David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 10:35 AM |
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Shed design
Well - I know LocostBuilders is the source of all knowledge, better even than Wikipedia, so here's a new question!
My poor old shed is falling apart due to old age, wasn't that great when it was new, and is a bit small anyway. I've been looking for a
larger replacement, and have been horrified by the vast amount of money being asked for fairly shoddy and poorly-made constructions, so the plan is to
build my own from scratch next year, and I'm drawing up the design over the winter. The current plan is for a 10' x 8' lean-to off
the back of the garage.
I like woodworking, so that holds no fears. It may even give me an excuse to get a nail gun! 
My question is about the details of construction - for example, it's clear from watching people like Tommy Walsh on the TV that there's a
right way to space vertical studs so that boards can be nailed on without waste, there's a correct pitch for the roof, standard door sizes, and
so on. Is there any literature or on-line guide to help me with my design?
I have found a few American designs that I'm using as a basis for mine, but of course the dimensions are for US materials...
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designer
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 10:53 AM |
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There are loads of free plans on the web for garden sheds.
http://www.hometips.com/diy-how-to/gable-shed-build.html
http://www.freewoodworkingplan.com/index.php?cat=663&topic=garden%20sheds
[Edited on 2-12-11 by designer]
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rayward
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 10:55 AM |
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i built a lean to "shed " on the side of the house, i used 63x36 CLS studwork timber for the farmework, and 22mm thick LogLap Cladding
for the outside,
i made it 2.4m wide x 4.8 m long to suit the lengths the stud and cladding came in, so as not to waste any,
i opted for a conservatory style polycarb roof, which worked out not much more expensive than board and felt
few pics here
http://www.readersheds.co.uk/share.cfm?SHARESHED=3704
hope this helps
Ray
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 11:15 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by designer
There are loads of free plans on the web for garden sheds.
As I said, almost all American! (but they have been noted...  )
Ray,
That's exactly the sort of thing I'm considering - just not quite so big!
I'm thinking of either a corrugated roof, or a ply one with those american-style 3 or 4 tab shingles - they're supposed to last 20 years
or so.
[Edited on 2/12/11 by David Jenkins]
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Chippy
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 11:46 AM |
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David the plans for the lean too shed, (see link), are all in imperial sizes, so very easy to convert to metric, seeing as the metric sizes are, in
the main, exactly the same or near enough. HTH Ray
Shed clicky
To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 01:24 PM |
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The thing is that most of these plans won't fit my needs - I have a particular space in mind, I want to put the door and window in one end
rather than the face, and I'll be extending the roof over the end to form a wood store... not something you'll find in an off-the-shelf
design! Mine is likely to be a bit bigger that the typical lean-to design available, which tends to be 6'x4' or 8'x4'.
I'm really thinking of a smaller version of Ray's wonderful shed.
Hence my original query about what needs to be considered when designing my own...
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D Beddows
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 03:43 PM |
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Have you thought about getting all 'old skool' and going to the local library rather than just looking on the interweb? My local
(small) library has all kinds of books on how to build all manner of garden structures and tbh is my first port of call nowadays rather than wading
through hours of dross and misinformation on the internet.
Bear in mind it's a shed you're building/designing which tbh doesn't require a degree in Architecture (although a have met numerous
Architects who would struggle to design a shed......) so if it was me (and after visiting the library) I would be going round local timber yards
pricing things up and then basing the design on the cheapest appropriate materials. Otherwise you run the risk of not being able to find vital
components locally or find that they're unreasonably expensive for what they are.
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Chippy
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 04:10 PM |
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David the usual spacing for studding is 16" C to C, as boards are 4' x 8', this would aply to the floor and roof joists as well.
Roof joists should have a minimum fall of at least 7 degrees, going up to around 15 degrees. Placing the door, (or doors), in the end should
present no problem, as long as you have the height at the eves. I have built many sheds and if you want some information over and above that given
send me an email, even attach your plans and will comment. Clue is in my handle. HTH Ray
To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 06:53 PM |
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Thanks Ray - that's exactly the sort of info I was on about...
