The Quest for the Mouse-proof Chicken Coop: Chapter 4 -Framing

I started out by framing up each wall panel. I ripped the 2x4s to 2x2 and used decking screws to fasten them together. The corner clamps made keeping things square a lot easier. I countersunk all the screws so they would not touch the aluminum. In reading about working with aluminum I discovered that it reacts with lots of materials. I wasn't sure exactly what materials would corrode it so I tried not to let it come in contact with anything if I could help it. I also installed nailing strips where the aluminum had to be nailed down or coop equipment was going to be mounted. The front an back walls needed to have carriage bolts installed in the ends. These fit into the side wall panels and hold the walls together. In order to keep them from being shoved inside the wall a block had to be put in to stop them from moving. Sounds easy enough just slap a block over the head of the bolt and screw it down. By the time I finished, however, I needed to block them in three different ways. (I should have realised at this point that I was going to run into a few snags.)  (To be continued)