Building custom shed advice

[TedTrippin]

Hi,

A bit of a general question for feedback and tips.

I want to build a large shed, about 7' x 15'. My intention was to lay some footings, 8" deep, for a 2 course single skin brick wall. I was then planning on building stud walls atop the wall. Roof would just be a simple felted shed roof. 2 windows and a central door in the front.

My first thought was how to attach the studs to the wall. It seems the normal way would be to attach a wood plate to the wall with restraint straps. 2 potential problems; is the wall big enough and other threads warn against wind causing the wall to fail (although thats more fence panels on walls)?

If you're wondering the reason for the design.... its because I want to I like the idea of a weather resistant base that will be level with the floor.

Thanks in advance and any comments more than welcome.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

So you will have a concrete floor with a 2 brick high wall sitting on it? Your feet will get very cold in winter.
Frank

 

[CJRatch]

Ideally you want at least 3 courses above the ground level to ensure your timbers stay dry. In a similar fashion to a wall plate you'd fix this to the brick wall, you can use restraint straps but with it only being potentially 3 courses your not getting much restraint. I'd be tempted to glue, and fix directly through the wall plate into the brickwork below with good fixings and washers (Fill your frogs with mortar before fitting wall plate, better yet use none perforated bricks), even use wall straps to give you total peace of mind but they'd need cutting down obviously. This way you can be pretty damn sure its never going to slip even under high winds especially once all 4 walls and the roof have been fixed together.

 

[TedTrippin]

Thanks CJRatch. I'll aim for 3-4 courses.

 

[^woody^]

No wind is going to cause a wall of 300mm height to fail.

If you are having a timber floor, then the walls sit on the floor joists and the whole shed acts as one.

If you are having a concrete or suchlike floor independant of the shed walls, then you put a DPC on the wall and then just screw the wall panel to the wall below. And no, damp does not come up through the screw holes before anyone comments.

 

[TedTrippin]

what about really big holes?

 

[^woody^]

Big ole what?

 

[Nozzle]

For a really nice quality finish use roofing shingles rather than (or in addition to) roofing felt.

Nozzle