I haven't even started to draw up a design yet - I want to get the standard dimensions written down so I can start to think about ideal
sizing.
(and your name is a good clue! )
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Bare
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 07:01 PM |
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"murrican style duroid shingles (buy only Fiberglass based ones) DO last 35 years..and counting (Unless they get seriously overheated..due to no
air circulation or Morrocan sunshine) Coverage is 100 sq ft, an odd listing, comprising 3 bundles (packages) of shingles. Typically each package is
$18 to $20 (Dollars) retail. Fill yer boots.
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Mr C
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 07:18 PM |
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Can't offer much in terms of technical advice (nurse by trade), though I built one myself a bit of a delay with the kit, so it evolved into a
double glazed, home office type set up. Treat yourself and get a gas nailer, best thing I ever did, made the job so much easier as well as being a big
noisy power tool!! want to get the most use out of it so will probably shed over the rest of the garden eventually!.
My effort below, fascia boards now completed, still to be shingled.
[Edited on 2/12/11 by Mr C]
[Edited on 2/12/11 by Mr C]
Girl walks into a bar and asks for a double entendre, so the barman gave her one
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StevieB
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 08:53 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
The thing is that most of these plans won't fit my needs - I have a particular space in mind, I want to put the door and window in one end
rather than the face, and I'll be extending the roof over the end to form a wood store... not something you'll find in an off-the-shelf
design! Mine is likely to be a bit bigger that the typical lean-to design available, which tends to be 6'x4' or 8'x4'.
I'm really thinking of a smaller version of Ray's wonderful shed.
Hence my original query about what needs to be considered when designing my own...
I'm planning pretty much the same thing, which will basically end up being a second garage. I have a piece of land round the side of my house
that is unused, large and needs something doing with it, so timber lean to garage it will be.
I also plan to have doors in the end (in both ends, so it can still be used to get lawn mower from front to rear etc.).
As I see it, I won't find a single set of plans thats perfect, so I'm just picking out various details of sheds I've seen that I
like and will put them together to suit.
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MikeR
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 10:53 PM |
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I've sat through a number of boring meetings at work thinking this through.
My plan is currently based around building it as quickly as possible once i start. To do this I was thinking of buying 8x4 sheets of exterior ply and
making a frame behind them using either 2x2 or 2x3 to give it rigidity. I could then screw these frames together to make up the sides. Each frame
would probably have a middle spar. Think large flat pack modular shed. If i used 2x3 I could stand the 3" away from the ply so that i can fit
2" ploystrene insulation and still have a 1" gap between the insulation and the ply for air to circulate if needed so stopping
condensation.
I was thinking of making the sides 1.95 to 2m tall (so trimming the 2.4m sheet down 40cm). I'd make the roof 2.4 tall so give a 40cm drop over
1.2m or 4 in 12 and allow full use of a standard sheet. Using the same 2x2 or 2x3 to make the roof trusses. Each truss would line up to vertical.
I'm also tempted to put horizontal spars in place despite the fact all the sheds you look at seem to ignore them. The actual roof would be more
exterior ply or maybe OSB3 and covered with roofing felt. The advantage of this approach is once again the ability to fit 2" insulation and
maintain a 1" air gap in the roof to stop condensation forming.
The floor was to be made of tanilised beams either 3x3 or 4x4 fence posts with OSD ontop of it . the edges of the beams trimed at an angle cause it
seems to be what everyone does for some reason. I'd also make sure the ply sides also drop down to cover the floor and top of the fence post
beam to any water running down drips past these.
As the door would have to fit inside a sheet of ply it would mean the max size is something under 4' - but the door frame plus the edge of the
wood frame should give it enough strength in my mind.
(sorry for mixing imperial and metric measurements).
Note, i'm no chippie, my background is IT. This just seems a good way of doing it - all be it not the cheapest.
