What size storage yard do I need? Sizing by the rig you own

Most people size a storage yard by guessing, then find out on the first busy morning that they can't turn the trailer around. A better way: start with the biggest thing you own, add the room it takes to move it, then add room to work.

The short answer: measure your longest truck-and-trailer combination and add space to back in and turn. That's your floor. Then add room for everything else you'll park, stack or load, plus a little for the next truck. At Longyards Winter Haven, yards come in four sizes, from 40 x 50 ft to 100 x 100 ft, and because the rental agreement is month to month you can move up or down when the work changes.

Step 1: Measure your longest combination

Don't go by the brochure. Measure bumper to bumper: truck plus trailer, hitched, including the tongue and any ramps or gates that hang off the back. If you run more than one combination, measure the longest.

Write down the width too. Mirrors, ramps and wide attachments add more than you'd think.

Step 2: Add room to get it in and out

A yard you can't back into easily is a yard you'll hate by week two. Think about:

• Backing in or pulling through. Most yards are backed into. Leave enough depth that the whole rig clears the gate line with room to spare.

• Turning. Long trailers and goosenecks need a wide swing. If you're jockeying back and forth every morning, the yard is too small.

• Your worst day, not your best. Size for the morning when every truck and trailer is in the yard at once.

Step 3: Add room to work

If you load, unload or stage materials in the yard, it needs working space as well as parking space.

• Room to walk around every vehicle and open doors, gates and ramps

• A clear lane for a skid steer or forklift, if you use one

• Space for material stacks, pallets or a job box that doesn't block anything

• Room for a container, if you plan to add one (ask first)

Step 4: List everything else

Go through what you actually own and plan to keep there:

Things you need every day go near the gate. Things that sit for weeks go to the back.

Step 5: Plan for the next six months

If you're about to add a truck, bid a big job or bring on a crew, size for that, not for today. It's easier to start one size up than to move everything twice. And with month-to-month terms, you're not stuck if you guess high or low.

Three example setups and how to size them

These are examples of the thinking, not promises of fit. Always measure your own gear.

Solo landscaper: one pickup, one open trailer, mowers and a few pallets of stone. Measure the hitched combo and add a lane to unload mowers off the side. A small yard is often the place to start. If you back the trailer in with the pallets across the back, check you still have room to swing.

Two-truck roofing or remodeling crew: two trucks, a dump trailer, an enclosed trailer and material deliveries. Both rigs need to leave at the same time without shuffling, so size for two side-by-side lanes plus a clear stacking area. That usually points to medium or large.

Site work operator: a truck, a lowboy or equipment trailer, a skid steer, a mini-excavator and attachments. The trailer's length and the loading ramps drive everything, and you need room to walk machines on and off. Start the conversation at large, and consider XL if there's a second trailer.

Longyards Winter Haven yard sizes

Here are the four yard sizes at Longyards Winter Haven and what each is typically used for. Exact fit depends on your gear, so we'll size it with you.

Every Longyards facility offers optional power on select yards. Tell us if you need it when you reserve.

Sizes vary by facility. For Metcalfe (Ottawa area), Corpus Christi and Jacksonville, see yard sizes or call (877) 566-4927. Across all its facilities, Longyards has 180 active yards, 207 in progress.

Common sizing mistakes

• Forgetting the tongue and ramps. A "20-foot" trailer is longer than 20 feet once it's hitched and the ramps are down.

• Sizing for parking, not working. If you load on site, you need a lane, not just a space.

• Stacking materials in the turning area. Every pallet in the swing path costs you a three-point turn.

• Planning around one vehicle. The second truck always arrives sooner than expected.

• Skipping the walk-through. Standing in the yard with your measurements beats any chart. Book a viewing before you commit.

Still not sure?

Send us what you're parking: your longest combo, your machines and anything you stack. We'll recommend a size. You can also read the general guide to yard sizes on longyards.com, or see how renting a yard works.

Get the right size the first time. Reserve a yard at Longyards or call (813) 737-0713 for Winter Haven. Pick "Not sure yet" on the form and we'll size it with you. For Ottawa, Corpus Christi or Jacksonville, call (877) 566-4927.

FAQ

What are the exact yard dimensions at Longyards?

At Longyards Winter Haven, yards are 40 x 50, 50 x 60, 50 x 100 and 100 x 100 ft. Dimensions vary by facility, so ask for the current list where you want to rent.

Can I change yard size later?

Yes. Longyards yards are month to month, so you can move up or down a size as the work changes, subject to availability.

What fits in a small yard?

A small yard typically holds a work truck plus a trailer, or a tidy stack of equipment and materials. Measure your longest combination and we'll confirm the fit.

Is power available in the yards?

Yes. Every Longyards facility offers optional power on select yards. Tell us you need it when you reserve and we'll line up the right yard.