Toms Garden Shed / Workshop / Office Build

[PartOfTheProblem]

Flying machine said:

This is absolutely brilliant - well done, I would be super pleased with myself if I'd managed to do something like this!

Is there anything that you would have approached/done differently if you were going to do it again? (i.e. advice you would give to someone like me who is enthused by this project!).

What are you going to do with the inside? Plasterboard and skim?

Looking good - great project!

Thanks!

Generally I think its come together well, although I'd definitely draw plans next time to save a lot of head scratching. I can't think of anything I'd do differently though, except maybe using a thicker timber for the walls (89x38 instead of the 63x38 I used), although only so I could fit flush back boxes for the sockets without interfering with the insulation, I'm going to have to go with surface mount patress boxes to keep the integrity of the insulation.

The other thing would be to put some extra studs in for the ceiling so it could be straight, mine will follow the roof slope which is something I hadn't thought about, but I'll fit some adjustable spots and it'll be fine.

Inside the shed end will stay OSB. The office end will be plasterboard, although I'll probably tape and fill joints rather than skimming the whole room, we'll see.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

That really is a very impressive build, especially if you're not in the trade. Well done, great job.

Fancy coming around to my place to do the same thing for someone else?

[samdale]

What fixings/spacing/tools did you use to attach the cladding? I've started building my shed and am going for a similar style with loglap and square post corners.

[Pheo]

I’m impressed by the accuracy of your cladding cuts!

[PartOfTheProblem]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That really is a very impressive build, especially if you're not in the trade. Well done, great job.

Fancy coming around to my place to do the same thing for someone else?

Thanks. I've got a few people who have requested I build them something, I may well look into this a bit more seriously

[PartOfTheProblem]

samdale said:

What fixings/spacing/tools did you use to attach the cladding? I've started building my shed and am going for a similar style with loglap and square post corners.

I hired a Paslode brad gun, and used 16ga 50mm brads. I ordered cladding in the lengths required to ensure I had no joins. I spaced the boards out with the edge of a steel straight edge (approx 1mm), and kept checking with a small spirit level, as some boards varied in width slightly, so its a case of tweaking things here and there to make it look right.

Hope that helps,
Tom.

[PartOfTheProblem]

Pheo said:

I’m impressed by the accuracy of your cladding cuts!

Thanks. It helps to build the thing square in the first place, and I was cutting 3 or 4 boards at a time with my compound mitre saw.

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yes. I'm no bricklayer, bricks and mortar are expensive, the concrete pad is 50mm above the surrounding gravel, plus the height of the brick, and gravel is very good at preventing the rain bouncing and splashing up the walls.

Most sheds have no bricks of course.

The sole plate is pressure treated and there is a breather membrane and the cladding overlaps the bricks. I'm not too worried

[PartOfTheProblem]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It wasn't taken as one . Good stuff - be sure to get a build thread up!

Edited by PartOfTheProblem on Monday 25th September 14:15

[lj04]

Have you used insect mesh top and bottom of your cladding?Also keeps mice making a home in your walls.

[PartOfTheProblem]

lj04 said:

Have you used insect mesh top and bottom of your cladding?Also keeps mice making a home in your walls.

Errrm, nope. Good idea though. I had planned to use it at the soffit boards, but not at the bottom - d'oh! I'll try and find a solution though, thanks!

[PartOfTheProblem]

So its time for a bit of an over-due update.

So as it stands - I still need to finish the top pieces of cladding and get the thing painted.

IMG_3248 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

I've decided to go with Sadolin Superdec, £84 for a 5l tin at Crown Decorating Centres, but found it for £60 online, so 10l ordered. My wife chose Antler Brown, and I think it will look quite nice.

This was the picture my wife liked:

fullsizeoutput_45b8 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

And a tester piece

IMG_3305 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3306 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Next up was to cut out the 'shed' door. I used a reciprocating saw for this, and it was tricky to keep the cut straight. I wouldn't do it this way again to be honest as the finish is a bit disappointing. Oh well at least it won't really be seen!

IMG_3442 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

The gap is quite big as the door is 120mm thick!

I fit a capping rail above the door to keep water out as best as possible.

IMG_3359 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3357 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Lovely heavy duty ball bearing parliament hinges

IMG_3368 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Door handle fitted. I will be replacing the top piece of cladding on the door as the cutline isn't great.

IMG_3443 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

All stiffened up with some OSB.

IMG_3444 by Tomoose85, on Flickr



And starting to take shape!

IMG_3378 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3380 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Keen to get the 'office' emptied of all my tools, I started about making some racking for the 'shed'.

IMG_3390 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Charging area:

IMG_3391 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

The stud wall separating the 'office' and the 'shed' was put up

IMG_3408 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

bd foil tape - wear gloves folks!

IMG_3410 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

And filling it with my crap!

IMG_3445 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3446 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3448 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Oh, and back of the door - a place for everything and everything in its place

IMG_3451 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

[PartOfTheProblem]

So tonight I have mostly been installing plasterboard. So far so good I think.

IMG_3453 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3454 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3456 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

IMG_3458 by Tomoose85, on Flickr

Oh, and I'm getting desperate for an electrician!! The only person to quote so far is £1213+VAT, which seems really very expensive to me considering first fix is done. Happy to pay a PHer proper money if there are any electricians on the forum?

Cheers, and comments welcome as always.

[Ashtray83]

Looks great 👍
although I bet you will soon get annoyed with the tools on the back of the door constantly getting rained on whenever you're in and out in the rain

[kurt535]

10/10 and then some.

Dare I ask if you have kept a log of costs to date?

[PartOfTheProblem]

kurt535 said:

10/10 and then some.

Dare I ask if you have kept a log of costs to date?

Thanks

I sure have keep track of costs. In the region of £4K which I’m pleased about.

[gmaz]

You seem to be pretty handy at DIY (understatement of the year) so how come you are not tackling most of the electrics yourself, apart from the CU connection?

[PartOfTheProblem]

gmaz said:

You seem to be pretty handy at DIY (understatement of the year) so how come you are not tackling most of the electrics yourself, apart from the CU connection?

I’d be quite happy to do the lot, but legally you must be “competent”. It will need testing and signing off for Part P too.

Although I’ll be running it all through an extension lead before paying £1500 bloody quid!

[danzman1991]

Any updates?

[PartOfTheProblem]

danzman1991 said:

Any updates?

Quite timely actually, I moved in last weekend and I'm doing the last finishing touches inside tomorrow. I forgot about this thread, I'll go through my photos and update it over the next few weeks 👍

[danzman1991]

PartOfTheProblem said:

Quite timely actually, I moved in last weekend and I'm doing the last finishing touches inside tomorrow. I forgot about this thread, I'll go through my photos and update it over the next few weeks ??

👍

Planning something similar in my garden in the Spring and have enjoyed this thread - would love to see your updates!