Building a shed

[Gad1]

I have been considering buying a garden shed recently and can't believe quite how expensive they are!!

Not sure on what size I need yet, but thought I might have a crack at building one myself. Do you think it would save me much, or any, money, or is the expense of a new shed well worth shelling out for to avoid the hassle?

Any opinions appreciated!

 

[Karl Austin]

Just doing plans for my own at the moment, can buy one for not much more than it's going to cost me, but I know mine will be built better and I'll have full control over it - plus it gives me something to do away from a computer.

 

[oilman]

You can buy a shed as cheap, but it will be a real lightweight. I built one (well, still building it), the floors are 1-1/4" thick. They are scaffold boards, and were cheaper for the area than ordinary floor boards. Other timbers are 4 x 2 CLS. I needed 240m of that.

What shape would you like your shed?

 

[Eng33]

I also built my own last year, measuring 6.1m long x 3m wide with a pitched trussed roof. Sits on a 'structural' base of 100 x 50 joists and 18mm floor.... OK you could argue it's really a garage.... especially now it has a car stored in it.... Exterior is treated shiplap, roof is Onduline sheets. Cost me a just short of £1k in materials all in, which I don't think was too bad.

 

[Scrit]

I have been considering buying a garden shed recently and can't believe quite how expensive they are!!

Before B&Q et al flooded the market with cheap (and generally very, very nasty) sheds it was possible to buy a decent quality shed from a specialist shed manufacturer which would last 20 to 50+ years with a modicum of looking after. But they were always a lot more expensive than the big DIY outlet's offerings. Nowadays B&Q, who's sheds seem to self-destruct at between four and five years of age seems to be the bench mark for "quality", having all but succeeded in driving that section of the trade to the wall. A "proof", were it needed of the old saw that "you get what you pay for". However, if you try to build a shed to their abysmally poor standards at even the same price as them you'll fail. On the other hand if you want to build decent quality shed which will last you may well succeed, but it's going to cost a lot more than a cheap and nasty piece of B&Q tat

Scrit

 

[DonKiddick]

What do you want your shed for?

If it's just for storing your garden tools, old cans of paint, and jars of nails I would have thought that a B&Q jobbie for £100-£200 would do fine - there's no way you could build one yourself for the money.

If, however, you're going to use it as a workshop or refuge from SWMBO you need something altogether more substantial. Here it probably would pay to build it yourself. I'd look at making panels from 8x4 exterior ply and 3x2, bolting them together to make the walls, and then sticking a roof on. Clad the outside with shiplap and Hey Presto - one shed. A bit of insulation and board on the inside and you'll have it cosy enough to move a sofa-bed in!

Cheers
Don

 

[Scrit]

I'd look at making panels from 8x4 exterior ply and 3x2, bolting them together to make the walls, and then sticking a roof on. Clad the outside with shiplap and Hey Presto - one shed. A bit of insulation and board on the inside and you'll have it cosy enough to move a sofa-bed in!

Sounds like an expensive way to build anything, IMHO. Have you seen the price of f/e exterior grade ply nowadays? And why build a double skin then insulate?

Scrit

 

[DonKiddick]

And why build a double skin then insulate?

Scrir

S'not what I said!

Board on the outside covered with shiplap to keep the rain off.

Then insulation, then board on the inside.

Seems reasonable to me.

Cheers
Don

 

[Jasonb]

I'd fill between the studs with polystyrene or celotex/kingspan if your budget goes that far. Skin the inside with 12mm ply and building paper or tyvek the outside with shiplap or feather edge boards. Like Scrit I cant see the point in boarding both sides of the structure.

Jason

 

[DonKiddick]

Like Scrit I cant see the point in boarding both sides of the structure.

Jason

Fair enough.

I'm just thinking in terms of pre-fabricating the whole structure in 8x4 sections in my workshop and then transporting it to the site.

I guess it could be done with the boards on the inside, then the insulation, then the shiplap directly onto the frame.

You've just saved me a bundle on my imaginary shed!

Cheers
Don

 

[Scrit]

I'm just thinking in terms of pre-fabricating the whole structure in 8x4 sections in my workshop and then transporting it to the site.

I guess it could be done with the boards on the inside, then the insulation, then the shiplap directly onto the frame.

It will probably be too heavy to lift that way, and how do you propose joining the sections when you get there? Prefabricated sheds are generally delivered unlined because they're bolted or nailed through adjoining studs. I've worked on huge 80 x 30ft sheds which my old man used to make in the past and they were all done that way for that reason.

Scrit

 

[DonKiddick]

Oh dear!

I've re-read my original post and it still looks clear to me but obviously not to anyone else!

I would make my prefabricated panels from 1 sheet of ply and a frame of 3x2.

I would then erect the walls of the shed by bolting the frames together on a wooden or concrete base.

I would fill the frame's cavity with insulation material and then apply the other skin of the wall once the structure was erected

I take the point about not strictly needing 2 plywood skins but even so I would be more comfortable doing it that way should funds permit.

If done correctly and with proper maintenance the resulting buiding will still be in good order long after you, me, or anyone else has shuffled off this mortal coil.

Cheers
Don

 

[big-all]

pictures of my shed its 10ft by 12ft internal exluding groundwork or electrics around £700 total costs around £1000

excuse the mess at "the boys"used it as a den during the school holidays

 

[Scrit]

Nice one B-A. Good to see a shed built by someone who knows what they're talking about

Scrit

 

[Deluks]

Surely it would be much quicker to knock up the framework on site??

You are looking at building it , transporting it, and then erecting it. Why the hassle when you can just work from a pile of timber, bag o' nails and bit of string. Plus it will use less timber as you won't have to have adjoining frames bolted together.

tip: if you go for Jase's method, use 4x2 for floor and header plates, and 3x2 for the studding, that way the battens for the cladding will fill the extra inch leaving the cladding itself flush with the outer frame.