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StevieB
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| posted on 2/12/11 at 11:48 PM |
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Incidentally, when looking at lean to structures, what is the best (and by that I mean easiest to fit/look decent when finished) flashing to use?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 11:30 AM |
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It's had to better lead flashing - it's easy to fit, and will probably last longer than the rest of the house (as long as nefarious
toe-rags don't see it and haul it away  )
The only real down-side is the cost, but the benefits make it worth the extra cash.
[Edited on 3/12/11 by David Jenkins]
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Chippy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 12:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
It's had to better lead flashing - it's easy to fit, and will probably last longer than the rest of the house (as long as nefarious
toe-rags don't see it and haul it away )
The only real down-side is the cost, but the benefits make it worth the extra cash.
[Edited on 3/12/11 by David Jenkins]
Actually Flash Band is very good, and will last a very long time if fitted correctly, and the cost is a fraction of lead, without the chance
of some scrote having your lead away,  Cheers Ray
To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 12:25 PM |
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Do you still have to cut a slot between bricks for that Flash Band stuff, and cement it in?
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MikeR
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 05:23 PM |
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Got a chance to look at a heavy duty shed today. It used 2x2 framing, with some triangulation and shiplap boards. Roof was also 2x2 and had an angled
cut to finish ontop of the 2x2 side framing.
It have 5 roof trusses (probably about 10' long shed so every few feet). Two either end and three in the middle. The middle one had some form
of brace half way down the roof 2x2. The 2nd and 4th 2x2 just had a plywood triangle at the apex.
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Chippy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 11:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Do you still have to cut a slot between bricks for that Flash Band stuff, and cement it in?
Yes! as I said do it the correct way, its pretty much a lead flashing replacement, made from some sort of plastic with a thick mastic backing, which
warmed up will mould to virtualy any surface. I have used it many times and I know of one place, (conservatory), that has now been up for more than
fifteen years and still going strong. HTH Ray
To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy
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van cleef
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| posted on 4/12/11 at 08:27 AM |
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I'm a roofer and flash band is completely crap and is the scurge of my repair work having to strip it out when someone previous has put it
in.
flasband perishes and at the most will give you 10 -15 years.
lead is the best by far but like anybody else might tell you it does get stolen out of the roof from time to time so that's why there are new
ideas coming onto the Market.
there are loads of flashing options to meet the needs of what ever roofing materials you want to use like grp,folded zink and for profile sheets you
get the flashings to meet with the profile.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 4/12/11 at 10:22 AM |
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I had a quick Google around for flashing (it's amazing what that'll find ;0 ) and found various stuff - I came across aluminium flashing
but that was also quite expensive. I think lead will be affordable as I won't need much more than 8' plus a bit of overlap. Fortunately
it's in the corner of the house furthest away from the road, and can only be seen by my neighbours if they look hard (and I think I trust
them!).
Next question - it will be 10' from the end of my garage to the outer shed wall - could I get away with hefty wooden beams, or should I use
lighter material and make up some trusses?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 6/12/11 at 10:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
Have you thought about getting all 'old skool' and going to the local library rather than just looking on the interweb? My local
(small) library has all kinds of books on how to build all manner of garden structures and tbh is my first port of call nowadays rather than wading
through hours of dross and misinformation on the internet.
Went to the library today - what a waste of time that was...
...every time I go there are fewer books than the last time. I fully expect the building to implode due to the vacuum in the very near future.
They had 3 books on joinery, 2 were duplicates, and all were textbooks for college students so mostly glossed over any useful detail. Books on garden
structures were notable by their absence, as were all to do with sheds, outbuildings, or even building techniques using wood. In other words, feck
all.
In the end I got fed up and went to look for a few fiction books to help pass the time. Didn't find anything there that grabbed my attention
either - and I'm the most avid reader that you could ever imagine. I think I'll stick to downloading books to the Kindle app on my
Android phone...
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