advice on building a shed

seneca · 15 Mar 2007

Hi,
After seeing the price/quality of large sheds for sale, I am mulling over the idea of building my own. Haven't fully priced or sourced the materials, but have a rough design in mind. What I was wondering was what was the best kind of wood to use? (don't know much about wood, but here goes)

Structure - should I go for treated exterior wood, or will the normal kiln dried stuff be ok? As it will be inside the cladding can I use the regular interior softwood, or should I go for pressure treated exterior?

Clading - This I assume must be soft wood as I have seen no shiplap or t&g that isn't. The shiplap is a bit thin (12mm) or is is it always like that. Would t&g floor boards be excessive.

I have a Wickes very close to my house which will mean I can get all wood in a few visits.

Are there any websites which may be useful, preferably UK based. Loads of US. sites with plans, but no one says what the materials used are. They just say you can get everything from Home Depot!

Any advice is welcome, and will be greatly appreciated.

JohnD · 15 Mar 2007

shiplap throws the water off better than T&G. 12mm is OK but not very burglar-proof. WBP or shuttering ply is much stronger and resistant to attack with spade or screwdriver.

You can treat shiplap with a water-repellent waxy stain (as used for fences) but make sure it is one suitable for planed wood or it may flake off. You can apply it before build and touch up damage afterwards. Give the bottom one or two rows plenty of preservative as they'll be the wet ones. Space off the concrete base with a couple of courses of bricks if you possibly can.

Use spacers to give an expansion gap

I would go for a rigid insulation board, then felt, then battens, then shiplap.

seneca · 15 Mar 2007

12mm is OK but not very burglar-proof. WBP or shuttering ply is much stronger and resistant to attack with spade or screwdriver.

do you mean use WBP as the exterior cladding or behind the shiplap. Not too worried about it being burgler proof, as nothing valuable is being kept in it.

Space off the concrete base with a couple of courses of bricks if you possibly can. Use spacers to give an expansion gap

What do you mean by spacers?
I'm planning to build it on a slabbed area of ground. The beams that will act as the base framework will be a brick each. This will keep the whole structure off the floor and allow ventilation underneath.

I would go for a rigid insulation board, then felt, then battens, then shiplap.

I assume "battens" are the framework, shiplap is the cladding, and the insulation board and felt is insulation. I might insulate once the build is finished, depending on funds. Any tips on the insulation board type and what is the felt for.

Also, what would be best for the roof.
You you can link things to http://www.wickes.co.uk/ that would be great.

PS. just found this webpage. I'm going for a similar idea, only not as heavy duty as this. I think there's too much frame, and it looks so heavy! The whole thing looks like it weighs more than a house!

JohnD · 15 Mar 2007

"What do you mean by spacers? "
When you fit the shiplap it will (probably) be dry. Come winter it will get damp (even if stained) and expand due to humidity. This makes the boards wider. If they were fitted tight they will try to push up or buckle out. If you put a matchstick on top of each pice before you fix it (then pull the matchstick out) you will have an expansion gap. Youu can also use scraps if cardboard e.g. from a cornflake packet. The overlap pf the shiplap will cover it and keep rain out.

You can use ply as the outer layer, or hide it under shiplap for beauty. If it is a top-class shed, you can use ply for the inner layer, it will add strength and rigity and keep draughts and vermin out.

I meant tilers' battens to space the cladding off the felt, to avoid water being trapped there.

The felt will make it more waterproof and draughtproof. Shiplap is naturally gappy

You will find it a hundred times more difficult to insulate after build. Polystyrene slabs are very cheap and 25mm would do if funds are short.

Stuff like kingspan is better but more expensive. Fibreglass will encourage vermin to nest in it.

seneca · 16 Mar 2007

thanks JohnD, some very useful tips. Now you come to mention it, won't the whole shed be expanding/contracting with the weather? If I make a rigid framework to attach the cladding to, won't that too need some kind of spacer? I was planning on using regular rough sawn, kiln dried wood for the frame. is that a bad idea? what would be good for a solid framework?
have visions of the door never opening in the winter

ellal · 16 Mar 2007

JohnD said:
Space off the concrete base with a couple of courses of bricks if you possibly can.

Definately wish I'd thought about this - a good bit of advice!

big-all · 16 Mar 2007

i used treated tounge and groove shiplap
and treated floor bearers
everything else was rough sawn 3x2" plus 12mm ext ply for floor and roof

base is slabs with bricks on top every 2 ft coverd in felt treated 3x2 then the 12mm ply floor

the shed is 12ft by 10ft internal measurement

JohnD · 16 Mar 2007

*envy*

big-all · 16 Mar 2007

JohnD said:
*envy*

*embarased*

by all the mess

my excuse was it was last summer and my son and his freinds where using it as there den

seneca · 16 Mar 2007

WOW

big up to you big-all. The kind of shed I dream about.

Firstly, apologies for the number of questions I'm asking, but I'm new to all this blokish, builders terminology. Wish I could get a book to explain it

i used treated tounge and groove shiplap

so such things exist. I have only been to wickes and they seemed to only do the regular softwood variety, though they do say they can be used for sheds etc. do any of the big chains do it, or will i have to find a specialist yard?

and treated floor bearers

are these just treated breams or something specialist for flooring? How about that interlocking stuff they put decking onto. Or is that overdoing it, and expensive.

base is slabs with bricks on top every 2 ft coverd in felt treated 3x2 then the 12mm ply floor

Right let me figure this one out

I have got the slab base. I was thinking of putting bricks at regular intervals and laying the floor beams on top of them. did you cover the bricks with felt? don't get it. Either I'm very thick, or you missed some punctuation (don't answer if it's the first one.)
How do you stop the framework from expanding?

the shed is 12ft by 10ft internal measurement

Exactly the dimensions I'm planning. Don't suppose you know the name of a website, or manual you followed? or did you think it up yourself. If so, hats off to you.

big-all · 16 Mar 2007

sat down planed the space planed the window arrangment [one windows above 4ft cos thats the wall the sheets materials stored on]
and the door tight to the side wall to get the boards in and out easily
planned the overhead storage into the design planned bench under south south west facing big windows but thev storage underneth evolved over the next year

there is a boring long winded thread thread about the construction that i will link to around 10 ish tonight when i get home from my brothers

the treated timber is just standard 6x2 treated that they [ryall and edwards]run down the middle to give me 3x2s

the shiplap was sent away to be pressure treated at around 20%extra but well worth it

======== edit====== the link via screwfix as there is some friction some where in the system

http://www.screwfix.com/talk/thread.jspa?threadID=52704

glocko · 21 Mar 2007

Would definately recommend building your own shed, here's the story of my build though you have to register and login to see the photos.
http://www.readersheds.co.uk/readersheds/shedtalk/index.php?showtopic=6
One thing I would say is to consider getting your timber from a timber merchants rather than Wickes et al. Apart from being cheaper it is generally kept outdoors so won't have dried up and warped/cracked.
Good luck!!

big-all · 21 Mar 2007

don't know if its me but none of your pictures work for me

masona · 21 Mar 2007

big-all, I think glocko said you have to register and login to see the photos unless you're registered?

big-all · 21 Mar 2007

masona said:
big-all, I think glocko said you have to register and login to see the photos unless you're registered?

ooo yeh thanks masona

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advice on building a shed

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