ebay so you can see what were talking about in case you have never seen one. I never saw one until joining this forum. Obviously I'm not in coal country.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HighLift-coal-dump-Truck-1978-Loadstar-1750_W0QQitemZ190230541610QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190230541610&

I hope the link works, I have never used it on here before!

Richard,

I didn't think about it when I posted the link. I'm not trying to advertise anything was merely putting the link on there so they could see the pic. If you have an issue with it, you can remove the post or if you would like I could remove the link.

Just trying to be helpful, if your coal supplier doesn't have high lift obviously its not an option. The one you posted is quite small BTW.

I was thinking the coal was only going to be outside long enough to wheel barrow it to the inside bin.

I just moved a small amount off a blue tarp & it wasn't so bad. Go easy with the shovel and then lift the tarp to make a new little pile. For sure you could puncture the tarp if you weren't careful.

that truck only holds 3 ton? most people who get coal , usally get 4 or 5 tons for the season , no. seams like a useless truck.

Well Ken that lift by the looks of it is probably 50 or 60 years old. 1 and 2 ton deliveries many years ago were quite common. Back then if a coal dealer travelled more than a few miles he was going far. If you're not going too far you could deliver almost as fast with a smaller truck. Even today 2 ton deliveries locally make up a lot of business or one ton for dealers that will provide it, most trucks are 4/5 tons. I had few 1 "toners" myself but those people would call well in advance. Worked out for me because I'd fit it into split load when I had room for it.