Build A Portable Ice Shelter
This is a project that was created out of necessity years ago when times were financially lean and prices for manufactured portable icefishing shelters were out of the question. With these same financial times affecting a large majority of our outdoor enthusiasts, I thought it would be a great time to revise an old article with some in-depth steps for building your own portable icefishing shelter. This project can be finished for under $50 using 1/2″ plywood and a 10′ x 16′ blue utility tarp. This price estimate includes the need to buy hinges and 2×2’s. The project would acquire more cost with the optional paint and addition of a Plexiglas window. All in all the building process of this portable shelter can really make for a fun project for the kids to also get involved. And, although you can easily build this yourself, and extra set of hands, albeit small, really come in handy when taking final measurements for the support extensions.
Keep in mind that even though this shelter was created with the icefisherman in mind, with two small alterations, substituting the blue tarp for camo netting and the obvious need for a window, you can turn this shelter into a portable hunting blind. I should also note that the portable shelter we made used all of the options. We chose a black tarp and black paint for the walls to soak up as much sun as possible. Attached to one end of our shelter were a pair of old skis that allowed us to tow the shelter easily across the ice and snow while allowing for space to bungee strap our gear onto during the travel. We also included the optional Plexiglas window and, I must confess, this worked great. On our first fishing trip onto the ice we had several visitors stop by and ask for instructions to build their own. No instructions were really needed. You could take one look at the shelter we built and go home and make one from memory. It’s really that simple. It wasn’t long afterwards we began seeing similar shelters all over the ice.
First of all here’s a quick visual reference for the final project. Think in terms of a covered wagon. The cover for the wagon would be your tarp and the openings on each end would be your basic shape for your plywood walls.
Items Required To Build A Portable Ice Shelter
Raw Materials:
2 – 4′ x 8′ sheets of 1/2″ plywood
2 – 2″ x 2″ x 8′ boards. You can rip a 2 x 4 in half for this if desired.
1 – Utility tarp preferably 10′ x 16′ in size
2 – Hinges
1 – Door handle
screws
staples
Tools:
Jig saw
Tape measure
Staple gun
Drill for optional ventilation holes
Other Options:
Paint to help protect the surface of plywood
Plexiglas to create windows
Skis to allow for easier transport
This project should take about 2 hours for the basic model with no additions.We rated the skill level as 3 stars simply because power tools are involved. If you were to include the optional doorway window and skis we would suggest adding another hour to the project. If you plan to paint your shelter also add another hour or more depending on drying time in between coats of paint.
Let’s Get Started!
Lay your first sheet of plywood across two sawhorses. We figured on a 6 foot tall center for our shelter so I will also use those measurements in this article.
The easiest way to make a nice arch for the top of the shelter is through the simple act of using a pencil on a string. Confused? No problem. First find the center of your plywood from the 4 foot end. Make a mark at two feet. Now move 6 feet higher on the sheet of plywood and make that same 2 foot center mark. This will be the very top of your arch measurement. Now, grab a pencil and tie a length of string to one end. The length of the string will determine the curve to your arch. A shorter string will create more of a curve and a longer string a less curve. This is your choice of preference but we recommend making the travel of the arch pronounced enough that snow will not be able to collect on the roof.
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I have a purchased portable ice shanty which works just fine but I gave this project a try anyway. And you’re right. it sounds more complicated than it is. This was simple and took very little time. AND – this shelter holds up to the wind much better than my purchased shanty. I mounted skis on the wall as suggested so i only need to strap all my gear on the shelter and drag it out on the ice behind the 4 wheeler. I spent less than $50 to make this portable shelter and couldnt be happier. THANK YOU!