Building a shed!

[clivvy]

yup, me and the other half are starting stage one of our new shed-build this week. a brief description of current layout is that we have an existing garage pointing towards the back of the house, decking to the right side up to the old shed. we are taking the old shed down, and building a new one up to the garage, to form an L shaped unit, so it will look like one building.

the plan is to build an apex roof that MEETS the garage apex roof, rather like a barn type building, with guttering runing all the way round to a water container.

initially we need a load of timber frame wood, needs to be cheap and approx 4x3cm
want to avoid B&Q and Wickes if possible, but hoping for some hints and tips for places to buy the timber from!

any ideas??

[zippy656]

look in yellow pages for a timber mill / yard.. buy direct..

also collect yourself if posable.

[clivvy]

right ill do that, managed to find what looks like a big one down near where i work, only issue i have then, is length of wood. cant fit very long peices in the Maverick, but can in the Mazda but only so much at a time.

I found another place too and they deliver but im not sure of prices yet so will pop in there on my way home from work tomorrow for a price up...

[zippy656]

you got a tow bar and a mate with a tailer you could use for a few weeks...

maybe a trailer hire center local..

get then to say delivery INC. always worth it, before they got time to add £40 for del..

remember if you got a trailer you can get rid of the rubish when you take it back..

tip use decking screws and nails.. dont rust ( shed will stay up longer )

[Deleted account DD]

Clive, If you have one near you try Doves :thumbs

We've had (literally) tons of stuff from from them over the last year and even from the word go their prices hammered everyone else's.

The one near us in a stones throw from B&Q as well as other merchants so theres some fierce competition. Effectively unlike some of the others who'll give you minimum discount Doves seem to pitch in at any level that will get a sale and not make a loss.

The last purchase from there was stone for the patio and by the time we'd come to a mutually acceptable price , even with the £25 delivery inc it undercut every other place we'd tried (and we're both pretty good at haggling :augie )

Beauty of them delivering of course is the ease of it but also any damage en route and at the point of delivery to goods and 3rd party stuff is their responsibility until youve signed :thumb2

I suspect on some of our deliveries of wood the profit for them was buoyed up by the delivery charge :nenau dont know but at the end of the day what we got for our money was excellent :thumb2

[(RIP) PLANK]

there are a few timber yards near me that i get good discounts fomr but that's not much use to you! my advice haggle! if you are buying a lot of he same size wood this is easy. Just get the cheapest quote and ask the nearest supplier to match it. but 4 x 3 cm doesnt sound very strong for the frame of a shed mate! I would suggest 5 cm by 5cm so you have a good 2 inch cavity for adding insulation at later date if requires. Plus the thicker wood will allow a little for 'snow load' as will getting the pitch of the roof right! If you can afford the extra get pressure treated wood as it will last virtualy for ever.

and a golden rule for shed building 'triangulate' don't forget all the cross braces on the corners etc. to make sure it holds it shape over the years :thumbs

[clivvy]

Daved, thanks for that, ill search for Doves, good point about haggling, im not a great haggler but ill try my best!

Plank, thanks for the tips, I said to the other half i didnt think 4x3 was big enough so ill go for 5x5, and use bigger for any load bearing bits such as door frame, window frame and all four corners. we build an extension and roof onto our garage, and did what you said about the apex roof and reinforcement, so we will repeat the same procedure as the roof has been spot on for about 6 years now, taken ever snow load and held up well againts the heat, great tips guys i REALLY appreciate it!!

im reight looking forward to building the shed, think ill keep a diary for you guys with pics!

[zippy656]

see what you get for your £10...

also not of the stupid " off topic" you get on some 4x4 websites!

[clivvy]

i know Zippy, its great here. i mean to be honest, this post is only really as a chin wag type of thing, not expecting anything from anyone but it just goes to show that folk are interested, and happy to help, its brill.

oh, thanks for the idea about the trailer, i think ill have a look to see how much it is to hire one when we come to the construction side of things...

i found an online website for "Doves" http://www.jtdove.co.uk/

not sure its the same place Daved has mentioned but im browsing now for some prices...

