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My Shed: Lessons Learned

renosteinke | Posted in General Discussion on July 5, 2009 10:50am

I recently got some courage, and looked at the “Shed-Teepee-Spaceship” thread. 600+ posts can be intimidating!

Early on, I noticed very few posts addressed the OP’s request for readers to tell their stories.

Anyway, it got me thinking about my shed project. While the shed itself isn’t going to appear in “Archetectural Digest” anytime soon, I thought you’d like to hear some of the stories, and lessons learned.

The first thing you have to understand is that I spent -literally- years dreaming of building a shed. I would often think this project through, adding to / changing the plan as I learned more.

I spent a lot more time thinking about the ‘box’ than the roof or the foundation, and never did plan the trim. In my dreams, I probably should have thought a bit more about the sheathing as well ….

Here’s the story:

Early on, I was impressed by the Simpson Strong-tie connectors that they sell for making workbenches and such. I determined I was going to use those on my frame. I was also planning to use the shell as part of the structure’s support.

How big a frame? Well, that got me thinking about layout ….. where my experiences and observations came to bear. Ever notice how the item you want is in the back, at the bottom? Or how much space is lost to aisles? So, my layout became relatively long and skinny, with multiple doors on the ‘long’ side. No need for an aisle – just open the correct door and reach in!

Not liking the effect of rain dripping down my neck as I opened the lock, the shed had to have a substantial overhang.

Foundation? A neighbor’s project persuaded me as to the benefits of using pier blocks. Another job introduced me to 1-1/8 subfloor material.

The final result looks like this:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r138/renosteinke/550Shed20front.jpg

 

Pier blocks certainly proved an easy way to have a level shed. With hindsight, I should have lowered them a bit; the floor of the shed is a couple inches higher than I like.

I never gave the roof much thought, and this oversight shows. The PVC roof lets NO light through … so I added windows by using a 6″ hole saw on each door, then taping a piece pf plexiglass inside the door.

The shed became quite heavy as it was assembled. The original idea of rolling the frame about as I worked (giving me a horizontal surface to work on) quicly proved impractical.

For placing the siding, I should have used – at least temproarily – an angle iron or some other sort of ‘ledge’ to support the sheets as I worked. Indeed, I should have used some sort of additional support and guide in making my cuts in the siding; the doors are particularily ragged.

I never thought about trim on the corners; light metal ‘drip edge’ worked well.

The Strong-Ties worked rather well, but I should have used a router to provide some relief to the siding, where it lays atop the connectors. That shed is 4’x8′, and has but six vertical “studs.”

The doors, cut directly into the siding, defied the critics’ expectations and work quite well. I just should have used a different technique and made a neater job of it.

Nor has the shed blown over in the wind; the roof has survived 70mph winds without damage; rain has not entered the little openings where the roof corrugations are exposed.

Final note: Materials cost me about $660. One neighbor has a much larger, more conventional-looking shed that he claimed to have built for $400. Not only has he yet to finish his shed (it’s still unpainted, shingles and roofing paper not trimmed, corners untrimmed), he has had his floor collapse twice and has had to make other repairs.

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Replies

  1. Scott | Jul 06, 2009 12:02am | #1

    Is that right-front pier block tipping because of frost issues?

    Scott.

    1. renosteinke | Jul 06, 2009 03:30am | #2

      No. The pier block looks 'different' because it is partly recessed into uneven ground, to level the shed.

      My neighbor took the opposite approach, and stacked tiles atop the 'low' blocks.

  2. Bkcbuilder64 | Jul 06, 2009 04:00am | #3

    It looks amazingly like a 2 hole outhouse...I LOVE IT! Job well done!

  3. fingersandtoes | Jul 06, 2009 04:28am | #4

    Sheds for their size eat up a lot of money.

    I like the idea of not losing space to aisles. We are allowed as many structures as we want, where we want, as long as they don't exceed 100 sf. I asked our inspector if I could build my shed one ft deep and 100 ft long. He told me to leave the office and retired shortly afterwards.

    1. junkhound | Jul 06, 2009 06:11am | #5

      Sheds for their size eat up a lot of money.

      OH MY, gotta countermand that erroneous startement!!

      Sheds can be basically free, hardest part is the roofing. 

      Have used old car hoods, split my own cedar, etc. to keep shed costs under 10 CENTs per sq ft.  using surplus material.  BTW, labor does not count for sheds <G>

      We are allowed 200 sq ft here without permits.  Most of the $20 is backhoe fuel and nails. Foundation naturally either old sidewalks or free 1/2 rotten railroad ties.

      Somebody around here is always replacing a deck.  Free wood! 

      Pallets: free wood.

      etc. 

    2. renosteinke | Jul 06, 2009 06:21am | #7

      I mentioned my shed costing a lot more than the neighbor claimed he spent on his larger shed. I'd like to address that a bit ....

      First off, I kept strict records; he did not. I suspect his figures might be low.

      Second, all my material was purchased; he used a lot of salvaged materials. A large part of the reason his floor collapsed was because he tried to cobble scraps together, rather than us joist hangers and pieces that were long enough.

      Did I mention that I painted my shed, while he did not. Paint alone cost me $105, plus the tools to do it with. I used a penetrating oil primer, followed by the same paint I used on my house. Let me tell you, rough T-111 really soaks up the paint.

      As for the roof design .... I chose a simple 'shed' roof because I have plans to build a matching shed right behind it. The two roofs will combine to make it appear more like one shed, rather than a random collection of shacks.

      When I do make that next shed, I suspect I'll be able to do it for $50-$100 less.

  4. rez | Jul 06, 2009 06:19am | #6

     View Image

  5. mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2009 05:12am | #8

    enjoyed reading about your shed - was just wondering where you located the shed

    I feel a shed should be placed at the back of the lot (as opposed to up next to the house)

    just my 2 cents

    1. User avater
      IMERC | Jul 10, 2009 05:14am | #9

      Monday he'll discover it's in his neighbor's yard... 

      Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

      WOW!!! What a Ride!

      Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

       

      "Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"

      1. renosteinke | Jul 10, 2009 05:26am | #10

        Ha!

        Actually, my 'yard' is informally divided between a duplex and a house. I live in one side of the duplex. I use the shed to separate 'my' half from the pqart shared by the other side of the duplex; the far end of the shed is on the line separating 'my' part from the section used by the house.

        Hence the idea to make a matching shed back-to-back, for the other duples. So far, no one has come up with the $$$.

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Jul 10, 2009 05:50am | #11

          but why are the doors facing their way... 

          Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

          WOW!!! What a Ride!

          Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

           

          "Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"

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