Garden and shed project
Discussion
It seems we all like a project thread on here so I figured it would be rude of me not to post this, nowhere near the scale of some other projects, but I'm sure I'll still get stuck and ask questions! For now though, here's the plan. I have asked for advice in separate threads a while ago so it didn't feel right continuing either of them, it's better with everything in one place.
I've recently moved into a new place and now is the time to start doing something about the garden. It is pretty plain at the moment, with a wonky patio area, a wonky paved area towards the far end, and a tiny shed close to the house:
We have decided to relay a larger patio area, with a short wall around it, build a shed across the back of the garden, and have an area for growing veg in. Add a path to one side and we should be good to go! Here is my first ever attempt at using Google Sketchup:
I have also added a huge rabbit hutch and run to one side, and a "bin shed" to the other, as I can't stand having the wheelie bins on display. I will build all this myself so it goes well with the surroundings.
The patio will give us a nice space for entertaining outside, with a barbecue, and maybe an outdoor bar, and we will also have a chiminea in one of the corners to give us a bit of heat in the evenings. The garden is south facing so I am keeping my fingers crossed we'll have some nice weather to enjoy it!
The biggest part of the project will be the shed. It will be part garden shed, on the end facing the green house, part mancave on the other end. I will build it on a concrete base and it will house my workshop area and will be used as a garage for my bike(s). I am currently trying to draw it in sketchup to give myself a good idea of what is acheivable.
It is 8m x 4m in total, at the moment I have designed it with a pent roof sloping away from the front garden in an attempt to hide its bulk, but I'm not sure this will be the best solution structurally, watch this space.
i suppose this wouldn't be complete without the plan for the front garden, which is simply to make the current gravelled and fenced area into a two car driveway:
That's all for now, I should start the ground works in a couple of weeks. Please feel free to offer criticism and suggestions on this, there's probably loads of stuff I haven't thought of!
I've recently moved into a new place and now is the time to start doing something about the garden. It is pretty plain at the moment, with a wonky patio area, a wonky paved area towards the far end, and a tiny shed close to the house:
We have decided to relay a larger patio area, with a short wall around it, build a shed across the back of the garden, and have an area for growing veg in. Add a path to one side and we should be good to go! Here is my first ever attempt at using Google Sketchup:
I have also added a huge rabbit hutch and run to one side, and a "bin shed" to the other, as I can't stand having the wheelie bins on display. I will build all this myself so it goes well with the surroundings.
The patio will give us a nice space for entertaining outside, with a barbecue, and maybe an outdoor bar, and we will also have a chiminea in one of the corners to give us a bit of heat in the evenings. The garden is south facing so I am keeping my fingers crossed we'll have some nice weather to enjoy it!
The biggest part of the project will be the shed. It will be part garden shed, on the end facing the green house, part mancave on the other end. I will build it on a concrete base and it will house my workshop area and will be used as a garage for my bike(s). I am currently trying to draw it in sketchup to give myself a good idea of what is acheivable.
It is 8m x 4m in total, at the moment I have designed it with a pent roof sloping away from the front garden in an attempt to hide its bulk, but I'm not sure this will be the best solution structurally, watch this space.
i suppose this wouldn't be complete without the plan for the front garden, which is simply to make the current gravelled and fenced area into a two car driveway:
That's all for now, I should start the ground works in a couple of weeks. Please feel free to offer criticism and suggestions on this, there's probably loads of stuff I haven't thought of!
I've decided on how to build the shed, please let me know what you think:
100mm concrete base on 50mm sub base
2 x 4 framework at 60mm centers for the walls
For the roof, 2x4 apex or 2x6 pent?
For the cladding, I'm not sure what to do, OSD boards suitably treated with thin cladding over, or thick T&G? I plan to insulate and board up the inside.
I will use some plexiglass to make windows where necessary.
Once all the shell is built I'll have a better idea of how to kit it out inside, but it will be a mix of shelving and kitchen units, worktop, and maybe cheapo laminate over underlay for comfort. I plan to work on bikes, engines, etc in there so I need something I can mop, and even replace part of easily should I need to, so I don't want to use lino.
100mm concrete base on 50mm sub base
2 x 4 framework at 60mm centers for the walls
For the roof, 2x4 apex or 2x6 pent?
For the cladding, I'm not sure what to do, OSD boards suitably treated with thin cladding over, or thick T&G? I plan to insulate and board up the inside.
