10ftx12ft workshop/shed - brick or wood - pros and cons

[tuk]

Low Cost:

Thinking about building a 10x12ft workshop for woodwork in my back garden..basically a walk-around-workbench in a room & I'l be doing the labour.

Dampness/humidity is an issue for materials....& will generally avoid heating if I can help it...climate sensitive woods etc will be stored in house until required

So what's best?, brick or wood?, brick seems stronger and lower maintenance.. but might be more work digging out founds etc and more expensive initially ..read somewhere brick can cause dampness? ...or should I go with partition/plasterboard wall, insulated and plastered both sides

opinions please...

 

[Norcon]

So what's best?,

One of these....
http://www.h2engineering.co.uk/modular.asp

 

[big-all]

you will need heat as glue wont set below 8 degrees and you will need at least a heat boost every other day in below zero days to protect glues paints varnishes metal tools etc
my workshop is 10x12 around 8 years old now

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/bigall2005/

it is now reasonably well insulated with a small wood burner
but a 2.5kw fan heater on for around 40 mins every other day will keep the shed above freezing during winter days off close to freezing average day and nigh

 

[Norcon]

Keep your glues and varnishes in the house.
Can a garden shed really be defined as a workshop? How do you manage 4.8m lengths of lumber?
Ok the weathers fine so just let it stick outside but in winter?

Keep in mind the H2 building (and others like it) complies with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols.
Not something to dismiss lightly!

 

[big-all]

Keep your glues and varnishes in the house.
Can a garden shed really be defined as a workshop? How do you manage 4.8m lengths of lumber?
Ok the weathers fine so just let it stick outside but in winter?

Keep in mind the H2 building (and others like it) complies with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols.
Not something to dismiss lightly!

in my senario timber comes in from the wood yard up to 5.1 but average around 4.2-4.5[they know i want long lengths ]
i dont tend to order for a specific job just what needs replenishing but off course jobs in hand

the wood sits in the hall way until it will fit in the shed
i hate waste so manage around 95-97% useage of planed timber
yes it involves odd lengths being held for a few weeks but works for me

what i will do is for example part off the order will be 45m off 2x1 par
i will take the cutting list and list the sizes off timber in the shed and in the house i will number a length and get as near to full length by calculation if theres more than 50mm left i will recalculate
what i usually do is once i have done the accurate lengths is take one two or three cuts off several lengths from the end off as many lengths to bring them below the 3.4ishm to fit inside the shed

 

[tuk]

Thanks for the replies...

The site does not have road access and is at the back of the property so the H2 building is out ...also & I might be wrong, but surely those will be more expensive than an equivalent self build?

As the workshop will be for instrument making, the largest peace of wood will be less than 3.5ft in length, so 10x12 work area should be adequate

@big-all ..your workshop does look nice, but Im thinking your walls might be too thin/draughty for what I need, as maintaining humidity between 40-60% and avoiding fluctuations is more of an issue than temperature....but I'm interested what you used for foundations? ..as my building might be similar

I was reading somewhere else that an external stud wall might be an option

from inside to out...

Plasterboard
VCL/poly sheeting
Insulated stud
Sheathing ply/WBP
Breather membrane
Batten/min 25mm
Mesh
Render

I could just paint/treat the ply instead of render to keep costs down or maybe the extra layers are worthwhile?

any votes for brick?

 

[big-all]

the walls are t&g shiplap before i insulated it there where no draughts at all as only the door end had any gaps as the windows are a good fit
humidity could be your problem i dont know
i just accept that anything made from planks has to sit in the house for a few days to shrink before fitting to stop cracks appearing at a later stage

because i have never had any water damage[leaks] 3 years ago i fitted loft insulation without air gaps or builders membrane again with no problems as i coat frequently to maintain the waterproof outside
the internal walls are clad with exteriour ply that will let the wall breath
you can also hang what you like from the ply without additional batons or support

 

[tuk]

how much did each stage set you back?...the initial build then the later insulation/ply ....& how did you do the base?

 

[big-all]

base is very simple 3x2 treated slabs/bricks/blocks on a sand base[should be cement]topped with felt/dpm at 2ft centers

foundations about £100
txg shiplap around £240
9 sheets 18mm ext ply around £300[floor and roof]
all other timbers up to the pictures around £250 mostly 3x2 sawn for walls at 2ft centers and roof trusses at 2.5-4ft centeres
roof 3 layer torch on felt around £200
electrics pre part p £150 all 11 double sockets at roof height leaving all wall space clear with a socket no further than 1m from the working areas and 4ft to anywhere

inside around 5 sheets 12mm exterior ply and around 2 or 3 12mm mdf 4 or5x6mm ply for the roof

then add 20% on for the bits i forgot lol

the amount may be different on this thread i wrote some years ago
http://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=j;action=display;num=1107333976

 

[Deluks]

i hate waste so manage around 95-97% useage of planed timber
yes it involves odd lengths being held for a few weeks but works for me

what i will do is for example part off the order will be 45m off 2x1 par
i will take the cutting list and list the sizes off timber in the shed and in the house i will number a length and get as near to full length by calculation if theres more than 50mm left i will recalculate
what i usually do is once i have done the accurate lengths is take one two or three cuts off several lengths from the end off as many lengths to bring them below the 3.4ishm to fit inside the shed

Impressive planning B.A.
Nice to see that you are are utilising each length of timber to it's maximum potential, very ecological.





Bloody tight arse

 

[big-all]

i know it looks bad
to be honest i usually have several bits off timber from most stock sizes and because i am semi retired enjoy the challenge
i also aim at 10% recycled timber in what i make this can be visible if nice or hidden as drawer runners or the back board on a unit for example

 

[merlin50]

10x12ft is to small for a workshop i started with one that size had to keep adding on to it.

 

[big-all]

10x12ft is to small for a workshop i started with one that size had to keep adding on to it.

very true but by planning well and using the garden table for cutting sheet material it works very well
the wooden door now has a flap that opens to allow long boards up to 5m long on the dw712 slider now located on top off the workmate inside the door

 

[tuk]

thanks big-all.

10x12ft is to small for a workshop

essentially all you need is being able to walk around a bench & approach from 3 sides ..for storage use walls, rafters and high shelf ..10x12 is plenty and that includes doing all the cuts inside

 

[merlin50]

and when you get the 14" saw bench, the sliding mitre saw, the 12" band saw the 10" planer thicknesser, woodturning lathe, pillar drill, morticing machine, and that is just the woodwork section.