Do you think of setting up your tent on the elevated surface? This is a great idea in autumn and winter camping when there is a lot of precipitation.
Nevertheless, the elevated floors are a great idea if the camping grounds are uneven or in the backyard for a glamping experience.
With a little effort and the right material, you can make yourself nice floors that will protect you from puddles and tent tearing. I will show you how to keep your tent off the ground to have a pleasant outdoor stay.
Why should you make a portable tent platform?
A tent is usually set up on the ground. Rocks and other solid objects can make your sleeping uncomfortable due to uneven terrain.
The surface runoff can also be a nuisance and you and your belongings could get wet when you are inside the tent. There is also a possibility of tearing your tent if you place it directly on the ground.
Crawling animals could also get inside the tent. As a result, you could wake up with sores from insect bites. It is for these reasons that you should insist on a platform that will raise it from the ground.
How to create a platform for your tent?
Here you have a building guide for a tent platform that includes materials and 7 steps to do it.
Materials
To create it, you will need the following materials:
- 6 4×8 sheets of ½ inch plywood
- 10 12 feet 2x4s for the joists
- 4 8 feet 2x4s for the sides
- 4 8 feet 2x4s for the legs
- 12 6 inch strap hinges
- 9 3 inch utility hinges
- 4 3 inch butt hinges
- 10 eye bolts
- 10 U-bolts
- 10 tee nuts
- 20 wing nuts
- 20 insert nuts
- 20 1 inch washers
- 20 flathead screws
Building guide
Now that you have materials you can start will building your platform.
Step 1: Hinge the frame
Join 2 8 foot 2x4s to create a surface for the platform. Fasten the 2x4s using the heavy-duty hinge. Saw 10 2x4s to create 20 pieces. Join 2 2x4s with a strap hinge to create 10 joists for the floor.
Step 2: Build the legs
Get 10 2x4s and cut them to 10 inches and another 10 2x4s to 13 ½ inches. Join the shorter sections to the large ones with a screw to create the legs.
Join the legs to the platform with a C-Clamp and bore a hole through both of them. Hammer a tee-nut to join the two together.
Step 3: Create the floorboards
Join the sheets on the platform with the 3-inch utility hinges to form the holding panels. Use short machine screws, hex nuts, and washers to bolt the hinges in place for a stronger connection. Apply varnish to the surface.
Step 4: Laying out the frame
Lay the perimeter frame to form a triangle that measures 12 by 16 feet. Bring the corners of the 2x4s together. Ensure that the leaves of hinges interlock.
Step 5: Attach the legs
The tent platform will be held by the legs that you had created in step 2. The legs are 13 ½ inches tall. Attach each leg to the platform using an eye bolt. Get the bolts through the frame to the tee-nuts that are on the back of the legs.
Tighten the bolts with your hands. You will use these bolts to hold the tent down.
Step 6: Attach the U-bolts
The next step is to install the U-bolts. The floor joists are supported by the midspan 2×4 leg. Join the leg with a U-bolt and wing nut. Get the U-bolt into the holes using a hammer and tighten the wingnuts with your hands.
Step 7: Secure the floor
The last thing that you will have to do before you are able to use the platform is to raise your shelter off the ground to secure the floor area. Bore a hole at the top of the 2×4 frame at every screw location.
Use an Allen wrench to insert nuts into the holes. You will then have to bore A¼ inch clearance holes through the plywood. Tighten all of the 20 screws.
Have a dry and comfortable camping
The platform that I have created above is portable and this is one of its biggest selling points. As a camper, you could be changing sites often. Therefore, your platform should be portable to move around easily.
The surface where you set your tent should be level and smooth but that is not always the case. Most outdoor surfaces are uneven and create a lot of discomforts.
It is for this reason that I created this article on how to keep your tent off the ground to help you create a platform to feel secure and protected from elements.