I will use some plexiglass to make windows where necessary.
Once all the shell is built I'll have a better idea of how to kit it out inside, but it will be a mix of shelving and kitchen units, worktop, and maybe cheapo laminate over underlay for comfort. I plan to work on bikes, engines, etc in there so I need something I can mop, and even replace part of easily should I need to, so I don't want to use lino.
Inkyfingers said:
Personally, I'd go for cheap lino, as it's much more suitable for mopping, and can be replaced easily if damaged. It can also be cut oversized so that up goes partly up the wall to make mopping easier.
With laminate, i'd be worried about water getting between the joins.
I see where you're coming from, I was thinking it would be easier to replace 1-2 damaged boards than to lift the whole lino floor up, as I'd be worried about replacing just a patch of lino. With laminate, i'd be worried about water getting between the joins.
Also, it would probably get mopped 1-2 times a year tops, as I would wipe any spillage straight away... Then again, lino is probably cheaper.
Or I could go half and half, with a harder wearing floor where required... Decisions, decisions!
Progress report!
This Saturday afternoon was spent shoveling 4 tonnes of aggregate from the front to the back garden, as there is no access to the back. It was a nice warm-up session! Today I have been able to start digging the hole for the shed's sub-base and concrete floor. I have started with a trench along one side to establish the level, unfortunately it's quite a bit deeper at one end than the other, I can feel some fun coming later to make sure the "high" corner stays dry! I'm digging 100mm down at one end, 250mm down at the other. I think it will be about 300-320mmm in the opposite corner. unfortunately this is as far as I could get before rain stopped play:
In a stroke of luck I have worked out that the volume of soil excavated there will roughly equate the amount of material required to raise the patio area, so I removed the wonky paving flags and started piling the soil there. It does make a mess of the garden though!
Unfortunately, this project is getting slightly frustrating, as I can't do one thing before I've done the other, but I need to do the second thing before I can do the first!
For example, I want to build the patio wall now, so I can spread the soil flat as I dig it out, but if I build the wall where I want it, it will be far too close to the current shed:
So I need to empty and get rid of that small shed, but I can't do that until I build the big one! Oh well, I'll just take everything on at once, it is loosely known as "my style" around here anyway!
This Saturday afternoon was spent shoveling 4 tonnes of aggregate from the front to the back garden, as there is no access to the back. It was a nice warm-up session! Today I have been able to start digging the hole for the shed's sub-base and concrete floor. I have started with a trench along one side to establish the level, unfortunately it's quite a bit deeper at one end than the other, I can feel some fun coming later to make sure the "high" corner stays dry! I'm digging 100mm down at one end, 250mm down at the other. I think it will be about 300-320mmm in the opposite corner. unfortunately this is as far as I could get before rain stopped play:
In a stroke of luck I have worked out that the volume of soil excavated there will roughly equate the amount of material required to raise the patio area, so I removed the wonky paving flags and started piling the soil there. It does make a mess of the garden though!
Unfortunately, this project is getting slightly frustrating, as I can't do one thing before I've done the other, but I need to do the second thing before I can do the first!
For example, I want to build the patio wall now, so I can spread the soil flat as I dig it out, but if I build the wall where I want it, it will be far too close to the current shed:
So I need to empty and get rid of that small shed, but I can't do that until I build the big one! Oh well, I'll just take everything on at once, it is loosely known as "my style" around here anyway!
Tom1981 said:
Can you not temporarily move the shed if you still need to use it?
Good suggestion, however it would take a bit of effort to move it to another solid base, which would have to be in the middle of the garden since I'm digging it up everywhere... I'll work around it for a couple of weeks, If I can get my materials delivered when I want I estimate the new shed should be weathertight in that time.A bit more progress has been made. I decided to do what I should have started with and get the framework in place and level:
That's quite a deep hole!
All dug to about the right level:
Aggregate down and compacted, ready for concrete in the morning:
These last few days have taught me a couple of things, motivational phrases, like "dig deep" for example, don't always apply. I found out yesterday I'd been digging far too deep at the start! Also, next house I buy, I will make sure there is access for a mini digger to the back garden! It was quite a lot to dig by hand.
That's quite a deep hole!
All dug to about the right level:
Aggregate down and compacted, ready for concrete in the morning:
These last few days have taught me a couple of things, motivational phrases, like "dig deep" for example, don't always apply. I found out yesterday I'd been digging far too deep at the start! Also, next house I buy, I will make sure there is access for a mini digger to the back garden! It was quite a lot to dig by hand.
