Self build shed - help and advice needed please

floor joists are 30 mm?

how thick are the floor boards?


if I were you i would build a sub floor with using 3x 2 or 4x 2 tanalised put celotex between joists then put the floor you got over the top.
and also if they ar'nt presure treated the will rot out fairly quick.

you need to let the wood breath to let moisture escape not sure how that will work on the floor

yes 12mm exterior ply on the walls then you can fix what you like to them with 6mm ply on the ceiling unless you need to hang anything heavy from the actual ply

Unfortunately the main reason for getting this office setup - my job - has kicked off big style. I have been traveling every week lately plus we just got back from 10 days away. So not much has been done on this build.

The base I put down has settled and is pretty much level now. And I have managed to get 1 coat of wood protector and 2 coats of paint on all the wood so it's well protected now. I will probably put a 3rd coat on the outside once it's up.

Now onto the floor. This is the underside of the floor:

http://cl.ly/image/2a1S1Y0q1I1R

http://cl.ly/image/0v3I2H0B360Y

http://cl.ly/image/072R1l3B0I2X

This is the underside and the paint is overspray. There are 2 panel like this which are screwed together. I have laid it out (in-fact it's in place as all the other panels are on top and covered with tarp) and it seems pretty sturdy but I can't see how I can insulate it.

There is not a lot of size on the joists to put insulation in and leave room for airflow.

I have a few options -

1. I build a complete new floor using larger joists but this would be expensive

2. I user 25mm insulation on the underside and 25mm on the topside

3. I build another base to raise the shed up more allowing larger insulation sheets.

Right this is the inside of the walls:

http://cl.ly/image/1n2M3e1u1j41

http://cl.ly/image/2H2d2g3E0t2n

What are my options here? I want to insulate so do I just current joists and put membrane on then 50mm insulation or do I add extra joists?

Finally I don't like the roofing felt they have sent me. Would it be worth while getting some shingles?

Thanks for any advice.

i insulated my shed with loft insulation but not the floor and its absolutely fine
i would suggest because the floor has a fairly stable layer off air under it protected from the worst off the weather the heat loss will be the smallest amount

i would suggest going for all the insulation above with maybe a carpet /rugs to give a layer off insulation
remember with a temperature off 18 degrees at head height it may only be 15 at the floor so harder to loose heat where as the roof may be 21 so more heat lost there

just insulate above and bother about below if you get cold feet [pun intended]

Insulate the floor if you must but then the field mice move in

Thanks for the advice guys. I have decided not to insulate below.

I have put down a hawklok base which will raise the shed off the concrete but I decided to put some 3x2 tanalised bearers on top and put the shed floor on top of these. The cost was £18 for 6x 2.4m lengths so it's not much to raise it a little more.

My plan is to put a DPM over the 3x2's, then floor and I will insulate above if needed.

Any advice on how I should lay out the DPM? I was thinking of putting the sheet out over the timbers and stapling to the sides. The tanalised timber will be running in opposite direction to the floor bearers so there will be airflow under the DPM and above the dpm below the floor (does this make sense?).

I probably should start a project thread. So here it is. I decided to just go for it and build the stupid thing on Saturday. Ended up doing the whole thing myself - including nearly dropping the roof on my neck but I got there (got no photos during the build as I was on my own and didn't think:



I didn't get the roof felt on and I was in a lot of pain today so it will have to wait till tomorrow/tuesday. The back and both sides have 3x coats of paint already. I ran out so have ordered more for the front.

Shire should be ashamed for sending this out. I originally was supposed to be getting a previously used one but they damaged it too much taking it apart that they gave me the new one from stock. There are gaps everywhere (and this despite my efforts and tweaking), the floor is like walking on paper. I keep breaking boards, lucking I intend to insulate above so I will be putting down a second floor.

some of the biggest gaps are where the roof meets the walls and the join between the roof panels (the instructions - which are ****e - told me to screw these panels together which is impossible):







- advice on what to do about the gaps appreciated.

It's up now and I will have to make do and hopefully make better. I don't like the door so I would like to replace that with something a bit more substantial and secure/insulated. Also I would like to put in a better window than the one I got with this one. It's ****.:



my next question is about the walls and roof. I want to insulated them but what do I do? This is how they look:







Do I just insulate the walls and use the current uprights or add more?

here it is tucked in for the night (I hadn't planned to do anything today but it started raining this afternoon).





It was a pain in the arse to get the tarp on that I should have just put the felt up but I could barely lift my arms.

the best you can do is get a double layer off extra felt over the ridge but your unlikely to have enough extra if you have a roll supplied with the shed
maybe some linoleum
both halves off the ridge must me screwed together for strength if they are not already

insulation needs a 1" gap to the wall then breathable membrane then your insulation

big-all said:

the best you can do is get a double layer off extra felt over the ridge but your unlikely to have enough extra if you have a roll supplied with the shed
maybe some linoleum
both halves off the ridge must me screwed together for strength if they are not already

insulation needs a 1" gap to the wall then breathable membrane then your insulation

Click to expand...

the one thing they did supply a lot of is felt. There's 3 rolls.

I have screwed the roof together but the gap is a bit wide I am not sure of the point of the screws as just the tip is in

what you should do is the blocks the roof rests on are just to stop it sliding off

you should pack behind to move the sections up closer together
if they sag in the middle you support them up to no more than 12mm above the natural level any more the roof may clear the block at one end and drop down
you then pack out untill they touch at each end then screw together with at least 2 screws then remove any props and screw full length

i would unscrew and do the roof properly or force wood into the gap and screw from both sides every 2ft or so

I have started a project thread here:

//www.diynot.com/forums/your-p...office-garden-hideaway-thread.336625/#2506723

I will update that one as this has moved from an idea to a project.