[(RIP) PLANK]

you could allways look for a cheap trailer on ebay

and i know it sounds daft but the best deal on screws i have found is trade packs from screwfix! If you use twin threaded screw they go straight in with no pilot holes, and using a cordless drill it's as quick as hamering a nail, plus you can get then out again for any alterations or repairs and they don't pull out of the wood and come loose.

I wish i was close enough to help :thumbs

[clivvy]

you could allways look for a cheap trailer on ebay

and i know it sounds daft but the best deal on screws i have found is trade packs from screwfix! If you use twin threaded screw they go straight in with no pilot holes, and using a cordless drill it's as quick as hamering a nail, plus you can get then out again for any alterations or repairs and they don't pull out of the wood and come loose.

I wish i was close enough to help :thumbs

hey, good point. i was just out emptying the shed, and found my pack of decking screws and that reminded me...need screws! there is a screwfix on Leeds Road where i work, ill check out the trade packs..! :thumbs

[Deleted account DD]

i found an online website for "Doves" http://www.jtdove.co.uk/



it is but the on line prices are well negotiable. Youre looking to use the managers discretion after a blast from your communication skills putting the case :thumb2

Or in the best traditions 'Aggle mate :thumb2

Having said that, in all seriousness they were actually very approachable and helpful.

[Deleted account DD]

If you use twin threaded screw they go straight in with no pilot holes, and using a cordless drill it's as quick as hamering a nail,

I'll second that, they are brill used them a few times :thumb2

[clivvy]

twin thread sounds good to me, i dont think ive used them before so nows the time to try!

[jims-terrano]

Earnshaws Timber and Fencing. http://www.jobearnshaw.co.uk/

If you need a long wheel base with roof bars just shout. Same goes for tools, got a crackin compound mitre saw but it don't give you a second chance if you got fingers in the way.

Jim

[zippy656]

see some offers of a little help too!

even better

[macabethiel]

Built this shed in 2003 complete with real tiles on roof.
Started with four concrete slotted corner posts to make it ram raid proof.

Then added sides by sliding planks of thick wood into grooved slots with some internal baces was given an old oak front door and frame.

Built in power supply from mains so I could put an old fridge freezer in it & lighting. House now sold think shed will last longer than the house.

[clivvy]

@ Jim - thanks mate, ill keep that in mind but its odds on we will get delivery..going to try that place you say as well..

[The Patrolman]

BnQ will be doing the usual OFFER this comming bank holiday:clap

Buy any amount of wood that is too long for your small / large car,
and they will let you stick it out of the sunroof or any side window..

Failing that they can sell you some string to tie it to a trolly you have borrowed from ASDA's so you can push it 2miles to your local council estate:clap

You know it's true!!:naughty

[clivvy]

BnQ will be doing the usual OFFER this comming bank holiday:clap

Buy any amount of wood that is too long for your small / large car,
and they will let you stick it out of the sunroof or any side window..

Failing that they can sell you some string to tie it to a trolly you have borrowed from ASDA's so you can push it 2miles to your local council estate:clap

You know it's true!!:naughty

lol, im sure we can come up with something that doesnt involve a trolly!

[clivvy]

im going to put the old shed up on "FreeCycle". at the very least, its bonfire wood. condition of shed is typical of a 8 year old shed, roof leaks and has gone a little mouldy where the leak is, leak at the back so ive painted that with black sealer and the floor is damp of course, but solid. the rest is solid and dry. the door has been amateurishly trimmed at the bottom and the lock broke.

taking it down this weekend, if anyones interested, let me know...

[churpychappy]

just read about all the shed building going on not being big headed (well a bit) i am a chippy and built many a shed and summer houses for customers. you know the basics but if i can help with advice please ask?shame i cant get computar to put pic on site of my best work will try again (better with wood) still advice if using 5x5 wood try fence posts 2.4 mtr treated etc and mite be cheaper than cut wood i used on corners top and bottom like oak frames then infilled with 2x3frame for 6in fether boards opp way to fencing loads of otherways do aplan of what you want use wood to match ie frame hight 1.8x6oo for nogins= 2.4 mtrs no waste sorry for going on shame im in oxfordshire.all the best any merchants will want your busness and will deliver if you have total for materials needed.:thumb2