Well, it's laid! Not very smooth, betraying my lack of ability, and lack of prep. As it turns out the area wasn't cleared far enough around it making it difficult to run the smoothing beam across. I'm so glad I paid a little extra to get the concrete delivered pre-mixed, it was enough of a struggle without mixing it myself!
I'm not too fussed about the roughness of the surface to be honest so I didn't waste too much time trying to make it better, as for the most part it wasn't making a lot of difference. I am planning to cover it with underlay and a floor covering (as mentioned, for comfort), so that should negate the imperfections, I hope.
The local cats must have known how I felt and helped the consistency of the rough finish:
Next weekend will be a big one, I am getting all the wood delivered and will also attempt to lay the patio. As ever, I've never done any of this before so it should be interesting!
I'm not too fussed about the roughness of the surface to be honest so I didn't waste too much time trying to make it better, as for the most part it wasn't making a lot of difference. I am planning to cover it with underlay and a floor covering (as mentioned, for comfort), so that should negate the imperfections, I hope.
The local cats must have known how I felt and helped the consistency of the rough finish:
Next weekend will be a big one, I am getting all the wood delivered and will also attempt to lay the patio. As ever, I've never done any of this before so it should be interesting!
Progress report for the last couple of days:
I had the wood delivered, this took me about 5 hours to move to the back garden. I also had the bricks, sand and cement for the patio wall, which took some more time to move, so Thursday was mostly spent shifting stuff! I also made good progress on the rabbit hutch (I will post pictures of that later). In the meantime, the shed is coming along.
I have assembled the back wall and laid the front wall pieces out, it's about 75% screwed together at the moment:
Tomorrow (if the weather plays ball), I'm hoping to build both side walls and assemble all 4 walls together, get them squared and anchored to the concrete base. With a bit of luck I'll have time to start on the roof trusses.
I had the wood delivered, this took me about 5 hours to move to the back garden. I also had the bricks, sand and cement for the patio wall, which took some more time to move, so Thursday was mostly spent shifting stuff! I also made good progress on the rabbit hutch (I will post pictures of that later). In the meantime, the shed is coming along.
I have assembled the back wall and laid the front wall pieces out, it's about 75% screwed together at the moment:
Tomorrow (if the weather plays ball), I'm hoping to build both side walls and assemble all 4 walls together, get them squared and anchored to the concrete base. With a bit of luck I'll have time to start on the roof trusses.
I've been able to do a bit more, although it's not going as fast as I was hoping as I'm doing a lot of it by myself:
Next job is to square everything off, add some bracing, finish the roof frame, anchor it down, then I should be able to lay the roof and get it clad. Once I'm at that stage I can stand back a minute and do the other pressing jobs around the garden!
Next job is to square everything off, add some bracing, finish the roof frame, anchor it down, then I should be able to lay the roof and get it clad. Once I'm at that stage I can stand back a minute and do the other pressing jobs around the garden!
bigdom said:
I'd use 6" for roof, shuttering/structural ply instead of OSB. Have a look at Cedar shingles, not much more than decent T&G, circa 50 year life and no ongoing maintenance.
I just realised I never replied to this, I looked at cedar shingles, they would look really good but I don't have the budget for that unfortunately...craigthecoupe said:
good shout pal! looks bloody ace. all power to you for diy'ing it. how much wood have you got there? and cost if you dont mind.
Thanks! I always prefer getting involved and doing things myself, it's much more rewarding at the end...The wood I've ordered comes in 12ft lengths, I have 105 lengths of 2.25" square, and about 120 lengths of 6x3/4 for the cladding, plus 6 14' lengths of 2x1 for the door frames and 8 sheets (8x4) of 12mm birch plywood for the roof. All of that was just over £850 delivered. All apart from the plywood is tanalised as well (don't know if it's obvious from the pictures).
I've made a little progress this weekend, it's been slower than I expected again, but I'm getting there slowly:
The roof is on:
One wall is clad:
And one of the roof windows is in:
With a bit of luck I'll be able to do more of the cladding over the next few evenings, at this rate it might be another couple of weeks before it's done though!
The roof is on:
One wall is clad:
And one of the roof windows is in:
With a bit of luck I'll be able to do more of the cladding over the next few evenings, at this rate it might be another couple of weeks before it's done though!
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