[clivvy]

just read about all the shed building going on not being big headed (well a bit) i am a chippy and built many a shed and summer houses for customers. you know the basics but if i can help with advice please ask?shame i cant get computar to put pic on site of my best work will try again (better with wood) still advice if using 5x5 wood try fence posts 2.4 mtr treated etc and mite be cheaper than cut wood i used on corners top and bottom like oak frames then infilled with 2x3frame for 6in fether boards opp way to fencing loads of otherways do aplan of what you want use wood to match ie frame hight 1.8x6oo for nogins= 2.4 mtrs no waste sorry for going on shame im in oxfordshire.all the best any merchants will want your busness and will deliver if you have total for materials needed.:thumb2

Cheers Churpy Chap I appreciate that. we are going to take the advice given, and use 5x5 for the most part, maybe bigger posts on the main corners not sure yet. as you suggest, we want to keep the cutting down, and waste low, so we are going to try an dfactor this in when we build the frame. we are using large peices of boarding for the inside, and cladding for the outisde, maybe cladding for the front, and boarding for the side and back, not sure yet!

appreciate the offer of tips and advice, ill post them here as and when because this project is likely to go on a few months. going to post a few pics here and there when i begin (this Saturday).

[clivvy]

well, stage two gets underway this weekend. tongiht i finish emptying the shed (only a coupe of items) and remove stuff off the roof (old mazda boot lid, some ladders and wood) and hopefully make a start on taking the shed down.

we managed to get rid of the shed to chap on Freeycle, so hes coming tomorrow at 915 ish to help finish taking it down.

then me and my mate go to his boss's mansion to remove the base of his old shed, cut into two and transport back to mine to be refitted and laid THEN possibly fit four corner posts, and the beggining of the roof!

[clivvy]

Stage 2 more or less complete:

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w163/clivjoo/eebc2c20.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w163/clivjoo/fe6bc6ca.jpg

tomorrow a guy comes to collect the shed for his allotment, then its tidy up the crap you can see in the back ground, remove the decking walkway next to the garage and prepare the ground for the pre made base i get mid day Saturday from my mate. with luck, we will get the base down (which is VERY heavy), 4 main posts each corner. then Sunday im hoping to re construct the roof (again from my mates boss's old shed) and get that up...

[clivvy]

ok, construction is underway. the base is down and solid. four posts on all corners, door frame and sections for window frame in place. Tomorrow we should see the roof go on, after that we finish the framework inbetween the posts that will hold the inner boarding and outer cladding/boarding.

should hopefully get the roof prepared and felted maybe Sunday, if not one evening next week...

its all coming together nicely!

[clivvy]

ok, so the sheds coming along very slowly no thanks t'rain. The main construction is up, with one apex roof meeting the other to form an L shape so both sheds in my garden meet. problem now, and i expected this, is that the two apex's that meet, leak. basically i have the end apex of the new shed meeting the alop of the other. they were felt adheisve applied, then shed felted over THEN flashing applied to seal. Problem is there must be some small gaps, because during the ehavy rain, i have approx 3 leaks, on more or less at the top, on half way down, and one at the bottom. i have tried painting over it again to fill the gap and applying more flashing, but it still leaks..

anything else i can do? I also foam-fileld the inside where the joins are, this didnt help either!

i can post pics if required...

[kbekl]

what about roofing felt should stop the leak i would have thought

[clivvy]

what about roofing felt should stop the leak i would have thought

yup, done all that, still leaks!!

all i can think is it hasnt been left long enough before its rained-the adhesive hasnt stuck correctly. i can see the gaps where the flashing has liften, and i have tried to fill those gaps with mastic temporarily to see if that helps...

[(RIP) PLANK]

ok, so the sheds coming along very slowly no thanks t'rain. The main construction is up, with one apex roof meeting the other to form an L shape so both sheds in my garden meet. problem now, and i expected this, is that the two apex's that meet, leak. basically i have the end apex of the new shed meeting the alop of the other. they were felt adheisve applied, then shed felted over THEN flashing applied to seal. Problem is there must be some small gaps, because during the ehavy rain, i have approx 3 leaks, on more or less at the top, on half way down, and one at the bottom. i have tried painting over it again to fill the gap and applying more flashing, but it still leaks..

anything else i can do? I also foam-fileld the inside where the joins are, this didnt help either!

i can post pics if required...

lets have a look at the problem then :thumb2